A therapeutic, fitness, and sports enhancement device which includes a cylindrically shaped body having a predetermined density and predetermined diameter, the body including a plurality of projections of a predetermined shape. One or more of the predetermined density and the predetermined diameter in combination with the predetermined shape of the projections optimize mobilization of soft tissue structures of the human body.

The invention relates to a process for producing complex, mould-foamed rigid foam materials, more particularly of poly(meth)acrylimide (P(M)I) cores, preferably of polymethacrylimide (PMI) cores, which may be employed, for example, in carmaking or aircraft construction. A feature of the process is that through use of a particulate core during foam, it is possible to achieve an additional weight saving relative to foam materials or sandwich materials of the prior art.

Method for manufacturing floor panels, where the floor panels include a carrier on the basis of thermoplastic material and a top layer provided on the carrier; and where the method further includes at least the steps of strewing the thermoplastic material and consolidating the strewn thermoplastic material; where the thermoplastic material is strewn as a dry-blend.

A device for reinforcing, sealing or insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle includes a support having a clip for pre-fixing the device in the structural element. The clip includes a base and two flexible wings arranged on the base. The device furthermore includes an adhesive for adhesively bonding the support in the structural element. The device furthermore includes an insertion element, which can be inserted in such a way into an interspace between the base and the wings of the clip when the device is pre-fixed on the structural element by the clip that the flexible wings are restricted in their freedom of movement.

Provided are a foam molded product and a method of producing the same. The foam molded product is a molded product containing a resin and including a surface layer, a compressive deformation layer, and a foam layer. The thickness of the surface layer is 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm. The compressive deformation layer is located between the surface layer and the foam layer. Foam particles forming the compressive deformation layer have an average H/L of 0.5 or less (H: length in compression direction; L: length in perpendicular direction relative to compression direction). Foam particles forming the foam layer have an expansion ratio of not less than 3.0 times and less than 30 times.

The present disclosure is drawn to methods of embossing print media, printing systems, and printers. In one example, a method of embossing a print medium can include printing a radiation absorbing ink on a coated print medium to form a printed area. The coated print medium can include a print substrate and an expanding coating layer on the print substrate. The expanding coating layer can include a thermal expansion agent having a minimum expansion temperature. The method can further include heating the coated print medium using a heater such that the printed area and unprinted area reach a first temperature from 5 C to 90 C below the minimum expansion temperature. The coated print medium can be irradiated with radiation having a wavelength from 200 nm to 400 nm to selectively heat the print area and expand the thermal expansion agent in the printed area.

A foamable polymeric mixture is provided that includes a polymer composition and at least one blowing agent. The blowing agent may comprise any blowing agents known not to deplete the ozone or increase the prevalence of global warming, such as CO.sub.2, HFO, HFC and mixtures thereof. The foamable polymeric mixture may further includes at least one processing aid comprising an organic phase changing material. The inventive foamable mixture is capable of processing at a pressure range of 800 to 1200 psi (5.5 to 8.3 MPa).

Low-density thermoplastic expandable microspheres are disclosed. Various low-density structures, in particular, sandwich panels, based on foam prepared from the low-density microspheres, are also disclosed. Process of preparing low-density polymeric microspheres, per se, and the corresponding low-density structures, based on the microsphere foam, are also disclosed.

A method for dielectrically heating foamable composition to foam and set the composition is described. In particular, radio frequency (RF) heating is used to heat the foamable composition to provide insulation in the manufacture of an article.

Described are methods for the manufacture of a plastic component, in particular a cushioning element for sports apparel, a plastic component manufactured with such a method, for example a sole or a part of a sole for a shoe, and a shoe with such a sole. According to an aspect of the invention, a method for the manufacture of a plastic component, in particular a cushioning element for sports apparel, is provided which includes loading a mold with a first material which includes particles of an expanded material, and, during loading the mold, pre-heating the particles by supplying energy, wherein the energy is supplied in the form of at least one electromagnetic field.