Abstract: Decorative grass and methods of providing same are disclosed wherein the decorative grass is either maintained in flattened configuration until restraint is removed and/or the decorative grass is curled and/or crimp at a point of use and/or sale.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a composite material part such as a link. The method comprises the successive operations of applying reinforcing fiber layers (14a, 14b, 14c) that are braided around a mandrel over all or part of the length of the mandrel, the layers being superposed one on another. The method includes a step of cutting an intermediate reinforcing fiber layer (14a, 14b, 14c) after it has been applied, a step of withdrawing a cut portion prior to applying the following braided layer (14b, 14c), thereby locally building up an extra thickness of reinforcing layers on each portion of the cut layer that has remained in place, the extra thickness constituting local reinforcement of the part. Resin is subsequently injected into the various braided layers prior to the resin being polymerized in order to prepare a blank. The method applies in particular to the field of aviation.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for performing rigid-to-rigid substrate lamination implementing pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA). The process may include pressurizing a first sealed cavity to a first pressure. The process may further include creating a vacuum within a second sealed cavity, the second sealed cavity being sealed from the first sealed cavity by a flexible membrane. The process may further include applying the first pressure to a laminate assembly stack via the flexible membrane, the laminate assembly stack including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a PSA layer, the PSA layer being positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate. The process may further include applying the vacuum created within the second sealed cavity to the laminate assembly stack. The applied first pressure and the applied vacuum promote intimate contact between the first substrate and the second substrate of the laminate assembly stack via the PSA layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing an electrophoretic display device, the method including the steps of forming a plurality of partition walls defining unipixel regions on a first substrate; filling an electrophoretic medium in the unipixel regions; forming an adhesive layer on a second substrate to bond the first substrate to the second substrate; forming (i) a plurality of adhesive portions for contact with the partition walls and (ii) a plurality of hardening portions for sealing the unipixel region filled with the electrophoretic medium by hardening a part of the adhesive layer; and bonding the first substrate and the second substrate to each other.

Abstract: A fiber application machine including a fiber application head with an application roller for the production of parts made of composite materials. The fiber application head further includes a guiding system to guide the fibers onto the application roller and/or means for the application of resin to each fiber as the fibers leave the guiding system. The fiber application machine can also include a fiber storing system and conveying means for conveying the fibers from the fiber storing system to the application head. The conveying means can comprise flexible tubes, each tube being able to receive a fiber in its inner channel. The conveying means can further include a tension limiting system positioned between the application head and the storing system. The fiber application machine can further include a system for moving the application head.

Abstract: A method for the construction of an improved tank base. A tank base is constructed for protection against accidental spills and/or leaks associated with a tank battery. The improved tank base comprises at least one part of a suitable substrate, which allows for the adhesion of an elastomer such as polyurea. Polyurea is preferably applied using a spray device which yields an average coverage of about 50-80 mils, and most preferably 60 mils. If more than one substrate is used, one or more substrates can be bound together with a fastening system. Once pressure is applied in the form of weight, the fastening system can be removed, resulting in an improved tank base having at least one seam and impervious to the fluid of the tank battery.

Abstract: An improved stent-graft device is provided that delivers a smooth flow surface over a range of operative expanded diameters by applying a unique cover material to the stent through a technique that allows the cover to become wrinkle-free prior to reaching fully deployed diameter. The unique cover material then allows the device to continue to expand to a fully deployed diameter while maintaining a smooth and coherent flow surface throughout this additional expansion. Employed with a self-expanding device, when the device is unconstrained from a compacted diameter it will self-expand up to a fully deployed diameter with the graft being substantially wrinkle-free over diameters ranging from about 30-50% to 100% of the fully deployed diameter.

Abstract: There is described a labeling machine for dispensing labels derivable from a web travelling along a feed path and applying them to articles travelling along an article path. The machine includes a web supply reel; a dispenser to unwind the web off the supply reel and for feeding the web towards an affixing station of the labeling machine, at which the labels are sequentially applied to the articles sequentially arriving thereat. The dispenser including a driver to control the advancement along the feed path of the web from which labels are derivable in accordance with the advancement along the article path of the articles to which the labels are to be applied; and a web tension control selectively actuatable to exert on the supply reel a torque directed against the unwinding sense of the web.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying ribbon in a nonlinear pattern to a web includes a guide assembly having a roller adapted to guide the ribbon onto the web as the web is moving in a first direction. A reciprocating device is provided to move at least the roller of the guide assembly back and forth along an axis of motion. The axis of motion is other than parallel to the first direction.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing the cushioning elements may include utilizing a die with a plurality of die elements positioned in a particular arrangement. A polymer material, which may be a polymer foam material, is located between the die and an extractor. The polymer material is compressed between the die and the extractor, and the die elements cut the polymer material to form a plurality of pad components, which are arranged like the die elements. The die and the extractor are separated, and the pad components are secured to the extractor in the arrangement of the die elements. Additionally, the pad components are bonded to at least one material layer such that the pad components remain in the arrangement of the die elements.

