A method of producing a shaped object includes preparing a formation sheet that includes a base and a thermally expansive layer that is laminated on a first main surface of the base, the thermally expansive layer containing a binder and a thermal expansion material; laminating, onto a second main surface on a side opposite to the first main surface of the base or onto the thermally expansive layer, a thermal conversion layer in predetermined pattern, the thermal conversion layer converting first electromagnetic waves into heat; and causing the thermally expansive layer to expand in a pattern that corresponds to the predetermined pattern by irradiating the formation sheet on which the thermal conversion layer is laminated with the first electromagnetic waves and second electromagnetic waves that cause the binder to become cross-linked.

A thermally expandable sheet includes: a first thermally expansive layer that is formed on one side of a base and contains a first thermally expandable material; and a second thermally expansive layer that is formed on the first thermally expansive layer and contains a second thermally expandable material, wherein the second thermally expandable material further contains white pigment.

A film capable of covering an article having a three-dimensional shape by heat expansion provided by one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an outermost layer disposed on an outermost surface, and a polyurethane thermal adhesive layer, which contains a thermoplastic polyurethane selected from the group consisting of polyester-based polyurethanes and polycarbonate-based polyurethanes and is thermally adhered to the article during the heat expansion, wherein the fracture strength of the polyurethane thermal adhesive layer is not less than 1 MPa at 135° C., and the storage modulus at 150° C. and frequency 1.0 Hz is from 5×10.sup.3 Pa to 5×10.sup.5 Pa, and the coefficient of loss tan δ is not less than 0.1.

A method for producing a composite component including a bottom layer, cover layer and honeycomb structure, including applying the honeycomb structure to the bottom layer wherein honeycomb chambers are formed. Honeycomb chambers are filled in a reinforcement region with a granular material and granular material is removed from other honeycomb chambers wherein each honeycomb chamber is filled up to a granular-material filling height and honeycomb chambers outside the reinforcement region are free of granular material. The cover layer is applied to the honeycomb structure wherein the honeycomb chambers are closed. The composite component is heated so the granular material in the honeycomb chambers expands to fill it with granular material and the cover layer, the bottom layer, the honeycomb structure and the expanded granular material harden, the density of the expanded granular material in the honeycomb chambers filled with granular material being dependent on the granular-material filling height.

Brain motion monitoring systems and methods are disclosed that can detect interpret and/or display normal and abnormal brain motions. The devices and methods can detect Cerebrovascular Stenosis and provide for Noninvasive Intracranial Pressure Measurement.

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatuses for relofting nonwoven substrates. During the relofting process, a substrate is directed to advance in a first direction such that a length of the substrate is in a facing relationship with a radiation source. The advancing substrate is relofted by irradiating the length of the substrate with infrared radiation from the infrared radiation source. The substrate comprises a first caliper upstream of the radiation source and the substrate comprises a second caliper downstream of the radiation source greater than the first caliper. The substrate may also be redirected around an axis to advance the substrate in a second direction, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction. The axis may be selectively movable between a first position and a second position to selectively subject the substrate to infrared radiation and remove the substrate from the infrared radiation.

A thermoplastic composite article comprising a porous core layer comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibers, a lofting agent and a thermoplastic material is provided. In certain instances, the article further comprises a skin layer disposed on the core layer and an adhesive layer between the core layer and the skin layer. In some configurations, the adhesive layer comprises a thermoplastic polymer and an effective amount of a thermosetting material to provide a post-molding peel strength between the skin layer and the post lofted core layer of at least 0.5 N/cm (in either or both of the machine direction or cross direction) as tested by DIN 53357 A dated Oct. 1, 1982.

A method for producing a composite component including a bottom layer, cover layer and honeycomb structure, including applying the honeycomb structure to the bottom layer wherein honeycomb chambers are formed. Honeycomb chambers are filled in a reinforcement region with a granular material and granular material is removed from other honeycomb chambers wherein each honeycomb chamber is filled up to a granular-material filling height and honeycomb chambers outside the reinforcement region are free of granular material. The cover layer is applied to the honeycomb structure wherein the honeycomb chambers are closed. The composite component is heated so the granular material in the honeycomb chambers expands to fill it with granular material and the cover layer, the bottom layer, the honeycomb structure and the expanded granular material harden, the density of the expanded granular material in the honeycomb chambers filled with granular material being dependent on the granular-material filling height.

Underbody shield materials that can provide an underbody shield with high impact resistance are described. In some configurations, an underbody shield composition comprises a porous core layer comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibers, a lofting agent and a thermoplastic material. In some instances, the underbody shield composition may also comprise a film such that an underbody shield produced from the composition can withstand at least 50 individual impacts as tested using a SAE J400 protocol.

A thermoplastic composite article comprising a porous core layer comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibers, a lofting agent and a thermoplastic material is provided. In certain instances, the article further comprises a skin layer disposed on the core layer and an adhesive layer between the core layer and the skin layer. In some configurations, the adhesive layer comprises a thermoplastic polymer and an effective amount of a thermosetting material to provide a post-molding peel strength between the skin layer and the post lofted core layer of at least 0.5 N/cm (in either or both of the machine direction or cross direction) as tested by DIN 53357 A dated Oct. 1, 1982.