A dental appliance for positioning a patient's teeth includes a removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to directly receive at least some of the patient's teeth and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient's teeth. The appliance includes a hard polymer layer having a hard polymer layer elastic modulus disposed between a first soft polymer layer having a first soft polymer layer elastic modulus and a second soft polymer layer having a second soft polymer layer elastic modulus. The hard polymer layer elastic modulus is greater than each of the first soft polymer layer elastic modulus and the second soft polymer layer elastic modulus. At least one of the first soft polymer layer and the second soft polymer layer has a flexural modulus of greater than about 35,000 psi.

The present invention relates to a composite comprising (1) a bottom layer comprising expanded thermoplastic elastomer particles; and (2) a surface layer on the bottom layer, and the use of such composites in flooring surfaces sports, sports hall floorings, swimming pool hall floorings, running tracks, sports facilities, playgrounds, kindergartens, park walkway and pavements.

One aspect of the invention provides a system including: a length of energy-dissipative tubing; a first sealing device coupled to a first end of the length of energy-dissipative tubing; and a second sealing device coupled to a second end of the length of energy-dissipative tubing. Exposure to one or more selected from the group consisting of: fault currents or lightning strikes at an exposure point along the length of energy-dissipative tubing will produce arcs at the exposure point and at least one of the first end and the second end.

Disclosed is a bonded assembly comprising at least: a first substrate, a second substrate, an intermediate deformation layer secured to the first substrate, the intermediate deformation layer comprising a material in which cavities are provided so that the intermediate deformation layer has a stiffness which is variable along a direction parallel to the intermediate deformation layer, an adhesive between the intermediate layer and the second substrate.

A method and system for the characterization of equibiaxial compressive strength in 2D woven composites, such as carbon fiber reinforced laminate composites, is disclosed using induced biaxial flexure, the strain measurements from which are used to determine the equibiaxial compressive strength of the composite.

A polymer bilayer includes a layer of a porous fluoropolymer directly overlying a layer of polyethylene. The polyethylene layer may be porous or dense and may include an ultra-high molecular weight polymer. The polymer bilayer may be co-integrated with structures (e.g., wearable devices) exposed to high thermal loads (>0-1000 W/m.sup.2) and provide passive cooling thereof. For instance, passive cooling of AR/VR glasses under different solar loads may be achieved by a polymer bilayer that is both highly reflective across solar heating wavelengths and highly emissive in the long-wavelength infrared. The high reflectance decreases energy absorption across the solar spectrum while the high emissivity promotes radiative heat transfer to the surroundings.

A polymeric film, sheet, or extrusion coating is formed as a multilayered structure having at least one A layer and at least one B layer. The polymeric film, sheet, or extrusion coating is able to include at least 30% recycled content resin while also exhibiting improved stiffness and strength relative to films with purely virgin polymers. One embodiment of the present invention further presents improved oxygen barrier properties relative to existing films, sheets, or extrusion coatings. Due to the strong structural properties, the polymeric film, sheet, or extrusion coating allows for the inclusion of recycled content into applications where recycled content has previously not been able to be included, such as flexible food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetics packaging.

A polymeric film, sheet, or extrusion coating is formed as a multilayered structure having at least one A layer and at least one B layer. The polymeric film, sheet, or extrusion coating is able to include at least 30% recycled content resin while also exhibiting improved stiffness and strength relative to films with purely virgin polymers. One embodiment of the present invention further presents improved oxygen barrier properties relative to existing films, sheets, or extrusion coatings. Due to the strong structural properties, the polymeric film, sheet, or extrusion coating allows for the inclusion of recycled content into applications where recycled content has previously not been able to be included, such as flexible food, pharmaceutical, or cosmetics packaging.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument includes a staple cartridge including a plurality of staples and a cartridge deck. The staple cartridge assembly also includes a compressible adjunct positionable against the cartridge deck, wherein the staples are deployable into tissue captured against the compressible adjunct, and wherein the compressible adjunct comprises a first biocompatible layer comprising a first portion, a second biocompatible layer comprising a second portion, and crossed spacer fibers extending between the first portion and the second portion.

A waveform reinforced skateboard deck with an intermediate body extending between a nose end and an opposing tail end, the deck further including an outermost top rider bearing surface and an outermost bottom truck mounting surface with at least a portion of at least one of the surfaces having a plurality of spaced apart elongated waveforms defining peaks and troughs projecting along a substantially sinuous path between the nose and tail ends.