Compression molded foam articles are provided having a closed cell foam structure comprising a plurality of cells having an anisotropic cell shape. The disclosed compression molded foam articles can be used as components or parts of a variety of articles, including articles of footwear and athletic equipment. Methods are disclosed for making the disclosed compression molded foam articles from a foamed preform having an elastomeric closed cell foam with substantially isotropic cell shape. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Compression molded foam articles are provided having a closed cell foam structure comprising a plurality of cells having an anisotropic cell shape. The disclosed compression molded foam articles can be used as components or parts of a variety of articles, including articles of footwear and athletic equipment. Methods are disclosed for making the disclosed compression molded foam articles from a foamed preform having an elastomeric closed cell foam with substantially isotropic cell shape. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

The invention relates to: composite elements comprising a thermoplastic material and a polyurethane adhering to said thermoplastic material; a method for producing same; and the use thereof.

Examples of the present disclosure are related systems and methods for lead-ins for anti-fatigue floor mats. More particularly, embodiments disclose lead-ins with tapered ends with variable heights that transition from a floor level to a mat surface level to enable drop stitch-mats to be used in residential and commercial areas.

According to a method for manufacturing a structure that is provided, it is possible to prevent creases on a skin sheet when the skin sheet and a molten resin sheet are integrally molded using a mold. The method provided by the present invention is a method for manufacturing a structure including the step of integrally molding a skin sheet and a molten resin sheet using a mold. The molding is performed with the skin sheet under tension.

The manufacturing processes for making lightweight composite soles include a supercritical foaming step that adds a water dispersant and TPU particles sequentially into an autoclave, introduces carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas into the autoclave, and blends the mixture in the autoclave to produce TPU foamed particles; a mixing step that mixes the TPU foamed particles with a PU glue, and a portion of the PU glue covers the TPU foamed particles, the surfaces of the TPU foamed particles do not touch one another; a clamping step that spreads a TPU film in a cavity of a shoe mold, fills a foaming shoe material into the cavity; a baking step that places the clamped shoe mold into an oven; and a finished-product step that removes the shoe mold from the oven to get a composite sole covered with PU and having the TPU foamed particles and combined with the TPU film.

A structure includes a skin and a foam member. The foam member has a molded contour, the mold contour being configured to provide tooled surface for the skin. When the skin is a composite skin, the foam member provides support for the skin so that the skin can be cured under heat and pressure. A method of making the foam member for a foam stiffened structure includes creating a mold having an interior cavity which resembles a desired shape the foam member. A subsequent step involves introducing a foam mixture into the mold. Next, the foam mixture is allowed to polymerize so as to expand and distribute within the cavity of the mold. The method further includes selectively controlling a density of the foam member in the mold. The foam member is at least partially cured. The foam member is assembled with a skin to produce the foam stiffened structure.

Provided is a method for producing a low specific gravity molded foam using a propylene-based polymer. The method includes: providing a foamable composition including a mixture of a propylene-based polymer and thermally expandable microspheres; introducing the foamable composition into a mold for producing a molded foam; raising the temperature of the foamable composition to at least the expansion start temperature (T.sub.start) of the thermally expandable microspheres to expand the foamable composition in the mold; forming a molded foam in a state in which the foamable composition is expanded to fill the mold; and releasing the molded foam from the mold.

According to a method for manufacturing a structure that is provided, it is possible to prevent creases on a skin sheet when the skin sheet and a molten resin sheet are integrally molded using a mold. The method provided by the present invention is a method for manufacturing a structure including the step of integrally molding a skin sheet and a molten resin sheet using a mold. The molding is performed with the skin sheet under tension.

Compression molded foam articles are provided having a closed cell foam structure comprising a plurality of cells having an anisotropic cell shape. The disclosed compression molded foam articles can be used as components or parts of a variety of articles, including articles of footwear and athletic equipment. Methods are disclosed for making the disclosed compression molded foam articles from a foamed preform having an elastomeric closed cell foam with substantially isotropic cell shape. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.