Zephyros, Inc.

L & L Products, Inc.

Serge Bieber

Eric Le Gall

Dominique Busseuil

Jean Philippe Bourdin

Jean-Philippe Lutz

David K Carlson

Michael J Czaplicki

David Kosal

Kevin Hicks

Jean Philippe Lutz

Jean-Philippe Bourdin

Simon Sheldon

Eric Chopin

Denis Souvay

Francois Crouzet

Philippe Fahrner

Jean Mendiboure

Jean Mendibourne

François Crouzet

A structural reinforcement comprising a hollow profile and a ribbed structure, the ribbed structure including a laminar structure of two facing sheets with a first layer of adhesive material that is foamable and located in between the two facing sheets, the ribbed structure having ribs with one or more ends and a second adhesive material that is provided over at least part of the ribs at the one or more ends to bond the ribs at the one or more ends to an interior surface of the hollow profile.

Reinforcement of hollow profiles

A structural reinforcement for a hollow member comprising a rigid reinforcing member having a shape that substantially conforms to the cross section of the hollow member to be reinforced with an expandable adhesive material over at least a portion of the surface of the structural reinforcement having one or more extensions on its external surface which control and direct the direction in which the adhesive material expands to bond the reinforcing member to the internal surface of the hollow member, some of the extensions also provide improved reinforcement.

Structural reinforcement

Parts are provided which combine structural reinforcement of hollow profiles and light weight means of attachment. Optionally, the part may also provide an acoustic baffle. The parts consists of a core coated with expandable structural reinforcing foam on at least part of its surface the core being provided with means for receipt of a nut and means to prevent rotation of the nut. Optionally, a piece of a second expandable material is provided on at least one extremity which can expand to fill the entire cross section of the hollow profile. In a preferred embodiment, the hollow profile is the A, B or C pillar of a vehicle and the nut is used for attaching doors.

Method of providing reinforcing members

There is disclosed a system and method of employing a porous container for sealing, baffling, reinforcing or a combination thereof. According to the method, a porous container having one or more openings is provided. An expandable material is associated with the container and is preferably placed within the container. Thereafter, the expandable material is expanded to contact and adhere to a structure of an article of manufacture (e.g., an automotive vehicle).

System and method employing a porous container for sealing, baffling or reinforcing

Baffle system

A structural reinforcement for a hollow section at least part of at least one of whose surfaces is the internal surface of an external panel comprising a rigid reinforcing member having a shape that substantially conforms to the cross section to be reinforced. An expandable adhesive material is provided over a portion of the surface of the rigid reinforcing member and the shape of the rigid reinforcing member and the amount and location of the expandable adhesive is such that upon foaming the foam contacts and bonds to the internal surfaces of the hollow section other than the interior surface of the external panel. In this way deformation of the external body panel during the foaming and/or cooling of the foamed expandable material is reduced or prevented.

Reinforcing members

A part for reinforcement of hollow structures comprises a series of segments flexibly interlinked to enable the part to be adjusted to fit structures of irregular cross section and direction, the segments contain foamable material which can be activated to fill the space between the parts and the hollow structure.

Multi segment parts

A structural reinforcement for a hollow member comprising a rigid reinforcing member having a shape that substantially conforms to the cross section of the section of the hollow member to be reinforced with an expandable adhesive material over at least a portion of the surface of the rigid reinforcing member sufficient to bond the reinforcing member to at least two nonparallel internal surfaces of the structure.

Structural foam

Growing community of inventors

Haegen, France

Serge Bieber