CN1268090A

CN1268090A - Foamed core composite plate for use in trailer walls and doors

Info

Publication number: CN1268090A
Application number: CN98808480A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 唐纳德·J·艾利希; 罗德尼·P·艾利希; 维尔弗雷德·E·卢埃林
Original assignee: WURBASH NATIONAL CORP
Current assignee: WURBASH NATIONAL CORP
Priority date: 1997-08-28
Filing date: 1998-08-26
Publication date: 2000-09-27
Also published as: HUP0003192A3; CA2301651A1; BG104190A; AU9034898A; JP2001514115A; BR9812011A; HUP0003192A2; WO1999010220A1; EP1007400A1; YU11000A

Abstract

A novel composite plate (20) is used to form a wall (28, 30) or a door (32) of a vehicle, such as a trailer (22) or van. Each composite plate (20) used in the trailer (22) is formed from a pair of metal skins (40, 42), such as aluminum or steel, having a foamed thermal plastic core member (44) sandwiched therebetween. The skins (40, 42) are bonded to the core member (44) by a known flexible adhesive (46). The foamed thermal plastic core member (44) is resilient and may be made from foamed high density or foamed low density thermal plastic. The foaming of the core member (44) in the present invention reduces the weight of the composite plate (20) versus prior art solid plastic core composite plates and provides for an increase in the peel strength of the composite plate (20) versus prior art solid plastic core composite plates. Furthermore, foaming of the thermal plastic core member (44) in the present invention reduces the shear stress of the skin to core bond layer so as to reduce the potential of delamination of the metal skins (40, 42) from the thermal plastic core member (44) under changing temperatures which has been found to be a problem with solid core composite plates.

Description

Be used for the wall of trailer and the foam core composite plate of door

The composite panel of a kind of trailer wall construction of relate generally to of the present invention and trailer door construction.More specifically, the present invention has designed a kind of new type composite board of frothy thermal plastic core, and it can provide many-side to be better than the advantage of the solid slab of prior art.

Known in the prior art wall or the door that constitutes trailer with the solid plastic composite panel.These composite panels by the metal epidermis of pair of aluminum or steel and be clipped in therebetween polyethylene or the plastics solid component of polypropylene system constitute, although prior art has played effect reliably with the plastics solid component in composite panel, we have several shortcomings at discovery.

The peel strength of solid composite plate is low.In other words, just can be with less power from stripping metal epidermis on the plastic core.And when the plastics core material changed temperature, the solid component of prior art was subjected to bigger shearing force, and if this shearing force when too high, the metal epidermis can come off from solid plastic core member.

The invention provides a kind of new type composite board of frothy thermal plastic core, be used for trailer wall construction and trailer door construction, it can overcome the shortcoming of using the solid plastic core member of prior art in composite panel.Read these purposes and the feature and advantage that can be well understood to other are described with reference to accompanying drawing.

The new type composite board that provides a kind of frothy thermal plastic chipware of catalogue of the present invention, it constitutes the wall or the car door of the vehicle of trailer and so on.

An object of the present invention is to provide a kind of new type composite board of frothy thermal plastic chipware, compare it with the solid composite plate of prior art and alleviated weight for trailer walls or door.

Another object of the present invention is the new type composite board that a kind of frothy thermal plastic chipware is provided for trailer walls or door, compares its with the solid composite plate of prior art and improves peel strength.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a kind of composite panel for trailer walls or door, and its reduces the shearing stress of epidermis to core bond layer, thus the possibility that the metal epidermis comes off from the thermal plastic chipware when having reduced temperature traverse.

In brief, according to mentioned above, the invention discloses the wall of the vehicle that is used to constitute trailer or standee city bus and so on or a kind of later-model composite panel of car door.Each the piece composite panel that is used for trailer is made of the metal epidermis of pair of aluminum or steel and the foamed thermal plastic core member who is clipped in therebetween.Epidermis is bonded on the chipware with known flexible adhesive layer.It is elastomeric that the foamed thermal plastic core member is, can be with the high density thermoplastic material of foaming, and as polyethylene or polypropylene manufacturing, also with the low density thermoplastic plastics with foaming, as polyethylene or polypropylene manufacturing, perhaps other foam thermoplastic material is made.

