A damper of a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a damper blade having a blade body with a hollow portion extending to an end of the blade body. The damper also includes an axle defining an axis about which the damper blade is configured to rotate, where the axle extends from the end of the blade body. The damper also includes a spring thrust bearing having a spring thrust bearing opening through which the axle extends. The spring thrust bearing is configured to support an axial load of the damper blade. The damper also includes an end cap disposed within the hollow portion of the blade body such that the end cap is flush with the end of the blade body.

A method of making a foamed article, for example a foamed component for an article or footwear, comprises depositing an unfoamed, thermoplastic polymer onto a support surface in a three-dimensional printing process to form an unfoamed article; heating the article to soften the article and infusing the softened article with at least one inert gas at a first pressure greater than atmospheric pressure that is sufficient to cause the at least one inert gas to permeate into the softened article; and reducing the pressure to second pressure below the first pressure while the article is softened to at least partially foam the article, wherein a surface of a partial mold limits foam expansion in at least one direction but less than all directions. The article or a part of the article may be made by printing a thermoplastic polymeric material with a three-dimensional printer in a structure of interconnected, unfoamed, thermoplastic polymeric members spaced to define openings between the thermoplastic polymeric members.

An improved process for fabricating expanded thermoplastic polymers (eTP) starting from non-expanded TP is disclosed whereby said process has improved thermal control, uses preferably environmentally friendly foaming gasses, avoids anisotropy and sticking of the eTP during the processing and minimises the duration of the charging step.

A push-in earplug is provided. The push-in earplug comprises an elongate core comprising a core material. The push-in earplug also comprises an outer layer comprising a foam material, the outer layer covering at least a portion of an outer surface of the elongate core. The push-in earplug also comprises a channel extending through the elongate core from a first end of the elongate core to the second end of the elongate core.

A molding system and a method for forming a sole structure are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material into a mold from an upstream device, receiving the molten polymeric material in a cavity of the mold, and maintaining a repeatable, uniform pressure profile as the molten polymeric material is delivered into the mold.

A foaming process and a method for operation of the foaming process are provided. The method includes flowing a molten polymeric material into a mold from an upstream device, receiving the molten polymeric material in a cavity of the mold, and maintaining a repeatable, uniform pressure profile as the molten polymeric material is delivered into the mold.

An extruding system includes a melting unit configured to convey a polymeric material, a mixing unit configured to mix the polymeric material with a blowing agent to form a mixture, an injection unit configured to inject the mixture, a first flow control element disposed between the melting unit and the mixing unit, and a second flow control element disposed between the mixing unit and the injection unit. A method of extruding includes conveying a polymeric material from a melting unit to a mixing unit, conveying a blowing agent into the mixing unit, mixing the polymeric material with the blowing agent to form a mixture, conveying the mixture from the mixing unit to an injection unit, and discharging the mixture from the injection unit, wherein flow of the polymeric material is controlled by a first flow control element, and flow of the mixture is controlled by a second flow control element.

A method for manufacturing a foam component of a sole structure includes positioning a preformed component within a cavity of an autoclave, heating the preformed component to be at or above a glass transition temperature of a material of the preformed component, and pressurizing the autoclave. The method further includes injecting a blowing agent into the cavity of the autoclave, which becomes a supercritical fluid that saturates the preformed component, and dropping the pressure within the cavity. The drop in pressure causes nucleation of the supercritical fluid within the preformed component to expand and crystallize the material of the preformed component to form the final foam component so that the foam component has a substantially uniform density.

A method of making a foamed article, for example a foamed component for an article of footwear, includes forming an unfoamed, thermoplastic polymer into an unfoamed article; heating the article to soften the article and infusing the softened article with at least one inert gas at a first pressure greater than atmospheric pressure that is sufficient to cause the at least one inert gas to permeate into the softened article; and reducing the pressure to second pressure below the first pressure with the unfoamed article softened to at least partially foam the article. A surface of a partial mold limits foam expansion in at least one direction but less than all directions. The article or a part of the article may be formed from an unfoamed structure of interconnected, unfoamed, thermoplastic polymeric members spaced to define openings between the thermoplastic polymeric members.

A method of forming a shaped foamed polymer article and articles obtained from said method.