Foam-filled hollow body and method for preventing foam from discharging through an opening of a hollow body to be foam-filled

Abstract

In order to prevent foam from discharging through an opening of a wall of a hollow body to be foam-filled, a destructible material layer is placed between the opening of the hollow body and a section of the wall, which surrounds the same, and a reinforcing part, which has a hole that overlaps the opening. The section of the wall and the reinforcing part are joined at a short distance from the opening without substantially heating the wall and the reinforcing part. The hollow body is foam-filled and the destructible material layer is removed in the area of the opening.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for preventing foam from discharging through an opening of a wall of a hollow body to be foam-filled, which comprises the steps of: 
 applying a destructible material layer between a reinforcing layer having a hole formed therein overlapping the opening and a section of the wall surrounding the opening and the opening of the hollow body;    making at least one connection between the section of the wall and the reinforcing layer without substantial heating of the wall or of the reinforcing layer at a distance from the opening, the distance being smaller than a longest dimension of the destructible material layer;    subsequently foam-filling the hollow body; and    removing the destructible material layer in an area of the opening.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises driving the connection through the destructible material layer.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises making the connection by one of driving a connecting body of the wall into the reinforcing layer and driving a connecting body of the reinforcing layer into the wall.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , which further comprises driving the connecting body of the wall into the reinforcing part.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further comprises using at least one of a layer of paper, a film of plastic and a metallic foil as the destructible material layer.  
     
     
         6 . A foam-filled hollow body, comprising: 
 a wall having an opening formed therein;    a reinforcing part having a hole formed therein and disposed with said hole overlapping said opening of said wall; and    a destructible layer disposed between said wall and said reinforcing part;    said wall and said reinforcing part being connected to each other by a connection made without substantial heating of at least one of said wall and of said reinforcing part, and a distance of said connection from said opening being small enough that an uncovering of said opening by contact of said destructible layer with said connection is excluded.    
     
     
         7 . The hollow body according to  claim 6 , wherein said connection extends through said destructible layer.  
     
     
         8 . The hollow body according to  claim 6 , wherein said connection is one of a rivet connection and a clinch connection.  
     
     
         9 . The hollow body according to  claim 6 , wherein the hollow body is a housing of a refrigerating appliance.  
     
     
         10 . The hollow body according to  claim 9 , wherein said opening is disposed on a front side of said housing and is provided for mounting a hinge.