What is claimed is:
1. A reinforcement device adapted to reinforce a cavity of a hollow structural member comprising:
at least one elongated reinforcement body having a longitudinal axis and
at least one foamable member that produces a foamed product when heated, wherein the foamable member is disposed along the longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body so that the foamed product will extend along the longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body in order to bond the reinforcement body to the hollow structural member.
2. A reinforcement device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one retainer recess extends along substantially the entire longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body and the foamable member is received within the retainer recess.
3. A reinforcement device as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for engaging the reinforcement member to the foamable member in order to securely connect the foamable member product to the reinforcement member.
4. A reinforcement device as defined in claim 3, wherein the engaging means comprises a hole and a projection that engages the hole.
5. A reinforcement device as defined in claim 1, wherein the foamable member continuously extends along the entire longitudinal axis of the reinforcement member.
6. A reinforcement device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of clips attached to the reinforcement body, wherein the plurality of clips are adapted to engage a plurality of holes defined in the hollow structural member.
7. In combination:
a hollow structural member having a cavity defined therein and
a reinforcement device adapted to reinforce the cavity of the hollow structural member after being heated, the reinforcement device comprising:
at least one elongated reinforcement body having a longitudinal axis and
at least one foamable member that produces a foamed product when heated, wherein the foamable member is disposed along the longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body so that the foamed product will extend along the longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body in order to bond the reinforcement body to the hollow structural member, wherein a clearance is defined between the inner surface of the hollow structural member and the reinforcement device.
8. A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein at least one retainer recess extends along substantially the entire longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body and the foamable member is received within the retainer recess.
9. A combination as defined in claim 7, further comprising means for engaging the reinforcement member to the foamable member in order to reliably connect the foamable member to the reinforcement member.
10. A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein the engagement means comprises a hole and a projection that engages the hole.
11. A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein the foamable member continuously extends along the entire longitudinal axis of the reinforcement member.
12. A combination as defined in claim 7, further comprising a plurality of clips attached to the reinforcement body, wherein the plurality of clips engage a plurality of holes defined in the hollow structural member.
13. An apparatus comprising:
a hollow structural member 1 having a cavity 6 defined therein and
a reinforcement device 10, 110 adapted to reinforce the cavity 6 of the hollow structural member 1 after being heated, the reinforcement device 10 comprising:
at least one elongated reinforcement body 11, 111 having a longitudinal axis and a retainer recess 13, 113 extending along substantially the entire longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body 11, 111 and
at least one foamable member 30, 130 that produces a foamed product 35, 135 when heated, wherein the foamable member 30, 130 is received within the retainer recess 13, 113, so that the foamable member 30, 130 continuously extends along substantially the entire longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body 11, 111, whereby the foamed product 35, 135 will securely bond the reinforcement body 11, 111 to the hollow structural member 1 after being heated.
14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the reinforcement device 10, 110 comprises means for attaching the reinforcement body 11, 111 to the foamable member 30, 130.
15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the attachment means comprises a hole 118, 118a, 118b, 131c and a projection 131, 118c constructed to engage the hole 118, 118a, 118b, 131c.
16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein a clearance is defined between the inner surface of the hollow structural member 1 and reinforcement device 10, 110 before heating.
17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, further comprising a plurality of clips 20, 120 attached to the reinforcement body 11, 111, wherein the plurality of clips 20, 120 engage a plurality of holes 7 disposed in the hollow structural member 1.
18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the foamable member 30, 130 comprises an epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalents value of 300-4000, a curing agent and a foaming agent.
19. An apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein the foamable member 30, 130 further comprises a fibrous reinforcing material.
20. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the foamable member 30, 130 comprises a metal adhesive resin, a foaming agent and a crosslinking agent.
21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein the foamable member 30, 130 further comprises a fibrous reinforcing material.
22. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the foamable member 30, 130 comprises an epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalents value of 300-4000, a curing agent and a foaming agent.
23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein the foamable member 30, 130 further comprises a fibrous reinforcing material.
24. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the foamable member 30, 130 comprises a metal adhesive resin, a foaming agent and a crosslinking agent.
25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein the foamable member 30, 130 further comprises a fibrous reinforcing material.
