A structural element of a motor vehicle has a cavity and an elongate insulating element arranged in the cavity and is formed such that a longitudinal axis of the insulating element is oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cavity and the insulating element comprises an expandable material, which is arranged and/or configured in such a way that the insulating element fills the cavity completely along the entire length of the insulating element when the expandable material is in the expanded state.

A method for reinforcing, baffling or sealing a vehicle structure, comprising the steps of providing one or more materials having a horizontal axis, at least one terminating edge, and an initial length, forming openings in the one or more materials, and applying the one or more materials to a location requiring reinforcement, baffling, sealing or any combination thereof.

A vehicle pillar structure is equipped with a pillar main body having a closed cross-section extending along a longitudinal direction; a separator which is attached to the inside of the pillar main body to extend in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the pillar main body, and partitions the inside of the pillar main body into a plurality of space parts in the longitudinal direction; and an insertion member which extends along the longitudinal direction of the pillar main body and is disposed inside the pillar main body to straddle the plurality of the space parts. A filling hole for filling a filler in any one of the space parts inside is provided in the pillar main body. A guide part configured to guide the insertion member to a position at which the filling hole is not blocked is provided in the separator.

A method for reinforcing, baffling or sealing a vehicle structure, comprising the steps of providing a material having openings formed within the material so that the material may be stretched to fit a particular vehicle structure.

A component for a vehicle that can be operated with a combustible operating gas has a first component element which has or forms an at least partially open or free cavity, and a second component element which is designed as a displacement component and at least partially fills the cavity of the first component element.

A pumpable thermally foaming filler compositions based on combinations of a liquid epoxy resin and a polyvinyl chloride resin and/or an acrylic resin powder and at least one alkali metal salt of a fatty acid containing 16 C-atoms or 18 C-atoms, wherein the alkali metal is calcium or zinc. These pumpable filler materials provide the advantage that they can be expanded to provide foam with high expansion values after humidity exposure/storage. Further described are methods for filling closed spaces with the pumpable thermally foaming filler composition as well as vehicle parts which are obtainable with the indicated methods.

A motor vehicle, in particular with an electric drive, having a battery system and an underride protection plate. The underride protection plate is arranged in the motor vehicle at least in sections under the battery system. The battery system includes a battery module, which includes a first wall in a first region of the battery system and a second wall in a second region of the battery system. The underride protection plate is formed in such a way that the underride protection plate directly or indirectly abuts the battery system in the first region and in the second region at least in sections, and, between the first region and the second region, forms a first section of a gas channel between the battery system and the underride protection plate.

An insulating element for sealing off a structural element in a motor vehicle, including a carrier and an expandable material that is arranged on the carrier. The insulating element has a top side and a bottom side which, in a state of use, are aligned substantially in a plane of a cross section of the structural element that is to be sealed off. In addition, the insulating element has at least one guide element, by means of which the insulating element can be arranged on a rail element, with the result that the rail element is arranged substantially perpendicularly to the top side and to the bottom side.

A structural reinforcement for a vehicle comprising: a) a carrier having a base wall from which a plurality of projections extend, the plurality of projections including at least one first projection and at least one second projection and the at least one first projection having a height greater than a height of the at least one second projection; b) an activatable material which is heat activatable and affixed to the carrier, configured to secure the carrier in a cavity of the vehicle; wherein in event of an impact, the at least one first projection and second projection are configured to deform toward the base wall and/or in a direction of an impact load in response to the impact load; and the at least one first projection is configured to receive the impact load and deform before the at least one second projection receives the impact load and deforms.

A structural reinforcement for a vehicle comprising: a) a carrier having a base wall from which a plurality of projections extend, the plurality of projections including at least one first projection and at least one second projection and the at least one first projection having a height greater than a height of the at least one second projection; b) an activatable material which is heat activatable and affixed to the carrier, configured to secure the carrier in a cavity of the vehicle; wherein in event of an impact, the at least one first projection and second projection are configured to deform toward the base wall and/or in a direction of an impact load in response to the impact load; and the at least one first projection is configured to receive the impact load and deform before the at least one second projection receives the impact load and deforms.