An orthodontic appliance is constructed from shells shaped to receive teeth. The shells can be constructed from one or more polymer materials and affixed to one another about the edge of each shell, defining a narrow elongate chamber therebetween. The chamber serves to allow for the first shell contacting the teeth to flex and fit a wide range of teeth without sacrificing the overall flexural modulus of the appliance. Methods of making the appliance are also described.

The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling. The deflection can include curling the spacer at or near the peripheral edge.

A heat molded, transparent baffle for instrumental sound deflection is disclosed. The Baffle is a single, molded shield that reflects the sound in any direction the audio engineer decides. It is quickly mounted in one minute, transparent, and ready for sound check.

A heat molded, transparent baffle for instrumental sound deflection is disclosed. The Baffle is a single, molded shield that reflects the sound in any direction the audio engineer decides. It is quickly mounted in one minute, transparent, and ready for sound check.

A thermoformable sheet transfer system is provided having at least one frame, and upstream conveyor, a sheet cutter, and a downstream sheet manipulator. The upstream conveyor is configured to deliver a series of shots of formed articles in a thermoformed sheet from an exit end of an article forming station. The sheet cutter is carried by the at least one frame provided proximate the conveyor downstream of the article forming station and is configured to cut a leading edge of the formed articles and sheet sufficiently formed to index within dies of an article trim press. The downstream sheet manipulator is carried by the at least one frame and is configured to transport the leading edge and the sufficiently formed articles and sheet for delivery in sequential shots from downstream an article forming station to upstream an article trim station. A method is also provided.

The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling. A liner sheet may be attached to the feedstock sheet prior to, during, or after forming and can be peelable therefrom.

A method may include generating a 2D blank that can form a 3D dental aligner via thermoforming. The 2D blank may include a first material that includes a first discontinuity. The 2D blank may include a second material integrally formed within the first discontinuity. The first material may have a higher stiffness than the second material. The method may include thermoforming the 2D blank to form the 3D dental aligner having variable stiffness.

An access door for a combine harvester includes a body having a top, a bottom, a first side, and a second side. The body includes a height defined between the top and the bottom and a width defined between the first side and the second side. A plurality of ribs is integrally formed in the body for adding rigidity thereto, and a deflector is integrally formed with the body and protrudes therefrom. The deflector has a top surface and a width that is substantially the same as the width of the body. The body is defined within a first plane and the top surface is defined within a second plane such that the second plane is disposed at an angle less than 90? from the first plane.

The present disclosure is directed to a system for vacuum forming a component. The system includes a base and a plurality of mold segments positioned on the base. The plurality of mold segments are removably coupled together to define a mold cavity configured for forming the component. The base and one or more of the plurality of the mold segments collectively define a corresponding vacuum chamber of a plurality of vacuum chambers of the system. At least one of vacuum chambers is fluidly isolated from the other vacuum chambers. One or more of the plurality of the mold segments further define a plurality of vacuum passages fluidly coupling the mold cavity and the corresponding vacuum chamber.

A thermoformed article that is formed from a polymeric sheet having a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 100 millimeters is provided. The polymeric sheet contains a thermoplastic composition that includes a continuous phase that includes a matrix polymer. A microinclusion additive and nanoinclusion additive are dispersed within the continuous phase in the form of discrete domains, and a porous network is defined in the composition that includes a plurality of nanopores having an average cross-sectional dimension of about 800 nanometers or less.