26. A method of reinforcing a hollow structural member, comprising:
attaching a reinforcing device to a cavity defined within the hollow structural member, the reinforcing device comprising at least one elongated reinforcement body having a longitudinal axis and at least one foamable member, wherein the foamable member extends along the longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body and a clearance is defined between the inner surface of the hollow structural member and the reinforcing device and
applying external heat to the hollow structural member and the reinforcing device in order to activate the foamable member and thereby form a foamed product that extends along the longitudinal axis of the reinforcement body, whereby the foamed product bonds the reinforcement body to the hollow structural member.
27. A method as defined in claim 26, wherein the reinforcement body further comprises a plurality of clips and a plurality of holes are defined in the hollow structural member and the attaching step further comprises engaging the plurality of clips in the plurality of holes defined in the hollow structural member.
28. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein one of the reinforcement body or the foamable member comprises a plurality of holes and the other of the reinforcement body and the foamable member comprises a plurality of projections and the reinforcement body is attached to the foamable member by engaging the projections in the holes.
29. A method as defined in claim 28, wherein the foamable member comprises an epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalents value of 300-4000, a curing agent, a foaming agent and a fibrous reinforcing material.
30. A method as defined in claim 28, wherein the foamable member comprises a metal adhesive resin, a foaming agent, a crosslinking agent and a fibrous reinforcing material.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A filter medium comprising a combination of at least two materials, one comprising a multivalent metal-doped silicon-based gel material, and the other comprising a zeolite material, wherein at least said gel material is further treated with an oxidizing material, and wherein said zeolite is optionally treated with an oxidizing material.
2. The filter medium of claim 1 wherein said multivalent metal-doped silicon-based gel material exhibits a BET surface area of between 100 and 600 m2g; a pore volume of between about 0.18 ccg to about 0.7 ccg as measured by nitrogen porosimetry; a cumulative surface area measured for all pores having a size between 20 and 40 \u212b of between 50 and 150 m2g; and wherein the multivalent metal doped on and within said silicon-based gel material is present in an amount up to 25% by weight of the total amount of the silicon-based gel material.
3. The filter medium of claim 1 wherein said multivalent metal is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, iron, manganese, zinc, aluminum, chromium, copper, tin, antimony, tungsten, indium, silver, gold, platinum, mercury, palladium, cadmium, nickel, and any combinations thereof.
4. The filter medium of claim 3 wherein said multivalent metal is copper.
5. The filter medium of claim 1 wherein said zeolite material is a pentisil zeolite.
6. The filter medium of claim 5 wherein said pentisil zeolite is ZSM-5.
7. The filter medium of claim 2 wherein said zeolite material is a pentisil zeolite.
8. The filter medium of claim 7 wherein said pentisil zeolite is ZSM-5.
9. The filter medium of claim 3 wherein said zeolite material is a pentisil zeolite.
10. The filter medium of claim 9 wherein said pentisil zeolite is ZSM-5.
11. The filter medium of claim 1 wherein said oxidizing material is selected from at least one Class 1 oxidizing material, at least one Class 2 oxidizing material, at least one Class 3 oxidizing material, at least one Class 4 oxidizing material, and any mixtures thereof.
12. The filter medium of claim 11 wherein said oxidizing material is selected from the group consisting of a permanganate, a peroxide, and any mixtures thereof.
13. The filter medium of claim 12 wherein said permanganate is potassium permanganate and said peroxide is calcium peroxide.
14. The filter medium of claim 11 wherein said zeolite is also treated with said oxidizing material.
15. The filter medium of claim 14 wherein said oxidizing material treating said zeolite is selected from at least one Class 1 oxidizing material, at least one Class 2 oxidizing material, at least one Class 3 oxidizing material, at least one Class 4 oxidizing material, and any mixtures thereof.
16. The filter medium of claim 15 wherein said oxidizing material treating said zeolite is selected from the group consisting of a permanganate, a peroxide, and any mixtures thereof.
17. The filter medium of claim 16 wherein said permanganate is potassium permanganate and said peroxide is calcium peroxide.
18. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 1.
19. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 2.
20. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 3.
21. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 4.
22. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 5.
23. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 6.
24. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 7.
25. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 8.
26. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 9.
27. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 10.
28. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 11.
29. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 12.
30. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 13.
31. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 14.
32. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 15.
33. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 16.
34. A filter system comprising the filter medium as defined in claim 17.