Reinforcements, baffles and seals with malleable carriers
View Patent ↗There is disclosed a process of forming reinforcements, baffles and seals having malleable carriers. The process typically includes application of an activatable material to a malleable carrier and contouring of the activatable material the malleable carrier or both.
1. A process of forming and applying a member for sealing, baffling or reinforcing a structure of a vehicle, the process comprising:
providing a malleable carrier in the form of a singular elongated strip having a plurality of widened portions with a plurality of through-holes, one of the plurality of through-holes through each of the widened portions;
extending a plurality of fasteners through the plurality of through-holes;
molding activatable material about at least a portion of the plurality of fasteners and substantially entirely surrounding the carrier for forming the member prior to expansion;
attaching the member to a secondary carrier such that the member is shaped to accommodate one or more contours of the secondary carrier.
2. A process as in claim 1 wherein shaping includes curving of the member and the activatable material and wherein the activatable material is a heat activated thermosetting material that foams, expands and cures upon exposure to temperature in an e-coat or bake oven.
3. A process as in claim 2 wherein the attaching of the member includes attaching the fasteners to the secondary carrier.
4. A process as in claim 3 wherein the activatable material is generally dry and substantially non-tacky.
5. A process as in claim 4 further comprising:
locating the secondary carrier with the member attached thereto within a cavity of a structure of an automotive vehicle.
6. A process as in claim 1 further comprising:
locating the secondary carrier with the member attached thereto within a cavity of a structure of an automotive vehicle.
7. A process as in claim 1 , wherein the volume of activatable material is at least 500% of the volume of the malleable carrier.
8. A process as in claim 1 , wherein the malleable carrier is formed of metal.
9. A process as in claim 1 , wherein multiple malleable carriers are attached to one secondary carrier.
10. A process as in claim 1 , wherein the malleable carrier is formed of polymeric material.
11. A process as in claim 1 , wherein the malleable carrier is formed of metal and has a yield stress less than about 700 MPa and greater than about 100 MPa.