A method for manufacturing a hollow protruding implement (1) including a fine hollow protrusion (3) having an opening (3h) of the present invention includes a protrusion forming step of inserting a projecting mold part (11) into a base material sheet (2A) from one face (2D) side thereof, the base material sheet containing a thermoplastic resin, thereby forming a non-penetrated hollow protrusion (3) projecting from another face (2U) side of the base material sheet (2A). Subsequently, an opening forming step is performed in which an opening (3h) that penetrates the hollow protrusion (3) is formed by using a contactless opening forming means disposed on the other face (2U) side of the base material sheet (2A).

A method for producing a vehicle interior decorative part comprises providing a substrate film, forming a composite layer by applying a decorative ply to a first side of the substrate film, micro-perforating the decorative ply in one or more regions, inserting the composite layer made of substrate film and micro-perforated decorative ply into a cavity of an injection mold wherein, when plastics material is injected into the cavity, the decorative ply of the composite layer is back-injected and a second side of the substrate film opposite the first side is pressed against a wall of the cavity, closing the cavity and injecting plastics material into the cavity to form the decorative part substrate, the decorative ply being back-injected and the decorative ply being applied to a surface of the substrate facing the decorative ply during substrate formation in the cavity, and opening the cavity and removing the decorative part.

A method of mechanically securing a first object including a thermoplastic material in a solid state to a second object with a generally flat sheet portion, with a perforation of the sheet portion, and with the sheet portion having an edge along the perforation is provided, wherein the first object is positioned relative to the second object so that the edge is in contact with the thermoplastic material and wherein mechanical vibration energy is coupled into the assembly including the first and second objects until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material due to friction heat generated between the edge and the thermoplastic material becomes flowable and flows around the edge to at least partially embed the edge in the thermoplastic material. After the mechanical vibration stops, the thermoplastic material is caused to re-solidify, whereby the re-solidified thermoplastic material at least partially embedding the edge anchors the first object in the second object.

A fiber composite component, comprising a basic element which comprises fibers embedded in a matrix material. A production method for a fiber composite component. A structural component, comprising a support element and the reinforcement element and also a production method for a structural component. The fiber composite component comprises a base element, comprising fibers embedded in a matrix material, and a reinforcement element, comprising fibers embedded in a matrix material wherein the base element and the reinforcement element are interconnected, a hole leads through the base element and the reinforcement element, wherein fibers of the base element that are adjacent to the hole are severed, and fibers of the reinforcement element that are adjacent to the hole are continuous.

The present invention relates to a self-punching functional element that is adapted for punching into a workpiece, in particular into a sheet metal part. It comprises a head part forming a flange and having a contact surface for contact with the workpiece; and a punching section that extends away from the head part, in particular from the contact surface, and that is in particular arranged coaxially to a central longitudinal axis of the functional element. The punching section has a peripheral punching edge at its free end for punching through the workpiece and surrounds a cavity in a peripheral direction, said cavity having an opening defined by the punching edge. An inner wall of the punching section facing the cavity has at least one elevated slug securing portion projecting radially inwardly into the cavity, in particular wherein the elevated portion has the form of a rib extending in an axial direction.

A method for making nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include three-dimensional features that define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property. The nonwoven further has a plurality of apertures, wherein at least a portion of the aperture abuts at least one of the first region and the second region of the microzone.

A method of anchoring a connector in a heterogeneous first object that includes a first building layer and, distally of the first building layer, an interlining layer. The method includes providing the first object and the connector, which includes thermoplastic material in a solid state; contacting the connector with the first building layer; applying a first mechanical pressing force to the connector until the first building layer is pierced by the connector and a distal portion of the connector reaches into the interlining layer; applying a second mechanical pressing force and mechanical vibration to the connector until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material is flowable and penetrates structures of the first object, and a distally facing abutment face of the head portion abuts against the metal profile in a region next to the opening; and letting the thermoplastic material resolidify to yield a positive-fit connection.

An electroweldable branch fitting for high diameter pipes comprises at least a first collar (20, 20′) provided with a predetermined radius of curvature (R), wherein the collar (20, 20′) identifies on opposite sides a concave surface (21) and a convex surface (22), further comprising at least one first electrical wire winding (23) associated with the concave surface (21) of the collar (20, 20′) and carrying one first pair of electrical terminals (24), arranged on the convex surface (22) of the collar (20, 20′) for applying an electric current adapted to cause the electrofusion of the collar (20, 20′), wherein the concave surface (21) of the collar (20, 20′) is continuous, i.e. not perforated, and wherein the first electrical wire winding (23) is uniformly distributed on the concave surface (21) at least in the central part thereof, the collar (20, 20′) being provided with a branch sleeve (30), centrally on the convex surface (22), for the connection to a branch pipe, the branch sleeve identifying a blind hole (32) having a bottom wall (32) consisting of the wall of the collar (20, 20′).

A machine and method for making bags is described and includes a web traveling from an input section to a rotary drum, to an output section. The rotary drum includes at least one seal bar, having a first sealing zone, and an adjacent weakening zone. The weakening zone may be a heated perforator, includes a heating wire, or be disposed to create an auxiliary sealed area. The heating wire can have connected thereto, a source of power that is an adjustable voltage or magnitude, and/or pulsed, and/or a feedback loop. The heating wire ay be an NiCr wire and make intermittent contact with the web and be disposed in an insert. The weakening zone may create a line of weakness that is uniform or varies in intensity, is a separating zone, or includes a heat film, a toothed blade, a row of pins, a source of air, or a source of vacuum. The sealing zones ma include temperature zones, cartridge heaters, cooling air, or hated air, or a source of ultrasonic, microwave or radiative energy.

A method of anchoring a connector in a first object includes providing the connector, the connector having a liquefiable material that is liquefiable by mechanical vibration, such as a thermoplastic material, bringing the connector into contact with low density layer that has an arrangement of discrete elements and gas-filled (empty) spaces between the discrete elements, pressing the connector against the low density layer and coupling mechanical vibration energy into the connector to cause the connector to penetrate into the low density layer to deform the discrete elements, until a flow portion of the liquefiable material becomes flowable and is caused to interpenetrate spaces between the deformed discrete elements so that an intertwined structure of the liquefiable material and the deformed discrete elements results, and stopping the mechanical vibration energy and causing the flow portion to re-solidify to anchor the connector in the low density layer.