Reinforced foam articles

Abstract

Reinforcement is provided for foam articles made from dry flowable expanding beads. The reinforcement includes a net work of elements, preferably woven or roving type. The net work is positioned within the foam matrix at a location remote from an applied force so as to impart increased bursting strength to the foam matrix.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a freestanding form module for receiving flowable materials to make a wall which includes the form module, the flowable materials exerting a force in a selected direction, the form module comprising at least two spaced-apart form members having opposed interior form surfaces, each form member including a wall portion and a rib portion extending from the wall portion toward another one of said form members; and at least one monolithic molded plastic tie member having opposed ends with a web member between the ends extending along a web axis, a bearing member at each end of the tie member, extending generally transverse to the web axis and embedded in the wall portion of a respective form member with the form member formed around so as to captively enclose the bearing member and each end of the tie member having a stabilizing member extending generally transverse to the web axis, spaced from the bearing member and embedded in the rib portion of a respective form member adjacent the interior form surface thereof with the form member formed around so as to captively enclose the stabilizing member; 
 the improvement in said form members comprising:    a reinforced foamed article including a three-dimensional foam matrix core of expanded dry flowable foam beads;    an internal reinforcing openwork reinforcing member disposed in the foam matrix and attached to the expanded beads of the foam matrix;    a sizing between at least some of the foam beads and the openwork reinforcing member; and    at least a majority of said openwork reinforcing member oriented in said foam matrix in a direction generally perpendicular to said preselected direction.    
     
     
         2 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein at least 97% of said openwork reinforcing member is oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to said preselected direction.  
     
     
         3 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the foam beads are comprised of polystyrene and said openwork reinforcing member is comprised of fiberglass.  
     
     
         4 . The improvement of  claim 3  wherein 50% of the foam beads have a size dimension of 0.40 mm and 50% of the foam beads have a size dimension of 1.10 mm.  
     
     
         5 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the openwork reinforcing member is comprised of openwork members having openings ranging in size between 0.4 mm and approximately 3 inches.  
     
     
         6 . A method of producing a reinforced foamed article comprising the steps of: 
 providing dry expandable flowable foam beads;    providing an openwork reinforcing member;    providing a mold cavity;    placing the openwork reinforcing member in the mold cavity;    flowing the foam beads into the mold cavity and around the openwork reinforcing member; and    heating the foam beads and the openwork reinforcing member within the mold cavity while allowing the foam beads to expand and fuse with one another to form a three-dimensional foam matrix with the openwork reinforcing member disposed therein.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of forming a chemical attachment between the openwork reinforcing member and the foam beads.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7  further comprising the step of coating the openwork reinforcing member with a sizing material to enhance said chemical attachment.  
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the step of providing internal reinforcing fiber members comprises a step of providing internal reinforcing fiber members having an aspect ratio ranging between 0.001 and 0.00001.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the openwork reinforcing member comprises a fiberglass mesh.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  wherein said foam beads are comprised of one of said styrene and said polystyrene.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the reinforced foam article is to be subjected to an applied force extending in a preselected direction, said method further comprising the step of providing a rigid bearing plate disposed in said foam matrix, said rigid bearing plate having a major surface facing in the preselected direction.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of attaching a portion of said openwork reinforcing member to said bearing plate.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of attaching a portion of said openwork reinforcing member to said bearing plate with a pressure sensitive adhesive.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the reinforced foam article is to be subjected to an applied force extending in a preselected direction, said method further comprising the step of orienting at least a majority of said openwork reinforcing member in a direction generally perpendicular to said preselected direction.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein at least 97% of said openwork reinforcing member is oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to said preselected direction.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the foam beads are comprised of polystyrene and said openwork reinforcing member is comprised of fiberglass.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the foam beads have a size dimension of 0.40 mm to 1.10 mm.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein 50% of the foam beads have a size dimension of 0.40 mm and 50% of the foam beads have a size dimension of 1.10 mm.