A method of forming a material using a supersonic fluidic oscillator in a superplastic forming process and a related system. Pressurized gas, at a baseline pressure, is applied to a surface of the material when the material is received within a cavity of a forming tool. Pressure fluctuations, relative to the baseline pressure within the tool cavity, are created with a supersonic fluidic oscillator. Each pressure fluctuation (i) deforms the material and (ii) subsequently allows for a partial stress relief of the material during the forming process.

A method of forming a material using a supersonic fluidic oscillator in a superplastic forming process and a related system. Pressurized gas, at a baseline pressure, is applied to a surface of the material when the material is received within a cavity of a forming tool. Pressure fluctuations, relative to the baseline pressure within the tool cavity, are created with a supersonic fluidic oscillator. Each pressure fluctuation (i) deforms the material and (ii) subsequently allows for a partial stress relief of the material during the forming process.

A method for drape forming a laminated composite charge, the method including placing the laminated composite charge on a forming tool and redirecting forming forces applied to the laminated composite charge during drape forming to counteract wrinkle forming movement between plies of the laminated composite charge.

A method for drape forming a laminated composite charge, the method including placing the laminated composite charge on a forming tool and redirecting forming forces applied to the laminated composite charge during drape forming to counteract wrinkle forming movement between plies of the laminated composite charge.

A balloon wrapping apparatus and a balloon wrapping method are disclosed by which a balloon can be accurately positioned in relation to a pleating section and to a folding section. The balloon wrapping apparatus for wrapping a balloon of a balloon catheter provided with the balloon at a distal portion of an elongated shaft includes: a pleating section having a plurality of blades aligned with space parts therebetween in a circumferential direction, and forms the balloon with wing shapes projecting in radial directions by clamping the balloon in the space parts by moving rotationally the blades; and a folding section having a plurality of blades aligned in a circumferential direction, and that folds the wing shapes formed in the balloon in the circumferential direction by moving rotationally the blades; and a support base that supports a part of the shaft which part is on a proximal side of the balloon.

A balloon wrapping apparatus and a balloon wrapping method are disclosed by which a balloon can be accurately positioned in relation to a pleating section and to a folding section. The balloon wrapping apparatus for wrapping a balloon of a balloon catheter provided with the balloon at a distal portion of an elongated shaft includes: a pleating section having a plurality of blades aligned with space parts therebetween in a circumferential direction, and forms the balloon with wing shapes projecting in radial directions by clamping the balloon in the space parts by moving rotationally the blades; and a folding section having a plurality of blades aligned in a circumferential direction, and that folds the wing shapes formed in the balloon in the circumferential direction by moving rotationally the blades; and a support base that supports a part of the shaft which part is on a proximal side of the balloon.

Provided is a method for extruding molten resin in a charging space from a head by converting a rotational motion of an electric motor into a linear motion of a piston disposed in the charging space through a ball screw and thus causing the piston to move vertically, the charging space being a space into which the molten resin can be charged and formed in an accumulator, the head having an extrusion port at a lower end thereof. The method includes a step of separating an upper plate from a lower plate and retracting the upper plate upward by a rotational motion of the electric motor and then charging the molten resin into the charging space with a sufficient charging pressure to push up the piston against weights of the lower plate and the piston in the charging space, the lower plate being disposed over the accumulator and coupled to the piston from above, the upper plate being engaged with the electric motor through a screwing relationship and disposed over the lower plate so as to be able to surface-contact the lower plate and a step of extruding the molten resin from the extrusion port by moving the upper plate downward with the upper plate and the lower plate surface-contacting each other by a rotational motion of the electric motor and thus moving the piston downward in the charging space.

The present invention provides a decorative film including a layer containing at least one type of additive selected from a nucleating agent, a hindered-amine-based photostabilizer, and a UV-absorbing agent, satisfying the condition below, the decorative film being for affixing, by thermoforming, onto a resin molded article having a three-dimensional shape. Condition: The amount of variation in the haze value measured by a method conforming to JIS-K7136 in a glass plate that has been subjected to the fogging test below, which conforms to ISO 6452, is 40 or less. <Fogging test>: 1 g (0.01 g) of the additive was placed in a sample bottle made of glass, the sample bottle was closed using a glass plate, and clouding (fogging) was produced on the glass plate by heating the sample bottle for 1 hour at 150 C.

The present invention provides a decorative film including a layer containing at least one type of additive selected from a nucleating agent, a hindered-amine-based photostabilizer, and a UV-absorbing agent, satisfying the condition below, the decorative film being for affixing, by thermoforming, onto a resin molded article having a three-dimensional shape. Condition: The amount of variation in the haze value measured by a method conforming to JIS-K7136 in a glass plate that has been subjected to the fogging test below, which conforms to ISO 6452, is 40 or less. <Fogging test>: 1 g (0.01 g) of the additive was placed in a sample bottle made of glass, the sample bottle was closed using a glass plate, and clouding (fogging) was produced on the glass plate by heating the sample bottle for 1 hour at 150 C.

A protective film 10 of the present invention is used by being attached to a resin substrate 21 at the time of performing heat bending on the resin substrate 21 while heating the resin substrate 21. The protective film 10 includes a base material layer and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer which is positioned between the base material layer and the resin substrate 21 and is adhered to the resin substrate 21. The base material layer is formed of a laminate having a first layer which is positioned on the opposite side of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, contains a thermoplastic resin, and has a melting point of 150 C. or higher and a second layer which is positioned on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer side, contains a thermoplastic resin, and has a melting point of lower than 120 C.