The present invention relates to a method for preparing a plurality of imprints on an inner surface of a polymeric substrate comprising the steps of: a) contacting a liquid polymeric mixture with a mold having an imprint forming surface thereon; b) curing the liquid polymeric mixture of step a) to form said polymeric substrate having said plurality imprints on said inner surface, when cured; and c) removing said mold from said polymeric substrate. There is also provided a method of forming the mold having the imprint forming surface thereon.

One example of a flexible structure includes an elongate body having a first end and a second end, and the first end is configured to be releasably connected to the second end. As well, one or more living hinges are positioned in the elongate body between the first end and the second end, and the one or more living hinges are configured and arranged to enable the first end and second end to be moved toward each other. Finally, the flexible structure is configured to alternatively assume at least a flat state and an assembled state, and in the assembled state, the first end of the elongate body is connected to the second end of the elongate body.

Implanted medical devices need a mechanism of immobilization to surrounding tissues, which minimizes tissue damage while providing reliable long-term anchoring. This disclosure relates to techniques for patterning arbitrarily shaped 3D objects and to patterned balloon devices having micro- or nano-patterning on an outer surface of an inflatable balloon. The external pattern can provide enhanced friction and anchoring in an aqueous environment. Examples of these types of patterns are hexagonal arrays inspired by tree frogs, corrugated patterns, and microneedle patterns. The patterned balloon devices can be disposed between an implant and surrounding tissues to facilitate anchoring of the implant.

A method of providing a post includes providing an inner member, and providing an outer tubular layer of polymer or plastic around the inner member, the outer tubular layer including an outer surface having a surface roughness Ra of at least 3 m. A post is also provided.

A pultrusion device and method are provided for producing a fiber-reinforced continuous section which has a second cross-sectional profile that is discontinuous in a direction of pultrusion with a press forming device for shaping the continuous section. The press forming device includes a first shaping device for producing the continuous section with a continuous cross-sectional profile and a second shaping device, which follows on from the first shaping device in the direction of pultrusion, for shaping the second discontinuous cross-sectional profile of the continuous section. A punching tool is arranged between the first shaping device and the second shaping device and is designed to bring about a local change in shape of the continuous cross-sectional profile, at least in a defined portion of the continuous section, in order to produce a first discontinuous cross-sectional profile of the continuous section.

A connector is disclosed that includes comprising a body having a tubing portion, a luer portion axially opposite the tubing portion and connected thereto, and an inner circumferential surface defining an internal bore of the connector. The inner circumferential surface extends axially between the tubing portion and the luer portion, and the internal bore being is in fluid communication with the tubing portion and the luer portion. The inner circumferential surface includes a plurality of splines extending axially along a length of the inner circumferential surface in the tubing portion of the connector. The inner circumferential surface is configured to engage an external surface of a tubing in a coupled configuration. In the coupled configuration edges of the splines grip and engage the external surface of the tubing to retain the tubing in the body.

Described are methods for manufacturing an outer layer for a panel of a ball, in particular of a football, an outer layer manufactured with such a method as well as a panel and a ball comprising such an outer layer. The method includes shaping a sheet of material in a mold, wherein the mold is formed in such a way that during shaping, the sheet of material assumes a three-dimensional shape of the outer layer of the panel. Moreover, the method includes creating first textures in at least a first partial region on a first side of the sheet of material and creating second textures in at least a second partial region of the sheet of material.

Disclosed herein is a method comprising transporting a conduit and a template through a guide tube; the template being disposed on an outer surface of the conduit between the conduit and the guide tube; and transferring a texture from the template to the conduit as the conduit and the template are transported through the guide tube. Disclosed herein too is an apparatus comprising a guide tube; the guide tube being operative to facilitate a transfer of a pattern from a template to a conduit; a first feed spool and a first take-up spool for feeding the conduit through the guide tube and for taking up the conduit after it has travelled through the guide tube respectively; and a second feed spool and a second take-up spool for feeding the template through the guide tube and for taking up the template after it has travelled through the guide tube respectively.

A method of forming a component having grooves formed into an outer surface of a component includes the steps of applying at least one mold to an outer surface of a component preform. The mold is forced into contact with the outer surface to form a detent into the outer surface.

An antislip, heat sealable plastic packaging bag, is formed from an antislip flexible packaging material whose wall has an average surface weight of at most 500 g/m.sup.2. The packaging material includes a multiplicity of randomly distributed, separate antislip protrusions of a first substance. The protrusion height is between 50 micrometres and 10000 micrometres, with an average of top-plan-view aspect ratios of the antislip protrusions being at most 5.0. Some antislip protrusions have a hidden surface portion being a portion of a free surface of the antislip protrusion, which the antislip protrusion covers from a viewer in a top plan view of the wall. The first substance is a thermoplastic polymer, and the wall's outer surface is of a substance at least somewhat different from the first substance. It is an important feature that the first substance has a melt mass flow rate of at least 0.6 g/10 min. An apparatus, for producing the packaging material, includes a film blowing die head, a cooling air ring, and a particle dispersing unit therebetween, for dispersing polymer particles on the bubble neck at a place in, or closely under, an expanding area where the bubble has a divergent shape.