In one aspect, an article includes a first sleeve formed from a first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet, the first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet having opposed first and second edges, wherein the first sleeve is formed with a first seam proximate the first edge. A portion of the first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet extends between the first sleeve and the second edge. A tag is bonded to the portion of the first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet proximate the second edge at a first overlap zone of the tag and the portion of the first heat-shrinkable polymer sheet. In another aspect, an article includes a heat-shrinkable polymer sheet and a tag bonded to the sheet. The heat-shrinkable polymer sheet has a central area and a plurality of slits disposed through the sheet, at least one of the plurality of slits oriented to partially surround the central area.

The invention provides a 3D printed object (210) and a method of manufacturing such an object (210) by means of fused deposition modelling. The method successively comprises the steps of (i) 3D printing a printable material (120) to create a layer stack (230) of printed material (210), wherein the layer stack (210) bounds a space (240), wherein the layer stack (210) has an inner stack surface (231) and an outer stack surface (232), the inner stack surface (231) facing towards the space (240) and the outer stack surface (232) facing away from the space (240), (ii) providing a heat shrink (250) onto the layer stack (230), wherein the heat shrink (250) has an inner heat shrink surface (251) and an outer heat shrink surface (252), the inner heat shrink surface (251) facing towards the outer stack surface (232) and the outer heat shrink surface (252) facing away from the outer stack surface (232), and (iii) applying heat to shrink (250) the heat shrink so that the inner heat shrink surface (251) is in physical contact with the outer stack surface (232) and the heat shrink (250) is conformal to the layer stack (230). The layer stack (230) is light transmissive, and the heat shrink (250) is arranged to provide an optical effect chosen from the group consisting of refraction, diffraction, reflection, diffusion and conversion. The 3D printed object (210) may be used as a component of a lighting device (600), such as a lampshade.

Disclosed is a method for making a flexible container. The method implements an injection mold having a collapsible core that expands/moves to define the apertures and, in some embodiments, holds a flexible film in place during the injection mold process and collapses/moves back post-injection molding to allow for the flexible container to be readily removed from the die. In addition, the method described includes a post-injection molding anneal process that is implemented to allow the flexible film to shrink so as to provide for form-fitting of the film to the molded portion of the container.

The combination of 3D printing technology plus the additional dimension of transformation over time of the printed object is referred to herein as 4D printing technology. Particular arrangements of the additive manufacturing material(s) used in the 3D printing process can create a printed 3D object that transforms over time from a first, printed shape to a second, predetermined shape.

Provided are methods and systems for manufacturing and using heat-shrink elastomeric. An example method of manufacturing a heat-shrink elastomeric element comprises providing a thermoplastic elastomeric element having a first shape; modifying the thermoplastic elastomeric element to produce a thermoset elastomeric element having the first shape; heating the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature of at least the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element; adjusting the first shape of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce a second shape with at least one dimension greater than that of the first shape; and cooling the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature below that of the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce the heat-shrink elastomeric element.

The invention provides an amorphous copolymerized polyester raw material for a film, wherein the copolymerized polyester raw material (1) contains ethylene terephthalate as a main constituent component, and neopentyl glycol by 15-30 mol % when a total amount of glycol component in a total polyester resin component is taken as 100 mol %, (2) contains a constituent unit derived from diethylene glycol by 7-15 mol % in the total amount of glycol component 100 mol % in the total polyester resin component, (3) has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.60 dl/g or more and less than 0.70 dl/g, and (4) has a glass transition temperature of 60-70° C. The invention also provides a heat-shrinkable polyester-based film containing the amorphous copolymerized polyester raw material, as well as a heat-shrinkable label and a packaging bag.

[Problem] To provide a composite preform that can ensure that worsening of the appearance of a surface of a plastic member caused by near-infrared heating prior to blow molding is effectively prevented and that an inner preform is efficiently heated. [Solution] The composite preform of the present invention includes a preform and a heat-contractive plastic member, the preform including a mouth part; a trunk part linked to the mouth part; and a bottom part linked to the trunk part, and the heat-contractive plastic member being disposed so as to surround the outside of the preform and including at least a colored layer that contains a resin material and a colorant, wherein the heat-contractive plastic member has a near-infrared transmittance of 50% or higher.

A pipe fitting (100) includes a tubular connecting part (101); the tubular connecting part being configured to be inserted into an expanded pipe end section (111) of a pipe (110) having a first circumferential intact sealing region (113) on the inner surface (112) of the pipe end section (111); the tubular connecting part comprising a first radially outwards extending circumferential sealing barb (105′) positioned for engaging, when in use, with the first circumferential intact sealing region during shrinkage of the pipe end section for forming a sealing between the pipe fitting and the pipe.

The invention provides a heat-shrinkable polyester-based film, where the heat-shrinkage ratio in the width direction is high and the irregularity of thickness is small. The heat-shrinkable polyester-based film of the present invention contains 90 mol % or more of ethylene terephthalate unit based on 100 mol % of whole ester unit, wherein, the heat-shrinkable polyester-based film satisfies the requirements: (1) heat-shrinkage ratio in a width direction measured by shrinking the film for 10 seconds in 90° C. hot water is 50%-75%, (2) heat-shrinkage ratio in a longitudinal direction measured by shrinking the film for 10 seconds in 90° C. hot water is −6% or more and 14% or less, (3) heat-shrinkage ratio in the longitudinal direction measured by shrinking the film for 10 seconds in 70° C. hot water is -6% or more and 6% or less, and (4) irregularity of thickness in the width direction is 1%-20%.

Provided are methods and systems for manufacturing and using heat-shrink elastomeric. An example method of manufacturing a heat-shrink elastomeric element comprises providing a thermoplastic elastomeric element having a first shape; modifying the thermoplastic elastomeric element to produce a thermoset elastomeric element having the first shape; heating the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature of at least the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element; adjusting the first shape of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce a second shape with at least one dimension greater than that of the first shape; and cooling the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature below that of the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce the heat-shrink elastomeric element.