Collapsible containers and a method of their manufacture are disclosed herein. The collapsible containers have one or more collapsible wall sections and a stiff upper and lower tier. The wall sections have living hinges and three or more tiers between the hinges. A thermoplastic elastomer layer may join separately made portions of the container together. The containers may be made by molding and overmolding. The containers include inter alia bulk liquid containers, jugs, tubs, baskets, bottles, and food containers. The method of manufacturing includes placing a container component and a matching container body comprising a stiff first tier, a stiff second tier, and a collapsible wall section in a mold; assembling the container body with the container component to close one end of the container body; and overmolding a thermoplastic layer around the container body and the container component.

The present invention relates to a pressure relief element (11) to be used as an overpressure safety means in devices where a gaseous medium must be rapidly released in case of overpressure, wherein the pressure relief element (11) has at least one notch (9) which is designed as a predetermined breaking point where the pressure relief element (11) breaks at a certain level of overpressure, thereby irreversibly opening an exhaust path for the gaseous medium. The present invention also relates to a pressure relief device of an electrochemical battery, comprising such a pressure relief element and a battery comprising such a pressure relief device.

A method of molding a collapsible, foam plastic container; the method employs two half-molds defining a molding chamber negatively reproducing the container in an erect work configuration, and forms a hinge for each lateral wall of the container when molding the container; each hinge being formed by a parting member which is inserted through the molding chamber at the hinge to be formed, and by a compression member opposite the parting member and which is moved towards the parting member to form, on the lateral wall, a small-section, higher-density portion defining the respective hinge.

A vial is described herein that comprises a tubular body which comprises an opened end, a closed end, and a cavity, wherein the opened end is located at one end of the tubular body and the closed end is located at an opposing end of the tubular body. The tubular body further comprises a tear line located therein, wherein the tear line extends across at least a portion of one side of the tubular body, across the closed end, and across at least a portion of another side of the tubular body. In addition, the tubular body further comprises two flanges extending from the closed end, wherein the two flanges are configured to separate from one another outwardly from the tubular body and apply a force to break-open at least a portion of the tear line to open at least the closed end of the tubular body.

A plastic cap, which is a highly producible one-piece type cap when molded, but becomes a two-piece type cap excellent in sealability and openability when used, and enables a small-diameter pouring opening to be formed, is provided. The plastic cap comprises: a cap body which is composed of a top plate section and a skirt section, has a pouring nozzle formed on an outer surface of the top plate section so as to surround an opening-scheduled portion, and is fitted and fixed to a container mouth; and a top lid composed of a top face, and a circumferential wall suspending from an outer peripheral edge of the top face. The top lid has, formed therein, a protrusion protruding downward from an inner surface of the top face and having an engaging portion on an outer surface thereof. The cap body has an inner plug formed therein. The inner plug is composed of an annular sidewall having an outer diameter enabling the annular sidewall to intimately contact an inner surface of the pouring nozzle; and a bottom formed at a lower part of the annular sidewall. The inner plug is formed integrally with the cap body via a breakable weakened portion at a position below a seal portion of the pouring nozzle having an inner diameter enabling the seal portion to intimately contact the inner plug. On an inner surface of the annular sidewall, an engaged portion vertically engageable with the engaging portion of the protrusion is formed.

A vial is described herein that comprises a tubular body which comprises an opened end, a closed end, and a cavity, wherein the opened end is located at one end of the tubular body and the closed end is located at an opposing end of the tubular body. The tubular body further comprises a tear line located therein, wherein the tear line extends across at least a portion of one side of the tubular body, across the closed end, and across at least a portion of another side of the tubular body. In addition, the tubular body further comprises two flanges extending from the closed end, wherein the two flanges are configured to separate from one another outwardly from the tubular body and apply a force to break-open at least a portion of the tear line to open at least the closed end of the tubular body.

The invention relates to a sampling assembly (1), in particular for relatively small quantities of bodily fluids. The said sample assembly (1) comprises a sample container (2) and a support assembly (15). The sample container (2) has an open end (4), an end (5) closed by a bottom (6) as well as a side wall (7). The support assembly (15) protrudes axially over the sample container (2) in the area of the closed end (5) thereof, and comprises at least two container extension pieces (16). The container extension pieces (16) are each integrally connected with the sample container (2) via a hinge assembly (17) and are pivotable from a production position aligned at an angle (18) to the longitudinal axis (8) to a use position which is aligned approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis (8).

Provided is a method for performing AC optimal yield control within an inverter that includes a plurality of DC power sources configured to supply DC power, a plurality of converters to convert direct current power to alternating current power to be supplied to a load, a plurality of short-circuit protection devices connected to a DC interconnection bus at the DC power sources, and configured to provide short-circuit protection, a plurality of current sensors configured to sense circulation current at the short-circuit protection devices, and a controller. The controller controls the converters and monitors the circulation current sensed along the DC interconnection bus via the current sensors, and when power reduction occurs at one of the DC power sources, performs a closed-loop control current operation to controllably increase the circulation current along the DC interconnection bus to be greater than an impairment lower limit of the short-circuit protection devices.

A molding apparatus for molding a closure device for a container. The closure device may be tethered to the container, and may open and close via a hinged articulation. The closure device includes a cylindrical body comprising hinge-connecting areas with pockets formed in the interior wall and defining an inner surface of the hinge-connecting areas, and hinges extending downwardly from the hinge-connecting areas and positioned at or below a bottom edge of the cylindrical body. The molding apparatus comprises a cavity insert component and a core component that cooperate to form mold surfaces to mold the closure device such that hinges are located below the cap area of the closure device, and hinge-connecting areas formed by projections in the core mold component and recesses in the cavity mold component are located within the cap area are flanked by membranous areas.

A method of over-molding materials includes: providing a first material in a groove in a first portion of a mold such that only a single surface of the first material is exposed to a vacant portion of the mold; providing, via an injection molding process, a second material in a liquid form in the vacant portion of the mold adjacent to, and in engagement with, the first material; and allowing the second material to solidify and become directly coupled to the first material, thus forming a single component. The second material has one or both of a greater hardness when solidified than the first material and/or a higher melting temperature than the first material.