For manufacturing is used for the present invention's foamed core member, at first utilize a spiral organ in the hybrid chamber that foaming pellet is mixed with the thermoplastic resin powder, gas is arranged in the foaming pellet.Mixed powder is heated in a hot die chamber, and the foaming pellet explosion also produces carbon dioxide or nitrogen makes compound foaming.By an extrusion press compound is pushed stratification to form foamed core member, then, the inside face that is preferably in epidermis is coated with flexible glue-line with proper device, can on foamed thermal plastic core member's opposite flank, be coated with flexible glue-line with similar proper device, glued membrane can co-extruded lamination on chipware on the bilateral of chipware and immediately, perhaps, the surface of chipware can be handled to such an extent that become the bonding plane of viscosity, thereby epidermis can directly paste thereon.Then, the metallo-epidermis sticks on the chipware under pressure by flexible glue-line.This operation can be continuous.It is contemplated that, other the method that makes the chipware foaming can be provided, for example become nitrogen injection in the heating chamber of molten condition at warming thermal plastic resin powder, then the foaming core material is squeezed into chipware, perhaps not only with nitrogen producing pellet but also direct nitrogen injection in the heating chamber of warming thermal plastic resin powder and nitrogen producing pellet.

Read these purposes with reference to accompanying drawing and can be well understood to tissue of the present invention and structure and function mode, together with other feature and advantage with explanation.Same label is represented same element among the figure.

Fig. 1 is the transparent view with a plurality of composite panel trailers of feature of the present invention, and composite panel forms the wall and the door of trailer;

Fig. 2 is the section-drawing of a slice in the plate shown in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 forms the schematic representation of apparatus that composite panel illustrated in figures 1 and 2 is used.

Though the form that the present invention can be different is implemented, shown in the figure and described in detail below is a certain embodiments, should be appreciated that the disclosure can only think the casehistory of principle of the present invention, be not to limit the invention to illustrating of this paper.

As shown in Figure 1, the invention discloses a kind of later-model composite panel 20, be used to form the wall or the automobile door structure of the vehicle that constitutes trailer 22 or standee city bus and so on.Trailer 22 usually is made of base plate 24, top 26, antetheca 28, a pair of opposing sidewalls 30 (only showing one among the figure), rear cargo door 32, loading and unloading frame 34 and chassis assembly 36.As shown in Figure 1, trailer, is connected on the tractor truck 38 as fifth-wheel with conventional device.

Trailer 22 each sidewall 30 and antetheca 28 form by polylith later-model composite panel 20 of the present invention, these composite panels are fixed together with the appropriate device of rivet and so on.Best, each composite panel 20 is height rectangular plates greater than its width.The size of composite panel 20 can be identical or width and thickness on can be different.When composite panel 20 was used to constitute sidewall 30 and antetheca 28, each composite panel 20 was connected on the base plate 24, extended upwardly thus then, and was connected on the upper and lower railing of trailer 22 with the suitable transom of peg or rivet and so on.When composite panel 20 was used to constitute back door 32, outer composite panel 20 was connected on corresponding each sidewall 30 by hinge etc.When closing, door 32 extends upwardly from base plate 24.In addition, each sidewall 30 of trailer 22 and antetheca 29 also can be formed by a continuous this plate 20.

Referring to Fig. 2, be depicted as the section-drawing of a later-model composite panel 20 that is used to constitute trailer walls 28,30 and/or door 30.Composite panel 20 comprises the pair of metal plate, and epidermis 40,42 in other words, and epidermis is bonded in and is clipped between the thin adhesive layer 46 on the foamed thermal plastic core member 44 of (for helping to understand the present invention, exaggerated in the drawings the thickness of this glue-line), is illustrated in more detail now.Epidermis 40,42 known flexible adhesive bonding films are bonded on the foamed thermal plastic core member 44 for 46 layers.Epidermis 40 forms the inside face of trailer, and epidermis 42 forms the outside face of trailer 22.

Be used for metal epidermis 40, the 42 the most handy aluminium of composite panel 20 of the present invention or fully hard.The galvinized steel of high strength, high tension forms.Preferably epidermis 40,42 each all be by the galvinized steel manufacturing, and preferably endepidermis 40 thickness are more than 19/1000ths inches, exocuticle 42 thickness are also more than 19/1000ths inches.

