Abstract: A method of forming prosthetic sockets is provided that first creates a negative mold of the patient's residual limb while it is disposed in a positive flexion position. The mold is then removed and shaped to permit the desired range of flexion when the mold is repositioned on the residual limb. A second cast is made of the residual limb that incorporates the mold. A positive model of the residual limb is then formed, from which test or definitive sockets may be formed. The present method further lends itself to the formation of sockets using a cast-in-place methodology while the limb is disposed in a positive flexion position.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing slippery-proof foam materials having protruded threads, which comprises the steps of foaming Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) or EVA pellets into a foam material plate, attaching a high heat resisting mesh cloth onto the surface of the plate, heating the plate by a heating device to soften the material to an extent of being suitable for a plastic formation, rolling and pressing the plate by a rolling mold or a piece of mold having an even surface and a plurality of tiny grooves thereon, so that the section of the plate receiving a larger rolling and pressing force moves towards the section receiving a smaller rolling and pressing force, and then passes through the meshes of the high heat resisting mesh cloth under the condition of being held up by the high heat resisting mesh cloth to form evenly protruded threads on the surface thereof after being cooled immediately.

Abstract: The present invention is an article comprising a shaped rigid foam part; a heat activated foamable adhesive applied directly to at least a portion of the outer surface of the shaped foam part and an integral locating means. A second aspect of the invention is a method of forming a foam filled vehicle hollow member comprising, (a) inserting into a vehicular hollow member a rigid foam part comprised of a rigid foam having a heat activated foamable adhesive on at least a portion of the rigid foam insert and at least one integral locating means extending from a surface of the rigid foam, (b) engaging the locating means with the hollow member to locate the rigid foam part within the hollow member, and (c) heating the hollow member having the rigid foam part therein to a temperature and for a time sufficient to activate the heat activated expandable adhesive to form the foam filled vehicle hollow member.

Abstract: A process for preparing artificial bone is described which comprises: (i) preparing a mixture of a finely divided bio-compatible ceramic powder, an organic binder and a pore-forming agent in an inert liquid to form a body and causing at least some of the pore-forming agent to align along a common axis; (ii) optionally shaping the resulting body; (iii) allowing the pore-forming agent to form a porous structure in the body; (iv) heating the shaped body to a temperature sufficient to fix the porous structure and; (v) further heating the body to eliminate residues of organic binder and pore-forming agent and to fuse it.

Abstract: A gear molding method for molding a plurality of plastic gears having a different number of ribs without changing costly gates uses a mold having a prescribed gear shape including a prescribed number of grooves substantially radially arranged in the mold. A prescribed number of gates is provided for pouring molten plastic into the mold. When a plastic gear is molded and separated from the mold, a prescribed number of grooves are additionally cut at a middle angular position between each of the pair of neighboring grooves without changing the gates. Then, another gear having increased number of ribs is molded using the same gates.

Abstract: Process for the manufacture of an article comprising a rigid support element of which a “show” face is partially covered by a supple covering. The covering is connected to a relatively rigid holding element having its own shape and a strength such that it is not substantially deformed under predetermined foaming conditions, in order substantially to maintain the covering in a predetermined shape. Then, the covering and the support element are placed in a foaming mould, and, since the support element has a hollow region delimited by a peripheral rim, a docking surface of the covering is disposed opposite the peripheral rim. Foam is thus introduced into the mould, between the support element and the covering, under the predetermined conditions, in order to connect the covering and the support element.

Abstract: An indirect solid free form scaffold manufacturing technique is provided. More particularly, the present invention provides a set of molds, casting methods, mold removals, and surface modification techniques that are compatible with image-based design methods and with solvent, melt, and slurry casting of polymers and ceramics.

Abstract: Processes for the preparation of adherent polyvinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene coatings on objects and for the direct production of open celled foams from a polymer latex without a need for any blowing agent.

Abstract: Objects of the present invention are to provide a method for molding polymers to be able to mold products each of which has an outer shape transferred accurately from the shape of the inside of a mold, exhibits high dimensional accuracy and is uniform in the thickness of its surface skin layer and the expansion ratio in its foamed inside. A molten polymer 60 is injected into a cavity 30 and simultaneously gas is pressed to the inside of the molten polymer 60 to contact the polymer close to the surface of the mold, and then gas is exhausted while maintaining the shape inside the mold, to thereby mold a polymer formed product in which a surface skin layer 61 and a foamed inside 62 having cushioning property are formed in one piece.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for foam-injection molding a thermoplastic resin, comprising: (1) providing a mold comprising a fixed mold half and a movable mold half mating with the fixed mold half to thereby form a mold cavity defined by an inner wall of the fixed mold half and an inner wall of the movable mold half, wherein the mold cavity has an inner wall which has a molten resin releasing means, (2) injecting a foamable thermoplastic resin in a molten form into the mold cavity of the mold, thereby forming a foamable molten resin mass in the mold cavity, (3) applying a pressure to the foamable molten resin mass in the mold cavity to press the surface of the foamable molten resin mass against the inner wall of the mold cavity, thereby allowing a surface portion of the foamable molten resin mass to be solidified to form a surface skin layer of the foamable molten resin mass, and (4) releasing a portion of the foamable molten resin mass under the foaming pressure exerted by the foamable molten resin mass to the outs

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing porous structure having similar properties to that of the porous structure produced with conventional urethane resin solution in organic solvent and suitable for artificial leather, wherein the environmental pollution in the production process with a urethane resin solution in organic solvent and adverse effect on human health caused from remained organic solvent are solved and the problems caused from nonuniform pores produced with urethane resin emulsion are solved.

