A composite molded article in which another material is integrated on a face having grooves in a grooved resin molded article having grooves in which end parts of a fibrous inorganic filler protrude and are exposed from lateral faces of the grooves on a surface side in at least the insides of the grooves. Exposure of the end parts of the fibrous inorganic filler and formation of the grooves may be accomplished by laser irradiation, and the depth of the grooves may be at least 200 m. Another molded article comprising the other material is arranged surrounding the fibrous inorganic filler in the insides of the grooves.

A non-slip telephone cord hair tie includes an elastic body. The elastic body is wound in the form of a telephone cord. Two ends of the elastic body are connected to each other to form an annular shape. The elastic body is provided with an anti-slip rib thereon. The elastic body is wound in the form of a telephone cord instead of a conventional hair band, thereby increasing the elasticity without injuring the hair. When the hair is tied up, the winding space between the telephone cord will be interposed between the bundled hair so that the hair after tied looks more.

A structure for and method of producing large diameter seal rings. Preferred embodiments of the present invention make use of a co-extruded support layer of a polymer showing better weld quality and strength. The use of a co-extruded support polymer bonded to the functional polymer can be used to improve the strength of the entire weld, including the weld of functional polymer layer.

Method for forming a sealing element from extruded thermoplastic rods includes the steps of machining one or more extruded thermoplastic rods, each having a first and a second end, in a desired shape; bending the one or more machined thermoplastic rods into a circular structure at ambient temperature while keeping the stress in the one or more thermoplastic rods below the yield point; joining the first and second end faces of the thermoplastic rods to form the sealing element. A method for replacing and repairing a sealing element of a swivel is also described.

A suture and a suture retainer are positioned relative to body tissue. Ultrasonic vibratory energy is utilized to heat the suture retainer and effect a bonding of portions of the suture retainer to each other and/or to the suture. Portions of the body tissue may be pressed into linear apposition with each other and held in place by cooperation between the suture and the suture retainer. The suture retainer may include one or more portions between which the suture extends. The suture retainer may include sections which have surface areas which are bonded together. If desired, the suture may be wrapped around one of the sections of the suture retainer. The suture retainer may be formed with a recess in which the suture is received. If desired, the suture retainer may be omitted and the sections of the suture bonded to each other.

A laser welding apparatus is provides that includes: a support member including a heat generation portion which has a size that is limited to correspond to a size of a welding area of a plurality of plastic components and is made from a material that absorbs a laser beam and generates heat, and which generates heat of a temperature that is equal to or greater than a melting temperature of the plastic components; a laser beam irradiation unit for converging a laser beam to be transmitted through the plurality of plastic components, and irradiating the laser beam toward the heat generation portion through the plurality of plastic components; and a welding controller for causing a laser beam to be irradiated at the heat generation portion using the laser beam irradiation unit to thereby cause the heat generation portion to generate heat, and welding abutting faces of a welding area of the plurality of plastic components with heat that is generated.

A suture and a suture retainer are positioned relative to body tissue. Ultrasonic vibratory energy is utilized to heat the suture retainer and effect a bonding of portions of the suture retainer to each other and/or to the suture. Portions of the body tissue may be pressed into linear apposition with each other and held in place by cooperation between the suture and the suture retainer. The suture retainer may include one or more portions between which the suture extends. The suture retainer may include sections which have surface areas which are bonded together. If desired, the suture may be wrapped around one of the sections of the suture retainer. The suture retainer may be formed with a recess in which the suture is received. If desired, the suture retainer may be omitted and the sections of the suture bonded to each other.

An object of the invention is to provide a laser welding quality determination method for improving a determination accuracy of a welding quality which is strongly affected by an inner defect of a welding bead, and a laser welding apparatus which includes a mechanism for performing the quality determination method. There is provided a laser welding quality determination method of determining a welding quality in laser welding, including: capturing an image of a molten pool formed by emitting a laser beam to a welding target material to acquire image data of the molten pool; measuring a width of the molten pool in a direction orthogonal to a welding direction from the acquired image data of the molten pool; calculating a penetration depth from the measured width of the molten pool; and determining the welding quality from the measured width and the calculated penetration depth of the molten pool.

A composite molded article in which another material is integrated on a face having grooves in a grooved resin molded article having grooves in which end parts of a fibrous inorganic filler protrude and are exposed from lateral faces of the grooves on a surface side in at least the insides of the grooves. Exposure of the end parts of the fibrous inorganic filler and formation of the grooves may be accomplished by laser irradiation, and the depth of the grooves may be at least 200 m. Another molded article comprising the other material is arranged surrounding the fibrous inorganic filler in the insides of the grooves.