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.

The present invention discloses a foaming and dyeing integrated production line for a polymer material product, and a method thereof. The production line comprises a foaming and dyeing kettle, a pressure control module, a dye separation module, a fluid liquefaction and storage module, a fluid pressurization delivery module, a fluid heating module and a dyeing circulation module. The production line integrates the functions of one-step foaming and supercritical fluid dyeing of polymer material, thereby being simple in structure, comprehensive in function, convenient to operate, high in production efficiency, good in product quality and low in cost; besides, the production line can carry out both dyeing and foaming operations, only foaming operation or only dyeing operation on polymer material.

An injection-molding method includes providing an extruding system configured to produce a mixture, a first discharging channel including a first outlet, a second discharging channel including a second outlet, and a molding device including a space and first and second feeding ports communicable with the space and respectively engageable with the first and second outlets; engaging the first outlet with the first feeding port; engaging the second outlet with the second feeding port; injecting the mixture through the first outlet and the first feeding port; and injecting the mixture through the second outlet and the second feeding port.

A foaming and dyeing integrated production method for a polymer material product includes steps of putting a polymer material preform into a foaming and dyeing kettle, and loading dye into a dyeing circulation module; gasifying CO.sub.2 and injecting the CO.sub.2 into the foaming and dyeing kettle, stopping pressurization when the CO.sub.2 reaches a supercritical state; performing a dyeing circulation process in which the CO.sub.2 in the supercritical state enters the dyeing circulation module and dissolves the dye in the dyeing circulation module, when the dyeing process is finished, injecting CO.sub.2 and/or N.sub.2 pressurized in the fluid pressurization delivery module and heated in the fluid heating module into the foaming and dyeing kettle, stopping pressurization and starting foaming operation when requirements of a foaming process are met; and when the foaming process is finished, taking out a foamed and dyed polymer material product in the foaming and dyeing kettle.

An injection molding system includes an extruding system. The extruding system includes a mixing unit configured to receive the polymeric material from the melting unit and configured to mix a polymeric material with a blowing agent and to form a mixture, wherein the mixing unit includes a mixing rotor disposed in a hollow mixing cartridge, and a ratio of a shortest distance between an inner sidewall of the hollow mixing cartridge and the mixing rotor to a diameter of the mixing rotor is in a range of 1:1500 to 1:4500. The injection molding system further includes a discharging channel communicable with the extruding system, a molding device configured to receive the mixture from the discharging channel, and a supporting device configured to facilitate an engagement of the discharging channel and the molding device, the supporting device includes a first element protrudes from the extruding system and a second element disposed on the molding device.

An injection molding system includes an extruding system. The extruding system includes a mixing unit configured to receive the polymeric material from the melting unit and configured to mix a polymeric material with a blowing agent and to form a mixture, wherein the mixing unit includes a mixing rotor disposed in a hollow mixing cartridge, and a ratio of a shortest distance between an inner sidewall of the hollow mixing cartridge and the mixing rotor to a diameter of the mixing rotor is in a range of 1:1500 to 1:4500. The injection molding system further includes a discharging channel communicable with the extruding system, a molding device configured to receive the mixture from the discharging channel, and a supporting device configured to facilitate an engagement of the discharging channel and the molding device, the supporting device includes a first element protrudes from the extruding system and a second element disposed on the molding device.

Non-time dependent measured variables are used to effectively determine an optimal hold profile for an expanding crosslinking polymer part in a mold cavity. A system and/or approach may first inject molten expanding crosslinking polymer into a mold cavity, then measure at least one non-time dependent variable during an injection molding cycle. Next, the system and/or method commences a hold profile for the part, and upon completing the hold profile, the part is ejected from the mold cavity.

A system including an injector, a press, and a robotic conveyance is used to form a physically foamed article of footwear component from a single-phase solution of a polymeric composition and a supercritical fluid. The parameters and features of the system are configured for the formation of the footwear component in an automated manner with enhanced throughput by the system.

A foaming and dyeing integrated production method for a polymer material product includes steps of putting a polymer material preform into a foaming and dyeing kettle, and loading dye into a dyeing circulation module; gasifying CO.sub.2 and injecting the CO.sub.2 into the foaming and dyeing kettle, stopping pressurization when the CO.sub.2 reaches a supercritical state; performing a dyeing circulation process in which the CO.sub.2 in the supercritical state enters the dyeing circulation module and dissolves the dye in the dyeing circulation module, when the dyeing process is finished, injecting CO.sub.2 and/or N.sub.2 pressurized in the fluid pressurization delivery module and heated in the fluid heating module into the foaming and dyeing kettle, stopping pressurization and starting foaming operation when requirements of a foaming process are met; and when the foaming process is finished, taking out a foamed and dyed polymer material product in the foaming and dyeing kettle.

A molding machine includes: a tie bar connected continuously to any one of a stationary platen and a movable platen, and including an engagement groove; a first engagement member configured to engage with or move away from the engagement groove of the tie bar; a second engagement member configured to engage with or move away from the engagement groove of the tie bar, and configured to be displaceable in an axial direction of the tie bar; a force transmission member located opposite the first engagement member across the second engagement member, and including a pressure surface to press the second engagement member and a through hole in which the tie bar is inserted; and a drive mechanism configured to use the force transmission member to cause the second engagement member to be displaceable in the axial direction of the tie bar with respect to the first engagement member.