A method of and apparatus for extruding an article of uniform cross-section, the article including a thermoplastic material and at least one cable for inhibiting stretch of the article. The cable is supplied to a respective tube and is conveyed between upstream and downstream ends. The thermoplastic material may be supplied to the downstream end of the tube. The thermoplastic material is brought together with the cable to embed the cable within the thermoplastic material, thereby forming a composite extrudate. The tube is configured to at least hinder movement of loose windings of the cable from the downstream end towards the upstream end, which may prevent or at least reduce incidence of birdcaging.

Multi-layer films include at least one cavitated core layer that is microporous and breathable, and at least one skin layer. The cavitated core layer includes a polyolefin and an inorganic filler dispersed in the polyolefin. Methods for forming polymeric films and articles of manufacture prepared therefrom are described.

A film formed from a water-soluble polymer matrix containing a fragrance is provided. The film is water-sensitive so that upon contact with a sufficient amount of water, the matrix loses its integrity to increasingly expose the fragrance to the ambient environment for releasing its odor. The ability to incorporate a fragrance into the matrix is achieved by controlling the nature of the fragrance and polymer, the manner in which the matrix and fragrance are melt processed, etc. For example, the fragrance may be injected directly into the extruder and melt blended with the polymer to avoid the costly, time-consuming steps of pre-encapsulation or pre-compounding of the fragrance into a masterbatch. Furthermore, to balance the fragrance's ability to release the desired odor during use while minimizing the premature exhaustion of the odor during processing, the fragrance has a boiling point (at atmospheric pressure) of from about 125 C. to about 350 C.

A method and apparatus for extrusion of an article is provided. A die assembly can apply flows of thermoplastic material to an array of reinforcing cables to form a composite extrusion. A slider fabric can be bonded to one side of the composite extrusion. After exiting the die assembly, the slider fabric can act to support the extrudate as it passes along an elongate mandrel, which can cause the base of the slider fabric to change shape from a flat profile to the final internal profile of the article. The extruded article can then be cooled to solidify the material. The die can include cooling for the slider fabric and means for promoting penetration of the thermoplastic into reinforcing cables.

The invention relates to a method for the extrusion and labelling of a packaging tube (14), comprising the following successive steps performed on an extrusion-labelling line, namely: a) forming a partially or fully tubular label (17) from a film (12); b) introducing the label (17) into a calibration element (22); c) extruding a tubular body (13) on the side of the concave surface of the label (17); d) bringing the external surface of the tubular body (13) into contact with the concave surface of the label (17), step (c) being performed in the calibration element (22). The invention also relates to an extrusion-labelling device and a packaging tube.

A sizer for cooling an extrudate, which includes a core and a housing. The core includes an extrusion channel which accommodates the extrudate, a core cooling channel, and a core vacuum channel in fluid communication with the extrusion channel. The housing includes a housing cooling channel and a housing vacuum channel. The core cooling channel is in fluid communication with the housing cooling channel, and the core vacuum channel is in fluid communication with the housing vacuum channel.