Abstract: An apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material is provided that includes an un-heated hopper having an inlet for receiving particles of a thermoplastic material and an outlet for discharging the particles and a heated manifold including at least one cavity formed therein and having an inlet and an outlet the inlet communicating with the outlet of the hopper for receipt of the particles from the hopper. The hopper is disposed external of the heated manifold. The heated manifold is effective for melting the particles into molten thermoplastic material therein. The apparatus further includes a pump having an inlet in fluid communication with the cavity. An outlet of the pump is in fluid communication with an inlet of a dispenser and an outlet of the dispenser is effective for dispensing the molten thermoplastic material therethrough.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material is provided that includes an un-heated hopper having an inlet for receiving particles of a thermoplastic material and an outlet for discharging the particles and a heated manifold including at least one cavity formed therein and having an inlet and an outlet the inlet communicating with the outlet of the hopper for receipt of the particles from the hopper. The hopper is disposed external of the heated manifold. The heated manifold is effective for melting the particles into molten thermoplastic material therein. The apparatus further includes a pump having an inlet in fluid communication with the cavity. An outlet of the pump is in fluid communication with an inlet of a dispenser and an outlet of the dispenser is effective for dispensing the molten thermoplastic material therethrough.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of molding a component (1) having one or more features (5). At least one fibrous substrate (7) is located in a mold (31, 33). A matrix-forming material (29) is also provided in the mold (31, 33). Heat is applied to melt the matrix-forming material (29) to form a matrix (9) and to integrally mold said one or more features (5).

Abstract: The sheet-like rubber forming device has a die body which has an opening having a predetermined cross sectional shape, and a variable die lip which is arranged in a front side of the die body and can change the height of the opening. The variable die lip is constructed by a first movable body and a second movable body. The die lip control unit controls the variable die lip so as to drive the first movable body in an opening direction from a state in which the first movable body and the second movable body are closed when the forming is started, hold the positions of the first movable body and the second movable body after reaching a predetermined height, and drive the second movable body in a closing direction when the forming is finished.

Abstract: Methods and devices use a three-dimensional scanner and a three-dimensional printing device operatively connected to a processor. The three-dimensional scanner automatically determines a size and shape of an item to be packaged and the processor automatically identifies information corresponding to the item to be packaged. The processor automatically controls the three-dimensional printing device to form a container that is customized to match the size and shape of the item to be packaged (using a continuous additive process of forming successive layers of material in different shapes). When forming the container, the processor also automatically controls the three-dimensional printing device to form a label as part of the container. The label includes color variations to visually convey the information identified by the processor.

Abstract: The present invention involves laser machining polymer substrates to form a stent with laser parameters that minimize damage to the substrate in a surface region adjacent to the machined edge surface. The wavelength and pulse width are selected for this unique application and they can be controlled to minimize the surface modifications (such as voids, cracks which are induced by the laser-material interaction) which contribute to the variation in mechanical properties with distance from the edge surface, bulk mechanical properties, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: The three-dimensional object building apparatus includes a powder delivering unit that delivers a powder on an object building area, a powder flattening device that flattens the powder delivered from the powder delivering unit to form a powder layer, and a light beam radiating unit that is disposed above the object building area and radiates a light beam on the powder layer to sinter or melt solidify the powder for building an object. The three-dimensional object building apparatus also includes a transferring mechanism that moves the light beam radiating unit in three-dimensional directions, and a shroud that moves integrally with the light beam radiating unit and surrounds a space above an area of the powder layer that is smaller than the object building area around a radiation of the light beam. The powder delivering unit and the powder flattening device move integrally with the light beam radiating unit.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an oral appliance for treating sleep apnea of a patient that has a monolithic body with an upper tray with an upper recess formed to conform to the maxillary teeth of the patient and a lower tray with a lower recess formed to conform to the mandibular teeth, the monolithic body defining a coupling of a rear portion of the upper tray to a rear portion of the lower tray at an angle forming a orifice between front mandibular teeth and front maxillary teeth.

Abstract: Methods of preparing a three-dimensional structure are provided. One method includes the steps of extruding beads of thixotropic thermoset materials, and subjecting the beads to curing conditions such that the thixotropic thermoset materials at least partially cure to form cured polymer layers. In some cases, the curing conditions are not applied until multiple beads are extruded and in contact with one another. The steps of these methods can be performed repeatedly as desired to prepare a three-dimensional structure of nearly limitless shapes by additive manufacturing processes. Thixotropic thermoset materials are also provided, as are three-dimensional objects formed therefrom.