Abstract: A method for fabricating foam cored items in which the foam core is tightly encased by an outer shell. The method is particularly suited for fabricating foam collars that are located above the chine of a boat and extend longitudinally along the sides of the boat to provide stabilization for the boat during high performance maneuvering and/or provide a fendering system.

Abstract: A die-expanded molding apparatus comprising starting material bead supply for supplying beads on a current of air from a tank through a packer into a cavity formed by a core and cavity molds; a plurality of air expulsion devices having air pressure-adjusting components communicating with the cavity, a dual-system air expulsion device being such that steam chambers on the back side of the core mold and the cavity mold are used as the air pressure-adjusting components, each communicating with the cavity through through-holes formed in the core and cavity molds, respectively; an air expulsion device having one or more air pressure-adjusting components communicating with a clearance between the core and cavity molds; and a control for controlling the air pressure in each of the air pressure-adjusting components to be pressurized less than the pressure in the tank.

Abstract: A molded resin laminate in which the dimensional accuracy and the strength are excellent at a bent portion and a method for producing the same are provided. One, in which an average diameter of small cells existing in a region on a side of a resin cover to be formed into a surface layer is smaller than an average diameter of large cells existing in a region on a side of a base resin component to be formed into a base layer, is used as a foamed resin component to be formed into an intermediate layer of the molded resin laminate. After the base resin component is molded with a molding machine, the base resin component is held on a male mold of a forming machine different from the molding machine described above. A sheet-shaped laminate, which is obtained by joining the foamed resin component and the resin cover, is arranged between the base resin component and a female mold. Subsequently, the forming machine is subjected to mold clamping.

Abstract: A process produces foamed articles, especially foamed articles for upholstering car seats. The foamed articles include an adhesive closing part having adhesive elements incorporated into the foaming mold generating the foamed article and covered by a foam-protecting cover. The adhesive closing part itself constitutes the cover. A lateral cover of the adhesive closing part whose width overlaps the surface area on which the adhesive elements are arranged and is releasably attached to the foaming mold by a fixing device. This design simplifies the foaming process and keeps production costs low.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing shoe components using EVA copolymer of film shape having a thickness of 0.01 to 2 mm, preferably 0.1 to 1.0 mm and a surface roughness variations which cannot be easily discriminated through touch or sight, and a shoe component manufactured by the method are provided. The method overcomes the drawbacks caused during the process of manufacturing a shoe component with different mechanical physical properties or colors. The method allows for ease of manufacture of a shoe component with two or more types of colors or physical properties, through a single foam molding process using a film with less variation and ease of processing, to thereby simplify manufacturing procedures and reduce manufacturing costs. In addition, a high quality shoe component with no additional seam-line is obtained.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a cushion body of a seat cushion that can be easily reinforced in low cost, to provide a method for manufacturing such a cushion body and to provide an apparatus for manufacturing such a cushion body. A cushion body 10 of a seat cushion has a main part and a side part generally corresponding to a main part and a side part of the seat cushion. The cushion body 10 comprises a foamed body 11 formed in a shape generally corresponding to an outline of the cushion body 10, an air-permeable material 12 fixed to the cushion body 10 and an impregnation layer 13 that serves to reinforce a portion of the cushion body 10 where the air-permeable material 12 is fixed to the foamed body 11. The foamed body his made of cold urethane foam. The thickness of the impregnation layer 13 has a thickness that can provide a predetermined strength to reinforce a portion of the cushion body 10 where the air-permeable material 12 is fixed to the foamed body 11.

Abstract: A method for making a foam sheet having ventilation holes includes the steps of: (a) preparing first and second molds, each including lower and upper mold parts separably closed to each other so as to define first and second mold cavities for the first and second molds, respectively, and providing the second mold with a plurality of pins extending into the second mold cavity, the second mold cavity being larger than the first mold cavity; (b) placing a foamable blank into the first mold cavity; (c) foaming the blank in the first mold cavity; (d) placing the blank foamed in step (c) into the second mold cavity, and piercing the blank through the use of the pins; and (e) foaming the blank to form a foam product within the second mold cavity while being pierced by the pins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of C2–C24 aliphatic diols, preferably 1,2 propane diol as a thixotropic enhancing diluent in moisture curable organosiloxane compositions, especially in the presence of silicone-polyether block copolymer thixotropes and to the application of these compositions on vertical substrates.

Abstract: A sheet-form structure of expandable thermoplastic resin is provided which is capable of undergoing a pseudo-one-dimensional expansion in its thickness direction and which enables manufacture of thermoplastic resin foams having reduced variations in thickness and weight precisions, increased compressive strength, and excellent properties such as surface smoothness. A method of manufacturing the sheet-form structure, as well as such thermoplastic resin foams, are also provided. A sheet-form structure 1 of expandable thermoplastic resin including granules 2 of expandable thermoplastic resin arranged generally uniformly for integral connection thereof through a thin film 3 of expandable thermoplastic resin.