Abstract: A multi-layer preform for forming multi-layer containers includes an extruded upper portion having a first thickness which is adapted to form an upper portion of a container. The preform also includes an extruded intermediate portion having a second thickness thicker than the first thickness. The intermediate portion is connected with the upper portion and is adapted to form an intermediate body portion of the container. The preform also includes an extruded base portion having a third thickness thicker than the second thickness. The base portion is connected with the intermediate portion and is adapted form a base portion of the container. The portions of the preform are preferably formed from an inner layer and a barrier layer wherein the layers are co-extruded for forming the preform and an outer injection molded layer. In one embodiment, the inner layer includes a lip which overlaps the top edge of the barrier and outer layers. A multi-layer container is then formable from blow molding the preform.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for delivering a medium such as a gas, vapor or liquid into a melted plastic in a mold via an elongated screw shaft rotatably supported in a housing, the method including the steps of providing the screw shaft with a bore longitudinally therethrough from a proximal end to a distal tip end thereof, rotating the screw shaft in the housing to move plastic therethrough, and into the mold, introducing a gas, vapor or liquid into the bore, to permit the gas, vapor or liquid to be delivered through the bore, and into the molten plastic in the mold through the distal tip end of the screw shaft.

Abstract: A method of shaping polymeric structures by coating a support structure with a bond-preventing agent to attain a particular shape and subsequently coating the shaped structure of the bond-preventing agent with a polymeric bonding composition is provided. Such shaped polymeric structures can have one or more cavities which can be fluid-filled or gel-filled. Also provided is a hand-actuating retention female urinary catheter having an inner tube and an outer overcoat layer encircling the tube with an elastomeric collar with a shroud. A cavity containing a fluid is interposed between the tube and the overcoat layer. The cavity includes a balloon portion and a reservoir portion. The shroud encircles the reservoir section to inhibit the ballooning of the reservoir section when the reservoir section is squeezed to force fluid from the reservoir portion to the balloon portion through the sleeve portion of the cavity. The overcoat layer and the collar with a shroud are made of soft resilient material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for forming a three-dimensional, macroscopically-expanded, fluid pervious web having an improved functional surface comprised of a sheet of polymeric material having a first surface and a second surface. A plurality of discrete deposits of a water resistant resinous material having a pre-determined open time are deposited on the first surface of the sheet. The deposits of resinous material are drawn upwardly from the first surface of the sheet to form corresponding fibrils during the open time. After resinous material has cured, the sheet is fed onto a forming structure having opposed surfaces such that the sheet is in contact with the forming structure. The forming structure exhibits a multiplicity of apertures which place the opposed surfaces of the forming structure in fluid communication with one another.

Abstract: This invention provides a blow molding process for manufacturing multilayer hollow articles having sections different from one another in respect to the kind of resins, number of layers, and thickness of layers along the circumference in the horizontal section of an article with the narrowest of the sections in any one of the resin layers extending in a specified width along the longitudinal wall of an article and being capable of satisfying the sectional performance requirements, an apparatus, and said hollow articles. It also provides a process for manufacturing multilayer hollow articles with the wall thickness ratio of resin layers in each section varying along the longitudinal wall of an article or those with the sectional width in each resin layer varying along the longitudinal wall of an article, an apparatus, and said hollow articles.

Abstract: A vacuum forming process is provided for molding a thin sheet of thermoformable plastic into an accurate three-dimensional relief reproduction of an original artwork. The sheet of plastic has printed on one side thereof a permanent image of the original artwork.

Abstract: In a blow molding process the mold halves are independently controlled and moved so that a parison may be extruded from an extrusion head and then one of two mold halves may be moved toward the parison. The parison may be grasped by a manipulator to manipulate a portion of the parison so as to overlie a second portion of the mold cavity. The mold is then closed and a standard blow molding procedure performed. The process enables production of reduced flash.