Chipware 44 is formed by the foam thermoplastic material, the most handy chipware 44 that makes is resilient, high-density plastic such as the polyethylene (HDPE) or the high density poly propylene manufacturing of foaming, ground crooked chipware 44 like this can not fracture, as shown in Figure 2, chipware 44 includes a plurality of bubbles that disperse to be inserted in the thermoplastic material 50.The molecule integraty that can find chipware when making chipware 44 foaming does not lose, and has increased peel strength with the composite panel ratio of the prior art that adopts solid core.Promptly with the composite panel ratio of the prior art that adopts solid core, stripping metal epidermis 40,42 will be used bigger power from the foamed thermal plastic core member 44.This point is elaborated in this article.44 foaming have reduced the density of thermal plastic to chipware, thereby have improved its strength-weight ratio.In addition, chipware 44 also can be with the low density thermoplastic plastics of foaming, as the polyethylene or the polypropylene manufacturing of foaming.The low density thermoplastic plastics can foam and produce elastomeric chipware, and still, the composite panel of generation is not as there being rigidity during with the high-density foam plastics so in composite panel.When making chipware with the high-density foam plastics in composite panel, the rigidity of composite panel is about in composite panel the twice when making chipware with low-density foam.

The thickness of chipware 44 is preferably below half inch or half inch.The used chipware 44 of the present invention is thinner than the solid core of prior art, and it is much thick that the latter wants, and is generally 3/4ths inches to four inches.

Contrast solid composite plate, the foaming of chipware 44 has reduced the weight of composite panel 22, because chipware 44 is foams in the present invention, be solid in prior art, the plastic resin amount that is used to form chipware 44 is reduced to 50% than the solid composite plate of prior art.

As described herein, the foaming of chipware 44 has also increased the peel strength of the composite panel of output.When composite panel 22 is subjected to peeling force, in other words, grabbed to opposite both sides and will be when chipware 44 is peeled off, because the core material of foam is elastomeric when epidermis 40,42 epidermis 40,42, and peeling force is along the length of chipware 44, so whole chipware 44 bendings.Because chipware 44 is elastomeric and crooked, when being subjected to peeling force, more multicore spare can be stressed.In the prior art, what use in the composite panel is solid core, so peel strength is lower; Especially compare with the present invention, because solid composite panel is not elastomeric.Such when prior art, when using solid core in composite panel, peeling force only is applied on narrow line of epidermis, and epidermis is peeled off from solid core.

In the present invention, detected peeling force by peel test.Epidermis 40,42 is grabbed to opposite both sides, has measured epidermis 40,42 is peeled off desired power from foamed thermal plastic core member 44.Find that the solid core of using with prior art compares, the peel strength of elastic foam thermal plastic chipware 44 of the present invention increases.In other words, impacted or during improper use, in the present invention, epidermis 40,42 is difficult for coming off from elastomeric chipware 44.

In the solid composite plate of prior art, during the temperature traverse of composite panel, be subjected to big shearing force between metal epidermis and the solid plastic core member.If shearing force is too high, the metal epidermis can come off from chipware.Expanding with heat and contract with cold of plastics chipware is faster than metal epidermis, still, can limit this expansion when the metal epidermis is bonded on the chipware, thereby has produced high shear force on cemented surface.In the present invention, because chipware 44 is foams, because honeycomb structure is arranged, foamed core member can compress or expand, the metal epidermis that temperature traverse causes is low to the shearing force of cementing layer, thereby has reduced the possibility that metal epidermis 40,42 comes off from foamed thermal plastic core member 44.Like this, although expanding with heat and contract with cold of foamed thermal plastic core member 44 still is faster than metal epidermis, foamed thermal plastic core member 44 compresses and expansion has neutralized, and this fast speed expands with heat and contract with cold, thereby foamed thermal plastic core member 44 the speed of expanding with heat and contract with cold is identical substantially with metal epidermis 40,42, and produces lower shearing force at cemented surface.

As shown in Figure 3, for making the foamed core member 44 that the present invention uses, utilize a spiral agitator 56 in the hybrid chamber 58 that foaming pellet 52 is mixed with thermoplastic resin powder 54 earlier.In the foaming pellet 52 gas is arranged.Mixed

powder

54,56 is heated in a hot die chamber 60, and foaming pellet 56 explosions also produce carbon dioxide or nitrogen makes compound foaming.By an extrusion press 62 compound is pushed stratification to form foamed core member 44, then, as shown in the figure, the inside face that is preferably in epidermis 40,42 is coated with flexible glue-line 46 with proper device 64, can on foamed thermal plastic core member 44 opposite flank, be coated with flexible glue-line 46 with similar proper device, glued membrane 46 can co-extruded at lamination on chipware 44 on the bilateral of chipware 44 and immediately, perhaps, the surface of chipware 44 can be handled to such an extent that become the adhesive linkage 46 of viscosity, thereby epidermis 40,42 can directly paste thereon.Then, metallo-epidermis 40,42 is sticking on the chipware 44 under the pressure by flexible glue-line 46.The core material that should be noted that the many more minimizings of using in the heating steps of gas gas is also just many more.

