Abstract: The device relates generally to a seating system and more particularly to seat cushion assemblies having a rearward depression and cushioning insert tailored to fit under the skeletal structure of the user. In particular, the assembly preferably includes an intermediate insert which fits within a base depression and a cushioning insert which can be a fluid bag, air bag, foam or gel. The insert is generally oval shaped and has a rounded bottom. This enables the cushion to be used to fit under the seating bones so as to provide a proper pelvic tilt. Further, the insert can be moved in order to provide controlled movement of the pelvis over time. A first cushioning insert is generally constructed of a material forming baffles so as to define air chambers and having a right and left seat bone area. A second design has a top and bottom so as to define the fluid envelope separated by a central baffle having apertures to allow fluid communication between the right an left portions.

Abstract: A bone plate assembly is provided having a fixation plate held in position in a bone by a plurality of fasteners. The fasteners extend through holes in the bone plate to engage the bone below. Further, the assembly includes a locking plate which is secured to the fixation plate by means of a lock screw extending through an opening in the locking plate. Further, the locking plate has a dovetailed connection to engage the flanges defining the exterior edges of a channel and the fixation plate. The locking plate, thus, has a sliding connection from a first position where it has at least partial openings corresponding to the openings of the fixation plate for the fasteners, and optionally also for a graft screw. In a second position, the edge of the plate surrounding the opening overlaps the fastener openings so as to lock these openings against the fastener backing out.

Abstract: The invention provides a three-dimensional geometric porous engineered structure for use as a bone mass replacement or fusion augmentation device. The structure is a space-filling, self-supporting structure constructed of rigid filaments joined together to form regular, repeating geometric shapes. The structure supports the skeletal structure as well as the surrounding tissue during rehabilitation and/or bone fusion. Further, the structure provides many open intersticial areas, which are appropriately shaped and sized for bone in-growth. One preferred geometric structure is based on repeating modified dodecahedrons which are built from pentagons. The resulting structure has two transverse planes of bilateral symmetry. Other embodiments include disc shaped structures and structures having open internal areas to allow the possibility of auto graft, allograft, or artificial bone substitute.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for decreasing dynamic modulus without decreasing hardness in silica tread compounds in tires made in accordance with this method. The tread composition comprises an elastomer including a performance-enhancing package comprising silica, carbon black and a silica replacement. The replacement replaces up to about 40 percent by weight of the silica and yet maintains one or more selected performance properties as if the performance enhancement package were pure carbon black and silica. The replacement is kaolin clay present in conjunction with a silane coupling agent. In the method of the present invention kaolin clay is used as a replacement for about 5 to about 20 parts, by weight, of silica in the compounding of silica tread compounds.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition has a plastic phase or matrix of an engineering thermoplastic such as an ester polymer and a crosslinked phase of self-cured acrylic rubber particles. The rubber particles are the reaction product of at least one functionalized acrylic rubber self-cured by a different functionalized acrylic rubber wherein the functional groups are generally a carboxyl, an epoxy, or hydroxyl, and the like. The composition can be dynamically vulcanized in the presence of an accelerator and desirably has a single low temperature brittle point.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition has a plastic phase or matrix of an engineering thermoplastic such as an ester polymer and a crosslinked phase of cured acrylic rubbers. The rubbers are cured by a curing agent and contain at least two functionalized acrylic rubbers wherein the functional group such as a carboxyl, an epoxy, or a hydroxyl can be the same or different. The composition can be dynamically vulcanized and desirably when one of the functionalized acrylic rubbers is a terpolymer of ethylene-alkyl acrylate-unsaturated carboxylic acid, the composition has a single low temperature brittle point.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition has a plastic phase or matrix of an engineering thermoplastic such as a polyamide and a crosslinked phase of cured acrylic rubbers. The rubbers contain at least two functionalized acrylic rubbers wherein the functional group such as a carboxyl, an epoxy, or a hydroxyl can be the same or different. The curing agents generally react via covalent bonding with the reactive functional groups of the rubbers. The composition can be dynamically vulcanized and when one of the rubbers is a terpolymer of ethylene-alkyl acrylate-unsaturated carboxylic acid, the composition has a single low temperature brittle point.

