Physical foaming a footwear component with a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid is provided. The method include temperature conditioning a mold and then engaging the mold with a robot that conveys the mold to a press. At the press a gas counter pressure is applied to a cavity of the mold before injecting a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid into the cavity of the mold. The process continues with releasing the gas counter pressure from the cavity of the mold and then removing the footwear component from the cavity of the mold. The parameters of the method are configured for the formation of the footwear component in an automated manner.

A vehicle seating assembly includes a first part, a second part with a second foam part, and a barrier with a permeable portion and a non-permeable portion. The vehicle seating assembly also includes an air passageway extending through the first part, the second foam part, and the permeable portion of the barrier and an air mover fluidly coupled to the air passageway for moving air through the air passageway.

An injection molding method includes providing a molding device including a first mold, a second mold over the first mold and a first mold cavity defined by the first mold and the second mold; injecting a first material into the first mold cavity; forming a first layer from the first material; replacing the second mold by a third mold; injecting a second material into a second mold cavity defined by the first mold and the third mold; and forming a second layer from the second material disposed over the first layer, wherein the first material is different from the second material.

Tooling and components of an injection-molding system may be used to mold a foam article. The tooling and components may include features that control parameters of the injection-molding and foaming process, such as temperature, pressure, shot size, shot placement, and the like.

Tooling and components of an injection-molding system may be used to mold a foam article. The tooling and components may include features that control parameters of the injection-molding and foaming process, such as temperature, pressure, shot size, shot placement, and the like.

A foam article, such as a cushioning element for an article of footwear, apparel or sporting equipment is provided that comprises a foam component, such as a midsole, having a number of beneficial physical characteristics. The cushioning element is a low-density foamed component with a surface skin that encases the remaining foam volume. The cushioning element has a number of foam volumes, arranged to achieve a more consistent foam component. Additionally, the cushioning element includes a series of concentric ridges extending radially outwardly from injection gate vestige locations, and a number of striation bands near the perimeter of the cushioning element. The location of the gate vestiges can be beneficially arranged to produce intersecting flow boundaries that are located away from key strain areas of the cushioning element. The cushioning element is more environmentally-friendly, requiring less energy to produce while still providing acceptable energy return and low density.

A foam article, such as a cushioning element for an article of footwear, apparel or sporting equipment is provided that comprises a foam component, such as a midsole, having a number of beneficial physical characteristics. The cushioning element is a low-density foamed component with a surface skin that encases the remaining foam volume. The cushioning element has a number of foam volumes, arranged to achieve a more consistent foam component. Additionally, the cushioning element includes a series of concentric ridges extending radially outwardly from injection gate vestige locations, and a number of striation bands near the perimeter of the cushioning element. The location of the gate vestiges can be beneficially arranged to produce intersecting flow boundaries that are located away from key strain areas of the cushioning element. The cushioning element is more environmentally-friendly, requiring less energy to produce while still providing acceptable energy return and low density.

A molding device includes a mold and a pressure regulating system. The mold has a mold cavity and a feeding port in communication with the mold cavity. The pressure regulating system includes a first gas conduit coupled to the mold cavity, a first valve disposed at the first gas conduit, a pressure sensing unit configured to sense the pressure in the mold cavity, a second gas conduit coupled to the mold cavity, a second valve disposed at the second gas conduit. A molding method includes: providing a mold; sensing the pressure in the mold cavity, and injecting gas until it is sensed that the mold cavity has reached a first predetermined pressure; sensing the pressure in the mold cavity, and filling a material into the mold cavity having the first predetermined pressure; and discharging the gas in the mold cavity.

Described herein are expandable foaming molds. The foaming molds described herein permit mold boundaries to expand along with the expanding polymer and thereby conform to the foaming dynamics of the polymer material. By modifying the temperature and pressure applied to the mold devices described herein, the properties of the resulting foamed polymer can be fine-tuned for specific applications.

An in-mold foam forming mold includes a bottom die and a top die. The bottom die has a matching cavity. The top die has a top core which matches with the matching cavity and is to be sleeved by the braided shield, and the top core is moved into the matching cavity during the mold closing. The matching cavity has an inner side wall and a barrier rib for blocking foam material in the matching cavity from overflowing from the cavity opening of the matching cavity during an in-mold foaming process, the barrier rib is laterally cooperative with the top core by clearance fit during the mold closing, and a foam molding cavity matching with the foaming shell is defined in the matching cavity. The manufacturing process is simplified, and the quality of the golf head cover is improved.