Abstract: A fluid pervious topsheet suitable for use on an absorbent article is disclosed. The topsheet includes an apertured, three-dimensional, macroscopically expanded, fluid pervious web having a textured wearer-contacting surface. The composite web permits liquids to penetrate while providing an improved, less plastic-like feel and visual aesthetics. The process of the present invention, in one embodiment, comprises extruding a polymeric film onto a forming structure, applying a pneumatic pressure to the film to cause the film to be urged into substantial conformance with the forming structure, and depositing a particulate material on said film while the film is in a semi-molten state.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming twin sheet hollow plastic articles such as plastic pallets. A pair of plastic sheets is delivered directly from an extruder and loaded directly into a pair of clamping frames. The sheets are then moved in the clamping frames into an oven where the sheets are heated, whereafter the sheets are transferred to a hot forming station where the sheets are formed into a pallet. This pallet is then transferred to a cold forming station where further processing of the pallet takes place, and then to an unloading station where the finished pallet is removed and a new set of plastic sheets from the extruder is loaded into the clamping frames.

Abstract: An injection-molding method using an injection molding machine having a mold apparatus comprising(A) a fixed mold member,(B) a movable mold member movable in the mold opening and closing directions,(C) an intermediate mold member which is provided between the fixed mold member and the movable mold member and is slidable in the mold opening and closing directions between the fixed mold member and the movable mold member, and(D) at least one intermediate mold member sliding means for sliding the intermediate mold member in the mold opening and closing directions,the method including the steps ofinjecting a molten resin into a cavity formed of cavity wall surfaces of the fixed mold member, the intermediate mold member and the movable mold member, andincreasing the distance of the cavity by moving the movable mold member in the mold opening direction with keeping the intermediate mold member in intimate contact with the fixed mold member or the movable mold member by the intermediate mold member sliding means, an

Abstract: A method of controlling a blow molding machine from a completion of production of one product to a start of production of a next product comprises controlling a temperature of a resin within the blow molding machine, controlling an operation of devices from the completion of production of the one product to the start of production of the next product, controlling a sequent transport of some of the devices in predetermined positions, and controlling a change of the resin in accordance with a supply stop thereof and a data on the next product.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a thermoplasic pipe a pipe-shaped blank having larger wall thickness and less diameter than the completed thermoplastic pipe is positioned in a cylindrical chamber. The blank is formed by being softened and expanded into engagement with the inner surface of the chamber. A sealing ring is then mounted in an end portion of the plastic pipe by positioning the sealing ring in the expanded blank and shrinking the blank around the sealing ring by heating the pipe end portion.

Abstract: A multi-layer preform (26a,26b,26c) used for plastic blow molding and a method for making the preform provides an inner layer (28) of polyethylene naphthalate and an injection molded outer layer (30) of polyethylene terephthalate which has reduced transmission of gas upon blow molding as a container due to the gas barrier provided by the inner layer of polyethylene naphthalate. The inner layer (28) of polyethylene naphthalate by itself or along with a further inner layer (32) of virgin polyethylene terephthalate is thermoformed prior to the injection molding of the outer layer (30) of polyethylene terephthalate. A minimal amount of the polyethylene naphthalate which is relatively expensive can be utilized due to the thermoforming and injection molding as disclosed.

Abstract: A method for the thermoforming of hollow objects having a base from a sheet of thermoplastics material, which effects in one single predetermined operating cycle, the production of a pressed object by hot forming and cutting out of the object or objects between one half of a movable double female mould which is located in the forming area opposite a male die, movement of the female half of the mould, said half containing therewithin the thermoformed object or objects, towards a corresponding discharge area alternately to one side or the other of the forming area; picking up the object or objects from the female half of the mould located in corresponding discharge area and transferring each object to a plurality of receiving formers of a shape corresponding to the mould, which formers can move sequentially stepwise along a track, sequential movement of the formers to at least one workstation or handling station at the same time as the female mould moves back to place its other half opposite the male die in ord

Abstract: The procedure serves the purpose of molding a container from a thermoplastic material. After a temperature treatment a moldable object is fed to a blow station, which has a blow mold that is provided for the purpose of contouring the container. The temperature-treated moldable object is inserted into the blow mold. By feeding in high-pressure blow air, the moldable object is expanded. In addition at least one other pneumatic working step with low-pressure air is carried out, with this air being taken from a low-pressure air supply. The low-pressure air supply has a smaller pressure level than the high-pressure blow-air supply. After the moldable object has been expanded, high-pressure blow air streaming out of the molded container held in the blow mold is fed to the low-pressure air supply during a transition phase. In the region of the low-pressure air supply a pressure monitoring is carried out for the purpose of defining a maximum low-air pressure to be provided.

