An intra-mode moulding foam molding device of thermoplastic polymer particles and a molding method thereof. The device includes a supercritical fluid delivery system, a mould pressing foaming system, a preheating quantitative feeding system and a moving rail; the supercritical fluid delivery system communicates with the mould pressing foaming system. Through a one-step foam molding method of polymer particles, polymer particles can be directly added into a molding cavity without pre-foaming, water and anti-sticking separating agent are not needed; the molding process does not need high-pressure water vapor for warming and molding, and has great adhesion force and is also clean, therefore polymer materials are easy to hydrolyze. The processing needs few heat, the heating efficiency of the polymer particles is high, the temperature of the polymer particle is uniform, and a polymer particle microcellular foamed mould pressing molded product having fine pores, precise size and light weight is obtained.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck, wherein the staples are deployable into tissue captured against the compressible adjunct, and wherein the compressible adjunct comprises a first biocompatible layer comprising a first portion, a second biocompatible layer comprising a second portion, and crossed spacer fibers extending between the first portion and the second portion.

The present invention relates to a copolymer having polyamide blocks and having polyether blocks (PEBA) which can be used for the manufacture of an article, preferably a foamed article. The invention also relates to expanded particles prepared from said copolymer and to the manufacture of a foamed article from said expanded particles.

A method for producing a foam-molded shoe component includes the steps of: providing a polymer granulate; pre-treating the polymer granulate including binding to or in the polymer granulate a physical propellant in an autoclave at a first pressure and a first temperature; and foaming the pre-treated polymer granulate including melting the polymer granulate to produce a molten polymer composition, and foaming the molten polymer composition as a result of the expansion of the physical propellant.

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 staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck, wherein the staples are deployable into tissue captured against the compressible adjunct, and wherein the compressible adjunct comprises a first biocompatible layer comprising a first portion, a second biocompatible layer comprising a second portion, and crossed spacer fibers extending between the first portion and the second portion.

Disclosed, among other things, are ways to manufacture reduced density thermoplastics using rapid solid-state foaming and machines useful for the saturation of plastic. In one embodiment, a foaming process may involve saturating a semi-crystalline polymer such as Polylactic Acid (PLA) with high levels of gas, and then heating, which may produce a reduced density plastic having high levels of crystallinity. In another embodiment, a foaming process may produce layered structures in reduced density plastics with or without integral skins. In another embodiment, a foaming process may produce deep draw structures in reduced density plastics with or without integral skins. In yet another embodiment, a foaming process may utilize additives, blends, or fillers, for example. In yet another embodiment, a foaming process may involve saturating a semi-crystalline polymer such as Polylactic Acid (PLA) with high levels of gas, and then heating, which may produce a reduced density plastic having high levels of crystallinity.

Implantable adjuncts for use with a surgical instrument are disclosed. The implantable adjunct includes a first mesh positioned about a first side of the longitudinal knife slot and a second mesh positioned about a second side of the longitudinal knife slot such that the first and second meshes define a gap substantially aligned with the longitudinal knife slot of the staple cartridge body.

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 microcellular foam molding an article is provided with, in one embodiment, filling a mold with a polyolefin compound; adding a crosslinking agent to the polyolefin compound to form a crosslinked mold; placing the crosslinked mold in a second mold having vent holes; placing the second mold in a pressure vessel; dissolving gas under high pressure to form a supercritical fluid (SCF) in the pressure vessel; effusing the SCF through the vent holes into the crosslinked mold to form a SCF permeated mold; releasing pressure of the pressure vessel to cause the SCF permeated mold to foam; and finishing a foamed article in the second mold.