Abstract: A layer of a first fluid and a layer of a second fluid are provided on a first area of a support plate of an electrowetting device, the first fluid and the second fluid being immiscible and the first area having a higher wettability for the first fluid than for the second fluid. The method includes providing an emulsion of dispersed first fluid and continuous second fluid; bringing the first area and the emulsion in contact; the dispersed first fluid coalescing to form the layer of the first fluid on the first area. Also described are an emulsion for manufacturing an electrowetting device, a method for manufacturing an emulsion, a device, a non-ionic surfactant and a use of a non-ionic surfactant.

Abstract: A method of repairing an acoustically treated area of a composite honeycomb sandwich structure restores the acoustic performance of the structure. An impaired section of the honeycomb core is removed and replaced with a honeycomb repair plug. Cell walls of the repair plug are bonded to cell walls of the core.

Abstract: There is provided a method for repairing a member comprising a fiber-reinforced plastic, which method can repair a through hole easily at a low cost. When a through hole 20 is repaired, a temporary hole 11 is formed, a fabric sheet 30 comprising reinforcing fibers is rolled into a cylindrical shape and inserted into the temporary hole 11, the fabric sheet 30 is impregnated with a resin, the resin is cured, and a new through hole 20? is formed.

Abstract: A novel reinforcement system for maximizing tensile strength and modulus of elasticity per ply for composite systems has one or more pockets with a first pocket edge, a second pocket edge, a pocket front surface, and a pocket rear surface. The pocket front surface and the pocket rear surface each have a pocket cross-stitch that perpendicularly traverses the pocket. The pocket traverses the fabric parallel and adjacent to the first fabric edge and the second fabric edge in a warp, or 0 degree, or x-axis direction. The pockets contain one or more fiber tows with a plurality of filaments in a stack.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a composite material in which at least one reinforcement thread is deposited on a surface according to a path having at least one curved area on the deposition surface, wherein the reinforcement thread is connected to the surface by a polymeric binder, characterized in that a twist is applied to the reinforcement thread before the deposition thereof at least in order to compensate the length differences of the extreme paths of the thread on either side of the width as measured in a direction parallel to the deposition surface: the invention also relates to the composite material thus obtained.

Abstract: A recyclable plastic composite wheel rim fabrication method includes the steps of: (a) preparing a triaxle or biaxle composite fabric, (b) coating the composite fabric with a layer of plastic material to form a composite substrate, (c) processing the composite substrate into a composite plate member by means of roller pressing, dipping, bake-drying and cutting, (d) stamping the composite plate member into a blank wheel rim by means of a hot press, (e) cooling the blank wheel rim and trimming it to remove to remove blurs and defective selvedge, and (f) polishing the surface of the blank wheel rim to obtain a finished wheel rim.

Abstract: An efficient and cost-effective method of manufacturing a kink-resistant tube, wherein a coated wire is wound around a mandrel while simultaneously being heated to melt the coating, is provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a substrate lamination system and method. A method for laminating substrates may comprise: (a) disposing a pressure-sensitive adhesive later between a substantially planar surface of a first substrate and a substantially planar surface of a second substrate; (b) disposing the first substrate, pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and second substrate within a vacuum chamber; (c) evacuating the vacuum chamber; (d) applying pressure to at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate. A system for laminating substrates may comprise: (a) means for disposing a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer between a substantially planar surface of a first substrate and a substantially planar surface of a second substrate; (b) means for disposing the first substrate, pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and second substrate within a vacuum chamber; (c) means for evacuating the vacuum chamber; (d) means for applying pressure to at least one of the first and second substrates.

Abstract: A method is provided for making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment. An elastic element applicator is provided that is configured to move a section of a continuous strand of elastic element generally about a plane. A first web of material is conveyed in a first web moving direction such that the first web intersects the plane. Then, the applicator is operated to move the elastic element about the plane, thereby applying the section of elastic element onto the first web along a direction generally transverse to the web moving direction and such that the first web draws the continuous elastic strand from the elastic element applicator as the first web is conveyed away from the plane. The elastic element applicator may be in the form of a spin cylinder or bracket that is operated to spin the elastic element about the moving first web, thereby applying the elastic element on the first web.

Abstract: A composite tie rod comprises an open lattice body formed of interlaced filaments held in a solid matrix. A pair of composite fittings bonded to the ends of the body rigidly connect rod ends with the body. The rod ends form attachment points on the tie rod.