Pressure sensitive adhesive-coated articles comprising first and second layers each having first and second opposed major surfaces and between the first and second layers a series of first walls providing a series of microchannels, and methods for making the same. Embodiment of articles described herein are useful, for example, in cushioning applications where high levels of compression are desired.

A mouthpiece (10) for extruding a molding compound into a formed body which has internal channels, comprises: a mouthpiece frame (14) with a frame opening (16); a first core retaining plate (22) which is fastened in the area of an upstream end of the frame opening (16) when viewed in the flow direction (15) of the molding compound; and a plurality of longitudinal cores (28) which are axially and laterally held by an upstream end section (26) on the first core retaining plate (22). It is proposed that, furthermore, it comprises a second core retaining plate (36) which is loosely arranged downstream of the first core retaining plate (22) relative to the mouthpiece frame (14) in the flow direction (15), and in which the areas (32) of the cores (28) farther from the upstream end section (26) are arranged to be radially fixed but axially loose.

A mouthpiece (10) for extruding a molding compound into a formed body which has internal channels, comprises: a mouthpiece frame (14) with a frame opening (16); a first core retaining plate (22) which is fastened in the area of an upstream end of the frame opening (16) when viewed in the flow direction (15) of the molding compound; and a plurality of longitudinal cores (28) which are axially and laterally held by an upstream end section (26) on the first core retaining plate (22). It is proposed that, furthermore, it comprises a second core retaining plate (36) which is loosely arranged downstream of the first core retaining plate (22) relative to the mouthpiece frame (14) in the flow direction (15), and in which the areas (32) of the cores (28) farther from the upstream end section (26) are arranged to be radially fixed but axially loose.

A web. The web includes an array of discrete polymeric tubes, wherein the cross-section of each polymeric tube has a non-circular shape; wherein adjacent polymeric tubes has a bond region; wherein polymeric tubes are hollow polymeric tubes; wherein adjacent polymeric tubes are connected at bond regions; and wherein the web is a continuous web.

A web. The web includes an array of discrete polymeric tubes, wherein the cross-section of each polymeric tube has a non-circular shape; wherein adjacent polymeric tubes has a bond region; wherein polymeric tubes are hollow polymeric tubes; wherein adjacent polymeric tubes are connected at bond regions; and wherein the web is a continuous web.

A concrete dowel placement system and methods for making the same. The system allows for accurate and easy substantially-parallel or parallel placement of slip dowels within sections of concrete so that adjacent sections of concrete may be allowed to undergo thermal expansion and contraction while remaining in a common plane without cracking or faulting. The system includes a coupler and a sheath. The sheath is configured to be slidably extensible over the coupler and may be held to the coupler by friction. An outer surface of the sheath may be textured. Additionally, a method of constructing the concrete dowel placement system includes extruding material to form two tubes of different sizes. The tubes are then attached to each other, then material is extruded or injection molded to form a sheath. Alternatively, construction may include extruding material to form a tube, then removing some of the material from the tube in order to form a coupler.

A concrete dowel placement system and methods for making the same. The system allows for accurate and easy substantially-parallel or parallel placement of slip dowels within sections of concrete so that adjacent sections of concrete may be allowed to undergo thermal expansion and contraction while remaining in a common plane without cracking or faulting. The system includes a coupler and a sheath. The sheath is configured to be slidably extensible over the coupler and may be held to the coupler by friction. An outer surface of the sheath may be textured. Additionally, a method of constructing the concrete dowel placement system includes extruding material to form two tubes of different sizes. The tubes are then attached to each other, then material is extruded or injection molded to form a sheath. Alternatively, construction may include extruding material to form a tube, then removing some of the material from the tube in order to form a coupler.

A spray quenching system including a quench box configured to receive a part for quenching. The system may include mechanical arms disposed within the quench box and thermocouples disposed on the mechanical arms that may be moved to contact the part surface. The system may include non-contact temperature sensors within the quench box that measure the temperature part surface, and spray nozzles within the quench box that spray the part with a quenching fluid. The system may include a controller in electronic communication with the mechanical arms, the spray nozzles, the thermocouples, and the non-contact temperature sensors, that is configured to initiate a quenching process, receive temperature data, analyze the temperature data to determine a temperature difference value, determine that the temperature difference value exceeds a threshold temperature difference value, and adjust the quenching process if the temperature difference value exceeds the threshold temperature difference value.

A method of making a flexible medical article or tube, for example, a sheath for a vascular access device, is provided. The method can include extruding a polymer, for example, a polycarbonate-urethane copolymer, to form a tube and annealing the extruded polymer. The method can further include cutting the extruded tube to a desired length before or after annealing, flaring one end of the annealed tube and over-molding the flared portion onto a hub, and forming the other end of the tube into a tip. A sheath formed by such a method is also provided.

A honeycomb extrusion die body (401) including inlet (414) and exit (402) faces, and a plurality of pins (406) on the exit face (402) defining a matrix of intersecting wide slots (425) and narrow slots (427). The wide slots (425) have an exit width (W1) greater than an exit width (W2) of the narrow slots (427). The die body (401) further includes feedholes (422) at the inlet face (414) and intersecting with inlet portions (416) to the wide slots (425) and/or the narrow slots (427). Some of the pins (406) defining the wide slots (425) include a first surface indentation feature (430) that is (i) located between the inlet portion (416) and the wide slot exit and (ii) spaced away from the wide slot exit. Some of the pins (406) defining the narrow slots (427) include a second surface indentation feature (434) that is (i) located between the inlet portion and the narrow slot exit and (ii) spaced away from the narrow slot exit.