Patent ID: 8128780

Claim:
A method of reinforcing a structural frame member, the method including the steps of: molding a rigid polymeric carrier defining a chamber the carrier being shaped to conform to the geometric dimensions of a vehicle structural frame member, said molding comprising blow molding or rotational molding; placing an extruded and die-cut heat activatable adhesive material over an exterior shell of the carrier, wherein the adhesive material comprises a plurality of strips, the plurality of strips being located in one or more recesses along the carrier, the recesses being located i) on opposite ends of the carrier, ii) on one or more corners defined by the carrier, or iii) both; pumping a reinforcement material through an opening formed in the chamber to fill and adhere to inner walls forming the chamber without allowing unwanted spillage or leakage of the reinforcement material through tooling holes and other hardware needed in the manufacturing process; inserting the carrier into a structural frame member so that the adhesive material contacts the structural frame member.