Abstract: A method of making a feedstock for injection molding, including the steps of: mixing at a temperature of at least 100° C. polymeric materials having a thermal conductivity in the range of 0.001 to 0.01 cal/cm-sec-° C. wherein the polymeric materials are selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polystyrene, polyester, and polycarbonate or combinations thereof, and one or more materials selected from the group consisting of ceramics, ceramic composites, metals and metal alloys in a blended relationship to form a viscous phase mixture, the materials in the viscous phase mixture being selected so that when in a solid phase it has a density greater than 4 grams/cc and a thermal conductivity greater than 0.101 cal/cm-sec-° C. and; cooling the blended viscous phase mixture to form the feedstock.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of applying a coating of a resin-rich material to a substrate to produce a molded device. The method involves installing a layer of the resin-rich material over a mold die and adding a molten substrate to melt the resin-rich layer and filling the mold. The mold is cooled and a molded device with a surface containing the resin-rich layer is formed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a ski (1) comprising at least one binding-raising zone (5) formed by an extra thickness of the structure of the ski forming a projection in the region of the zone of the runner (2). Such a ski has a groove (12) let in over at least a portion of the length of each of its lateral faces, said groove (12) being located between the upper face (6) of the raising zone (5) and the edge (9) of the ski.

Abstract: A plastic bowling pin and method for manufacturing the bowling pin uses a first mold 8 having first axial rods 9 and 10 displaceable into and from the first molding cavity along a longitudinal axis “a” and a second mold 15 having second axial rods 16 and 17 displaceable into and from the second molding cavity along a longitudinal axis “b”. Molding a core portion 2 by forcing the molten synthetic resin to be flowed into the first molding cavity of the first mold 8 after the first axial rods 9 and 10 have been inserted into the first molding cavity. Molding a skin layer 3 on the external surface of the molded core portion 2 by forcing the molten synthetic resin to be flowed into a space between the external surface of the molded core portion 2 and the second molding cavity of the second mold 15 after the molded core portion 2 has been positioned relative to the second molding cavity.

Abstract: A processing technique and a composition which allow compositions of PBT polymers or copolymers to be formed into blow molded articles, especially medical balloons such as dilatation or stent placement balloons, from extruded tubular parisons. The process includes a longitudinal stretch step run at a temperature below the Tg of the polymeric material and a radial expansion step run at a temperature above the Tg of the polymeric material. During the longitudinal stretch step, the tubing is subjected to high internal pressure. In the composition a small amount of boric acid is added to the polybutylene terephthalate in a melt blend to give a formulation which has reduced crystallinity after extrusion and which can more readily fashioned into high strength blow molded articles than PBT by itself. Articles, which may be formed using the invention include medical device balloon articles in which the polymer consists essentially of PBT optionally blended with boric acid.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices are provided for the performance of chemical and biochemical analyzes, syntheses and detection. The devices of the invention combine precise fluidic control systems with microfabricated polymeric substrates to provide accurate, low cost miniaturized analytical devices that have broad applications in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology and numerous other fields.

Abstract: A new die insert for an extrusion machine and a method of using the invention that includes a continuous strand of fiber reinforcing material to be statically drawn directly to the center of the molten flow of polymer base matrix. The insert is placed in line with the discharge end of an injection molding apparatus. A molten flow of polymer base matrix proceeds in a straight linear fashion through the die. A fiber feed tube is centered on the interior of the die. As the polymer flows past the feed tube the molten polymer draws a continuous strand of fiber reinforcing into the center of the flow. The polymer is then extruded and cooled and the extrusion is further pelletized to produce injection molding feed stock material having continuous fiber reinforcing. The result provides a continuous extrusion process that allows the formation of a continuous fiber-reinforced product employing brittle fibers in one-step process.

Abstract: A high strength hydrogel having a constant swelling pressure upon implantation and thereafter is formed by preparing a hydrogel solution and then injecting the solution into a mold and cause to gel. The molded gel is then washed in a saline solution from about one day to twelve weeks, after which the gel is irradiated for sterilization purposes, dehydrated and packaged. The pre-treatment with the use of a physiologic solution results in an implant which exhibits a constant swelling pressure profile after implantation.

Abstract: A method and a system is provided for producing a needle of plastic, as well as the needle of plastic which includes a needle for medical purposes. The method for producing the needle includes introducing a melt of plastic into a feed system, increasing the melt pressure gradually during melt passage through the feed system, passing the melt into the mould cavity, whereby the melt substantially fills the mould cavity, cooling the melt into the mould cavity whereby the melt solidifies to a needle, and removing the needle from the mould cavity. Increasing the pressure through the feed system provides for meeting specific pressure demands at the entrance of the mould cavity, thereby moulding thin and elongated articles.

Abstract: An energy attenuation restrictor device for use in an energy attenuation apparatus for a conduit adapted to convey a liquid under pressure, particularly, in the power steering system of a vehicle wherein said energy attenuation restrictor device includes a tuning cable composed of a first organic polymer and a fitting member composed of a second organic polymer, and a method for molding the energy attenuation restrictor device are described.

