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.

A discrete flat dripper of the non-pressure regulated type of drippers or of the pressure compensated-flow rate regulated type of drippers, suited for being integrally installed within a hose, that comprises a body component whose configuration is essentially rectangular, wherein on its one side that is suited to being affixed to an internal wall of the hose, formed with an exit pool that it is elongated in its dimensions and substantially extends along the entire length of the body component, and with a flow passage circumferentially surrounding a substantial part of the elongated exit pool, and an integral dripper line wherein there are integrated at least one of such discrete flat dripper.

Various systems, methods and apparatus for locating emitters embedded in tubing are disclosed herein, as well as forming outlets in said tubing and confirming the placement accuracy of such outlets. In one form, an emitter locator is disclosed having: a housing defining a generally enclosed space and having an inlet located in a first side of the housing and an outlet located in a second side of the housing positioned opposite the inlet; a cutter positioned within the generally enclosed space between the inlet and outlet; a first optical instrument located proximate the inlet; a second optical instrument located proximate the outlet; and a controller connected to the cutter and first and second optical instruments, the controller configured to detect a tubing target area desired for placement of an outlet opening in tubing that passes through the inlet and cut the tubing target area to form the outlet opening therein.

Various systems, methods and apparatus for locating emitters embedded in tubing are disclosed herein, as well as forming outlets in said tubing and confirming the placement accuracy of such outlets. In one form, an emitter locator is disclosed having: a housing defining a generally enclosed space and having an inlet located in a first side of the housing and an outlet located in a second side of the housing positioned opposite the inlet; a cutter positioned within the generally enclosed space between the inlet and outlet; a first optical instrument located proximate the inlet; a second optical instrument located proximate the outlet; and a controller connected to the cutter and first and second optical instruments, the controller configured to detect a tubing target area desired for placement of an outlet opening in tubing that passes through the inlet and cut the tubing target area to form the outlet opening therein.

An injection molding machine for manufacturing the spiral bicolor LED hose light just needs a single process and equipment to greatly increase the production efficiency and save the equipment investment costs. The input channel terminal of the second flow channel connected with a first horizontal channel is gradually smaller, and the transportation end terminal of the first horizontal channel connected with a second horizontal channel of larger diameter is gradually larger. The transportation end terminal of the second extruder is connected with the input terminal of the third flow channels. The light strip input channel inputs the LED light strip to pass through the first and second flow channel, which the transparent molten plastic squeezed by the first extruder wraps and covers the LED light strip and the molten plastic with the other color squeezed by the second extruder is spirally wounded on the surface of the transparent molten plastic.

A longitudinal member for retaining a stiffening spine and holding a wiper blade for a windscreen wiper of a window of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The member defines at least one longitudinal housing for receiving the spine and at least one longitudinal housing for receiving a heel of the wiper blade, at least one of the housings being delimited at least partly by a bottom wall and two side walls linked to the bottom wall, where the side walls have planar inner faces converging towards one another away from the bottom wall.

Silicone-containing light fixture optics. A method for manufacturing an optical component may include mixing two precursors of silicone, opening a first gate of an optic forming device, moving the silicone mixture from the extrusion machine into the optic forming device, cooling the silicone mixture as it enters the optic forming device, filling a mold within the optic forming device with the silicone mixture, closing the first gate, and heating the silicone mixture in the mold to at least partially cure the silicone. Alternatively, a method for manufacturing an optical component may include depositing a layer of heat cured silicone optical material to an optical structure, arranging one or more at least partially cured silicone optics on the layer of heat cured silicone optical material, and heating the heat cured silicone optical material to permanently adhere the one or more at least partially cured silicone optics to the optical structure.

Silicone-containing light fixture optics. A method for manufacturing an optical component may include mixing two precursors of silicone, opening a first gate of an optic forming device, moving the silicone mixture from the extrusion machine into the optic forming device, cooling the silicone mixture as it enters the optic forming device, filling a mold within the optic forming device with the silicone mixture, closing the first gate, and heating the silicone mixture in the mold to at least partially cure the silicone. Alternatively, a method for manufacturing an optical component may include depositing a layer of heat cured silicone optical material to an optical structure, arranging one or more at least partially cured silicone optics on the layer of heat cured silicone optical material, and heating the heat cured silicone optical material to permanently adhere the one or more at least partially cured silicone optics to the optical structure.

An exemplary method for manufacturing an elastomeric flooring comprises: providing a first rubber mixture (2); providing a decor carrier material (6) comprising areas with a decor layer (7) wherein the decor layer (7) contains a second rubber mixture; shaping the first rubber mixture (2) by converting it to a rubber web (5); applying the decor carrier material (6) comprising the decor layer (7) onto the rubber web (5), wherein the decor layer (7) comes in contact with the rubber web (5); vulcanizing the rubber web (5) with the decor layer (7) applied to it, wherein the decor layer (7) bonds to the rubber web (5); and removing the decor carrier material (6).

An exemplary method for manufacturing an elastomeric flooring comprises: providing a first rubber mixture (2); providing a decor carrier material (6) comprising areas with a decor layer (7) wherein the decor layer (7) contains a second rubber mixture; shaping the first rubber mixture (2) by converting it to a rubber web (5); applying the decor carrier material (6) comprising the decor layer (7) onto the rubber web (5), wherein the decor layer (7) comes in contact with the rubber web (5); vulcanizing the rubber web (5) with the decor layer (7) applied to it, wherein the decor layer (7) bonds to the rubber web (5); and removing the decor carrier material (6).