Polymeric multilayer film comprising at least two adjacent layers each exhibiting a random network of strands and connective regions. The polymeric multilayer films are useful, for example, for tape and graphic articles.

A method of forming a hose includes: extruding a web of plastics material from a first extruder; helically winding the extruded web about a mandrel or at least one rotating rod to form a wall of the hose; feeding an electrical wire into a second extruder; extruding a bead of plastics material around the electrical wire from the second extruder such that the extruded bead includes the electrical wire at a location within a cross-section of the extruded bead; cooling the extruded bead to cool the plastics material adjacent the location to prevent migration of the electrical wire away from the location; re-heating the extruded bead to cause outer surface portions of the plastics material of the extruded bead to become molten; and helically winding the extruded bead onto and about an external surface of the wall to provide the wall a support helix that incorporates the electrical wire.

A rubber member molding method for molding a rubber member having a belt shape by attaching rubber discharged from a die to a molding surface while relatively moving the die and the molding surface in a direction along the molding surface, the rubber member molding method includes setting, as an abutting position, a position where a first one of the die and the molding surface is moved in a direction of moving closer to a second one and abuts on the second one before start of molding, and setting, as a molding start position, a position where the first one is moved from the abutting position in a direction of moving away from the second one by a desired thickness of a rubber member at the start of molding.

Systems and methods for generating a film suitable for medical packaging are provided. The film is generated by blown film co-extrusion to form a multi-layer film which has a heat resistant layer, a barrier layer and a heat seal layer. The barrier layer includes a high barrier resin and a branched co-polymer. The high barrier resin has a density of at least 0.963 g/cm.sup.3. The barrier layer includes between 25% and 85% high barrier resin. In some embodiments, an additional laminate layer may be affixed to the heat resistant layer of the multi-layer film. The final film is between 3.0 and 3.8 mils in thickness, and has a moisture vapor transmission rate of less than 0.08.

A peelable protective sheath and related assemblies/systems and methods are disclosed. The protective sheath may be used on a balloon catheter to protect the balloon and any coating thereon. The protective sheath may be peelable to make removal of the protective sheath easier. The peelable protective sheath may be inserted into a hemostatic valve and introducer while still disposed over the balloon of a balloon catheter to protect the balloon and any bioactive coating thereon from damage during insertion. The peelable protective sheath may be peeled from a proximal end to initiate removal. Alternatively, the peelable protective sheath may be peeled from a distal end of the peelable protective sheath as the balloon catheter is inserted through a hemostatic valve and introducer.

Embodiments of the invention relate to a poly(meth)acrylimide film and a method for manufacturing such a film. At least one embodiment provides a poly(meth)acrylimide film that has (i) a total light transmittance of over 90% and (ii) haze of 2.0% or less. This film preferably has retardation of less than 50 nm. The method for manufacturing this film includes the following steps: (A) using a device provided with an extruder and a T die, a poly(meth)acrylimide molten film is continuously extruded from the T die; and (B) the poly(meth)acrylimide molten film is loaded by being fed between a rotating or circulating first mirrored-surface body and a rotating or circulating second mirrored-surface body, and then the film is pressed. During these steps, (C) the surface temperature of the first mirrored-surface body is in the range 100-200 C., and (D) the surface temperature of the second mirrored-surface body is in the range 20-200 C.

A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery separator, which includes a porous film containing a polyolefin-based resin as a main component, has a difference of not more than 2.5 between (a) a white index measured on a surface of the porous film which has not been irradiated with ultraviolet light having 255 W/m.sup.2 and (b) a white index measured on the surface of the porous film which has been irradiated, for 75 hours, with the ultraviolet light having 255 W/m.sup.2.

The present disclosure generally relates to extrusion die systems. In particular, the present disclosure relates to the cyclical extrusion of materials to generate small sized grain features, generally in the range of nanosized grain features, in a tubular or profile shape, in which the individual nanolayers possess pores and/or polymer crystals oriented parallel to the extrusion flow direction and including products with enhanced permeation properties.

Compositions of polyamide resins containing a low level of polyamide 66 comonomer are provided, which are useful in producing blown films. A method of forming a blown film includes: extruding a polyamide copolymer to form a polyamide film. The polyamide copolymer is formed from a mixture of caprolactam and hexamethylenediamine adipate where the caprolactam comprises from 85 mol. % to 99 mol. % of the total moles of caprolactam and hexamethylenediamine adipate.

A system for manufacturing a catheter includes at least first and second controllable rate material feeders that feed at least first and second materials into a temperature-controlled mixer to form a compound material that varies in flexibility and/or strength with the respective first and second materials and material feed rates. An extruder extrudes the compound material onto a rotating and translating mandrel to thereby form a variable stiffness profile along a length of the catheter that depends on respective rates of rotation and translation of the mandrel.