A multilayer film having Machine Direction Orientation (MDO) is prepared by first co-extruding a multilayer film, then stretching the multilayer film in the machine direction at a temperature lower than the melting point of the polyethylene resin that is used to prepare the film. At least one layer of the film is a first polyethylene composition having a density of from about 0.94 to about 0.97 g/cc and at least one second layer is prepared from a polyethylene composition having a lower density than the first polyethylene composition. This disclosure enables the manufacture of films having outstanding barrier properties (low Water Vapor Transmission Rate, WVTR, and low Oxygen Transmission Rate, OTR) and good physical properties.

The invention relates to a structured body and a method for its preparation, whereby the structured body is produced of at least one powdery starting material by application of heat and/or pressure, and has several layers, whereby the starting material consists predominantly of thermoplastic basic material, and whereby the density of at least two layers of the structured body differ from each other, and whereby at least one layer of lower density contains hollow microspheres.

A pillow includes an inferior portion and an outer portion. The interior portion is comprised of a first flexible foam, while the outer portion is comprised of a second flexible foam having a density different than that of the first flexible foam. Methods of producing a pillow are also provided whereby either a first foam precursor is dispensed into a central portion of a mold to provided a first flexible foam, or a pre-formed foam insert comprised of a first flexible foam is placed into a central portion of a mold. A second foam precursor is then subsequently dispensed into a peripheral portion of the mold to produce a second flexible foam having a density different than that of the first flexible foam. Upon reaction and expansion of the foam precursors, a molded foam pillow is produced having dual densities.

Foam slabs and methods and apparatus, including foaming dies, for making and using foam slabs.

Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the additive manufacturing methods comprise increasing the temperature of a plurality of foam particles with actinic radiation under conditions effective to fuse a portion of the plurality of foam particles comprising one or more thermoplastic elastomers. Increasing the temperature of the foam particles can be carried out for one or multiple iterations. The disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that exhibit differing degrees of fusion between the foam particles, thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. 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 vessel is configured to hold a product in an interior region formed in the vessel. The vessel is formed using a blow-molding process in which a multiple layer parison is blow molded to form the vessel. The multiple layer parison is formed in an extrusion process in which a number of extruders are arranged to co-extrude associated inner and outer parisons to establish the multiple layer parison.

The present invention provides a fiber-reinforced resin intermediate material, including not only a thermoplastic resin but also a thermosetting resin, in which defects such as voids are difficult to be generated and which is excellent in shaping ability; and a method for manufacturing the same. The fiber-reinforced resin intermediate material according to the present invention is a fiber-reinforced resin intermediate material formed by attaching a resin to an outer surface part of a reinforcing fiber substrate formed of reinforcing fibers subjected to opening and heating the resin to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the resin to impregnate the reinforcing fiber substrate with the resin, wherein the reinforcing fiber substrate has void space that is opened on an outer surface thereof and the resin is in a semi-impregnated state.

Disclosed are continuous compression molding processes for producing a flexible polyurethane foam laminate and laminates produced thereby, which may be suitable for use, for example, as a carpet underlayment.

A device (e.g., an article of athletic gear) comprising a post-molded expandable component, which is a part of the device that is configured to be expanded or has been expanded after being molded. This may allow the post-molded expandable component to have enhanced characteristics (e.g., be more shock-absorbent, lighter, etc.), to be cost-effectively manufactured (e.g., by using less material and/or making it in various sizes), and/or to be customized for a user (e.g., by custom-fitting it to the user).

Disclosed are ethylene polymer compositions containing a homogeneously-branched first ethylene polymer component and 15-35 wt. % of a homogeneously-branched second ethylene polymer component of higher density than the first ethylene polymer component. The ethylene polymer composition can be characterized by a density from 0.912 to 0.925 g/cm.sup.3, a ratio of Mw/Mn from 2 to 5, a melt index less than 2 g/10 min, and a CY-a parameter at 190° C. from 0.35 to 0.7. These polymer compositions have the excellent dart impact strength and optical properties of a metallocene-catalyzed LLDPE, but with improved machine direction tear resistance, and can be used in blown film and other end-use applications. Further, methods for improving film Elmendorf tear strength also are described.