Abstract: A process for selectively forming an antislip surface on a product thermoformed from a plastic sheet is applied to truck bed liners, for example. The surface of the plastic sheet of HDPE or other thermoplastic material is cleaned and masked, to prepare a good molecular bonding surface on selected surface areas. A sprayable or liquid polymer selected to achieve desired characteristics of hardness and toughness without brittleness, such as a thermosetting elastomeric polymer, is formed into droplets, which are sprayed or otherwise applied onto the selected surface area. The droplets form a stippled pattern of primarily separate bumps across the selected surface area to be treated, occupying substantially less than 50% of the exposed area. After partial hardening of the bumps, the plastic sheet is thermoformed at thermoforming temperatures to produce the thermoformed product.

Abstract: A semi-compliant PET balloon and a method for manufacturing the balloon are disclosed. The method for manufacturing the semi-compliant PET balloon includes the steps of varying the temperature and inflation pressure on a tube of PET material in an ordered sequence to i) form the balloon, ii) thin the walls of the balloon, ii) size the balloon and then, iv) crystallize the PET material of the balloon. First, to form the balloon, the tube of PET material is preheated, and simultaneously pressurized and stretched. The pressure in the tube is then increased to conform the balloon to the shape of a mold. Next the balloon walls are thinned by decreasing pressure and providing additional stretch on the PET tube. A subsequent increase in pressure sizes the balloon. The sized balloon is next subjected to an increase in temperature and a decrease in pressure to crystallize the PET material. A cooling step completes the method for manufacture.

Abstract: A heat-resistant container forming method includes a step of thermally shrinking a primary blow molded article in a heating furnace before secondary blow molding the primary blow molded article into a final product or container. Into the furnace, hot air which flows along the longitudinal direction of the first blow molded article and whose temperature enough to facilitate crystallization of the primary blow molded article. The primary blow molded article is thermally shrunk by exposing the entire circumferential surface of a barrel of the primary blow article to the hot air and by blowing the hot air longitudinally along the primary blow molded article to heat the barrel circumferentially uniformly. Since hot air touches the barrel as flowing longitudinally thereof, it is possible to increase the heat conductivity of boundary film of the primary blow molded article, without increasing the hot air temperature too high, so that temperature rise of the primary blow molded article is facilitated.

Abstract: A method of forming a hollow article, wherein all the operations such as shifting and opening/closing of a die are performed by electric actuators such as electric motors which operate in accordance with a program operation, thus improving the quality of the hollow article as the product. A parison extruded from an extruder is introduced into and held in a die which has been opened by the operation of a die compacting motor. A crosshead associated with the extruder is lifted to draw the parison, and a parison cutting motor operates to cut the drawn parison. Thus, fully automatic production is realized to ensure high yield of the product.

Abstract: A process for the production of a molded article having a hollow structure, using an injection molding machine equipped with a mold apparatus having a mold provided with a cavity, said process comprising the steps of(a) positioning a plug in its forward end position in the cavity with a plug-moving means before a molten resin is injected,(b) moving the plug toward its backward end position nearly in parallel with a flow-axis direction of the molten resin, with the plug-moving means or under a pressure of the injected molten resin, after the injection of the molten resin is initiated,(c) introducing a pressurized fluid into the molten resin in the cavity through a pressurized fluid introducing portion while the plug is moving, and(d) moving the plug up to its backward end position nearly in parallel with the flow-axis direction of the molten resin with the plug-moving means or under the pressure of the molten resin and/or the pressurized fluid introduced into the molten resin, and then, cooling and solidifying