Foamed articles including a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric material, methods of making the foamed articles, and methods for manufacturing articles of footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment incorporating such foamed articles are provided. In one aspect, a method for making a foamed article comprises placing an article comprising a foamable material and carbon dioxide in a vessel, maintaining the vessel at a first pressure and first temperature at which the carbon dioxide is a liquid and carbon dioxide is soluble in the foamable material, optionally exposing the infused article to a second temperature and second pressure, and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third temperature at which the infused carbon dioxide phase transitions to a gas, thereby expanding the foamable material into a foamed material and forming the foamed article.

Foamed articles including a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric material, methods of making the foamed articles, and methods for manufacturing articles of footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment incorporating such foamed articles are provided. In one aspect, a method for making a foamed article comprises placing an article comprising a foamable material and carbon dioxide in a vessel, maintaining the vessel at a first pressure and first temperature at which the carbon dioxide is a liquid and carbon dioxide is soluble in the foamable material, optionally exposing the infused article to a second temperature and second pressure, and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third temperature at which the infused carbon dioxide phase transitions to a gas, thereby expanding the foamable material into a foamed material and forming the foamed article.

Foamed articles including a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric material, methods of making the foamed articles, and methods for manufacturing articles of footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment incorporating such foamed articles are provided. In one aspect, a method for making a foamed article comprises placing an article comprising a foamable material and carbon dioxide in a vessel, maintaining the vessel at a first pressure and first temperature at which the carbon dioxide is a liquid and carbon dioxide is soluble in the foamable material, optionally exposing the infused article to a second temperature and second pressure, and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third temperature at which the infused carbon dioxide phase transitions to a gas, thereby expanding the foamable material into a foamed material and forming the foamed article.

The present invention disclosed a foam product and the manufacturing method thereof. The foam product includes a foam core, an outer skin, a cross-linked foam sheet and a bottom plate, wherein the aforementioned layers are all pre-made. The cross-linked foam sheet is laminated onto a bottom surface of the foam core, and the outer skin is then laminated onto a top surface and a periphery of the foam core. Lastly, the bottom plate is laminated onto the cross-linked foam sheet, wherein, the bottom plate has a non cross-linked foam sheet and a non-foam plastic plate, so that when the bottom plate is laminated onto the crossed-link foam sheet, the non cross-linked foam sheet is sandwiched between the cross-linked foam sheet and the non-foam plastic plate.

The present invention disclosed a foam product and the manufacturing method thereof. The foam product includes a foam core, an outer skin, a cross-linked foam sheet and a bottom plate, wherein the aforementioned layers are all pre-made. The cross-linked foam sheet is laminated onto a bottom surface of the foam core, and the outer skin is then laminated onto a top surface and a periphery of the foam core. Lastly, the bottom plate is laminated onto the cross-linked foam sheet, wherein, the bottom plate has a non cross-linked foam sheet and a non-foam plastic plate, so that when the bottom plate is laminated onto the crossed-link foam sheet, the non cross-linked foam sheet is sandwiched between the cross-linked foam sheet and the non-foam plastic plate.

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).

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).

A continuous process for preparing insulation panels having thick (0.2 mm to 1 mm) metal facing panels and a fiber-reinforced polymer foam core is disclosed. In the process, a bottom metal facing panel (2) is continuously supplied. A mat (10) of reinforcing fibers and a foamable resin composition (19) are applied to the bottom facing panel. A flexible barrier layer (5) is applied atop the foamable resin composition, and the assembly is passed through nip rolls (12,13) to compress the assembly and force the resin composition into the fiber mat. An adhesive layer (4) and top metallic facing layer (1) are then applied on top of the flexible barrier layer, and the resulting assembly is gauged and cured by passing it through a double band laminator (11).

An injection molding method includes providing a molding device including a first mold, a second mold over the first mold and a first mold cavity defined by the first mold and the second mold; injecting a first material into the first mold cavity; forming a first layer from the first material; replacing the second mold by a third mold, injecting a second material into a second mold cavity defined by the first mold and the third mold; and forming a second layer from the second material, wherein the second layer at least partially contacts the first layer. The first material is same as the second material.

The invention relates to a panel with a porous shell and a spring layer, part of which enters the shell and produces an integrated sealed barrier. The foam of the shell is an integral skinned foam and the shell has a core with a substantially homogenous density and a porous skin. The overall density of the shell is between 150 and 350 kg/m3. The skin thickness is between 0.3 and 2 mm and has a permeability such that a 2 mm thick foam strip cut into the shell and integrating the skin exhibits air flow resistance of between 250 and 2000 N.s.m−3.