A fire retardant cushioning device wherein the cushioning device comprises a main body formed of a fire retardant cover material which is assembled together from panels of fire retardant cover material with the panels being connected together by at least one welded seam extending about the edges of the panels of cover material to form a seamed fire retardant cover material comprising the main body of the cover and the seam(s); and wherein the construction of the cushioning device provides a fire retardant cushioning device having welded seam(s) whereby the welded seam(s) are configured such that they are flame retardant. A fire retardant, infection control cushioning device is also disclosed. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing the fire retardant cushioning device.

A hinged component fabrication method in which, in a layup stage of fabrication, the component includes a live hinge joining uncured material portions together at a hinge region and comprising a layer of tensile fabric at least partially infiltrated by an uncured elastomer layer at least partially interposed between the tensile fabric and the uncured material portions such that the uncured elastomer blocks the uncured material portions from infiltrating the hinge region. The method may include locating overlapped tensile fabric and elastomer layers in a tool and introducing polymer-based material into the tool such that polymer-based material portions overlap respective opposite ends of the fabric and elastomer layers. The polymer-based material portions are formed to a desired shape using the forming tool so that the fabric and elastomer layers form a live hinge between the polymer-based material portions.

In order to provide a bonded part capable of reducing deformation caused by injection pressure of bonding resin and preventing an increase in cost, the bonded part includes a first part, a second part, and a third part, wherein the first part includes a wall portion and a hollow portion surrounded by the wall portion, wherein a first shape portion formed of bonding resin is arranged at a position between the second part and the wall portion, wherein a second shape portion formed of the bonding resin is arranged at a position between the wall portion and the third part, and wherein a third shape portion formed of the bonding resin which connects the first shape portion and the second shape portion is arranged on the wall portion.

A seam sealed heat resistant glove or mitt includes a front portion having a periphery and a rear portion having a periphery. The front and rear portions are joined to one another along a portion of their respective peripheries to define seams. The front and rear portions, when joined to one another, define an interior with seams formed at the interior and at an exterior of the glove or mitt with seams formed at the exterior. A welded thermoplastic material is disposed over the seams on at least one of the interior and the exterior of the glove or mitt and is cured by the application of ultrasonic energy. A method of making a seam sealed glove or mitt is disclosed.

A method of producing flexible polypropylene fabric bags with heat fused seams comprising providing fabric pieces, wherein each fabric piece has a coated side and an uncoated side; positioning fabric pieces so that a coated side of one fabric piece faces a coated side of another fabric piece; selecting an area of fabric to be joined for forming a seam or joint; applying heat to the area to be joined that is less than the melting point of the fabrics, for forming one or more seams or joints and wherein the heat fused seams or joints of a resulting polypropylene bag retains at least 85% of the fabric strength without using sewing machines.

Articles having mechanically strengthened seams (320) and methods of making the same are provided. An article includes at least one material sheet (311) and a seam (320) formed from an overlap of two portions (310, 314) of the at least one material sheet (311) and an adhesive (312) deposited between the two portions (310, 314) of the at least one material sheet (311) along at least a portion of the overlap, the adhesive (312) sealing the two portions (310, 314) of the at least one material sheet (311), wherein at least one of the two portions (310, 314) of the material sheet (311) comprises a plurality of indents (322) on a surface thereof, such that the adhesive (312) penetrates the material sheet (311) at the indents (322) to provide a mechanical bond between the two portions (310, 314) of the at least one material sheet (311).

A protective textile sleeve having enhanced end fray resistance and being adapted to be bonded to an elongate member extending therethrough, and method of construction thereof, are provided. The sleeve has a wall with a cavity bounded by an innermost surface extending between opposite open ends. A first material, including a hot melt adhesive material, facilitating bonding the wall to an outer surface of an elongate member extending therethrough, is bonded to the wall immediately adjacent the opposite ends, and a second material, facilitating prevention of end fray of the wall ends, including an elastomeric material is bonded to the wall immediately adjacent the opposite ends.

Methods for manufacturing fabric-reinforced weatherstrip include incorporating a fabric application step into a process for making coated substrates. In one embodiment, a strip of the fabric from a roll of material may be applied directly onto a coating after it has been applied in a coat die to a foam profile, while the coating is still in the molten state. Alternatively, a fabric application plate may be attached to an upstream side of coating die with a fabric feed channel cut into the plate. The fabric follows the channel to contact and mate with the foam profile. The fabric applicator plate may be configured so as to exert pressure on only the part of the product where the fabric is being applied. Ultrasonic welding techniques may also be employed.

A method of producing flexible polypropylene fabric bags with heat fused seams comprising providing fabric pieces, wherein each fabric piece has a coated side and an uncoated side; positioning fabric pieces so that a coated side of one fabric piece faces a coated side of another fabric piece; selecting an area of fabric to be joined for forming a seam or joint; applying heat to the area to be joined that is less than the melting point of the fabrics, for forming one or more seams or joints and wherein the heat fused seams or joints of a resulting polypropylene bag retains at least 85% of the fabric strength without using sewing machines.

A protective textile sleeve having enhanced end fray resistance and being adapted to be bonded to an elongate member extending therethrough, and method of construction thereof, are provided. The sleeve has a wall with a cavity bounded by an innermost surface extending between opposite open ends. A first material, including a hot melt adhesive material, facilitating bonding the wall to an outer surface of an elongate member extending therethrough, is bonded to the wall immediately adjacent the opposite ends, and a second material, facilitating prevention of end fray of the wall ends, including an elastomeric material is bonded to the wall immediately adjacent the opposite ends.