A closure (750) is provided and comprises a top plate (755) and a sidewall (760) depending from the periphery of the top plate. The closure includes a sealing member (765) which depends from the top plate within the sidewall. The top plate includes a foamed region which is restricted to being within a boundary defined by the sealing member; the sealing member being substantially unfoamed.

Expanded rubber articles and processes for making such, comprising: partially curing an expandable rubber formulation by heating it in a first mould cavity to form a moulded blank; releasing the moulded blank from the first mould cavity and allowing the moulded blank to expand to form an expanded moulded blank; and further curing and expanding the expanded moulded blank by heating it to form the expanded rubber article comprising an expanded rubber part, wherein the expanded moulded blank is heated in a second mould cavity. Optionally, the expanded moulded blank is contacted with a further rubber formulation and a substrate comprising a base material and an elastomer bonding layer in the second mould cavity to form an expanded rubber article additionally comprising a solid rubber part and a substrate.

Provided are a resin molded component, a method for producing the resin molded component, and a method for producing a welded resin-molded article which ensure appropriate welding at a portion to be welded, without causing insufficient strength. A resin molded component 1 includes a body portion 10 and a rib 11 integrally molded with each other, the rib 11 protruding from the body portion 10 and configured to be infrared welded to a predetermined resin component 2, the resin molded component 1 having a foamed layer 12 formed at least in the body portion 10. A leading end portion of the rib 11 of the resin molded component 1 has a thinned remainder 11b which has been thinned relative to a root portion of the rib. For example, the rib width of the thinned remainder 11b of the rib 11 is smaller than the rib width of the root portion.

Methods of forming an article from a molten plastic composition comprising a polymer and a blowing agent. The methods include injecting the molten plastic composition into a mould, allowing the plastic composition to form a first solid skin adjacent to an in contact with a first cavity-forming surface of the mould and a second solid skin adjacent to and in contact with a second cavity-forming surface of the mould, and then opening the mould before the molten plastic composition between the first and second solid skins in at least one portion of the circumference of a region of the mould cavity defining an annular cross-section of the cavity has solidified.

Expanded rubber articles (11) and processes for making such, comprising: partially curing an expandable rubber formulation (2) by heating it in a first mold cavity (1) to form a molded blank (3); releasing the molded blank (3) from the first mold cavity (1) and allowing the molded blank (5) to expand to form an expanded molded blank (4); and further curing and expanding the expanded molded blank (4) by heating it to form the expanded rubber article (11) comprising an expanded rubber part (6), wherein the expanded molded blank (4) is heated in a second mold cavity (5). Optionally, the expanded molded blank (4) is contacted with a further rubber formulation (7) and a substrate comprising a base material (9) and an elastomer bonding layer (8) in the second mold cavity (5) to form an expanded rubber article additionally comprising a solid rubber part (10) and a substrate (8, 9).

A mold for molding an object having a section of increased thickness includes a mold cavity comprising a first zone and a second zone and a means for providing a different thermal conductivity at the first and second zone of the mold cavity.

A method of manufacturing a midsole includes placing first and second preforms into a midsole recess of a mold, with first and second portions of the mold defining a first overflow chamber connected to the first recess; closing the mold by positioning the first and second portions in contact with one another; heating the mold for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined temperature such that the first and second preforms melt and bond together to form a midsole, with a portion of each of the first and second preforms flowing into the first overflow chamber to form a first overflow portion; removing the midsole from the mold; allowing the midsole to expand; and cutting away the first overflow portion.

A method of forming an article by controlling the thickness of a portion of the plastic composition which comprises a layer of molten plastic composition between opposite first and second solid skins, so that the thickness is constant with a very low tolerance of +/0.5%, preferably +/0.2%, when the portion is subsequently exposed to a reduced pressure to cause expansion of the layer of molten plastic composition to form a core layer of expanded cellular foam between the first and second solid skins, and by controlling the stretch of the first solid skin to be within the range of 0.5 to 3%, the expansion of the plastic composition can be highly uniformly controlled in the expanded wall parts.

The invention provides a method for applying a pattern onto the upper of a shoe or other footwear. The footwear is preferably made by injection molding where raw materials are injected into a mold to form the shape of a footwear.

A method of manufacturing a midsole includes placing first and second preforms into a midsole recess of a mold, with first and second portions of the mold defining a first overflow chamber connected to the first recess; closing the mold by positioning the first and second portions in contact with one another; heating the mold for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined temperature such that the first and second preforms melt and bond together to form a midsole, with a portion of each of the first and second preforms flowing into the first overflow chamber to form a first overflow portion; removing the midsole from the mold; allowing the midsole to expand; and cutting away the first overflow portion.