A heat-insulating housing (21) includes: a wall body; and an open-cell resin body (4) of thermosetting resin with which a heat-insulating space formed by the wall body is filled by integral foaming, the open-cell resin body including: a plurality of cells (47); a cell film portion (42); a cell skeleton portion (43); a first through-hole (44) formed so as to extend through the cell film portion; and a second through-hole (45) formed so as to extend through the cell skeleton portion, wherein the plurality of cells communicate with one another through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.

The present disclosure provides a resin seal member capable of reducing the cost while preventing a reduction in the sealing performance due to an influence of heat or pressure in accordance with a usage environment. The present disclosure provides a resin seal member (20) including a foamed resin part (13). This resin seal member (20) includes a convex part (12b) having a foaming ratio lower than that of the foamed resin part (13). The convex part (12b) is provided in an end part of the foamed resin part (13). The resin seal member (20) is able to reduce the cost while preventing the reduction in the sealing performance due to the influence of heat or pressure in accordance with the usage environment.

A thermally expandable sheet according to the present invention includes a stress buffer layer provided on one surface of a base material and having an elastic property, a thermal expansion layer provided on the stress buffer layer and containing a first thermally expandable material that expands according to heat and a first binder, and a cover layer provided on the thermal expansion layer and having an elastic property.

The disclosure relates to a synthetic closure for a product-retaining container constructed for being inserted and securely retained in a portal-forming neck of said container, said closure comprising at least a core member comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer, and at least one peripheral layer at least partially surrounding and intimately bonded to at least one surface of the core member, said peripheral layer comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer, wherein the synthetic closure is formed by extrusion, and at least one of the core member and the peripheral layer comprises a plurality of cells, and wherein the synthetic closure comprises cork powder.

An apparatus for forming a three-dimensional image, the apparatus including a cartridge that stores ink which a printing head discharges and which has a photothermal conversion property; a conveying unit that conveys a thermally expandable material so as to pass the thermally expandable material through a first position where the printing head faces and so as to form an image on the thermally expandable material with the ink discharged by the printing head; and a light irradiating unit that emits light toward a second position which is in a downstream side from the first position in a conveying path of the conveying unit, so as to perform photothermal conversion. The cartridge is disposed at a position which deviates from an extending line of an irradiation path of the light irradiation unit.

A method for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.

The present invention is directed to a deep draw microcellularly foamed polymeric container comprising a polymeric sidewall integrally connected to a polymeric base along a bottom edge. The polymeric sidewall and base are contiguous with each other and define a shape of an open top container. The polymeric sidewall and base have a contiguous inner microcellular foam structure (having average cell diameters ranging from about 5 to about 100 microns) surrounded by a smooth outer skin layer integrally connected therewith. The polymeric sidewall defines a container height and a top opening, wherein the top opening defines a top opening width, and wherein the polymeric base defines a container base width, and wherein the area defined by the top opening is greater than the area defined by the polymeric base, and wherein the ratio of the container height (h) to the top opening width (w) is greater than about 1:1 (h:w).

Components for articles of footwear and athletic equipment including a foam are provided. The foam portion of the components and articles include a composition which includes a thermoplastic copolyester, the composition having a foam structure. A polymer layer is provided on at least on surface of the foam portion. The polymer layer can control or reduce the water uptake of the foam portion. Methods of making the compositions, foams, and components are provided, as well as methods of making an article of footwear including one of the foam components. In some aspects, the foams and foam components can be made by injection molding, or injection molding followed by compression molding.

A method for making a polymer with a porous layer from a solid piece of polymer is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes heating a surface of a solid piece of polymer to a processing temperature and holding the processing temperature while displacing a porogen layer through the surface of the polymer to create a matrix layer of the solid polymer body comprising the polymer and the porogen layer. In at least one embodiment, the method also includes removing at least a portion of the layer of porogen from the matrix layer to create a porous layer of the solid piece of polymer.

Pellets, beads, particles, or other pieces of a thermoplastic elastomer having a maximum size in at least one dimension of 10 mm or less (collectively, pellets) are infused with a supercritical fluid in a pressurized container, then rapidly depressurized and heated either by immersion in a heated fluid or with infrared or microwave radiation to foam the pellets The pellets are prepared with at least two different densities. Pellets with different densities, thermoplastic elastomer compositions, or foam response rates are placed in different areas of a mold. The mold is filled with pellets, then the pellets are molded into a part. The part has areas of different density as a result of the placement of pellets of different density.