Disclosed are methods for forming a double-sided optical sheet, and a vehicle lamp assembly having the double-sided optical sheet integrated therein. A first optical pattern is imprinted on a first side of a material, and a second optical pattern is imprinted on a second side of the material, opposite the first side. The first and second optical patterns are thereby formed on opposing sides of the same sheet. When oriented adjacent a light source, the double-sided optical sheet homogenizes light emitted from the light source. For a light source having a plurality of lighting elements, the double-sided optical sheet is configured to blend light emitted from the plurality of lighting elements to form one homogenous beam of light output resulting from a single light-modifying member.

A composite material component manufacturing method includes a molding step of applying, by a pressing device, heat and pressure to a prepreg to mold the prepreg, and a transfer step of transferring the prepreg. The transfer step includes moving the prepreg together with the pressing device in a state in which a pressing force is applied to the prepreg by the pressing device.

A system for the continuous extrusion, molding, and curing of tread for tires. An elongated strip of rubber material can be molded and cured shortly after extrusion such that the material retains much of the heat energy of extrusion and does not have to be stored. A plurality of discrete mold assemblies are conveyed adjacent to each other. As the mold assemblies are advanced sequentially, the uncured and unmolded strip of rubber material are extruded and positioned onto the mold assemblies. While the rubber strip advances, individual portions are sequentially molded and cured by passing through a mold press and then a curing press. A plug assembly is used to prevent the backflow of rubber material during the molding and curing.

An insulation board assembly, having: a foam insulation board; a top facer attached onto a top side of the foam insulation board, the top facer being made of woven material; and a bottom facer attached onto a bottom side of the foam insulation board, the bottom facer being made of woven material. The top and bottom woven facers may have upper and lower coatings and non-woven layers on either side and woven and non-woven layers may be held together with a tie layer.

A process for producing an eyelet for a biomedical electrode (e.g. an electrocardiogram (ECG) electrode) involves: hot pressing an electrically conductive thermoplastic or elastomeric resin to produce a film having a web of eyelets, each eyelet having a post protruding from a first face of the film and a flange at a second face of the film; applying a coating of a non-polarizable conductive material (e.g. a silver-containing material) on to a contact face of the flange; and, cutting the film to produce the eyelets separated from the web. Preferably, the process involves extrusion replication. A web of eyelets for biomedical electrodes has a film of an electrically conductive thermoplastic or elastomeric resin possessing a plurality of posts protruding from a first face of the film, and preferably a layer of a non-polarizable conductive material on a second face of the film. The process may be a one-step continuous process that is cheaper and simpler than current commercial processes.

A method and apparatus for a continuous compression molding machine. The continuous compression molding machine comprises a tooling die, extending through a heating zone and a cooling zone, a tooling sleeve, and a biasing system. The tooling sleeve corresponds to the tooling die and is for use in forming a thermoplastic composite part from a thermoplastic composite charge when the tooling sleeve with the thermoplastic composite charge is moved with respect to the tooling die through the heating zone and the cooling zone. The biasing system is configured to hold the thermoplastic charge at a first angle within the heating zone and hold the thermoplastic composite charge at a second angle within the cooling zone, as the tooling sleeve moves through the heating zone and the cooling zone with the thermoplastic composite charge. The first angle is different from the second angle.

A method and apparatus for a continuous compression molding machine. The continuous compression molding machine comprises a tooling die, extending through a heating zone and a cooling zone, a tooling sleeve, and a biasing system. The tooling sleeve corresponds to the tooling die and is for use in forming a thermoplastic composite part from a thermoplastic composite charge when the tooling sleeve with the thermoplastic composite charge is moved with respect to the tooling die through the heating zone and the cooling zone. The biasing system is configured to hold the thermoplastic charge at a first angle within the heating zone and hold the thermoplastic composite charge at a second angle within the cooling zone, as the tooling sleeve moves through the heating zone and the cooling zone with the thermoplastic composite charge. The first angle is different from the second angle.

A thin film member forming device includes a reference roll fixedly disposed while being rotatably supported by a first bearing member, a movable roll disposed movably with respect to the reference roll while being rotatably supported by a second bearing member, a roll gap adjusting mechanism which adjusts a gap between the reference roll and the movable roll and a roll opening mechanism which expands the gap. The roll gap adjusting mechanism adds a load in a direction to narrow the gap to the second bearing member, and the roll opening mechanism adds a load in a direction to expand the gap to the second bearing member.

A tooling to enable variation in radius of molded continuous fiber reinforced polymer curved components which includes a first tooling surface formed on a first tooling member which may be formed of sprung material, a second tooling surface formed on a second tooling member which may be formed of sprung material. The first tooling surface and the second tooling surface are positioned to lie one over the other to form a gap therebetween for receiving a supply of continuous fiber reinforced polymer. The first tooling surface and the second tooling surface are movable towards and away from each other to modify the size of the gap therebetween and thereby modify the amount of compression applied by the first and second tooling surfaces on the continuous fiber reinforced polymer positioned therebetween. A mechanism is engaged with the first tooling member to modify a curvature of the first tooling surface.

A method is provided for manufacturing a composite body. A first longitudinal portion of a continuous length of prepreg material is shaped using a first die of a compression molding tool to provide a shaped first longitudinal portion of the continuous length of prepreg material. The shaped first longitudinal portion is consolidated using the compression molding tool to provide a first portion of the composite body. The first portion of the composite body is moved out of the compression molding tool. The first die is swapped for a replacement first die. A second longitudinal portion of the continuous length of prepreg material is shaped using the replacement first die of the compression molding tool to provide a shaped second longitudinal portion of the continuous length of prepreg material. The shaped second longitudinal portion is consolidated using the compression molding tool to provide a second portion of the composite body.