Cables are constructed with extruded discontinuities in the cable jacket that allow the jacket to be torn to provide access to the cable core. The discontinuities can be longitudinally extending strips of material in the cable jacket.

Disclosed embodiments provide an electrofusion pipe coupler with mechanical support. The electrofusion pipe coupler comprises a coupler housing. A wire is configured and disposed within the housing. Electrodes are affixed to the coupler housing and in electrical contact with the wire. A threaded pattern is formed in an outer surface of the coupler housing. Gripping wedges are affixed to the coupler housing. Each gripping wedge extends from the coupler housing. A nut is attached to the coupler housing, engaging with the threaded pattern, and compressing the wedges against the connecting pipes. This serves to provide axial load transfer from the connecting pipes to the coupler housing via the wedges, thereby providing improved mechanical stability for such pipe assemblies.

Disclosed embodiments provide an electrofusion pipe coupler with mechanical support. The electrofusion pipe coupler comprises a coupler housing. A wire is configured and disposed within the housing. Electrodes are affixed to the coupler housing and in electrical contact with the wire. A threaded pattern is formed in an outer surface of the coupler housing. Gripping wedges are affixed to the coupler housing. Each gripping wedge extends from the coupler housing. A nut is attached to the coupler housing, engaging with the threaded pattern, and compressing the wedges against the connecting pipes. This serves to provide axial load transfer from the connecting pipes to the coupler housing via the wedges, thereby providing improved mechanical stability for such pipe assemblies.

A Biaxially Oriented Polyethylene (BOPE) process uses a selected polyethylene having a medium density and a very broad molecular weight distribution. The use of this selected polyethylene facilitates stretching in the BOPE process in comparison to previously used polyethylene resins having a higher density and/or a narrower molecular weight distribution.

Methods for processing LLDPE recyclates including, but not limited to, polyethylene and polypropylene and compositions therefrom are provided. LLDPE recyclate can be visbroken to improve processing characteristics and/or devolatilized to remove waste byproducts to produce processed LLDPE recyclates. Processed LLDPE recyclates are compounded with pre-consumer polyolefins to produce blend compositions having acceptable or even improved processing characteristics. Such pre-consumer polyolefins can also be visbroken to further tailor processing characteristics of such polymer blends. A combination of extruders and/or extruder zones can be used at the same or different locations for visbreaking and/or compounding of both LLDPE recyclate and/or pre-consumer polyolefins.

A protective guard for a hand, finger or thumb includes a first thermoplastic layer heat welded to second thermoplastic layer. The second thermoplastic layer has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the first thermoplastic layer.

A protective guard for a hand, finger or thumb includes a first thermoplastic layer heat welded to second thermoplastic layer. The second thermoplastic layer has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of the first thermoplastic layer.

Methods for processing polyolefin recyclates including, but not limited to, polyethylene and polypropylene and compositions therefrom are provided. polyolefin recyclate feedstocks can be visbroken to improve processing characteristics and/or devolatilized to remove waste byproducts to produce processed polyolefin recyclates. Processed polyolefin recyclates are compounded with pre-consumer polyolefins to produce blend compositions having acceptable or even improved processing characteristics. Such pre-consumer polyolefins can also be visbroken to further tailor processing characteristics of such polymer blends. A combination of extruders and/or extruder zones can be used at the same or different locations for visbreaking and/or compounding of both polyolefin recyclate and/or pre-consumer polyolefins.

An optical cable and method for forming an optical cable is provided. The cable includes a cable jacket including an inner surface defining a channel and an outer surface and also includes a plurality of optical fibers located within the channel. The cable includes a seam within the cable jacket that couples together opposing longitudinal edges of a wrapped thermoplastic sheet which forms the cable jacket and maintains the cable jacket in the wrapped configuration around the plurality of optical fibers. The method includes forming an outer cable jacket by wrapping a sheet of thermoplastic material around a plurality of optical core elements. The method includes melting together portions of thermoplastic material of opposing longitudinal edges of the wrapped sheet such that a seam is formed holding the sheet of thermoplastic material in the wrapped configuration around the core elements.

An optical cable and method for forming an optical cable is provided. The cable includes a cable jacket including an inner surface defining a channel and an outer surface and also includes a plurality of optical fibers located within the channel. The cable includes a seam within the cable jacket that couples together opposing longitudinal edges of a wrapped thermoplastic sheet which forms the cable jacket and maintains the cable jacket in the wrapped configuration around the plurality of optical fibers. The method includes forming an outer cable jacket by wrapping a sheet of thermoplastic material around a plurality of optical core elements. The method includes melting together portions of thermoplastic material of opposing longitudinal edges of the wrapped sheet such that a seam is formed holding the sheet of thermoplastic material in the wrapped configuration around the core elements.