Abstract: A method for making a rubbery weatherstrip having a suede appearance and a suede feel includes a step for coextruding a welt portion of a weatherstrip and an outer rubber layer containing fibrillated fibers, namely bast fibrillated fibers, leaf fibrillated fibers and mixture thereof, or a welt portion of a weatherstrip, a sealing portion and an outer rubber layer containing fibrillated bast or leaf fibers to adhere these sheets, a step for vulcanizing the entire portions thereof, and a step for subjecting the outer rubber layer to buff processing.

Abstract: A process for producing a friction material under low-temperature conditions using, as a reinforcement, one or more fibers selected from a metal fiber, an organic fiber and an inorganic fiber and, as a binder, a compounded pitch that consists of a mesophase pitch and sulfur and/or an aromatic nitro compound. The content of an optically anisotropic phase in the mesophase pitch is at least 80% and the softening point of the mesophase pitch is not higher than 270.degree. C. The friction material produced exhibits consistent friction characteristics over a broad temperature range.

Abstract: Artificial marble or granite having excellent aesthetic properties, patterns and tonalities which cannot be found in natural materials are prepared from a composition containing a polymerizable poly(allyl carbonate) of a polyol and mineral filler, where the mineral filler is a carbonate type in the case of marble, and silicate or silica type in the case of granite, and is in the form of particles of which at least 40% to 100% by weight have a particle size greater than 0.5 mm. The artificial marble and granite produced by the process of the invention require a limited quantity of polymerizable poly(allyl carbonate) binder, have excellent aesthetic properties and high aging resistance, making them suitable for external use.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing polyamide monofilament suture includes the steps of extruding a polyamide resin, stretching the solidified monofilament and annealing the stretched monofilament so that it shrinks to within about 80 to about 97 percent of the length of the monofilament prior to annealing. The polyamide monofilament sutures so produced exhibit reduced energy compared to conventional polyamide monofilament sutures.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing polyurethanes by reacting, in accordance with the resin transfer molding technique at an isocyanate index of about 80 to about 120,(a) an organic polyisocyanate;(b) about 60 to about 98 percent by weight, based on the total amount of components (b) and (c), of at least one isocyanate-reactive compound containing at least two isocyanate-reactive hydrogen atoms and having a molecular weight of from about 400 to about 10,000;(c) about 2 to about 40 percent by weight, based on the total amount of components (b) and (c), of (i) 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol or (ii) a mixture of 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol with (1) up to about 30% by weight, based on the total amount of component (c), of a chain extender other than 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol and/or (2) up to about 5% by weight, based on the total amount of component (c), of a crosslinking agent; and(d) one or more catalysts and, optionally, one or more other auxiliaries and/or additives.

Abstract: In a process for extruding or injection moulding starch-containing composition, a substantially transparent product is produced by providing that the starch used contains less than 8% by weight of water, that the water content of the starch in the barrel of the extruder or injection moulding machine is controlled so as to be within the range of from 5 to 20% by weight (based on the weight of the starch) and that water is removed from the composition immediately before the composition leaves the barrel of the extruder or the injection moulding machine so that the water content of the composition passing through the die and/or entering the mould is less than 3% by weight of the starch.

Abstract: A method for reprocessing scrap rubber, which produces reclaimed rubber from comminuted scrap rubber after devulcanization, in a biotechnology-type of process, by holding the comminuted scrap rubber in a bacterial suspension of chemolithotropic microorganisms with a supply of air, until sulphur as an elementary sulphur and/or sulfuric acid is separated from the remaining replasticized reclaimed rubber. This biotechnological reprocessing obtains reclaimed rubber and sulphur in a simplified manner which products can be reused.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of an optical module using a mold die including cavity portions for holding an optical connector, electronic circuit parts, and lead pins which constitute component parts of the optical module, so as to form a package. The mold die has alignment portions in which rectangular channels for aligning the optical connector are formed. Partition plates are disposed vertically between the cavity portions and the alignment portions and adapted to prevent a resin from flowing out from the cavity portions during the resin molding. An optical connector, circuit parts, and lead pins are held in the die. Resin is injected into the cavity portion to form the optical module.

Abstract: A process is provided for electrically treating a non-conductive, moldable material by inducing therein a desired electrical effect before it is molded into a desired shape. The process includes pressing, injecting or extruding a material to form a tube, film, rod or the like. The material is then electrically treating the material to induce therein a desired electrical effect. Thereafter, the at least some of the induced electrical effect within the material is permitted to relax. A detectable electrical current is generated by this relaxation. The electrical current is the analyzed and/or monitored. When practicing this invention, the creation of an induced electrical effect, relaxation thereof and analysis of the electrical current generated thereby are performed after or while the material has been, or is being, pressed, injected or extruded, but before the material is molded into its desired shape.