Abstract: These polymers are copolymers or overpolymers having a substrate of styrene butadiene copolymer overpolymerized with an amine substituted alkyl acrylate. The polymers promote adhesion between organic and inorganic substrates and unsaturated polymers.

Abstract: A thermoplastic polyurethane is provided which has electrostatic dissipative properties. The thermoplastic polyurethane comprises the polymeric reaction product of an ethylene ether oligomer glycol intermediate co-reacted with a non-hindered diisocyanate and an extender glycol to produce the polyurethane polymer. The ethylene ether oligomer glycol intermediate comprises a polyethylene glycol. The oligomer glycol intermediate has an average molecular weight from about 500 to about 5,000.

Abstract: Curable epoxy resins are toughened with statistical monofunctional carboxyl, amine or epoxy-terminated reactive polymers and have low viscosities before cure thereby making them useful in a wide range of applications. The cured epoxy resin systems which are modified by the statistical monofunctional reactive polymers have physical properties, such as adhesion and elongation, generally equal to or better than those of cured epoxy resin systems modified with statistical difunctional reactive polymers. A process of preparation of the modified epoxy resin systems of the present invention includes admixing an epoxy resin with a statistical monofunctional carboxyl, amine, or epoxy-terminated reactive polymer in the presence of a curing agent and reaction therewith to form the toughened, cured epoxy resin system.

Abstract: A colloidal system is provided which is the emulsion polymerization product of an alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid where the alkyl portion of the ester substituent has from about 1 to about 18 carbon atoms; from about 0.5 to about 60 phm of acrylonitrile or substituted acrylonitrile; from about 0.005 to about 25 phm of a monocarboxylic or dicarboxylic acid; and optionally from about 0 to about 5 phm of a chain transfer agent. The latex system can be used to treat a fibrous substrate, and particular paper, to improve delamination and tensile characteristics.

Abstract: The invention relates to a whitened polymeric blend composition in which the whiteness is achieved by the substitution of from about 0 to about 20 parts per hundred rubber of calcium sulfate for from about 0 to about 20 parts per hundred rubber of titanium dioxide by volume. The invention allows for a reduction of up to 20 percent of the titanium dioxide, while maintaining a brightness of at least 85 as measured on the L scale of the Minolta Chroma Meter test.

Abstract: Radiation curable linear thermoplastic polyurethanes having imido pendent groups of the formula (A) ##STR1## wherein Z is an unsaturated C.sub.2-12 hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl group (preferably H.sub.3 CC.dbd.CCH.sub.3) capable of undergoing photocrosslinking with another like group Z, are prepared by reaction of (a) a macroglycol of molecular weight 500-7,000, (b) one or more glycol chain extenders each having a molecular weight less than 500, which may include one or more low molecular weight aliphatic glycols (e.g., a C.sub.2-12 alkylene glycol or mixture thereof), and (c) an organic diisocyanate. Either a macroglycol or a chain extender must include a radiation sensitive pendent imido group of the above formula (A). The thermoplastic polyurethanes herein have hard and soft segments. Pendent groups (A) are present in the hard segments when a chain extender containing pendent group (A) is used, and are present in the soft segment when a macroglycol having pendent group (A) is used.

Abstract: A hinged flexible article is provided which has rigid or semirigid substrate means with an insert of a hinge material which permits repeated flexing of the article about the hinge without failure. The substrate means has a hardness of at least about 35 Shore D as measured by ASTM test D-2240, while the hinge material has a hardness of from about 25 to about 60 Shore D as measured by ASTM test D-2240.

Abstract: An interpolymer that is substantially devoid of formaldehyde and that does not evolve formaldehyde nor decomposes to produce any substantial amount of formaldehyde, is used in the production of impregnated or treated paper, woven and nonwoven fabrics. The interpolymer is produced in latex form by polymerizing in the presence of water, an emulsifier and in initiator, a monomer charge containing at least one polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer and a N-alkylol amide of an alpha, beta ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid where the alkylol group contains at least two carbon atoms. Alternatively, the N-alkylol amide can be produced in situ by the reaction of amide of an alpha, beta ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid with the corresponding aldehyde to give the desired N-alkylol amide having at least two carbon atoms in the alkylol group.