Improved soles and insoles for shoes, in particular sports shoes, are described. In an aspect, a sole for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, with at least a first and a second surface region is provided. The first surface region comprises expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The second surface region is free from expanded TPU.

A tool for fixing a protective textile sleeve about an elongate member contained therein and method of use thereof is provided. The tool includes a clamp assembly having opposed clamp members attached to one another for pivotal movement relative to one another between an open state and a closed state. The clamp members have clamping surfaces, wherein at least one of the clamping surfaces has at least one outlet. A fluid source is arranged in fluid communication with the at least one outlet, and a heat source is configured to heat fluid from the fluid source to create steam. The steam is dispensed outwardly from the at least one outlet to cause an adhesive on the sleeve to become activated to bond with an adjacent abutting surface.

A vulcanizing device for a tire includes a mold, a central part, a curing bladder, and an injector. The central part is positioned inside the mold and supports the curing bladder, which is arranged to press firmly against an internal part of a tire. An internal part of the curing bladder defines a vulcanizing chamber, which holds a pressurized heat-transfer fluid. The heat-transfer fluid, which is a mixture of steam and pressurized gas, circulates in the vulcanizing chamber and between an inlet pipe leading into the vulcanizing chamber and an outlet pipe leading out of the vulcanizing chamber. The injector is arranged outside the vulcanizing chamber and is connected to the inlet pipe, the outlet pipe, and a supply pipe for supplying steam or pressurized gas. The injector is structured to mix steam or pressurized gas coming from the supply pipe with the heat-transfer fluid leaving the vulcanizing chamber.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for the production of a particle foam part. The apparatus has a mold 2 with a mold cavity 3, a steam generator 12 to generate steam for feeding into the mold cavity for the thermoplastic welding into a particle foam part of foam particles present in the mold cavity 3, a feed pipe 10, 11 for the feeding of steam to the mold, wherein a controllable steam valve 13, 14 is provided in the feed pipe, and a pressure sensor 15, 16 is located in the area between the steam valve and the mold, in order to measure the pressure of the supplied steam. A control device 23 controls pressure over time according to to a predetermined profile, wherein the profile has a ramp, in order to increase pressure gradually within a predetermined period of time from an initial value to an end value.

There is disclosed a mould for forming a collapsible container from an expandable material, the container comprising, when assembled, at least a base and a two pairs of a side walls extending at right angles from opposing sides of the base, the mould comprising: a first mould member and a second mould member movable with respect to each other between an open and a closed moulding position to define a mould cavity; a control means for delivering expandable material into said mould cavity and for delivering steam to facilitate expansion of the expandable material within said mould cavity to form said container; and a plurality of anvils mounted on a rear surface of at least one of the first mould member and/or second mould member, each anvil being movable so as to be extended into the mould cavity so as to form one or more hinges in the expandable material at predetermined locations within the mould cavity; wherein the mould cavity defined by the first mould member and the second mould member is a three-dimensional representation of an inside-out configuration of the assembled container.

A steaming system for an article of footwear includes a container with a lid configured to accommodate a steam source. The system also includes provisions for securing the article of footwear such that a majority of the upper is subjected to steam. Articles of footwear may be placed in the steaming system to help customize the articles of apparel for a user's fit and comfort. The steaming system can be configured to be portable and carried by a person.

An organic peroxide formulation comprises at least one organic peroxide, at least one drying oil, and at least one free radical trap. A process comprises curing mixtures that include at least one elastomer and the organic peroxide formulation in the presence of oxygen. Elastomer compositions, methods of manufacturing elastomer articles, and elastomer articles made from the elastomer compositions are also disclosed.

A carbon-fiber product forming device is disclosed. The device includes a first chamber forming with a hollow cavity, a hot-pressing plate disposed inside the hollow cavity, a mold disposed on the hot-pressing plate and formed with an outward opening, an air bag disposed inside a mold cavity of the mold, provided with a bag opening disposed near the outward opening, and attached on an outer surface thereof with carbon-fiber composites, a second chamber mounted on one side surface of the first chamber and disposed on wall surface with an air extracting port, an air inlet port, a heat medium entry port, and a barometric port, and a plurality of barometric pipes included inside the second chamber. Two ends of each of the barometric pipes are connected to the barometric port and the outward opening, respectively, such that the air bag could be periodically injected with air. A heat medium is injected into the inside of the hot-pressing plate when the air inside the hollow cavity is extracted by a vacuum pump via the air extracting port. The accordingly made carbon-fiber product has residual-air-removing rate of preferably above 99% and structural strength improvement of at least 5%.

Damage of the outer surface of a rubber hose due to friction can be prevented while the sealing performance and the productivity are ensured.

The following components are provided: a pipe 11 whose one end is connected to a vulcanization pipe and in which pressed liquid is pumped from an inlet 11a disposed at the side face of the other end side; an annular member 12 which is attached to the pipe 11 so as to close an opening of the other end side of the pipe 11, and includes a hole 12a whose diameter is larger than the outer diameter of a rubber hose and in which the rubber hose passes through; and a pump which pumps more liquid than the liquid discharged outside the pipe 11 through the gap between the hole 12a and the rubber hose into an inlet 11a.

A method of installing a liner assembly for pipeline repair or reinforcement includes: pulling a prepared liner assembly into position in the pipeline, the liner assembly including an outer tubular liner and an inner inflatable bladder positioned longitudinally within the tubular liner, the tubular liner being wetted with a curable compound; introducing fluid into the inflatable bladder so that the inflatable bladder expands to bring the tubular liner into firm contact with an interior surface of the pipeline; flowing the fluid continuously through the bladder and discharging the fluid into the pipeline, while maintaining the liner assembly in an inflated condition for a time period sufficient for the tubular liner to cure; and deflating the inflatable bladder and retrieving at least a portion of the liner assembly from the pipeline.