Patent ID: 8163116

Claim:
A method of forming a joint of an automotive vehicle, the method comprising: providing a first member of the automotive vehicle, the first member having a distal end; providing a second member of the automotive vehicle, the second member having a distal end; and providing a connector having a base portion, a first portion extending away from the base portion and a second portion extending away from the base portion, the connector also having activatable material including an epoxy resin and a core/shell polymer impact modifier disposed upon the first portion and the second portion and wherein the connector is tubular in shape and defines a plurality of intersecting ribs, one or more ribs having a curved shape to circumscribe the tubular shape of the connector; locating the first portion adjacent the distal end of the first member and the second portion adjacent the distal end of the second member; and activating the activatable material to form a structural adhesive foam having a tensile modulus greater than about 200 MPa and a post-activation ductility ratio greater than about 2.0 and adhering the structural adhesive foam to the first portion of the connector and the distal end of the first member and to the second portion of the connector and the distal end of the second member; wherein the foam provides sufficient strength to the joint whereby the first member is free of direct contact with the second member after activating the activatable material and the first and second members are connected to each another without any welds directly or indirectly connecting the members.