The present invention is a manufacturing method for obtaining a molded article having foam layer inside for providing a foaming agent, a device, a mold, a molding machine, a means for increasing the foaming ratio and a means for increasing coating appropriateness used for manufacturing resin having foaming properties. When the resin having compatibility (miscibility) with the resin to be blended is used as a carrier resin used for manufacturing a masterbatch of the foaming agent, the molded article having an excellent outer appearance can be obtained. When the sodium bicarbonate which is an inorganic foaming agent is used for the foaming agent, a sodium carbonate, which is a foam residue remaining in the molded article after the foaming agent is decomposed to generate the foaming gas, reduces the adherability of the coating film. Thus, when the acid cleaning is preliminarily performed to remove the sodium carbonate, the coating appropriateness is satisfied. When performing the GCP, the thickness of the skin layer located at the surface varies depending on the surface temperature of the mold. In general, the means using the heated steam is generally used for increasing the temperature of the mold. In the present invention, the means for heating the magnetic fluid (liquid) by high frequency induction heating is used. Thus, the temperature of the mold can be safely increased at low cost with heating efficiency. When a mold-back or a core-back is performed for obtaining the molded article having high foaming ratio, the resin is separated from the fixed side. The present invention provides the means for solving the above described problem of the separation by using the gas.

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.

Disclosed herein are manufacturing/casting processes for the preparation of a foam.

Flooring material has an anti-slip, noise reducing pad directly self-adhered to a bottom surface. The pad is formed by applying a foamable PVC material is directly on the bottom surface of the flooring and heating the PVC material to foam the PVC material. The PVC material may then be cooled to form the pad with a definite formed shape having a resilient outer surface layer and a spongy foamy inner structure.

A method of injection molding parts, including: injecting a first thermoplastic polymer into a first cavity; forming a ribbed structure comprising ribs in the first cavity, wherein each rib in the ribbed structure includes a microstructure on an outer portion of a rib; and reducing the surface imperfections in the part by overmolding a layer formed in the second cavity onto a portion of a rib by injecting a second thermoplastic polymer into the second cavity, wherein the overmolding occurs at an interface between the layer and the ribbed structure; or injecting a first thermoplastic polymer into a first cavity; forming a layer in the first cavity; and overmolding a ribbed structure comprising ribs formed in the second cavity onto a portion of the layer formed in the first cavity. In further variations gas is injected into a microchannel formed at the interface or a foaming agent is applied in the first thermoplastic polymer.

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.

It is provided a WPC extrusion profile comprising a WPC material, in which plant fibers are embedded in a plastic matrix, wherein the WPC material has a content of naturally growing plant fibers of between 30 and 75 wt-%, and the WPC extrusion profile includes at least one foam-filled hollow chamber. The at least one hollow chamber of the WPC extrusion profile is completely filled up with a foam, in particular a closed-pore foam. The foam includes or consists of a plastic material of the same type of plastic as the matrix of the WPC material. The foaming is effected by using a physically acting blowing agent, in particular CO.sub.2, wherein the density of the foam is less than 0.4 g/cm.sup.3 and the average cell size of the foam has a mean diameter of less than 0.4 mm.

Composite materials having superior material properties useful as impact absorbing devices can be fabricated by embedding a lattice structure (e.g., polymer lattice structure) within a foam, so that the foam reinforces the lattice structure under impact. Materials and dimensions of the foam and the lattice structure may be selected to achieve composite materials having tailored impact absorbing elastic and/or viscoelastic responses over a wide range of temperatures.

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.