Reynolds Metals Company

Robert Preston Spears

Karl-Heinz Johannes Reilmann

Joe C Peace, Jr

Burwell Lewis Lafoon, Jr

The present invention relates to an improved composite panel that is suitable for architectural and display applications and an advantageous method for making the composite panel. The composite panel comprises a foamed plastic core and two metallic skin layers bonded to the plastic core. The composite panel exhibits an effective bond strength sufficient to prevent peeling of the skin layers under normal use conditions, at least one visually flat surface substantially free of surface defects, and a stiffness to weight ratio of at least about 500 lb -in/lb /ft .

Composite panel with a foamed plastic core

An expandable structural member comprises two outer skin members, a plastically deformable reinforcing layer arranged between the two outer skin members, and a foamable polymer composition coated on at least one of each adjacent surface of the reinforcing layer and the respective outer skin member. Each adjacent surface of the reinforcing layer and the respective outer skin member contact one another and are intermittently bonded to one another, with the intermittent bonds on one surface of the reinforcing layer being non-aligned with the intermittent bonds on the other surface of the reinforcing layer. Additionally, the foamable polymer composition is foamable by application of heat to the structural member, whereby the foamed polymer resulting from application of heat to the structural member expands the outer skin members from contact with the reinforcing layer at non-bonded areas and plastically deforms the reinforcing layer into a three-dimensional reinforcing configuration.

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Richmond, VA, United States of America

Robert Preston Spears