A guard for providing a cut-resistant pathway through a body orifice or incision to circumferentially protect tissue at the margin is provided. The guard is made of flexible, cut-resistant mesh material having a plurality of interwoven thermosetting filaments. The guard has a central lumen and at least one flared end. The flared end, which serves to anchor the guard in the body opening, is deformable into a reduced configuration to facilitate its insertion and removal. The layer of mesh stretches laterally to increase the diameter of the central lumen. The flexibility and expandability of the guard allows the guard to conform to body openings of different sizes. The guard may include a drawstring to cinch the flared distal end from the proximal end. The guard is thermoset with the flared distal end that is biased to spring back to its normal, undeformed configuration when released from a deformed configuration.

A window regulator includes a guide rail including a thermoformed composite. The thermoformed composite includes a thermoplastic composition and reinforcing fibers.

The present disclosure provides: a biodegradable nonwoven fabric for thermoforming, the biodegradable nonwoven fabric being composed of a fiber of a polylactic acid-based polymer, and having a basis weight of 20-300 g/m.sup.2, preferably, a biodegradable nonwoven fabric characterized by being composed of a long fiber of a polylactic acid polymer, having an MD-direction elongation of 50% or more at 120 C., and having an MD-direction dimensional change rate of 4% or less at 80-140 C. as determined by thermomechanical analysis; a method for producing a molded body by using said biodegradable nonwoven fabric; and a method for molding a biodegradable beverage extraction container, the method being characterized in that the molded body has an MD-direction elongation change rate of 4% or less, as determined by thermomechanical analysis (TMA) under a load of 0.05 N/2 mm at 30-100 C.

A piece of substrate material is formed under heat and pressure against a cavity into a shaped substrate sheet having one or more depressions. Two substrate sheets are bonded together to form a substrate wherein the one or more depressions form one or more interior channels. The substrate, if not formed with pre-coated substrate material, is coated with a dope and quenched to form a filtering membrane. A plurality of membranes may be placed side by side to form a bundle with permeating ends of the membrane, which are open to the one or more interior channels, separated by gaps or spacers. The bundle is connected to a header to produce a module. The module can be assembled into a cassette.

A device for thermosetting a knitted fabric includes a first tool half and a second tool half. The first tool half and the second tool half in a closed position enclose a cavity in which the knitted fabric is receivable. Each of the first tool half and the second tool half have a respective shape-imparting effective surface by way of which an external form of the knitted fabric is determinable. The device further includes a heating installation where thermal energy is introducible into the knitted fabric via the heating installation.

Articles of wear having one or more textiles that include a low processing temperature polymeric composition and a high processing temperature polymeric composition, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The low processing temperature polymeric composition and the high processing temperature polymeric composition can be selectively incorporated into a textile to provide one or more structural properties and/or other advantageous properties to the article. The textile can be thermoformed to impart such structural and/or other advantageous properties to the article of wear. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A device for thermosetting a knitted fabric includes a first tool half and a second tool half. The first tool half and the second tool half in a closed position enclose a cavity in which the knitted fabric is receivable. Each of the first tool half and the second tool half have a respective shape-imparting effective surface by way of which an external form of the knitted fabric is determinable. The device further includes a heating installation where thermal energy is introducible into the knitted fabric via the heating installation.

A composite foam article is disclosed herein. The composite foam article comprises a polyurethane foam core presenting a first surface and a second surface facing opposite the first surface. A first skin is disposed on the first surface and a second skin is disposed on the second surface. The polyurethane foam core has a density of 15-80 kg/m.sup.3. The first and second skins comprise a plurality of fibers and a polymeric binder. The composite foam article has a weight per unit area of 500-1000 g/m.sup.2 and a strength of greater than 17 N at a post-compression thickness of greater than 2 mm when tested in according with SAE J949 at 23 C.

A method for manufacturing a cellulose product, comprising the steps: dry forming a cellulose blank in a dry forming unit; arranging the cellulose blank in a forming mould; heating the cellulose blank to a forming temperature in the range of 100? C. to 200? C.; and pressing the cellulose blank in the forming mould with a forming pressure of at least 1 MPa.

A method for manufacturing a cellulose product, comprising the steps: dry forming a cellulose blank in a dry forming unit; arranging the cellulose blank in a forming mould; heating the cellulose blank to a forming temperature in the range of 100? C. to 200? C.; and pressing the cellulose blank in the forming mould with a forming pressure of at least 1 MPa.