A method for manufacturing a foamed fabric includes providing a fabric which includes at least one layer including a plurality of first foamable filaments made from a first foamable polymeric material, infusing the fabric with a supercritical fluid in a pressurized vessel, subjecting the infused fabric to a depressurizing process to permit the at least one layer to undergo an initial stage of foaming so as to obtain a pre-foamed fabric, placing the pre-foamed fabric in a mold cavity, and heating the mold cavity to obtain a molded foamed fabric.

In one embodiment a non-foamed thread is formed by extruding a mixture with a plastic material and a blowing agent. The non-foamed thread is arranged into a sole component and then heated to activate the blowing agent and cause the threads to foam. In some cases, the non-foamed thread is knitted together.

Described are methods for producing at least a part of a sporting good, in particular a sports shoe. According to one aspect of the invention, the method includes the steps of: (a) depositing a first material into a mold and (b) vibrating the mold to modify the distribution of the first material in the mold.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument is disclosed. The staple cartridge assembly comprises a compressible adjunct and a staple cartridge. The compressible adjunct comprises attachment regions. The staple cartridge comprises a proximal end, a distal end, a deck, a longitudinal row of staple cavities, staples, bonding zones, and barbs. The attachment regions of the compressible adjunct are configured to be secured to bonding areas defined by the bonding zones. The barbs protrude from the deck, and the barbs are configured to maintain an initial alignment between the attachment regions and the bonding zones prior to attachment of the compressible adjunct to the deck.

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.

A compressible adjunct is used with a surgical instrument. The compressible adjunct includes a hollow fibrous construct and a core fibrous construct housed within the hollow fibrous construct, wherein the hollow fibrous construct comprises at least one biocompatible material that has experienced at least one transition from a more ordered phase to a less ordered phase in response to heating the hollow fibrous construct to a predetermined temperature.

A surgical stapling instrument including staples and an implantable layer is disclosed. The implantable layer comprises fibers which have undergone a kinking process. The kinked fibers, once interwoven together, create a resilient body that can dynamically adapt to the thickness of the tissue captured within the staples.

A staple cartridge assembly is disclosed which comprises a cartridge body and an implantable layer. The implantable layer includes fibers comprised of a first material and a second material. The first material and the second material have different glass transition temperatures. After the fibers comprised of the first material and the second material have been intermixed or interwoven, the layer is exposed to a temperature which exceeds the lower of the two glass transition temperatures. This heating process causes the layer to constrict and increase in thickness. The layer, when implanted, can compensate for variations in tissue thickness within the staples.

A staple cartridge assembly is used with a surgical stapler. The staple cartridge assembly includes a staple cartridge including a cartridge body, a cartridge deck, and a plurality of staples deployable from the cartridge body through the cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck. The compressible adjunct includes a plurality of unaltered fibers and a plurality of altered fibers that are melted and resolidified. The unaltered fibers include a first fiber including a first fiber portion and a second fiber including a second fiber portion extending over the first fiber portion. The compressible adjunct further includes a node which comprises the first fiber portion, the second fiber portion, and at least a portion of the plurality of altered fibers, wherein the at least a portion of the plurality of altered fibers affixes the first fiber portion and the second fiber portion.

Methods for forming an implantable layer onto a staple cartridge are disclosed.