A container having an annular sidewall with upper and lower annular peripheral edges and a lattice structure of elongate ribs interconnecting the upper and lower annular peripheral edges, wherein the lattice structure is an open framework defining a plurality of sidewall openings, and a base having an annular peripheral edge which is integral with the lower annular peripheral edge of the sidewall, the annular peripheral edge of the base surrounding a base wall structure which is integral therewith, the base wall structure having at least one injection moulding sprue at a central region of the base wall structure, wherein the at least one injection moulding sprue is connected to the upper annular peripheral edge of the annular sidewall by the base wall structure, the annular peripheral edge of the base, the lower annular peripheral edge of the sidewall and the lattice structure of the sidewall, wherein the sidewall and the base are composed of a thermoplastic polymer and define a central concavity for packaging a product, and wherein the container further has a flexible sheet which is bonded to the lattice structure to cover the sidewall openings and form a sealed sidewall surface of the container.

A mold tool assembly includes a first tool having a protrusion for producing a respective hole in a foam body and a second tool configured to cooperate with the first tool to mold the foam body. The second tool defines a cavity corresponding to the protrusion. The mold tool assembly also includes a movable plunger for clearing flash corresponding to and located at least partially within the cavity in the second tool, and movable between a disengaged position when the first and second tools are separated, and an engaged position when the first and second tools are closed. The mold tool assembly also includes an actuator configured to move the movable plunger between the engaged position and the disengaged position. In the engaged position, the movable plunger contacts the protrusion to seal the cavity, and in the disengaged position, at least a portion of the movable plunger extends below a bottom surface of the second tool into the hole.

Therapy cushion, comprising a cushion body, comprising a body part rest surface adapted to receive a human body part to be placed thereupon and comprising a first outlet opening therein and a first cavity being formed within the cushion body, wherein the first cavity is connected with the first outlet opening via a first outlet channel and wherein the first outlet opening is adapted such that a therapy compound stored in the first cavity can exit therethrough from the first cavity.

Method of forming an article from a molten plastic composition including a polymer and a blowing agent. The method provides that during an injecting step (c) and a packing step (d), the injection pressure and the packing pressure, respectively, are maintained above a minimum pressure threshold in at least one second region of the cavity to maintain the physical blowing agent as a gas dissolved in the polymer so that substantially no gas bubbles are formed in the at least one second region, during a mould opening step (e), at least some of the molten plastic composition is exposed to an external pressure lower than a minimum pressure threshold to form in the article at least one first portion having expanded cellular foam formed from the plastic composition, and prior to the opening step (e), the plastic composition in the at least one second region of the cavity has been cooled so as to be fully solidified to form in the article at least one second portion having a substantially homogeneous, solid phase, unexpanded plastic composition.

A pressure sensing system (24), seat cushion (20) incorporating the pressure sensing system, and method of sensing a weight group associated with an occupant of an automotive seat are described. The pressure sensing system includes a layer of an electrically conductive foam (28) and a flexible printed circuit (26) that includes a flexible substrate (26a) and N horizontal sensing wires (26b) and M vertical sensing wires (26c) securely placed on a top surface of the flexible substrate. The horizontal sensing wires intersect with the vertical sensing wires and form NM intersections. The layer of an electrically conductive foam is placed on top of the N horizontal sensing wires and the M vertical sensing wires. When a pressure is applied to the layer of the electrically conductive foam, each intersection generates in real time an electric flux density value to reflect a degree of a compression caused by the pressure to a corresponding point of the electrically conductive foam.

Lightweight and strong components may be manufactured using foam material compositions and resin coating materials by the processes described herein. One or more mandrels and/or a molding tool may be coated with resin coatings, the one or more mandrels may be inserted into the molding tool, and a foam material composition may be injected into the molding tool. After closing the molding tool, the foam material composition may expand and cure to form a component, and heat may be applied to cure the resin coatings into skins. For example, an external skin may be formed by the resin coatings on an exterior surface of the component in contact with surfaces of the molding tool, and one or more internal skins may be formed by the resin coatings on one or more interior surfaces of negative space spars of the component in contact with surfaces of the one or more mandrels.

A method for manufacturing a seat cushion material, the seat cushion material including a front layer part and a back layer part having a back side surface, the method including: preparing for molding the seat cushion by attaching the back layer part to an upper die having an upper cavity surface; molding the seat cushion material by adding foamed resin raw material forming on a lower cavity surface of a lower die and then by closing the upper die to which the back layer part is attached, the lower cavity surface being provided with a plurality of protrusions which is configured to be brought into contact with a seating surface side of the back layer part and press the back layer part against the upper cavity surface when the upper die to which the back layer part is attached is closed; and demolding the molded seat cushion material.

Provided are a method for molding a foamed resin molded article having a mounting hole which is formed with good dimensional precision without occurrence of shape sag and which has an improved load resistance, a mold therefor, and a foamed resin molded article thereby. A method for molding a foamed resin molded article 1 including a mounting section 11 and a non-mounting section 12, using a mold 3 including a first mold 31 having a non-mounting-section mold portion 31a and a mounting-section mold portion 31b, a second mold 32, and a cavity 4 having a non-mounting-section cavity portion 42 for molding the non-mounting section 12 and a mounting-section cavity portion 41 for molding the mounting section 11. The method includes: a filling step of filling a material to be molded into at least the mounting-section cavity portion 41; and a core-back step of moving at least one of the non-mounting-section mold portion 31a, the mounting-section mold portion 31b, and the second mold 32 so that a cavity width of the non-mounting-section cavity portion 42 is increased while a cavity width of the mounting-section cavity portion 41 is constant, the filling step and the core-back step being sequentially performed.

A midsole molding apparatus which enables production of a high-quality midsole is provided. The apparatus includes a through hole, which passes laterally through a midsole used for a shoe, to be integrally formed, preventing traces of forming the through hole from being left in the through hole and on the periphery of the through hole and a shaft mold crossing the inner space of upper and lower molds, forming extending portions such that the ends of the shaft mold extend beyond the boundary of the inner space, and seating the extending portions in press recesses of the upper and lower molds to seal the insides of the molds so as to prevent raw material from leaking from inside the molds when foaming and forming a midsole, to prevent parting lines and burrs from forming on the inner surface of the through hole passing laterally through the midsole.

An armrest for a captain's chair of a vehicle includes an outer layer and an inner layer including a foaming agent and defining a hollow core. At least one of the inner layer and the outer layer may include a reinforcing material and/or may be varied in thickness along its length. The armrest may include a third layer defining the hollow core. A related method includes heating a parison having a first and second layers, mixing a foaming agent into the second layer prior to heating, feeding the heated parison between mold halves, clamping the heated parison by moving the mold halves together, and pushing the layers of the heated parison outward, using blown air, such that the first layer is adjacent the mold and the second layer forms a hollow core of the armrest, the hollow core being partially filled by expansion of the second layer during cooling.