Load bearing structure

Abstract

A load-bearing platform that includes a base and a lity of legs extending from one side of the base, the load bearing platform is at least partly made expandable polymer matrix that includes an polymer of a polyolefin and in situ polymerized aromatic monomers.

1 . A load-bearing platform including a base and a plurality of legs extending from one side of the base, wherein the load bearing platform comprises an expandable polymer matrix that includes an interpolymer of a polyolefin and in situ polymerized vinyl aromatic monomers. 
   
   
       2 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 1 , wherein the expandable polymer matrix comprises other expandable polymers. 
   
   
       3 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene/propylene copolymer, a blend of polyethylene and polypropylene, a blend of polyethylene and an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, and a blend of polyethylene and an ethylene/propylene copolymer, ethylene-butyl acrylate copolymer, ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymer and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 1 , wherein the vinyl aromatic monomers are selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methyl-styrene, ethylstyrene, chlorostyrene, bromostyrene, vinyltoluene, vinylbenzene, and isopropylxylene and admixtures thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin is present in the interpolymer resin particles at a level of from 20% to 80% by weight based on the weight of the interpolymer resin particles and the vinyl aromatic monomers or resulting polymers are present in the interpolymer resin particles at a level of from 20% to 80% based on the weight of the interpolymer resin particles. 
   
   
       6 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 1 , wherein the expandable polymer matrix comprises a blowing agent and/or plasticizer. 
   
   
       7 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 2 , wherein the other expandable polymers are selected from the group consisting of expandable polystyrene, expandable polyolefins, rubber modified styrenic polymers where the styrenic polymer constitutes a continuous phase and the rubber constitutes a dispersed phase in the resin, rubber modified styrenic polymers where the rubber constitutes a continuous phase and the styrenic polymer constitutes a dispersed phase in the resin, polyphenylene oxide, and combinations and blends thereof. 
   
   
       8 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 2 , wherein the expandable polymer contains from 25 to 99% based on the weight of the expandable polymer matrix of interpolymers of a polyolefin and in situ polymerized vinyl aromatic monomers and from 1 to 75% based on the weight of the expandable polymer matrix of other expandable polymers. 
   
   
       9 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 2 , wherein the load bearing platform is in the shape of a rectangle and has an edge of from 1 to 25 cm, a length of from 75 to 150 cm and a width of from 65 to 140 cm. 
   
   
       10 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 1  comprising a layer material applied to a topside of the platform. 
   
   
       11 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 1 , wherein a continuous or discontinuous groove or channel is molded or cut into a surface of a topside of the base such that the groove or channel follows the perimeter of the topside and a first edge of the groove or channel is spaced apart from an outer edge of the base. 
   
   
       12 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 11  comprising a plurality of panels adapted to fit into the groove or channel. 
   
   
       13 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 12  comprising a top panel that matches the width and length of the load bearing structure and includes a groove or channel matching the groove or channel in the topside and is adapted to accept a top surface of the panels to form a box or open box structure. 
   
   
       14 . A load-bearing platform including a base and a plurality of legs extending from one side of the base, wherein the load bearing platform comprises an expandable polymer matrix that includes rubber modified styrenic polymers wherein the rubber constitutes a continuous phase and the styrenic polymer constitutes a dispersed phase. 
   
   
       15 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 14 , wherein the styrenic polymers comprise residues from the polymerization of vinyl aromatic monomers selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, ethylstyrene, chlorostyrene, bromostyrene, vinyltoluene, vinylbenzene, and isopropylxylene and admixtures thereof. 
   
   
       16 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 14 , wherein The elastomeric polymers are selected from the group consisting of copolymers comprising one or more conjugated dienes and one or more of unsatured nitrites, one or more polar monomers, alkyl esters of unsaturated carboxylic acids, alkoxyalkyl esters of unsaturated carboxylic acids, acrylamide, methacryl-amide; N-substituted acrylamides, vinyl chloride; aromatic vinyl monomers, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       17 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 14 , wherein the expandable polymer matrix comprises a blowing agent and/or plasticizer. 
   
   
       18 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 14 , wherein the load bearing platform is in the shape of a rectangle and has an edge of from 1 to 25 cm, a length of from 75 to 150 cm and a width of from 65 to 140 cm. 
   
   
       19 . The load-bearing platform according to  claim 14  comprising a layer material applied to a topside of the platform.