An apparatus and method for joining pipes includes a plate for melting mating surfaces of the pipes to be joined. Additionally, the apparatus utilizes a vacuum in order to push the first and second pipes together in lieu of hand or mechanical pressure which may be inconsistent. Additionally, the vacuum allows the pipes to be joined to settle on each other in order to create a pressure about a periphery of the end of the pipe being joined to the other pipe. The consistent pressure creates a very strong joint between the first and second pipes.

Embodiments relate to apparatus for manufacturing a carbon block filter and a method for manufacturing a carbon block filter. The apparatus for manufacturing a carbon block filter according to an embodiment may include a mold having an inner space, a heater coupled to the mold to heat the mold, a material injection unit injecting a material to the mold heated by the heater, a material pressing unit pressing the material, and a filter separation unit separating a thermally treated filter from the mold heated by the heater.

Proposed is a composite film including a first film layer attached to an upper surface of a steel member, a second film layer positioned on the first film layer, and a mesh film layer positioned on the second film layer and having a mesh structure. A portion of the mesh film layer is embedded into the second film layer during a heat compression process when the composite film is manufactured. The composite film improves the water resistance, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and durability of a steel member when the steel member is coated with the composite film.

Improved methods and apparatus for additive manufacture of an article with surface qualities conducive to use as an optical element, such as a contact lens. The improvements are directed to repeated application of a monomer according to a pattern of energy transmissibility, such as grayscale image. The method includes intermittent pinning of deposited polymerizable mixture and final cure of the deposited polymerizable mixture. A pattern of multiple defined areas may be manufactured, with each area representing an amount of energy transmissibility associated with that area. Each area may have a light value based upon a scale, such as an 8 bit, 16 bit, 32 bit, 64 bit scale or other scale. In some embodiments, each area may refer to a smallest single component of a digital image.

A breathable film having a specific ball-drop impact resistance of more than 100 mm per gram polymer per square meter. The film has a water vapor permeability of at least 1000 g/m2 in 24 hours. The elongation at break of the film in the machine direction is less than 200%.

Improved methods and apparatus for additive manufacture of an article with surface qualities conducive to use as an optical element, such as a contact lens. The improvements are directed to repeated application of a monomer according to a pattern of energy transmissibility, such as gray scale image. The method includes intermittent pinning of deposited polymerizable mixture and final cure of the deposited polymerizable mixture. A pattern of multiple defined areas may be manufactured, with each area representing an amount of energy transmissibility associated with that area. Each area may have a light value based upon a scale, such as an 8 bit, 16 bit, 32 bit, 64 bit scale or other scale. In some embodiments, each area may refer to a smallest single component of a digital image.

The invention provides a composite structure containing a foam layer, an inner layer and an outer layer of a thermoplastic compact cover layer, and a lacquer layer in this order, and having a tensile strength according to DIN EN ISO 527-3 at 2000 mm/min and 23° C. of less than 5 MPa in both a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the density of the foam layer is 40 to 150 kg/m3, the inner layer contains particles of an elastomer (polymer (F)) and at least 50 wt % of a thermoplastic polyolefin (polymer (E)) and is directly bonded to the outer layer, the outer layer differs from the inner layer in its composition and contains the following polymers (A) to (C) in a total amount of 100 parts by weight: 25 to 70 parts by weight of particles of an elastomer (polymer (A)), 0 to 40 parts by weight of a low-density polyethylene (polymer (B)), and 20 to 70 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polyolefin (polymer (C)) other than polymer (B). The invention provides the use of the composite structure in car interiors, in particular as airbag cover, a method for the production of the composite structure.

An extruded multilayer film includes a top layer comprising a blend of a polyolefin and adsorbent silica. The adsorbent silica is 5% or more of the blend and the polyolefin is 95% or less of the blend. The multilayer film is oriented in at least one direction to cause fracturing of the top layer to provide a microporous surface exposing the adsorbent silica gel. The fractured top layer is receptive to receiving a printing ink on an exposed surface thereof with enhanced pigment entrapment and rapid ink drying. A single layer film in the form of the top layer, and also oriented in at least one direction also constitutes a part of this invention.

The invention relates to a process for removal of volatile components from an olefin polymer, the process carried out in an extruder comprising at least one vacuum degassing zone, said process comprising the steps of: (a) introducing a stream of an olefin polymer into the extruder; (b) extruding the olefin polymer in the extruder at a temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of the olefin polymer but lower than the decomposition temperature of the olefin polymer, thereby producing an olefin polymer melt having reduced amount of volatile components, wherein the process in the extruder has a residence time distribution broadness (σ2) in the range of 800 to 4000 as define by equation (1) wherein: σ2 is the residence time distribution broadness, T is the mean residence time, t is the interval of residence time a fluid element of the olefin polymer spends in the extruder, E(t) is the residence time distribution function, and wherein the process optionally comprises a step (c) where the melt of the olefin polymer is passed through a die zone to a pelletizer for pelletizing the obtained olefin polymer.
σ.sup.2=∫.sub.0.sup.∞(t−τ).sup.2E(t)dt  equation (1)

A closure is configured to mount on a container to close an open mouth formed in the container. The closure includes a lid and an outer layer coupled to the lid.