Baffle with flow-through medium

1 . A baffle for insertion into a cavity of a structure of an article of manufacture, comprising:

a generally planar flow through medium having an outer periphery and a plurality of openings, which allow air to flow through the medium; and

an expandable material that is substantially coextensive with the outer periphery of the medium, the expandable material being activatable such that the expandable material can expand and adhere to walls of the structure of the article of manufacture.

2 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein the flow through medium has an average opening frequency less than 50 but greater than 1 opening per square centimeter.

3 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein the flow through medium has an average opening frequency is less than 12 but greater than 6 openings per square centimeter.

4 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein each of the openings includes a flow-through area of less than about 0.2 square centimeters and greater than about 0.05 square millimeters

5 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein the article of manufacture is an automotive vehicle.

6 . A baffle as in claim 5 wherein the baffle is located within the cavity of the structure such that the flow through medium is substantially perpendicular to the walls of the structure.

7 . A baffle as in claim 6 wherein the flow through medium is within 10° of perpendicular to the walls of the structure.

8 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein the flow through medium is formed of a polymeric material, a metal, a foam or a combination thereof.

9 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein the flow through medium is a metal panel and the opening in the flow through medium are slits adjacent cavities formed in the metal panel.

10 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein the flow through medium includes multiple panels stacked in opposing relation to each other.

11 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein the flow through medium has a thickness that is less than 1 centimeter and greater than 0.05 millimeter.

12 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein the flow through medium is located within a housing that provides fluid communication to the flow through medium.

13 . A baffle as in claim 1 wherein the baffle is located in the structure of the vehicle such that the structure is in fluid communication with a passenger compartment of the automotive vehicle and an ambient environment surrounding the vehicle.

14 . A baffle for insertion into a cavity of a structure of an automotive vehicle, comprising:

A flow through medium having a plurality of openings, which allows air to flow through the medium wherein:

i) the flow through medium is formed of a substantially planar sheet having an outer periphery and a first surface opposite a second surface separated by a thickness;

ii) the first surface has a surface area of at least 0.5 decimeters and has an average opening frequency of at least 2 openings per square centimeter of said surface area; and

an expandable material connected to the medium, wherein:

i) the expandable material expands, foams, wets and adheres to walls of the cavity of the structure of the automotive vehicle upon exposure to elevated temperatures; and

ii) the expandable material is adjacent to and substantially coextensive with the outer periphery of the medium.

15 . A baffle as in claim 14 wherein the baffle is located within the cavity of the structure such that the flow through medium is substantially perpendicular to the walls of the structure.

16 . A baffle as in claim 14 wherein the flow through medium is formed of a polymeric material, a metal, a foam or a combination thereof.

17 . A baffle as in claim 14 wherein the flow through medium is a metal panel and the opening in the flow through medium are slits adjacent cavities formed in the metal panel.

18 . A baffle as in claim 14 wherein the flow through medium is located within a housing that provides fluid communication to the flow through medium.

19 . A baffle as in claim 14 wherein the baffle is located in the structure of the vehicle such that the structure is in fluid communication with a passenger compartment of the automotive vehicle and an ambient environment surrounding the vehicle.

20 . A baffle for insertion into a cavity of an automotive vehicle, comprising:

a medium having a plurality of openings, which allow air to flow through the medium wherein:

i) the medium is formed of a substantially planar metal sheet having an outer periphery and a first surface opposite a second surface separated by a thickness;

ii) the first surface has a surface area of at least 0.5 decimeters and has a density of openings of at least 2 openings per square centimeter of said surface area; and

iii) each of the openings includes a flow-through area of less than about 3 square millimeters and greater than about 0.2 square millimeters;

an expandable material connected to the medium, wherein:

i) the expandable material expands, foams, wets and adheres to walls of the cavity of the structure of the automotive vehicle upon exposure to elevated temperatures; and

ii) the expandable material is adjacent to and substantially coextensive with the outer periphery of the medium; and

a housing including a first wall with a first through-hole and a second wall with a second through-hole, wherein:

i) the flow through medium is between the first and second walls of the housing; and

ii) the first and second through-holes provide fluid communication with the flow through medium.