Abstract: A mold assembly includes first and second mold sections having respective first and second mold cavity defining surfaces, the first mold cavity defining surface terminating in an encircling peripheral rim and the second mold cavity defining surface terminating in a deformable peripheral annulus disposed at a diameter corresponding to the rim, and cooperating tapers depending from each of the first and second molds for relatively centering the molds.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for stamping a blank of plastic material, such as a soap blank, into a shaped article, such as a soap bar. The apparatus and method uses a pair of mating die halves spaced apart from one another in order to receive the blank of plastic material. Thereafter, the blank of plastic material is stamped and shaped by closing the die halves so they are mating. The die halves are then opened so as to discharge the shaped article and receive a new blank of plastic material. The present invention contemplates placing an elastomeric septum across each die half between the blank and the die half so as to prevent plastic material from sticking to the die halves after stamping. It has been found that a septum made from latex works well.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the coextrusion of a multilayer polymeric body is provided which incorporates protective boundary layers into the body, protecting the layers from instability and breakup during layer formation and multiplication. The process includes the steps of providing at least first and second streams of heat plastified extrudable thermoplastic material which are combined to form a composite stream having the first substreams and second substreams interdigitated. A third stream of heat plastified thermoplastic material is supplied to the exterior surfaces of the composite stream to form protective boundary layers adjacent the walls of the coextrusion apparatus through which the heat plastified polymer streams pass. Layer instability and breakup are avoided using process conditions which would otherwise adversely affect the optical and/or mechanical properties of the articles which are formed.

Abstract: A plurality of mold members are disposed on an index table to be intermittently rotatably driven. Energy sources for curing the activation energy curable resin at positions to which the mold members are intermittently moved, a first robot for supplying a molding parent material to the mold member, a second robot for taking out an optical element after molding from the mold member, and a third robot for supplying the activation energy curable resin before supplying the molding parent material to the mold member are disposed proximate to the index table. The operations of each robot are performed together at each moved position of the mold member.

Abstract: Process and device for drawing off and blocking off a melt, especially of plastic material, with a heatable melter (1) fitted with a blocking valve (3) acting as a melt distributor from which the melt flows into a nozzle plate (10) which divides the melt by means of nozzles (14) into a plurality of threads, whereby the temperature of the melter and nozzle plate is regulated separately and the blocking valve is closed to block the melt off and the nozzle plate is tightly closed off by a cover (18). To draw off the melt with the blocking valve open, the temperature of the melter and the nozzle plate is kept substantially at the same level and to block off the melt with the blocking valve closed the nozzle plate is taken to a temperature just above the solidification temperature of the melt material.

Abstract: Plastic sheets of good optical quality suitable for use in the glazings of automotive vehicles, eye glasses etc., are made by depositing a hardenable liquid mass upon a taut moving ribbon of plastic which has been pretreated by tensioning and heating to remove wrinkles and creases which otherwise would render optically unsatisfactory the sheet formed on the ribbon upon hardening of the liquid mass. The temperature range within which the pretreatment should be conducted is 60.degree.-100.degree. C., with 70.degree.-90.degree. C. being preferred; the tension applied in the pretreatment should be a dekanewton or more per square millimeter, preferably 1.5-7.5 dekanewtons per mm.sup.2 ; and the time of pretreatment is at least a minute and preferably 5 or more minutes.

Abstract: A device producing a weather strip is shown, which includes (a) leading a first uncured pasty material into a certain shaping passage to produce an uncured shaped molded strap; (b) applying continuously a second uncured pasty material onto a given portion of the uncured shaped molded strap while the latter is being moved in the certain shaping passage thereby to produce a layered uncured shaped molded strap; and (c) curing the layered uncured shaped molded strap.

Abstract: A molded article of a composition obtained by dynamically heat-treating a thermoplastic resin and/or a rubbery substance in the presence of a crosslinking agent, or such composition with an inorganic filler incorporated therein, is subjected to the radiation of ultraviolet light not longer than 300 nm in wave length, whereby surface characteristics of the molded article can be improved without deterioration of such characteristics as rigidity, impact- and heat-resistance, dimensional stability and processability.

Abstract: A thin electroconductive film is formed by irradiating a shaped article of chlorinated vinyl polymer with a pulsive light having a pulse duration of not greater than 100 nsec., a fluence of above about 15 mJ/cm.sup.2 /pulse and below that at which the polymer is subject to ablation, a laser wavelength of from about 190 to about 300 nm, and repetition frequency of above about 1 Hz and below that at which the polymer is subject to deformation and/or decomposition by a regenerative function of irradiation, under vacuum or in an oxygen-free atmosphere, thereby irradiating the article with total photon numbers of at least 1.times.10.sup.18 /cm.sup.2 without causing photocrosslinking, oxidation or cleavage of the backbone chain. The invention does not use materials other than the starting polymer such as solvents or strong bases that can contaminate the thin film during a dehydrochlorination, so there is no need to remove solvents after reaction and no residual salts will be formed in the dehydrochlorination.

Abstract: A method of the device for producing a hollow columnar piece whereby a blend of essentially thermoplastic particles is melted into a billet, introduced into a mold, looped into layers inside the mold, and transformed into a piece, subsequent to which the piece is solidified by cooling and removed. The billet (3) is rotated around its axis and concentric with its face as it is introduced into a mold (4), the mold accommodates a core (20), space is left between the core and the inner surface (6) of the mold, the billet is laid along the circumference of the space, and the billet continues to be introduced into the space until the mold's inner surface and core are uniformly and continuously wet with constituents of the billet.

Abstract: A process for producing a roll stamper which molds a substrate sheet for information recording mediums by continuously transferring preformat patterns on a resin sheet. The roll stamper has the feature that the preformat pattern on the roll stamper has a value b/a of greater than 1, where the length of the preformat pattern in the direction parallel to the direction in which the resin sheet is transported is defined as a and the length in the direction perpendicular thereto as b.