Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Sheet including cover or casing – Foamed or expanded material encased
Patent
1995-11-14
1998-06-16
McCamish, Marion E.
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Sheet including cover or casing
Foamed or expanded material encased
428132, 428158, 428159, 4283099, 4283105, 4283193, B29D 3100, B29C 4414, B29C 4418, B29C 4432
Patent
active
057667195
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a composite material suitable for making seals, for example, in cavities of a car structure.
For making seals in cavities of vehicles, it is known to use heat foamable materials, i.e., materials which are converted at lease partly into a foam by heating.
For example, heat foamable materials are shaped, to be introduced in the cavity and are then submitted to a heating, to allow the foaming. Disadvantages of such a method are, for example, foamed material; seal will be obtained;
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has for subject matter a composite material using a limited amount of heat foamable material while being suitable for making an excellent seal. The pressure exerted by the foamable material can be used interactively by the support for either directing the flow of the foam or/and shaping or transforming the support. Other advantages of the composite material according to the invention will be given furtherbelow.
In the specification hereafter, the wording "room" is used for defining a space defined by a wall or several walls such as a channel, a groove, etc.
The composite material according to the invention is comprised of a support forming a room or space and of a heat foamable material arranged in the space or room, with the support being made of a material with melting temperature higher than the temperature required for the foaming, so that when heat is applied to the foaming material, the material expands to a foamed form out of the space through at least one opening, preferably several openings, of the support or opening(s) formed in the support due to the heat and/or the foaming pressure.
Advantageously, the room or groove formed in the support has at least one or several openings whereby at the foaming temperature, foam flows out of the room or groove in at least two different, preferably opposite direction. For example, when heat is applied, foam flows outside the room through two opposite openings, the flow of foam through a first opening being substantially in an opposite direction to the direction of the flow of foam through the second opening.
According to an embodiment, the support comprises an upper plate and a lower plate linked the one to the other by two walls forming channel(s) having a substantially equal cross-section between the parts of the walls arranged the one in front to the other. Such an embodiment is suitable to force the foam flowing out of the room to flow preferably in a direction corresponding substantially to the axis of the channel.
Possibly, part(s) of the support is free of heat foam expandable material, whereby during the foaming, foam glides first on the support before extending or flowing outside the support, so that during the foaming, the foam no more in contact with the support has a sufficient rigidity so as to expand substantially only in the plane defined by the support.
For example, the support comprises an upper plate and a lower plate linked the one to the other by walls forming channel(s) extending between opposite end-openings, one end of said channels being provided with a means to limit the passage of foam out of the channel(s) at said end(s). A preferred foaming direction is set, and the expansion force is controlled.
For facilitating the use of the composite material, the support is provided with a means for securing it on a frame or structure.
The support is, for example, made of a composition containing polyamide, i.e., of a material which is heat resistant at temperatures of 200.degree.-255.degree. C., a temperature, higher than the temperature required for the foaming.
According to a characteristic of an embodiment, the face of the upper plate directed towards the lower plate is parallel to the face of the lower plate directed towards the upper plate, said faces being separated the one from the other by a distance of at most 5 mm.
According to a further embodiment of a composite material according to the invention, the support comprises a first plate with a central
REFERENCES:
patent: 4105481 (1978-08-01), Lofdahl
patent: 4136223 (1979-01-01), Harder
patent: 4179319 (1979-12-01), Lofdahl
patent: 4379103 (1983-04-01), Doerfling
patent: 5344208 (1994-09-01), Blen et al.
Copenheaver Blaine R.
Magna Exterior Systems GmbH
McCamish Marion E.
LandOfFree
Composite material does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Composite material, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Composite material will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1722807