An expanded bead having a tubular shape with a through hole and a method for producing the same are provided. The expanded bead includes a foamed core layer and a covering layer. A polyolefin-based resin included in the covering layer has a melting point lower than a melting point of a polypropylene-based resin included in the foamed core layer. An average hole diameter d of the through hole of the expanded bead is less than 1 mm, and a ratio d/D of the average hole diameter d to an average outer diameter D of the expanded bead is 0.4 or less. The polypropylene-based resin for the foamed core layer has a flexural modulus of 1,200 MPa or more and a melting point of 158° C. or lower.

The present invention is directed to a deep draw microcellularly foamed polymeric container comprising a polymeric sidewall integrally connected to a polymeric base along a bottom edge. The polymeric sidewall and base are contiguous with each other and define a shape of an open top container. The polymeric sidewall and base have a contiguous inner microcellular foam structure (having average cell diameters ranging from about 5 to about 100 microns) surrounded by a smooth outer skin layer integrally connected therewith. The polymeric sidewall defines a container height and a top opening, wherein the top opening defines a top opening width, and wherein the polymeric base defines a container base width, and wherein the area defined by the top opening is greater than the area defined by the polymeric base, and wherein the ratio of the container height (h) to the top opening width (w) is greater than about 1:1 (h:w).

A security mark is produced on a micro-porous, synthetic paper, structure by changing light transmission properties of light pathways through the structure. The security mark is visible when the structure is illuminated.

A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier (10) that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material (12) having an outer surface; and (ii) at least one fibrous composite Insert (14) or overlay (980) having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement (e.g., having a plurality of ordered fibers). The fibrous Insert (14) or overlay (980) is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that Is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (980) and the mass of polymeric material (12) are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert or overlay to be at least partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier (10) may be a mass of activatable material (126). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (980) may include a polymeric matrix that includes a thermoplastic epoxy.

An apparatus and method for forming a design on an expanded bead foam article such as an exercise roller is provided.

A process for manufacturing a urethane foam pad comprising the steps of: providing a urethane resin and a filler agent; mixing a predetermined amount of the filler agent with the urethane resin to create a urethane mixture within a mold container; drawing a vacuum on the urethane mixture; allowing the urethane mixture to expand and gel for a predetermined amount of time to form an expanded urethane foam pad; releasing the vacuum on the urethane mixture; and removing the expanded urethane foam pad from the mold container.

A foamed article is made by infusing the article of thermoplastic elastomer with a supercritical fluid, then removing the article from the supercritical fluid and either (i) immersing the article in a heated fluid or (ii) irradiating the article with infrared or microwave radiation.

A container, that includes a transparent portion, which reveals an interior portion of the container, an access aperture communicating with the interior portion of the container, and a lid adjacent the access aperture. A first liquid component is placed into the interior portion. A second liquid component is poured into the interior portion. The lid of the container is closed to fully enclose the first and second liquid components. The components are agitated until the first and second liquid components are a mixture of uniform color, without an appearance of marbling and swirling, when viewed through the transparent portion of the container. The lid is opened to expose the mixture of uniform color. The mixture of uniform color is poured from the container into a receiving structure. The mixture of uniform color is transformed into a closed-cell polyurethane structure within the receiving structure.

A sole structure includes a sole component, which has an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface. The sole component has a length and a thickness. The sole component includes a sole material, and the sole material has a density. At least one of the thickness or the density varies along the length of the sole component. The sole component defines a plurality of holes extending from at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface and arranged to form an auxetic structure. The auxetic structure is configured such that, when the sole component is tensioned in a first direction, the sole component expands in both the first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A property of the auxetic structure varies as a function of the density or the thickness of the sole component.

In an injection molded product of the invention, an unevenness forming portion having unevenness formed by thermal expansion of thermally expandable capsules is formed. The injection molded product includes a highly expanded portion that is formed at a surface side of the unevenness forming portion in a thickness direction of the injection molded product and in which the thermally expandable capsules are thermally expanded, and a main body portion that is a portion adjacent to the highly expanded portion in the thickness direction and in which the thermally expandable capsules are substantially not thermally expanded. The thickness of the highly expanded portion is a half or smaller than the thickness of the injection molded product in the unevenness forming portion, and a polymer material of the highly expanded portion and a polymer material of the main body portion are the same polymer material.