An injection molding system includes an extruding system, a discharging channel, a molding device including a first and second mold cavities, and a pressure regulating system regulates pressures inside the first and second mold cavities. An injection molding method includes providing a molding device having a first and second mold cavities, a first feeding port in communication with the first mold cavity, and a second feeding port in communication with the second mold cavity; sensing a first pressure in the first mold cavity, and injecting a first gas into the first mold cavity until the first mold cavity is sensed to have a first predetermined pressure; and sensing a second pressure in the second mold cavity, and injecting a second gas into the second mold cavity until the second mold cavity is sensed to have a second predetermined pressure, wherein the first and second predetermined pressures are different.

A foam article, such as a cushioning element for an article of footwear, apparel or sporting equipment is provided that comprises a foam component, such as a midsole, having a number of beneficial physical characteristics. The cushioning element is a low-density foamed component with a surface skin that encases the remaining foam volume. The cushioning element has a number of foam volumes, arranged to achieve a more consistent foam component. Additionally, the cushioning element includes a series of concentric ridges extending radially outwardly from injection gate vestige locations, and a number of striation bands near the perimeter of the cushioning element. The location of the gate vestiges can be beneficially arranged to produce intersecting flow boundaries that are located away from key strain areas of the cushioning element. The cushioning element is more environmentally-friendly, requiring less energy to produce while still providing acceptable energy return and low density.

Aspects hereof provide methods for molding a single-phase solution comprised of a polymer composition and a gas. The polymer composition and the gas are maintained under pressure during the molding operation to prevent a cellular structure from being formed by the dissolved gas in the polymer composition coming out of solution. The mold cavity in which the single-phase solution is introduced for molding purposes is pressurized to a mold pressure that is sufficient to maintain the single-phase solution as a single-phase solution as the mold cavity is filled. Subsequent to filling the mold cavity with the single-phase solution under pressure, the resulting article may solidify entrapping the compressed gas, or the article may be exposed to a reduction in pressure causing the entrapped gas to form a cellular structure.

Physical foaming a footwear component with a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid is provided. The method include temperature conditioning a mold and then engaging the mold with a robot that conveys the mold to a press. At the press a gas counter pressure is applied to a cavity of the mold before injecting a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid into the cavity of the mold. The process continues with releasing the gas counter pressure from the cavity of the mold and then removing the footwear component from the cavity of the mold. The parameters of the method are configured for the formation of the footwear component in an automated manner.

A foam article, such as a cushioning element for an article of footwear, apparel or sporting equipment is provided that comprises a foam component, such as a midsole, having a number of beneficial physical characteristics. The cushioning element is a low-density foamed component with a surface skin that encases the remaining foam volume. The cushioning element has a number of foam volumes, arranged to achieve a more consistent foam component. Additionally, the cushioning element includes a series of concentric ridges extending radially outwardly from injection gate vestige locations, and a number of striation bands near the perimeter of the cushioning element. The location of the gate vestiges can be beneficially arranged to produce intersecting flow boundaries that are located away from key strain areas of the cushioning element. The cushioning element is more environmentally-friendly, requiring less energy to produce while still providing acceptable energy return and low density.

A method of manufacturing a foam molded article, comprising: an extrusion step of extruding a molten, kneaded resin containing a foaming agent through an annular slit between a die core and a die shell surrounding the die core to form a cylindrical foam parison and extruding the foam parison between a pair of split molds; a lower-pinching step of pinching the foam parison between lower pinchers disposed under the split molds; and a molding step of molding the foam parison by closing the split molds, after the lower-pinching step, wherein H/D is 1.33 to 3.33 and L/D is 0.33 to 2.00 where D represents a diameter of the die core; H represents a distance between a lower surface of the die core and an upper surface of each of the split molds; and L represents a distance between a lower surface of each of the split molds and an upper surface of the corresponding lower pincher, is provided.

The invention relates to a method for producing at least two-layer components and correspondingly produced components per se as absorptive lining in the interior and/or boot or for floor coverings of motor vehicles, comprising a top material and an absorber.

A method and apparatus for injection molding a foamed product. A short shot of formable resin is injected into a cavity (124) defined by respective inner surfaces (134,136) of a plurality of molding plates (120,122) at an amount less than a volume of the cavity (124), the resin comprising a chemical foaming agent. The injected resin is allowed to foam for a predetermined period of time, during which the injected foamable resin foams and expands to substantially fill the cavity (124) and a portion of an outer surface face of the foamable resin contacts the respective inner surfaces (134,136) of the molding plates (120,122). Pressurized gas is injected into the cavity (124) after the predetermined time has elapsed to urge the skinned outer surface of the foamed resin against the inner surfaces (134,136) of the molding plates (120,122).

A process for making a three dimensional foam article of non-uniform shape employs a two-stage nitrogen autoclave process and a pre-form which has a non-uniform cross- section in at least one dimension.

A molding device includes a mold and a pressure regulating system. The mold has a mold cavity and a feeding port in communication with the mold cavity. The pressure regulating system includes a first gas conduit coupled to the mold cavity, a first valve disposed at the first gas conduit, a pressure sensing unit configured to sense the pressure in the mold cavity, a second gas conduit coupled to the mold cavity, a second valve disposed at the second gas conduit. A molding method includes: providing a mold; sensing the pressure in the mold cavity, and injecting gas until it is sensed that the mold cavity has reached a first predetermined pressure; sensing the pressure in the mold cavity, and filling a material into the mold cavity having the first predetermined pressure; and discharging the gas in the mold cavity.