Formable metal-plastic-metal structural laminates

Claim 1

A metal-polymer-metal structural laminate comprising a core of polymeric resinous material having tightly adhered to each side thereof a metal skin layer wherein each metal skin layer is from about 2 to about 20 mils thick, said laminate further having a ratio of core thickness to skin thickness of less than 9:1, and a total thickness of from about 5 to about 65 mils; the materials of construction of said polymeric core and metal skins and the geometry of the laminate being such that the laminate has a flexural stiffness at least 40% that of the solid metal of the same thickness as measured by ASTM D790 on a one inch wide sample having four inch span under three point loading conditions, a density from about 25% to 90% that of the average of two solid metal skin layers, a limiting dome height of at least about 60 percent of the limiting dome height of the solid metal of the skin layer of the lower ultimate elongation having the same thickness, the capability of being subjected to a no load oven test, subsequent to forming of said laminate, at a temperature of at least 190° F. for a period of 30 minutes without delaminating, and the capability of being bent at room temperature to 90° to a critical radius without metal rupture, the critical radius defined as the distance from the pivot point to the inner skin surface of the laminate, being about equal to the total laminate thickness.