The disclosure relates to forming methods, systems, apparatuses and resulting displays that represent improvements in various key areas. The disclosed methods, systems and apparatuses can include a backing configured to support the glass substrate. In one embodiment, the backing can comprise a plurality of linkages. The one or more of the plurality of linkages are selectively moveable to interface with and correspond to a radius of curvature of the curved portion of the glass substrate However, other embodiments contemplate segments, mesh or other construction for the backing.

An electronic device may have a display with a bent portion such as one or more bent edge portions. The display may be formed from a flexible display layer such as an organic light-emitting-diode layer. The organic light-emitting-diode layer may include a substrate layer such as a sheet of polymer. The flexible display may be attached to a support structure such as a flexible support layer using adhesive. To facilitate bending, the display may be heated. Bending and heating equipment may simultaneously heat the display layer and the flexible support layer to form a bent edge portion for the display. The bending and heating equipment may include heated structures for pressing the display layer into a desired shape.

An automotive assembly comprises a sheet molding composite (SMC) element comprising an SMC sheet body shaped into a generally smooth functional section and at least one generally planar bonding section. The bonding section comprises a textured surface impressed as a result of molding the SMC sheet body in a compression molding tool having a corresponding textured pattern. The textured surface has a predetermined surface roughness for increasing the effective surface area of the bonding section relative to a non-textured surface. The predetermined surface roughness is in a range from 0.25 R.sub.a (m) to 8.5 R.sub.a (m). A second element has a secondary bonding surface adjoining the bonding section of the SMC element. An adhesive joins the secondary bonding surface to the bonding section without requiring any pre-treatment of the bonding section.

An electronic device may have a display with a bent portion such as one or more bent edge portions. The display may be formed from a flexible display layer such as an organic light-emitting-diode layer. The organic light-emitting-diode layer may include a substrate layer such as a sheet of polymer. The flexible display may be attached to a support structure such as a flexible support layer using adhesive. To facilitate bending, the display may be heated. Bending and heating equipment may simultaneously heat the display layer and the flexible support layer to form a bent edge portion for the display. The bending and heating equipment may include heated structures for pressing the display layer into a desired shape.

A tool and method for bonding layers of a shell by the differential pressure bonding process. The tool and method includes a plurality of separable mandrel segments that combine to form a mandrel having a longitudinal axis, an outer surface, an upper end, and at least one substantially continuous inner surface. The inner surface has a substantially axisymmetric shape having complex curvature. In this embodiment, the tool further includes a retort configured to at least partially shroud the outer surface and upper end of the hollow body. The retort includes at least one vacuum port. The tool is configured to facilitate the compression of a plurality of layers of a multi-layer shell having complex curvature as the shell layers and an interdisposed bonding material are heated to an elevated bonding temperature.

Introduced here are carrier tape assemblies that can improve efficiency and reduce costs when utilized in the handling, transport, or storage of semiconductor components. A carrier tape assembly can include an adhesive film affixed to an elongated and/or extruded carrier tape. For example, the adhesive film may be integrally laminated onto the top surface of the elongate carrier tape as a single continuous (i.e., unbroken) sheet. The adhesive film may substantially conform to the top surface of the elongate carrier tape, including any punched cavities for holding semiconductor components. Proper securement of the semiconductor components to the carrier tape assembly depends on the adhesive property of the constituent material(s) of the adhesive film.

Introduced here are carrier tape assemblies that can improve efficiency and reduce costs when utilized in the handling, transport, or storage of semiconductor components. A carrier tape assembly can include an adhesive film affixed to an elongate carrier tape. For example, the adhesive film may be integrally laminated onto the top surface of the elongate carrier tape as a single continuous (i.e., unbroken) sheet. The adhesive film may substantially conform to the top surface of the elongate carrier tape, including any punched cavities for holding semiconductor components. Proper securement of the semiconductor components to the carrier tape assembly depends on the adhesive property of the constituent material(s) of the adhesive film.

The present disclosure is a face seal (FS) device for filtering face piece respirators (FFR) of all types, that corrects inner face seal leakage (FSIL) of particulate material that occurs due to well documented failures in FS designs of the prior art. The present disclosure differs from those of the prior art in having compensatory accentuations at locations along the entire 360 deg. FS inner perimeter that are based on specific details of facial human anatomy which are known to be sites of FSIL. The FS is also constructed of a heat activated thermoplastic copolymer that enables the device to be custom fitted to the user's face. Experimental data, confirmed with workplace protective factor (WPF) studies, show a 60-240 fold improved performance over FS designs of the prior art.

A delivery system for delivering a collapsible prosthetic heart valve includes a valve support structure for supporting a collapsible prosthetic heart valve, and a distal sheath movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the valve support structure between a first position in which the distal sheath is adapted to surround a collapsible prosthetic heart valve supported on the valve support structure, and a second position in which the distal sheath is adapted to expose the collapsible prosthetic heart valve for deployment. The distal sheath is at least partially formed of an inner polymer layer, an outer polymer layer, and a tubular supporting member sandwiched between the inner polymer layer and the outer polymer layer.

Swabs, materials, and methods of making same, include randomly arranged sea-island bicomponent fibers. According to certain embodiments, swabs and methods of using such swabs are provided so as to collect and release a biological sample comprising a flock fiber tipped applicator wherein the flock fibers are sea-island bicomponent fibers attached to an end portion of the applicator with an adhesive selected from the group consisting of a photocurable acrylic adhesive and a polyurethane adhesive, the bicomponent fibers being structurally stable in water and the sea component of the bicomponent flock fibers being intact.