Abstract: A soft panel has a layer formed from thermoplastic fiber clusters comprised of a very high percentage of crooked matrix fibers and a very low percentage of crooked binder fibers with a lower melt temperature and wherein the fibers have a plurality of bends that entangle the fibers together in the clusters. The fiber clusters are blown onto a first foraminous screen that defines a retainer side of the fiber layer and through which air is being drawn. A second foraminous screen is then added to compact the fiber clusters and define a skin side of the fiber layer. Hot air is then circulated through the compacted fiber clusters to melt the binder fibers to fuse the matrix fibers together where they touch to form an integral soft springy fiber cluster layer to the shape of the screens.

Abstract: A process for preparing multi-level, selectively expanded, resinous sheeting comprising:(A) providing a composite comprising a backing material and adhered thereto a layer of a foamable resin which contains a blowing agent;(B) forming a partially printed composite by applying to a portion of the surface of the layer a composition containing an accelerator which functions to lower the temperature at which the blowing agent decomposes and by applying to some, but not all, of the other portions of the surface of the layer a composition containing an inhibitor which functions to decrease the activity of the blowing agent; and(C) forming the multi-level, selectively expanded, resinous sheeting by raising the temperature of the printed composite to a level such that the blowing agent decomposes and the resin fuses, the decomposition of the blowing agent evolving gas which causes expansion of the foamable resin in the portion where the surface is not printed and expansion of the foamable resin in the portion where t

Abstract: A non-woven fabric in which large fiber bundles of the fabric intersect one another, small fiber bundles thereof intersect one another among said large fiber bundles, and the fibers of the fiber bundles are being entangled with one another among the large fiber bundles, among the small fiber bundles and at the intersecting points of the fiber bundles, may be manufactured by fluid-entangling fiber webs on a support member having large pores to obtain said large fiber bundles therein; and further fluid-entangling fiber webs of the resultant intermediate on a support member having small pores from either the same direction or the opposite direction to form said small fiber bundles therein. The non-woven fabric has excellent draping property, covering property and abrasion resistance and can be used as an interlining, as a base material for synthetic leathers, as a variety of base materials, as an interior material, as a simple garment, as a medical gown, etc.

Abstract: The perforated sheet, in particular for sanitary articles, and made of a substance that is impervious to liquid, includes a multiplicity of craters each having a base in the plane of the outside face, an apex, and a sidewall that slopes between the base and the apex. The peripheral shape of the base includes at least one zone of discontinuity such that on going round the periphery of each crater, its sidewall presents non-uniform inclination with angles of inclination relative to the perpendicular to the plane of the outside face of the sheet that vary between positive values and negative values, said angle being negative at least in the zone of discontinuity. The peripheral shape of the base is preferably the result of partially overlapping a plurality of curved geometrical shapes, in particular circles and ellipses, and the zone of discontinuity corresponds to the junction between superposed shapes.

Abstract: Disclosed are fibrous structures comprised of shaped fibers wherein the thickness of the compressed fibrous structure at 1.00 psi is .gtoreq.1.3 times that of a similar compressed structure having the same area density and made from round cross section fibers of the same dpf as the shaped fibers. The invention is useful in articles such as coats, gloves, boats, shoes, etc. made using the structures disclosed herein. The surprising feature of structures according to the present invention is the thickness retention at high pressures. This retained thickness under pressure translates directly into decreased heat transfer or improved insulation.

Abstract: Rigid thermally insulating panel (1) which consists of at least two flexible composite sheets (2) spaced apart by a great number of flexible strands (3) arranged so that in the inflated state the two composite sheets (2) are held apart and in predetermined positions one with respect to the other, each composite sheet (2) comprising, from the center toward the outside: a protective internal sheet (4), transparent to electromagnetic waves, a thin sheet (5) of a metal reflecting electromagnetic waves, a layer (6) for protecting the metal sheet, a fibrous layer (7) providing the sheet with mechanical strength, a layer (8) of a coating polymer providing proofing, a layer (9) for protecting an underlying metal sheet, a thin sheet (10) of a metal reflecting electromagnetic waves, and a protective outer layer (11) transparent to electromagnetic waves.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a low-weight, high-strength composite pad, and a method of making the same. The composite pad has a substantially rigid board and at least one reinforcing coating on one or more sides of the board. The reinforcing coating has a foamable material with a fibrous fabric bonded thereto. At least one layer of a slurry mixture then covers the reinforcing coating. Also generally described, the method of making the present invention involves forming in a mold a reinforced core of the substantially rigid board, the foamable material, and the fibrous fabric, removing the reinforced core from the mold, and then applying the layer of slurry mixture thereto.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fiber-reinforced porous plastic tube which is essentially composed with fibers having a high tensile modulus such as glass fibers and a matrix resin such as polyethylene, and has continuous pores, and excellent mechanical strength. This porous tube is useful for structural materials in a building and/or construction, filters, diffusing tubes, drain materials and the like.

Abstract: An endless flexible seamed belt formed by joining two ends of material from which the belt is fabricated each end of which has a plurality of mutually mating elements in a puzzle cut pattern which are in interlocking relationship to prevent separation of the ends and which form a seam when joined mechanically to enable the flexible belt to essentially function as an endless belt having a substantially uniform thickness, said seam having voids between mutually mating elements at least partially filled with a seam strength enhancing material which is chemically and physically compatible with the material from which the belt is fabricated and which substance applied as a strip or on a strip over the seam and is bound to said belt material, said bond having been formed by the application of heat and/or pressure to a strip of said compatible placed material on at least one side of the seam at least substantially covering the seam.

