An exemplary reinforcing element (104) may be configured to be received within a longitudinally extending cavity (C) defined by a structure (102). The reinforcing element may include a base portion (106) having a bonding material (108, 160) applied thereon, and a member (110, 150) selectively secured to the base portion and configured to selectively extend away from the base portion when the reinforcing element is received within the cavity. Accordingly, the reinforcing element may define a first length (L1) when the member is in a first position with respect to the base portion, and a second length (L1+L2) when the member is in a second position extending away from the base portion, the second length being greater than the first length. The selectively extending arrangement of the reinforcing element may generally allow improved ease and accuracy of installing the reinforcing element within a generally closed structure.

A splash resistant multi-layered structure is provided. The structure includes a specific arrangement of layers of material and a plurality of three-dimensional spacers that helps prevent penetration through the structure by a fluid that contacts an outer surface of the structure due to a state of forced separation that exists between two adjacent layers of the structure due to the presence of the plurality of three-dimensional spacers positioned between the layers. The plurality of three-dimensional spacers can be positioned on one of the adjacent layers of the structure such that a distance at least as large as the maximum height of the plurality of three-dimensional spacers separates the two layers from each other and can be present on a layer of material in a continuous or discontinuous pattern or can be present on a layer of material in a random fashion. The presence of the three-dimensional spacers can reduce the basis weight or eliminate one or more layers of the structure, which, in turn, can reduce thermal resistance, lower the pressure drop across the layers of the structure, and reduce the overall weight of the structure to enhance breathability and comfort.

A sealant composition for roofing shingles that includes a base asphalt, a linear and/or a radial copolymer, oil, and a wax is provided. The linear copolymer has an A-B di-block or an A-B-A tri-block structure. The radial copolymer may have an (A-B).sub.n radial structure, where n is at least 4, or a tri-block (A-B-A) radial structure having from 4 to 8 arms. Blocks A and B may individually represent (1) styrene and butadiene or (2) styrene and isoprene. The oil is a petroleum-based oil that both softens the asphalt and reduces the viscosity of the sealant composition. The wax may be a bis-stearamide wax. Additionally, the sealant composition may be reacted with elemental sulfur to crosslink the copolymer blend. The sealant composition seals at temperatures lower than conventional sealants and promotes the easy release of the shingle from a shingle bundle.

The invention provides unique releasable adhesive devices that are high-load bearing and highly stable while allowing adjustment of the weight-bearing angle in a wide range, thereby greatly expanding the scope of applications for technology. Adhesive systems and devices of the invention can be designed to fit applications ranging from household weight-bearing shelves and holders, components for transportation, athletic equipment, labels and advertising posts, automobile interior trims, permanent or reversible fasteners, as well as instruments and devices for industrial, commercial, medical or military applications.

A vehicle member joining structure has: a metal member that is part of a vehicle; a resin member that is adjacent to the metal member; and an adhesive that is provided between the metal member and the resin member and joins the metal member to the resin member, the adhesive having an elastic modulus that is lower than elastic moduli of the metal member and the resin member, wherein, given that (i) L is a difference in linear expansions of the metal member and the resin member at a time of heating in a drying process after application of the adhesive, (ii) T.sub.0 is a thickness of the adhesive and (iii) T.sub.1 is a length of an end surface of the adhesive, the following predetermined relational expression is satisfied
T.sub.1.sup.2=T.sub.0.sup.2+L.sup.2.

Disclosed is a composite material comprising a support member that has a plurality of pores extending therethrough, which pores are durably filled or coated with a non-crosslinked gel polymer. Also disclosed is a process for the preparation of the composite material, use of the composite material as a separation medium, and a filtering apparatus comprising the composite material.

Furniture, such as a bed, dresser, cabinetry has a display system affixing a stack of interchangeable decorative panels to the furniture. The display system has an overlaying panelar frame that captures the stack of panels and has at least one elongated fastener securing the overlaying panelar frame on to a surface of the furniture item. The stack of interchangeable panels are each visually different such as having different colors and/or patterns and can be sandwiched between the overlaying panelar frame and the mounting surface in a pocket to immovably maintain the interchangeable panels against the furniture component. The stack of interchangeable panels can be rearranged such that a different panel is placed on top of the stack or the outermost position and thereby be visible through the opening in the overlaying panelar frame.

A first aspect of the present invention is a constant force compression construct, comprising: (a) a plurality of compressible layers, each compressible layer comprising a plurality of interconnected flexible struts configured as a regular hexagonal lattice of repeating unit cells, with the layers spaced apart from one another, and with the unit cells of each layer aligned with one another; and (b) a plurality of beams interconnecting each of the compressible layers with each respective adjacent compressible layer to form a three-dimensional lattice having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a compressible region therebetween, with the repeating unit cells contained in the compressible region.

The invention relates to a laminar structure (10) providing adaptive thermal insulation, comprising a first layer (22), a second layer (24), at least one cavity (16) provided in between the first layer (22) and the second layer (24), a gas generating agent (18) having an unactivated configuration and an activated configuration, the gas generating agent (18) being adapted to change from the unactivated configuration to the activated configuration, such as to increase a gas pressure inside the cavity (16), in response to an increase in temperature in the cavity (16), the first layer (22), the second layer (24) and the cavity (16) being arranged such that a distance (D) between the first layer (22) and the second layer (24) increases in response to the increase in gas pressure inside the cavity (16).

A fashion system including a shaped garment comprising a base material and a removable drape is provided herein. The removable drape may be attached to the base material such that corresponding shapes of the base material and the removable drape cooperate to hold the removable drape in place. The base material may be formed using a geometric cutting technique and the removable drape may be formed using a thermoforming technique to create a complementary drape system.