An inflatable sleeve including one or more tubular portions including zones having different dimensions (e.g. thickness and/or diameter) and/or physical properties (e.g. elastic modulus) to enable control over the inflation characteristics of each zone, and a method of manufacturing same. The present invention further relates to a pipe junction sealing packer incorporating such an inflatable sleeve.

belts and methods of manufacturing the same are described herein. The belt generally includes a base layer having a plurality of surface features (e.g., ribs or teeth) formed on a front surface of the base layer, and a stretched surface layer disposed on and conforming to the surface features. The stretched surface layer may comprise a knit fabric material that is from about 3 to about 10 wt. % elastomeric fiber or yarn and from about 90 to about 97 wt. % non-elastomeric yarn or fiber. The stretched surface layer is stretched over the front surface of the base layer such that the surface density of the stretched surface layer on the front surface is from about 100 to about 150 g/m.sup.2. Manufacturing methods for producing the belt with stretched surface layer generally includes disposing the surface layer on a planar front surface of the base layer and pressing a mold into the front surface of the base layer to thereby form a plurality of surface features in the front surface of the base layer. The molding step is carried out such that surface density of the surface layer on the front surface is in the range of from about 100 to about 150 g/m.sup.2 and such that the surface layer is stretched in at least two directions.

A bioreactor sensing system is presented. The bioreactor sensing system comprises a bioreaction vessel. The bioreaction vessel comprises an aperture configured to provide an interface for monitoring contents within the bioreaction vessel. The bioreaction vessel also comprises a port coupled to the bioreaction vessel proximate the aperture. The bioreactor sensing system also comprises a sensing device disposed at least partially within the port such that a sensing element is exposed to the contents. The bioreactor sensing system also comprises an external seal configured to be applied over a portion of the sensing device and a portion of the port.

A system, configured to facilitate processing and detection of nucleic acids, the system comprising a process fluid container and a cartridge comprising: a top layer, a set of sample port-reagent port pairs, a shared fluid port, a vent region, a heating region, and a set of detection chambers; an intermediate substrate, coupled to the top layer comprising a waste chamber; an elastomeric layer, partially situated on the intermediate substrate; and a set of fluidic pathways, each formed by at least a portion of the top layer and a portion of the elastomeric layer, wherein each fluidic pathway is fluidically coupled to a sample port-reagent port pair, the shared fluid port, and a detection chamber, comprises a portion passing through the heating region, and is configured to be occluded upon deformation of the elastomeric layer, to transfer a waste fluid to the waste chamber, and to pass through the vent region.

A system, configured to facilitate processing and detection of nucleic acids, the system comprising a process fluid container and a cartridge comprising: a top layer, a set of sample port-reagent port pairs, a shared fluid port, a vent region, a heating region, and a set of detection chambers; an intermediate substrate, coupled to the top layer comprising a waste chamber; an elastomeric layer, partially situated on the intermediate substrate; and a set of fluidic pathways, each formed by at least a portion of the top layer and a portion of the elastomeric layer, wherein each fluidic pathway is fluidically coupled to a sample port-reagent port pair, the shared fluid port, and a detection chamber, comprises a portion passing through the heating region, and is configured to be occluded upon deformation of the elastomeric layer, to transfer a waste fluid to the waste chamber, and to pass through the vent region.

A rubber member molding method for molding a rubber member having a belt shape by attaching rubber discharged from a die to a molding surface while relatively moving the die and the molding surface in a direction along the molding surface, the rubber member molding method includes setting, as an abutting position, a position where a first one of the die and the molding surface is moved in a direction of moving closer to a second one and abuts on the second one before start of molding, and setting, as a molding start position, a position where the first one is moved from the abutting position in a direction of moving away from the second one by a desired thickness of a rubber member at the start of molding.

The invention is a hybrid composite material between a first joining partner having a metal surface and a second joining partner having a polymeric material surface. A process for producing a hybrid composite material associated therewith is also described. The hybrid composite material according to the invention is characterized in that the metal surface has microstructured depressions, having a diameter and a structure depth in the micrometer range, the microstructured depressions have metallic surface regions which are furnished entirely with nanostructures, the structure dimensions of which are in the nanometer range, the microstructured depressions are blind holes or throughhole openings fully passing through the first joining partner.

The invention is a hybrid composite material between a first joining partner having a metal surface and a second joining partner having a polymeric material surface. A process for producing a hybrid composite material associated therewith is also described. The hybrid composite material according to the invention is characterized in that the metal surface has microstructured depressions, having a diameter and a structure depth in the micrometer range, the microstructured depressions have metallic surface regions which are furnished entirely with nanostructures, the structure dimensions of which are in the nanometer range, the microstructured depressions are blind holes or throughhole openings fully passing through the first joining partner.

A vulcanizing agent is added during the processing of a polymer, and can form a crosslinking structure network in the polymer, thereby improving the mechanical properties of the material. Furthermore, the crosslinking agent can also de-crosslink the polymer material at a high temperature, and after being cooled, same can be crosslinked again to produce a network structure, thus endowing the polymer material with thermoplasticity for repeated processing.

The present disclosure relates to methods for making elastomeric laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. Aspects of the methods for assembling elastomeric laminates may utilize elastic strands supplied from beams that may be joined with first and second substrates, and may be configured to carry out various types of operations, such as bonding and splicing operations.