A non-continuously laminated structure of thermoplastic films comprises thermoplastic films with differing material compositions and differing functional benefits. In particular, one or more embodiments comprise thermoplastic films that are co-extruded separately and then combined together by a post-extrusion bonding process. The differing composition of the various films of the non-continuously laminated structure of thermoplastic films and the post-extrusion bonding process, provide the structures with the functional benefits of the individual films.

A fluid-filled chamber may include a pair of polymer layers that define a plurality of subchambers and a web area. The subchambers are protruding portions of the polymer layers that enclose a fluid, and the web area is portions of the polymer layers that are located between the subchambers and lay adjacent to each other. The subchambers may have greater thickness than the web area. A perimeter bond joining the polymer layers and extends around a periphery of the chamber. In addition, a plurality of interior bonds join the polymer layers and extend around the subchambers, which may seal the fluid within the subchambers.

The invention describes a device and method for making corrugated products. The device can be used with any substrate and includes, at least, first and second drive rollers for driving a middle substrate and a single wall corrugated product. In other embodiments the invention includes upper drive rollers, lower drive rollers and middle drive rollers for driving an upper substrate, a lower substrate and a middle substrate. The middle substrate is driven between the upper and lower substrates at a higher velocity to form flutes that are anchored between the upper an lower substrates thereby forming a corrugated product. The invention also provides for customized corrugated products having multiple fluted substrates in various desirable arrangements. Examples of such products include mattress, partition panels, other furniture and construction products.

A honeycomb sandwich sheet or panel, based on thermoplastic polypropylene, includes a structure having two flat outer films, at the top and bottom, welded to at least two inner or central thermoformed blister films, repeated in a regular and continuous pattern, wherein the at least two inner thermoformed films are welded to each other.

The present invention relates to a honeycomb sandwich sheet or panel, based on thermoplastic polypropylene, comprising a structure consisting of two flat outer films, at the top and bottom (10, 12), welded to an inner or central film (11) blister thermoformed (13), with blisters repeated in a regular and continuous pattern, wherein said inner or central film (11) is thermoformed on both sides or faces.

Apparatus and methods are provided for creating tubular devices, e.g., as components for catheters, sheaths, and or other devices sized for introduction into a patient. In one embodiment, a method is provided for making a tubular device using a sheet of material including a coated first surface. The sheet is rolled around a mandrel until longitudinal edges of the sheet are disposed near or adjacent one another, e.g., without attaching the longitudinal edges together. A tubular braid is positioned over the sheet-wrapped mandrel, one or more tubular segments are positioned over the tubular braid, and heat shrink tubing is positioned over the tubular segments. The resulting assembly is heated to cause the tubular segments to at least partially reflow and/or otherwise laminate the tubular segments to the tubular braid and sheet. The heat shrink tubing and mandrel are then removed to create the tubular device.

Multi-layer bags may be formed to include first and second sidewalls joined along a first side edge, an opposite second side edge, and a closed bottom edge. The first and second layers may be non-continuously laminated together to include bonded regions in which the layers are bonded and unbonded regions in which the layers are not bonded. Such a bag may be described as a bag-in-a-bag type configuration in which the inner bag is non-continuously bonded to the outer bag. The inventors have surprisingly found that such configurations of non-continuous bonding provides increased and unexpected strength properties to the multi-layer films and bags.

A fluid-filled chamber may include a pair of polymer layers that define a plurality of subchambers and a web area. The subchambers are protruding portions of the polymer layers that enclose a fluid, and the web area is portions of the polymer layers that are located between the subchambers and lay adjacent to each other. The subchambers may have greater thickness than the web area. A perimeter bond joining the polymer layers and extends around a periphery of the chamber. In addition, a plurality of interior bonds join the polymer layers and extend around the subchambers, which may seal the fluid within the subchambers.

A roller coaster track may comprise a laminate and a metal bearing layer. A method of manufacturing a roller coaster track may comprise manufacturing a laminate, manufacturing a metal bearing layer, and assembling the laminate and bearing layer. The bearing layer may be at least partially filled with grout. A method of repairing a wood roller coaster track may comprise removing a layer of laminate, and replacing the layer with a metal bearing layer.

A method of manufacturing a bladder element comprises forming at least one of a first, a second, and a third polymeric sheet to have a contoured surface profile. The first, the second, and the third polymeric sheets are stacked so that the second polymeric sheet is between the first polymeric sheet and the third polymeric sheet. The method comprises applying fluid pressure between the first polymeric sheet and second polymeric sheet, between the second polymeric sheet and the third polymeric sheet, or between both, forcing a first surface of the second polymeric sheet into contact with an inner surface of the first polymeric sheet, or a second surface of the second polymeric sheet into contact with an inner surface of the third polymeric sheet, or both. A bladder element is also disclosed.