The invention provides a heat-shrinkable polyester film which has heat shrinkage properties in a main shrinkage direction that is the longitudinal direction, in which a variation in shrinkage in the width direction is small in the width direction, and wrinkles and strains are less likely to be generated at the time of shrinkage finishing due to a small molecular orientation angle. The heat-shrinkable polyester film is characterized by (1) a hot-water shrinkage of 50% or more in a main shrinkage direction when treated for 10 seconds in water at 98 C.; (2) a variation of hot-water shrinkages in a direction orthogonal to the main shrinkage direction for samples treated for 10 seconds in water at 98 C. of 5% or less; (3) an absolute value of a molecular orientation angle of 15 degrees or less; and (4) a refractive index difference between the main shrinking and orthogonal directions of 0.06 or more.

An expansion apparatus includes: a first expander for irradiating with electromagnetic waves emitted from a lamp a thermal conversion layer for conversion of the electromagnetic waves to heat, to cause at least a portion of a thermal expansion layer to expand, the thermal conversion layer being laminated to a molding sheet including a base and the thermal expansion layer laminated to a first main surface of the base; and a second expander for causing expansion of a region (C) of the thermal expansion layer that is smaller in size than a region (B) of the thermal expansion layer expanded by the first expander.

An object of the present invention is to provide a heat shrink tube excellent in peelability and transparency, and a method for producing the heat shrink tube. The present invention provides a peelable heat shrink tube comprising a composition containing a melt-processable fluororesin and PTFE, the PTFE lacking a heat history of its melting point or higher after polymerization and having a specific gravity, as measured according to ASTM D4894, of 2.20 or less. The content of the PTFE is 0.05 to 3.0 wt % based on the total weight of the melt-processable fluororesin and the PTFE. The present invention also provides a method for producing the tube which comprises melt-extruding the composition at a temperature lower than the melting point of the PTFE.

A heating system for heating a heat shrink layer of a heat shrink component during a heat shrink process includes a heating unit arranged in thermal contact with at least a part of the heat shrink layer and heating the heat shrink layer to a heat shrink temperature. The heating unit has a first heating zone and a second heating zone. The first heating zone has a different heating energy than the second heating zone for a period of time of the heat shrink process.

A heat shrink component includes a heat shrink layer and a heating unit in thermal contact with at least a part of the heat shrink layer and heating the heat shrink layer to a heat shrink temperature. The heat shrink component has a first dimension in an expanded state and a second dimension in a shrunk state after heating, the first dimension is larger than the second dimension. The heating unit includes an electrically conductive lead heated by an electrical current flowing through the electrically conductive lead and a heat spreading layer arranged in thermal contact with the electrically conductive lead and distributing a heat generated by the electrically conductive lead.

A heat shrink component includes a heat shrink layer and a heating unit in thermal contact with at least a part of the heat shrink layer and heating the heat shrink layer to a heat shrink temperature. The heating unit includes an electrically conductive lead formed of copper and/or aluminum and having an electrical conductivity of more than 3.Math.10.sup.7 S/m. The heat shrink component has a first dimension in an expanded state and a second dimension in a shrunk state after heating. The first dimension is larger than the second dimension.

A substrate includes a double-network polymer system including a cross-linked, covalently-bonded polymer and a reversible, partially ionicly-bonded polymer, wherein the substrate has a moisture level less than or equal to 15 percent of the total weight of the substrate, and wherein the substrate includes a latent retractive force. A method for manufacturing a substrate includes producing a double-network hydrogel including a cross-linked, covalently-bonded polymer and a reversible, ionicly-bonded polymer; elongating by force the double-network hydrogel in at least one direction; dehydrating while still elongated the double-network hydrogel to form a substantially-dehydrated double-network polymer system; and releasing the force to produce the substrate.

Disclosed is a joining element (10), especially a suture material for surgical use. The joining element (10) is composed of a first material (12) that is essentially rigid during impingement by a relatively short-lasting tensile load on opposite sides as well as a second material (11) which is connected to the first material. The second material is substantially rigid during impingement by said tensile load on opposite sides while contracting slowly during a second period of time that is longer than the first period of time.

A display device includes a display member configured to display an image in a first direction and a cover member on the display member. The cover member includes a flexible member including a front part defining a front plane perpendicular to the first direction, and a first side part connected to a first side of the front part and defining a first side plane different from the front plane, and a rigid member partially overlapping the flexible member and on the front part.

Provided are a heat-shrinkable polyester-based label, and a package which each have a solvent-bonded portion where no solvent permeation-through is caused even when a film of the label is small in thickness. Provided are, in particular, a heat-shrinkable polyester-based label and a package which each have a solvent-bonded portion giving a high peel strength stably even through a high-speed tubing step, or even when the film is a heat-shrinkable polyester-based film in which a PET-bottle-recycled material is used in a large proportion. The label is a heat-shrinkable polyester-based label that is a tubular label in which both end portions of a heat-shrinkable polyester-based film are bonded to each other with a solvent composition. In this label, the solvent composition is a solvent composition containing at least 1,3-dioxolane and/or tetrahydrofuran (THF), and a polyester, and the end portion bonded has a peel strength of 2 N/15 mm or more.