The present invention relates to an injection molded product, an expanded foam product, a method of injection molding a plastisol an expandable plastic embryo during which the foaming of the plastic embryo is suppressed throughout the molding operation. The invention further relates to a mold and an injection molding device.

A swellable downhole article includes a swellable material and a carbon nitride material. The swellable material may include at least one of an elastomeric material and an absorbent material. The carbon nitride material may remove cations from a downhole fluid. Methods of forming the swellable downhole article are also disclosed, as are methods of forming a carbon nitride containing material for removing contaminants from a fluid.

A method of manufacturing a protection film includes performing a first foaming of a first part of a base material on a substrate to form a bumper layer having first bubbles foamed with a first foaming ratio, and performing a second foaming of a second part of the base material to form a light blocking layer having second bubbles foamed with a second foaming ratio.

To provide a fixing pressure roller production method which can readily provide a fixing pressure roller in which no abnormal foaming occurs at the interface between the elastic layer and the metallic core. The method of the present invention includes a molding step of molding, under reduced pressure, an unvulcanized silicone rubber containing a chemical foaming agent; after the molding step, a leaving step of allowing the molded product to stand for a predetermined period of time; and after the leaving step, a foam-curing step of vulcanizing the unvulcanized silicone rubber, to thereby yield an elastic layer formed of a foamed silicone rubber.

A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier (10) that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material (12) having an outer surface; and (ii) at least one fibrous composite Insert (14) or overlay (980) having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement (e.g., having a plurality of ordered fibers). The fibrous Insert (14) or overlay (980) is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that Is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (980) and the mass of polymeric material (12) are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert or overlay to be at feast partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier (10) may be a mass of activatable material (126). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (980) may include a polymeric matrix that includes a thermoplastic epoxy.

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a sandwich panel having an asymmetrical configuration in the thickness direction. This method comprises the steps of: a) providing a plate shaped assembly of a first cover part and a second cover part and between a core part of a thermoplastic material containing a suitable blowing agent, wherein the second cover part is not equal to the first cover part regarding heat transfer properties; b) heating the assembly under pressure between press tools in a press, thereby adhering the foamed core part to the first and second cover parts; c) foaming of the thermoplastic material in the core part under pressure between press tools in the press and at a foaming temperature by increasing the spacing between the press tools in a controlled manner; d) cooling the foamed sandwich panel under pressure between the press tools; e) removing the thus cooled sandwich panel from the press; and optionally f) drying the sandwich panel; wherein during step a) a first compensation part conforming to the heat transfer properties of the second cover part is positioned at the side of the first cover part and/or a second compensation part conforming to the heat transfer properties of the first cover part is positioned at the side of the second cover part, and wherein during or after step e) the first and/or second compensation parts are removed from the sandwich panel.

A vehicle structure includes: a framework member; an outer panel disposed at the outer side of the framework member, and that configures a design face of the vehicle; a foamed member disposed as a reinforcing material between the framework member and the outer panel, and that is formed from a material foamed at a first temperature from a precursor state and then solidifies at a second temperature lower than the first temperature; and a reinforcement member that is interposed between the outer panel and the foamed member in a state in which the outer panel and the foamed member are respectively joined together so as to fix the foamed member to the outer panel, and that is configured from a material having a smaller shrinkage ratio than a shrinkage ratio of the foamed member when the temperature is lowered from the first temperature to the second temperature.

A device (e.g., an article of athletic gear) comprising a post-molded expandable component, which is a part of the device that is configured to be expanded or has been expanded after being molded. This may allow the post-molded expandable component to have enhanced characteristics (e.g., be more shock-absorbent, lighter, etc.), to be cost-effectively manufactured (e.g., by using less material and/or making it in various sizes), and/or to be customized for a user (e.g., by custom-fitting it to the user).

A method of making personal protective equipment, such as a push-in earplug, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of covering a substrate with an outer layer that includes an unactivated foaming agent, positioning at least a portion of the outer layer in a mold, and activating the foaming agent such that a portion of the outer layer expands.

A composite article comprises an article presenting a surface and a thermally expandable composition disposed on the surface of the article. The thermally expandable composition comprises (a) from about 35 to about 65 percent by weight of a polyolefin resin; (b) from about 2 to about 15 percent by weight of a thermoplastic resin; (c) from about 1 to about 6 percent by weight of a curing agent suitable for cross-linking the polyolefin resin (a); (d) from about 15 to about 45 percent by weight of filler; and (e) from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight of a chemical blowing agent which is activated at an activation temperature, each based on the total weight of the thermally expandable composition. Methods of preparing and using the composite article, and an assembly formed from the composite article, are also disclosed.