Abstract: A paper feed roller-producing method is to be provided, which enables more inexpensive mass produce of a high precision paper feed roller, with a high precision, having no connecting portion in a roller portion, by using a hydraulic composition. The method for producing a paper feed roller includes a rotary shaft and a cylindrical roller portion integrated around an outer periphery of the rotary shaft, characterized in that the roller portion is formed by extruding a hydraulic composition and curing and hardening the extrudate.

Abstract: A method of constructing a frame (10) for a filtering screen from a polymer material is described in which a wire frame reinforcement is wholly encapsulated during the frame moulding process so that two parallel spaced apart wires extend through each of the intersecting orthogonal ribs (14, 16) which define the open area of the frame (10) across which the wirecloths (158, 159) are stretched. The surfaces of the frame (10) in which the wirecloths (158, 159) are embedded are formed with ridges (22, 30, 32) and the crests of the latter extend to different heights. The crests are softened by heating during the manufacturing process and the wirecloths (158, 159) stretched over the frame (10) are forced into the softened crests after which the assembly is allowed to cool and cure. The frame (10) is re-usable by stripping wirecloths (158, 159) from the top of the frame (10) and fitting fresh wirecloths over the plastics material and heating the regions which are to encapsulate the fresh wirecloth.

Abstract: Granulated papermaking sludge is combined with plastic to form composite materials that may be shaped into structural and non-structural articles.

Abstract: A cylindrical vial having a bottom, for a medicine, in which an open end of the cylindrical vial is sealed by a needle-penetrable rubber closure through which a needle can be penetrated, the cylindrical vial including a conical bottom end provided opposite to the open end, wherein the apex of the conical bottom end is located on a central axis of the cylindrical vial at the bottommost point inside the cylindrical vial.

Abstract: There is disclosed a mold protection apparatus of an injection molding machine in which a cross head position and movable mold position are read from a correspondence table, a calculator calculates a thrust force limit value set with respect to a movable mold, and a cross head position controller controls a thrust force of the cross head in the corresponding position via a servomotor, so that the thrust force of the cross head is controlled to indicate a limit value or less in accordance with position of the movable mold.

Abstract: A micro-needle is provided which is particularly useful for the minimally invasive sampling of a biological fluid and/or the minimally invasive delivery of a drug or other formulation across the skin. The micro-needle has a structure having a base at a proximal end and a vertex at a distal end, and an open lumen extending there through and through which fluid may be transferred. The structure defines a structural axis that intersects the lumenal axis defined by the open lumen. The point of intersection between these axes is at a point below the vertex of the micro-needle to provide a sharp apex at the distal end of the micro-needle and defines the general configuration of the distal end of the micro-needle, which may be selected or customized depending on the intended use of the microneedle.

Abstract: A washing tub is formed with a reinforcing body made from a non-metallic material, such as plastic or fiberglass, and a thin interior liner portion constituted by a metallic material, preferably stainless steel. The metallic material is preferably sprayed onto a tub shaping member and then the reinforcing body is attached to the metallic material. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing body is formed from plastic, such as polypropylene, which is injected about a mold core following the spray coating of the metallic material on the core. In another embodiment, the reinforcing material is constituted by fiberglass which is layered about a shaping member having the metallic liner portion deposited thereon. In any case, an aesthetically appealing and extremely cost effective, high quality washing tub is produced.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for making a composite structure that includes three resin impregnated structural cloth layers including a bottom sheet, a top sheet and a core sheet. The core sheet is a continuously curved shape with flat valleys that are bonded to the bottom sheet and flat peaks that are bonded to the top sheet. In the invention process, a dry core sheet is sandwiched between two wax core molds that form the core sheet. The core molds and the core sheet are sandwiched between dry top and bottom sheets by rigid molds as the flat peaks and valleys of the core sheet make contact with the top and bottom sheets through openings in the core molds. Liquid resin is transferred into the dry sheets and then cured. The lay up is disassembled and the wax core molds are melted and drained from the finished, rigid structure.

Abstract: To provide a method of producing a uniaxially stretched polytetrafluoroethylene gasket tape, which comprises: (1) a step for preparing a paste comprising a mixture of a polytetrafluoroethylene powder obtained by emulsion polymerization and an extrusion aid, (2) a step for extruding the paste by means of an extruder equipped with a die which has plural separators inside an orifice thereof having a rectangular cross section, (3) a step for rolling, in the extruding direction, an extrudate having slit lines to give a rolled polytetrafluoroethylene sheet, (4) a step for uniaxially stretching the rolled sheet in the rolling direction after removing the extrusion aid from the rolled sheet, and (5) a step for heat-treating the obtained uniaxially stretched polytetrafluoroethylene sheet. The die of the extruder has plural sheet-like separators in the orifice thereof having a rectangular cross section.

Abstract: A part-forming machine having an in-mold integrated vision system and method therefor for verifying the presence, absence and quality of molded parts therein. The image of the mold and/or part is acquired at a substantially parallel angle relative to the image-capturing source thereby allowing the imaging of the mold while the mold is opening thus increasing the resolution, speed and accuracy of part-forming machine imaging systems.