A method of fabricating a composite structure includes laying at least one composite ply about a bladder, the bladder comprising a phase change material in a first phase having a first volume, positioning an outer mold about the bladder and the at least one composite ply, and curing the at least one composite ply to form the composite structure. Curing causes the phase change material contained within the bladder to change to a second phase to expand from the first volume to a second volume and apply a pressure to an interior surface of the composite ply and press an outer surface of the composite ply against the outer mold to form an interior cavity. The bladder is not removable from the formed interior cavity.

A tire mold having moveable elements displaceable to bring the tire mold into an open or into a closed position. The mold comprises upper and lower side members; a plurality of mold segments defining a mold cavity; a vacuum device for removing gas from the mold cavity; and sealing means with closing seal members configured to cooperate with associated cooperating surfaces for sealing the mold cavity by contact with each other. The one or more closing seal members and the associated cooperating surfaces are moveable relative to each other upon displacement of the one or more moveable elements. Said one or more closing seal members are placed in a position in which they are facing their associated cooperating surfaces without contacting them both in a partial closure position of the tire mold and in the closed position of the tire mold when the vacuum device is not activated.

A process for molding a tire within a tire mold having movable elements displaceable to bring the tire mold into an open position or a closed position. The tire mold comprises upper and lower side members; mold segments defining a mold cavity; and sealing means for sealing the mold cavity. The process comprises steps of providing a tire mold having one or more closing seal members; placing the green tire into the mold cavity; placing one or more closing seal members next to a cooperating surface so as to face it without contacting it, by bringing the tire mold into a partial closure position; and drawing a vacuum on the mold cavity causing the one or more closing seal members to be moved or deformed by suction until they are in contact with the cooperating surface so that the mold cavity is sealed in an airtight manner.

An anti-fouling surface having micron scale pillars embedded with Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 nanoparticles is designed. The pillars may be repeatedly induced to move according to a predetermined frequency, such as one that mimic that of the beating movement of natural cilia, through the application of a magnetic field. When square-shaped pillars with a height of 10 μm, width of 2 μm, and inter-pattern distance of 5 μm actuated for three minutes, more than 99.9 percent of biofilm cells were detached and via gentle rinsing from the surface having the pillars. The anti-fouling surface enables effective prevention of biofilm formation and removal of established biofilms, and can be applied to a broad spectrum of polymers.

A closure for sealingly closing a container neck having a tubular body with a top wall, an annular side wall, an intermediate wall joining the side wall to the top wall and an annular tamper evidence band frangibly connected to an open end described by the side wall. The band includes retaining cams protruding from its inner surface. Each cam has a lead-in ramp for engaging, in use, the flange of a container neck as the neck is introduced into the open end of the body and a stop for engaging the flange to separate the band from the body when the closure is subsequently removed from the neck. Each lead-in ramp has a central recess therein.

A novel cutting-edge structure and method and apparatus for manufacturing the cutting-edge structure is provided. The cutting-edge structure is comprised of naturally derived or renewable material at greater than 50% by volume fraction. In one embodiment, the naturally derived material is a cellulose nanostructure such as a cellulose nanocrystal. The cellulose nanocrystal is processed using a base or mold structure to provide a cutting edge of any shape such as linear or circular edge structures. The process includes dual cure steps to produce an optimal cutting-edge structure without shrinkage. The formed cutting-edge structure can be utilized as a razor blade as it is formed with very sharp tip and edge suitable for cutting hair. The base structure can form one or more cutting-edge structures simultaneously.

A mold assembly for manufacturing molded articles includes a plurality of mold portions that are comprised of a polymer and form a mold cavity. In embodiments, the polymer has a thermal conductivity (k) of less than about 0.5. Although, some embodiments may have higher conductivity values. In embodiments, the polymer comprises polycarbonate. Methods for making and using polymer mold portions and assemblies are also disclosed.

A mold assembly for manufacturing molded articles includes a plurality of mold portions that are comprised of a polymer and form a mold cavity. In embodiments, the polymer has a thermal conductivity (k) of less than about 0.5. Although, some embodiments may have higher conductivity values. In embodiments, the polymer comprises polycarbonate. Methods for making and using polymer mold portions and assemblies are also disclosed.

A method of forming a three-dimensional object includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface. The carrier and the build surface define a build region therebetween. The method further includes filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid; continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid; applying a reduced pressure and/or polymer inhibitor-enriched gas to the polymerizable liquid through the optically transparent member to thereby reduce a gas content of the polymerizable liquid; and continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer.

The invention relates to a mold for manufacturing a plastic part, including a first element and a second element forming, in the closed position of the mold, a cavity corresponding to the part to be manufactured, in which the second element includes at least one system for making molding openings in said part, said system including at least one member forming a cavity of an opening for the finished part, said member being movable relative to the second element in the closing direction of the mold, between a retracted position and an position extending into the cavity. The system includes at least one positioning means for positioning the member in the extended position relative to the first element, said system being sized such that, in the extended position of the member, the distance between a surface of the member bearing on the plastic material and the first element enables the formation of a thin layer of plastic material having a repeatable thickness.