It is contemplated that, other the method that makes chipware 44 foaming can be provided, nitrogen injection in the heating chamber of 54 one-tenth molten conditions of warming thermal plastic resin powder (unmixed foaming pellet 52) for example, then the foaming core material is squeezed into chipware 44, perhaps, use foaming pellet 52 and direct nitrogen injection in the heating chamber (via conduit 61 shown in dotted lines in Figure 3) of warming thermal plastic resin powder 54 and foaming pellet 52 simultaneously.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown, it is contemplated that the spirit that those skilled in the art can not depart from claims designs various modification of the present invention.

Claims

1. A trailer (22) comprises: a car floor (24) and at least one upright component (28,30,32) upwards by said car floor (24), and the upright member (28,30,32) A pair of skins (40, 42) are included with a foamed thermoplastic core (44) sandwiched therebetween.

2. The trailer (22) of claim 1 wherein said foamed thermoplastic core (44) is resilient.

3. The trailer (22) of claim 1, wherein said foamed thermoplastic core (44) is manufactured from a high density thermoplastic.

4. The trailer (22) of claim 3, wherein said high density foamed thermoplastic is high density foamed polyethylene or high density polypropylene.

5. The trailer (22) of claim 1 wherein said foamed thermoplastic core (44) is fabricated from low density foamed thermoplastic.

6. The trailer (22) of claim 5, wherein the low density foamed thermoplastic is low density foamed polyethylene or low density polypropylene.

7. The trailer (22) of claim 1, wherein the upright member (28, 30, 32) is a side wall (30), a front wall (28) or a door (32) of the trailer.

8. The trailer (22) of claim 1, wherein said skins (40, 42) are made of metal.

9. The trailer (22) of claim 1, wherein the skins (40, 42) are bonded to the core (44) with flexible glue (46).

10. The trailer (22) of claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic core (44) is one-half inch or less thick.

11. A method of producing a wall (28, 30) or door (32) of a trailer (22), comprising the steps of: mixing thermoplastic resin powder with (54) and gas powder; The powder (52, 54) is heated; the heated mixture is extruded into a core (44); the skins (42, 42) are pasted on opposite sides of the core (44).

12. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of applying glue (46) to the skin (40, 42) on the opposite side of the core (44) before the skin (40, 42) , 42) or said opposite side of said core (44) is coated with flexible glue (46).

13. A method of producing a wall (28, 30) or door (32) of a trailer (22), comprising the steps of: heating thermoplastic resin powder (54) in a heating chamber (60); Nitrogen is injected into the chamber (60) to form a foamed mixture; the foamed mixture is extruded into a core (44) from the heating chamber (60); Adhesive epidermis (42, 42) on the opposite side.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of, before bonding the skin (40, 42) on the opposite sides of the core (44), applying The inner surface or said opposite side of said core (44) is coated with a flexible glue (46).

15. A method of producing a wall (28, 30) or door (32) of a trailer (22), comprising the steps of: mixing thermoplastic resin powder with (54) and gas powder; heating chamber ( 60) to the heating of the mixed powders (52, 54); inject nitrogen gas into the heating chamber (60) to form a foamed mixture; extrude the heated mixture into a core (44 ); extruding the foamed mixture into a core (44) from the heating chamber (60); then pasting skins (42, 42) on opposite sides of the core (44).

16. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of bonding the skin (40, 42) to the inner surface of the skin (40, 42) before bonding the skin (40, 42) to the opposite sides of the core (44) Alternatively said opposite side of said core (44) is coated with flexible glue (46).

17. A panel (20) usable to form a wall (28, 30) or door (32) of a trailer (22) comprising a pair of skins (40, 42) sandwiching a foamed thermoplastic core (44) ).

18. The panel (20) of claim 17, wherein said foamed thermoplastic core (44) is manufactured from foamed high density thermoplastic.

19. The trailer (22) of claim 18, wherein said high density foamed thermoplastic is high density foamed polyethylene or high density polypropylene.

20. The trailer (22) of claim 19, wherein said foamed thermoplastic core (44) is manufactured from a foamed low density thermoplastic.

21. The trailer (22) of claim 20, wherein the low density foamed thermoplastic is expanded low density foamed polyethylene or low density polypropylene.

22. Panel (20) according to claim 17, characterized in that said skins (40, 42) are made of metal.

23. The panel (20) according to claim 17, characterized in that the skins (40, 42) are bonded to the core (44) with flexible glue (46).

24. The panel (20) of claim 17, wherein the thermoplastic core (44) is one-half inch or less thick.