Abstract: A tubular intraluminal graft for repairing body conduits, made from at least one layer of porous expanded PTFE film that has a microstructure having fibrils oriented in at least two directions which are substantially perpendicular to each other. The tubular intraluminal graft has a wall thickness of less than about 0.25 mm and may have a longitudinally or helically oriented seamline. Additional reinforcing components such as reinforcing ribs or braids may also be provided.

Abstract: The glass cloth canvas of the present invention comprises a glass cloth having a mass of not less than 100 g/m.sup.2 and a thickness of not less than 0.10 mm and surface-coated with one or more resins selected from acrylic, urethane and melamine resins in an amount of 10 g/m.sup.2 or more.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a water absorbent composition comprising 100 parts by weight of water absorbing polymer particles and 0.5 to 30 parts of a resin powder having heat adhesion property at 50.degree.-200.degree. C. The present invention also relates to a water absorbing material and water absorbing products using the said water absorbing material comprising the water absorbing polymer particles, a resin having heat adhesion property at 50.degree.-200.degree. C. and fibrous material, wherein the water absorbing polymer particles are adhered to the fibrous material through the resin by heat treatment at temperature exceeding the temperature exhibits heat adhesion property of the resin. The water absorbent composition of the present invention provides excellent adhesion to a fibrous material, while it maintains the water absorbency of the original water absorbing polymer, and is consequently useful as raw material for sanitary goods such as disposable diapers and sanitary napkins etc.

Abstract: The skin plate product according to the invention is an adhesive, flat skin plate product for use as a semi-manufacture in the production of dressings, skin and wound care devices, fastening means for dressings, ostomy equipment, wound drains and catheters for incontinence equipment, in particular for men, and for use in electrodes for application to the skin, the said skin plate product having an area being delimited by the periphery of the product, and a first surface and a second surface consisting of two or more essentially non-mixed material units (1, 1', 2, 2', 2a, 2b, 2c, 4, 11, 12, 21, 21', 22, 22', 31, 32, 33, 41, 42, 43), at least two material units being of different material, of which at least one material unit is a skin friendly self-adhesive material, and where a first material unit (1, 1', 11, 21, 21', 31, 41) extends throughout the area of the entire product, this material unit further constituting at least a portion of the first surface (6, 26, 26', 36, 46) and the second surface (5, 25, 25',

Abstract: The invention is a wound dressing prepared from alginate fibers which have good structural integrity, whereby layers are firmly joined together, e.g. by stitching or calendering at a plurality of points to produce a composite fabric.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tubular casing for location around food products prior to cooking or curing that produce a quilted-like surface pattern to the surface of the food product. The invention comprises a first tubular portion that is knitted in continuous lengths such that the wall of the first tubular portion is stretchable, and circumferential and longitudinal threads secured to the surface of the first tubular portion that become taut as food product is located within the first tubular portion such that a quilted surface pattern is applied to the surface of the product.

Abstract: Braided tubular sleeving with at least two rib strands braided into and around the circumference, optionally encased in a smooth unribbed braid, and in one aspect having a collar or ferrule at one or both ends. It is also a kit comprising a section of the sleeving and a collar or collars and a method of protecting tubing, hose and wire bundles with such sleeving.

Abstract: A biopolymer solution is polymerized to form a gel which is freeze-dried and crosslinked with ultraviolet radiation to form a biopolymer foam. The foam is filled with a collagen solution and the combination is freeze-dried or the foam is filled with a collagen solution containing extracellular matrix particulates and that combination is freeze-dried, thereby forming a foam to which extracellular matrix particulates are attached.

Abstract: A laminated liner comprising a non-slip pad and a sheet covering. The non-slip pad has opposite first and second faces and a plurality of open cells extending through the pad from the first face to the second face. The pad is formed of a frictionalizing material to grip the surface for resisting movement in the plane of the surface when the second face contacts the surface. The sheet covering also has opposite first and second faces. The sheet covering second face is permanently bonded to the non-slip pad first face.

Abstract: An activated carbon is modified to have bactericidal properties and/or an additional ability to remove heavy metals and other toxic substances. Said modified activated carbon is especially suitable for purifying drinking water and can be readily modified to be suitable for various regions with specific tap water impurities. Pursuant to the invention, activated carbon fiber is treated to adsorb a member of the group consisting of cations, anions, organic complex forming agents, surfactants, polyelectrolytes and organic bactericidal compounds.

Abstract: According to the present invention provided is a gold wire for IC chip bonding which wire is unlikely to be broken after thermosonic wire bonding at an increased ultrasonic output, subsequent reverse deformation involving severe bonding and deformation of a ball neck portion and formation of a loop. The bonding gold wire essentially consists of 0.0001-0.005 wt % of Pt, 0.0001-0.005 wt % of Ag, 0.0005-0.005 wt % of Mg and 0.00005-0.005 wt % of Eu; with the balance being Au, said Au having less than 0.001% by weight of incidental impurity.