Patent ID: 7478478

Claim:
A method of providing structural reinforcement and sound deadening to a hollow area of a structure of a vehicle at a base of a pillar of the vehicle, comprising: injection molding a plastic reinforcing member shaped to conform to the hollow area of the vehicle at the base of a pillar of the vehicle wherein the member has an opening extending therethrough and a nut located in a slot formed in the member that prevents rotation of the nut; disposing a first expandable material that is epoxy-based upon at least part of all of the surface of the member so that the first expandable material is adjacent to an interior surface of the hollow area of the vehicle that is to be reinforced while still allowing access to the opening, so that upon activation the first expandable material expands and forms a reinforcement foam that bonds the reinforcing member to at least part of the internal surface of the structure; disposing a second expandable material, which is different from the first expandable material, on at least one extremity of the member so that upon activation the second expandable material expands to entirely fill the cross section of the hollow member beyond the extremity of the member to provide sound insulation; inserting the member within the hollow area of the vehicle with the first and second expandable material disposed thereon; extending a fastener through the opening of the member; screwing the fastener to the nut at the base of the pillar of the vehicle; and expanding the first expandable material and the second expandable material at a temperature of 130° to 150°.