The present application provides an ultrasound probe comprising a housing that includes a coupling interface having a sinusoidal geometry. The housing is formed by a first body (300) and a second body having opposite and corresponding sinusoidal geometries. The first body includes a first proximal portion (105) and a first distal portion (107). The first proximal portion comprises a first sinusoidal shape (326). The second body includes a second proximal portion and a second distal portion. The second proximal portion comprises an opposite second sinusoidal shape. The first body and the second body are coupled to form a handle having a sinusoidal interface. Further, the first distal portion and the second distal portion form a head portion at which the ultrasound transducer assembly is disposed.

A thermoplastic resin composition includes 100 parts by weight of a base resin including 5 to 40% by weight of a vinyl cyanide compound-conjugated diene rubber-aromatic vinyl compound graft copolymer (a) containing conjugated diene rubber having a particle diameter of 0.05 μm to 0.2 μm, 5 to 40% by weight of a vinyl cyanide compound-conjugated diene rubber-aromatic vinyl compound graft copolymer (b) containing conjugated diene rubber having a particle diameter of greater than 0.2 μm and less than or equal to 0.5 μm, and 50 to 80% by weight of an aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound copolymer (c); and more than 0.01 parts by weight and less than 2 parts by weight of a compound having a kinematic viscosity (25° C.) greater than 5 cSt and less than 200 cSt. The resin composition has excellent plating characteristics.

The present invention generally relates to the printing of materials, using 3-dimensional printing and other printing techniques, including the use of one or more mixing nozzles, and/or multi-axis control over the translation and/or rotation of the print head or the substrate onto which materials are printed. In some embodiments, a material may be prepared by extruding material through print head comprising a nozzle, such as a microfluidic printing nozzle, which may be used to mix materials within the nozzle and direct the resulting product onto a substrate. The print head and/or the substrate may be configured to be translated and/or rotated, for example, using a computer or other controller, in order to control the deposition of material onto the substrate.

A polymer body includes a first thermoplastic polymer, and a second thermoplastic polymer. The first thermoplastic polymer and the second thermoplastic polymer form a continuous solid structure. The first thermoplastic polymer forms an external supporting structure that at least partially envelops the second thermoplastic polymer. A first flow temperature of the first thermoplastic polymer is at least 10° C. higher than a second flow temperature of the second thermoplastic polymer. The first thermoplastic polymer may be removable by exposure to a selective solvent.

A connection, and methods of making an using such a connection, the connection comprising a first layer; a second layer concentrically disposed about the first layer; and a laser-induced seal between portions of the first and second layers; wherein the laser-induced seal provides a fluid-tight engagement between the first and second layers. As to particular embodiments of the connection, the first layer can be incorporated into a first conduit and the second layer can be incorporated into a second conduit.

A connection, and methods of making an using such a connection, the connection comprising a first layer; a second layer concentrically disposed about the first layer; and a laser-induced seal between portions of the first and second layers; wherein the laser-induced seal provides a fluid-tight engagement between the first and second layers. As to particular embodiments of the connection, the first layer can be incorporated into a first conduit and the second layer can be incorporated into a second conduit.

The present invention provides an energy ray-curable coating material for three-dimensional shaped articles that provides excellent toughness in the cured product, and an energy ray-curable material kit for three-dimensional shaping including the coating material. The present invention relates to an energy ray-curable coating material (A) for three-dimensional shaped articles, comprising a polymerizable compound and a polymerization initiator (c), the polymerizable compound comprising a monofunctional polymerizable compound (a), and/or a polyfunctional polymerizable compound (b) having two or more polymerizable groups per molecule, the polyfunctional polymerizable compound (b) having a Mw/n of 120 or more, where Mw is a molecular weight of the polyfunctional polymerizable compound (b), and n is the number of polymerizable groups per molecule.

A method of anchoring a connector element (10) in a receiving object (66) comprises inserting a distal end of the connector element (10) into a mounting hole in an insertion direction along an insertion axis; inserting a sleeve (36) comprising a thermoplastic material into the mounting hole, the sleeve (36) enclosing the connector element (10); and transferring energy to liquefy at least a portion of the thermoplastic material of the sleeve (36). A machine (500) configured for carrying out the method and a connector element anchoring kit comprising a connector element (10) and a sleeve (36) comprising thermoplastic material.

A method of anchoring a connector element (10) in a receiving object (66) comprises inserting a distal end of the connector element (10) into a mounting hole in an insertion direction along an insertion axis; inserting a sleeve (36) comprising a thermoplastic material into the mounting hole, the sleeve (36) enclosing the connector element (10); and transferring energy to liquefy at least a portion of the thermoplastic material of the sleeve (36). A machine (500) configured for carrying out the method and a connector element anchoring kit comprising a connector element (10) and a sleeve (36) comprising thermoplastic material.

A welding apparatus is suitable for welding polymeric materials, and particularly but not exclusively those that may be thin or brittle. A welding apparatus is provided for welding polymeric materials along a weld zone of the polymeric material. The welding apparatus has a carrier for supplying heat to the weld zone to cause melting of the polymeric material, wherein the heating element is arranged to reciprocate relative to the carrier between a retracted and an extended configuration, such that as the element moves from the retracted to the extended configuration the heating element melts and penetrates the surface of the polymeric material. The carrier also has a trailing contact surface trailing the heating element along the weld zone arranged to constrain molten polymeric material in the weld zone. The heating element is also arranged to reciprocate relative to the trailing contact surface.