Abstract: By providing a unique product enhancing step which enables any desired section, portion, or element of a product being produced to be treated in a manner to provide desired enhanced physical, structural, and/or aesthetics characteristics, a new, fully integrated enhanced foam manufacturing system is attained which is capable of producing virtually any desired foam product, with each product incorporating any desired area or zone being formed with a particular physical, structural, and/or aesthetic property, characteristic, or enhancement. In addition, in accordance with the teaching of the present invention, any desired cross-sectional shape or configuration is capable of being manufactured in fully automated, high volume, rapid production conditions, with virtual ease and simplicity, with a specific physical, structural, or aesthetic property incorporated therein.

Abstract: By providing an elongated profile which incorporates a plurality of indentations formed therein, a load bearing/cushioning/supporting element is realized. By employing this construction, the element accommodates large strain under force, and shows good resiliency and repeated recovery. The element can be produced from a continuous extrusion process with immediate manipulation to re-shape the extrusion profile, or secondary thermal forming process which follows the extrusion process, or blow molding process, or injection molding process.

Abstract: In the present invention, hollow thermoplastic foam tubes of any desired diameter are easily achieved as well as large sheets or planks of thermoplastic foam material in any width and thickness desired by spirally wrapping and fusing a thermoplastic foam profile having a desired size and shape. By employing a thermoplastic foam extruder to produce a profile having a desired cross-sectional shape or configuration, and advancing the profile onto a rotating support member for being wrapped peripherally surrounding the rotating support and continuously bonding the abutting edges of the profile as the profile is spirally wound, a unique spiral forming and product manufacturing procedure and system is realized. By employing this unique spiral forming process, a hollow cylindrical thermoplastic foam tube is formed on a continuous basis, with the length thereof being controlled only by the needs of the customer.

Abstract: In the present invention, hollow thermoplastic foam tubes of any desired diameter are easily achieved as well as large sheets or planks of thermoplastic foam material in any width and thickness desired by spirally wrapping and fusing a thermoplastic foam profile having a desired size and shape. By employing a thermoplastic foam extruder to produce a profile having a desired cross-sectional shape or configuration, and advancing the profile onto a rotating support member for being wrapped peripherally surrounding the rotating support and continuously bonding the abutting edges of the profile as the profile is spirally wound, a unique spiral forming and product manufacturing procedure and system is realized. By employing this unique spiral forming process, a hollow cylindrical thermoplastic foam tube is formed on a continuous basis, with the length thereof being controlled only by the needs of the customer.

Abstract: By employing a unique manufacturing process, unique manufacturing equipment, or a unique combination of materials, a fully integrated, multilayer foamed thermoplastic or elastomeric member or profile having a core member peripherally surrounded by an outer protective layer is attained which is virtually incapable of being removed from said core member. By effectively melting the adjacent surfaces of the foamed layers being interengaged, a core member having any desired cross-sectional shape is produced and is peripherally surrounded with an outer layer integrally bonded thereto. In one aspect of the present invention, metallocene catalyzed plastic material is employed in forming the core member to impart desirable physical attributes thereto.

Abstract: By achieving an extruded, foamed core formed from plastic material peripherally surrounded and integrally bonded with a cooperating synthetic, plastic, extruded, outer layer, a unique, multi-component, multi-layer synthetic closure is provided which may be employed as a bottle closure or stopper for any desired product, whether the product is a liquid, a viscous material, or a solid distributed in a bottle or container and dispensed through the open portal of the container neck. The present invention achieves a mass producible, resilient, synthetic bottle closure which is employable for any desired bottle, including wine. By employing the present invention, a multi-component or multi-layer synthetic closure is attained which possesses physical properties substantially equal to or better than the physical properties found in cork material, which has caused such cork material to be the principal closure material for wine bottles.

Abstract: By employing a unique manufacturing process, unique manufacturing equipment, or a unique combination of materials, a fully integrated, multilayer foamed thermoplastic or elastomeric member or profile having a core member peripherally surrounded by an outer protective layer is attained which is virtually incapable of being removed from said core member. By effectively melting the adjacent surfaces of the foamed layers being interengaged, a core member having any desired cross-sectional shape is produced and is peripherally surrounded with an outer layer integrally bonded thereto. In one aspect of the present invention, metallocene catalyzed plastic material is employed in forming the core member to impart desirable physical attributes thereto.