Reinforcement laminate
View Patent ↗A tri-laminate body panel stiffener includes two polymer layers with or without a backing. One of the layers is a compliant foam layer mounted against a substrate while the other layer is a rigid foam layer mounted against the compliant foam layer. In another aspect of the invention the laminate comprises a backing member having an expandable foam mounted thereto with two or more opposing edges of the laminate being of non-straight construction such as being wavy or saw tooth. A pattern of holes may be formed through the foam and backing layers.
1. A reinforcement laminate for reinforcing a substrate comprising a carrier layer, said carried layer being made of a material selected from the group consisting of fiberglass cloth, metal screen and foil, a first layer of foamable material capable upon activation of becoming a rigid reinforcement foam secured to said carrier layer, a second layer of foamable material capable upon activation of becoming a compliant foam secured to said first foamable layer, said second foamable layer comprising a bonding layer for securing said laminate to a substrate, said first foamable layer and said second foamable layer being heat cured and foamed in-situ, said second foamable layer upon activation becoming a foam layer capable of absorbing shrinkage strains due to heat cure of said second foamable layer and cooling of the substrate, and including a pattern of holes creating open passageways completely through said laminate.
2. The laminate of claim 1 wherein said carrier layer is a foil backing.
3. The laminate of claim 1 in combination with said substrate, and said second layer being intimately bonded directly to said substrate.
4. The laminate of claim 3 wherein said first and second layers and said carrier layer have a generally continuous contour, and at least one rib formed by said first and second layers and said carrier layer forming a minor interruption of said continuous contour.
5. The laminate of claim 4 wherein said substrate includes a rib in line with said rib of said foamable layers and said carrier layer.
6. The laminate of claim 5 wherein said first and second layers and said carrier layer include end flanges extending in the same direction as each other and as said rib away from said continuous contour.
7. The laminate of claim 3 wherein said substrate is a vehicle part selected from the group consisting of a door, a roof, a deck lid and a fender.
8. The laminate of claim 3 wherein said substrate is a vehicle part.
9. The laminate of claim 1 wherein said laminate in its elevation view has a pair of longitudinal side edges interconnected by a pair of transverse end edges and at least one of said pair of side edges and said pair of end edges is of non-straight and undulated shape.
10. The laminate of claim 9 wherein said undulated shape has a pattern of hills and valleys joined together in a smooth wavy pattern.
11. The laminate of claim 9 wherein said undulated shape has a pattern of hills and valleys in a sawtooth shape.
12. The laminate of claim 9 wherein said non-straight and undulated edges are said side edges.
13. The laminate of claim 9 wherein said non-straight and undulated edges are said end edges.
14. The laminate of claim 13 wherein said side edges are also non-straight and undulated.
15. The laminate of claim 9 in combination with said substrate, and said second layer being a compliant foam layer intimately bonded to said substrate.
16. The laminate of claim 15 wherein said substrate is a vehicle door.
17. The laminate of claim 1 wherein said pattern of holes comprises a plurality of uniformly and equally spaced aligned rows and columns of holes.
18. The laminate of claim 1 wherein said pattern of holes comprises a plurality of holes arranged in staggered rows and columns.
19. The laminate of claim 1 wherein said pattern of holes is randomly arranged.
20. The laminate of claim 1 wherein said first layer and said second layer are in direct contact with each other.
21. The laminate of claim 1 wherein said first layer and said second layer are made of different foamable materials.
22. The laminate of claim 1 wherein said first layer is made of a material comprising 35–95% by weight synthetic resin, 1–60% by weight cell forming agent and 1–55% by weight filler.
23. A reinforcement laminate for reinforcing a substrate comprising a carrier layer, a first layer of foamable material capable upon activation of becoming a rigid reinforcement foam secured to said carrier layer, said first layer being made of a material comprising 35–95% by weight synthetic resin, 1–60% by weight cell forming agent and 1–55% by weight filler, a second layer of foamable material capable upon activation of becoming a compliant foam secured to said first foamable layer, said second foamable layer comprising a bonding layer for securing said laminate to a substrate, said first foamable layer and said second foamable layer being heat cured and foamed in-situ, said second foamable layer upon activation becoming a foam layer capable of absorbing shrinkage strains due to heat cure of said second foamable layer and cooling of the substrate, and including a pattern of holes creating open passageways completely through said laminate.
24. The laminate of claim 23 wherein said carrier layer is made from a material selected from the group consisting of fiberglass cloth, metal screen and foil.
25. A reinforced structure comprising a carrier layer, a layer of rigid reinforcement foam secured directly to said carrier layer, a layer of compliant foam secured directly to said rigid foam, said layer of compliant foam comprising a bonding layer securing said laminate to a substrate, said rigid foam layer and said compliant foam layer being heat curable, said compliant foam layer functioning for absorbing shrinkage strains due to heat cure of said foam layer and cooling of said substrate, said substrate being a vehicle door, said compliant foam layer being mounted to said vehicle door, and including a pattern of holes creating open passageways completely through said laminate.
26. The structure of claim 25 wherein said foam layers and said carrier layer have a generally continuous contour, and at least one rib formed by said foam layers and said carrier layer forming a minor interruption of said continuous contour.
27. The structure of claim 26 wherein said foam layers and said carrier layer include end flanges.
28. The structure of claim 25 wherein said laminate in its elevation view has a pair of longitudinal side edges interconnected by a pair of transverse end edges, and at least one of said pair of side edges and said pair of end edges being of non-straight and undulated shape.
29. The structure of claim 25 wherein said compliant foam layer is mounted at generally the central area of said vehicle door.