A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole including a polymeric bladder element enclosing a fluid-filled interior cavity, a first outsole component secured to a bottom surface and to a side surface of the polymeric bladder element, and a second outsole component. The first outsole component includes a first base, and a wall integral with the first base. The second outsole component includes a second base secured to the first base, and a wall integral with the second base and secured to the outer surface of the wall of the first outsole component. A method of manufacturing the article of footwear includes thermoforming the bladder element and the first outsole component, and securing the second outsole component to the first outsole component.

A forming station for producing a packaging trough by thermoforming at least an area of a film web positioned between a forming tool upper part and a forming tool lower part of the forming station. A male die part of the forming tool upper part may be moved in a vertical direction and inserted into a forming space of a female die part of the forming tool lower part. The packaging trough is produced by deforming the film web between the male die part and an inner wall of the forming space of the female die part. In an inserted condition of the male die part within the female die art, a push-in unit is extended from the male die part towards the inner wall of the forming space at an angular orientation relative to the vertical direction.

Described herein is a process for preparing a foam (FA) with a Poisson's ratio in the range of from −0.5 to 0.3, the method including the steps of providing a foam (F1) with a flow resistance in the range of from 3000 to 8000 Pas/m, determined according to DIN EN 29053, and subjecting the foam (F1) to thermoforming including triaxial compression, wherein the foam (F1) is not reticulated prior to step (ii). Also described herein is the foam obtained or obtainable according to the process and the use of the foam as, for example, an energy absorbing device, preferably in protective gear, furniture, cushions, in cleaning devices with improved rinse-out behavior, in shoe soles, or as sealing, insulating or anchorage providing material for example used in earphones, ear plugs or dowels, or as acoustic material.

The invention relates to a method for encoding a dimensionally stable packaging container or an associated constituent made of plastics material, wherein the packaging container is suitable for storing consumer goods such as food, detergents, etc., wherein a film-shaped, flat plastics material for forming the three-dimensional packaging container or the associated constituent is deep-drawn using a tool mold while, at a plurality of positions, the outer sides or the inner sides thereof undergo a first shape-changing treatment acting on the first surface thereof for producing a plurality of three-dimensional codes.

A fluid chamber for a shoe may be formed using pressure channels in a forming mold, eliminating the need to insert a nozzle or needles into the chamber for inflation. A fluid chamber so formed may have a smaller seal area than a chamber formed using an inflation needle, making the chamber more visually pleasing. Apparatus and methods for forming a fluid chamber in this fashion are also disclosed.

The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling. The deflection can include curling the spacer at or near the peripheral edge. The methods can be performed incrementally and/or in a reciprocating fashion.

The invention relates to a method for encoding a dimensionally stable packaging container or an associated constituent made of plastics material, wherein the packaging container is suitable for storing consumer goods such as food, detergents, etc., wherein a film-shaped, flat plastics material for forming the three-dimensional packaging container or the associated constituent is deep-drawn using a tool mold while, at a plurality of positions, the outer sides or the inner sides thereof undergo a first shape-changing treatment acting on the first surface thereof for producing a plurality of three-dimensional codes.

The invention relates to a method for coding a dimensionally stable packaging container or an associated component made of a plastics-based and/or paper-based material composition, the packaging container being suitable for storing consumer goods such as food, washing agents, etc., wherein, during a shape-forming process for forming the three-dimensional packaging container or the associated component by means of a shaping tool mold, at least one outer and/or inner side undergoes, in at least one position, a shape-changing treatment acting on its first surface in order to produce at least one three-dimensional code.

Methods and apparatus are provided for forming a patient-specific surgical implant based on mold system. The apparatus comprises a forming tool and a mold that may be generated using imaging and processing techniques and rapid prototyping methods. The mold apparatus includes at least two non-adjacent surface features for securing an implant forming material (such as a titanium mesh) during the forming process, enabling the implant forming material to be stretched beyond its elastic and thus permanently deformed with the correct patient-specific curvature. The implant may include one or more anatomic surface features for guidance and registration when transferring the implant to a patient.

A polymeric article includes a body and encoded visual indicia formed on the body. The encoded visual indicia may be scanned to generate instructions. A method of providing the polymeric article includes applying polymeric materials to a mold to provide an article-blank web having formed therein an article preform of a desired shape with encoded visual indicia formed in the article preform.