Abstract: A method of decorating an element. This method includes the steps of: taking the element (1, 11, 21, 31), the element including anchoring (7) for improving the securing of the decoration (5) to the element; making a mask (4) of the desired thickness of the decorations (5), and having at least one opening (4?); placing the at least one opening in the mask (4) against the place to be decorated so as to form at least one mold (4?, 6, 6?, 6?, 100); filling the at least one mold with an at least partially amorphous material via hot forming; and removing the mask (4).

Abstract: A method of preparing a closure for a product retaining container is disclosed along with the closure that is obtainable by the method. The present disclosure also relates to a use, in the manufacture of a closure, of a knife blade comprising a cutting edge region having a discontinuous cutting edge.

Abstract: Thermoplastic components may experience local damage, including cracks and decohesion of fiber reinforcements, among others. Such thermoplastics may be repaired by heating them to a suitable softening/melting temperature under pressure and maintaining them under pressure and at elevated temperature until the damage is healed. This may be done in-place using custom-fabricated, suitably-shaped die portions maintained under pressure by magnetic attraction. Various heating methods and die portion fabrication methods are described.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imprint apparatus which performs an imprint process in which a resin on a substrate is cured while a mold having a pattern formed thereon is pressed against the resin to transfer the pattern onto the substrate, the apparatus comprising a changing unit which includes a contact member having a contact surface that comes into contact with a side surface of the mold, and is configured to apply a force to the side surface of the mold through the contact member to change a shape of the pattern formed on the mold, and an adjusting unit configured to change at least one of an angle and a position of the contact member to adjust a contact state between the contact surface and the side surface of the mold.

Abstract: The present invention provides a flexible nanoimprint mold which can fabricate sub-15 nm ultra fine structures on either planar or curved substrates. The mold comprises a top ultra-thin rigid layer of imprint patterning features and a bottom thick flexible layer of polymer elastomer. The two distinct layers are preferably integrated via chemically bonding. The top layer of the mold enables a sub-15 nm resolution of pattern fabrication and the bottom layer affords a conformal contact to planar or curved surface of substrates. The methods for fabricating the same are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of decorating an element. This method includes the following steps: taking the element (1, 11, 21, 31), the element including anchoring for improving the securing of the decoration (5) to the element; making a mask (4) of the desired thickness of the decorations (5), and having at least one opening (4?); placing the at least one opening in the mask (4) against the place to be decorated so as to form at least one mould (4?, 6, 6?, 6?,100); filling the at least one mould with an at least partially amorphous material via hot forming; and removing the mask (4).

Abstract: A tool comprising a support section, a plurality of tool sections beatable around the core section to define one or more tool surfaces on which structure material is beatable to be molded to form a composite structure, the support section and enclosure means being sealingly engagable to enclose the tool sections and structure material therebetween, thus allowing air to be withdrawn from between the enclosure means and the support section as part of the cure process of the structure material. Sealing the enclosure means directly against the support section obviates the need for the tool sections to be sealingly interconnected.

Abstract: Provided is an imprinting method that is capable of strictly performing the interpolation of the application distribution of an uncured resin material to be applied to a substrate for each shot as well as efficiently performing the reinterpolation of the application distribution of the uncured resin material for each shot while reducing the workload in a generation step.

Abstract: Methods for making scaffolds for delivery via a balloon catheter are described. The scaffold, after being deployed by the balloon, provides a crush recovery of about 90% after the diameter of the scaffold has been pinched or crushed by 50%. The scaffold structure has patterns that include an asymmetric or symmetric closed cell, and links connecting such closed cells.

Abstract: An apparatus for the shaping of plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers, with a plurality of shaping stations which are arranged on a movable carrier, wherein the shaping stations have blow molds which are used for receiving the plastic pre-forms and inside which the plastic pre-forms are shaped into the plastic containers, and wherein the shaping stations have stressing devices which are movable relative to the plastic pre-forms and which act upon the pre-forms arranged in the blow molds with a sterile flowable medium to expand them, with a clean room, inside which the shaping stations are conveyed, wherein this clean room is arranged or demarcated from the environment by means of at least one wall. At least one supply device is provided for supplying a flowable control medium to at least one shaping station), wherein this supply device (60) is sealed off from the clean room.

Abstract: A thermoforming in-lay technique is discussed that uses retractable pins to hold an in-lay piece securely in place in a primary mold. The in-lay piece is fabricated prior to the primary molding process and creates multiple pin receivers in the in-lay that are retractably engaged by the retractable pins when placed into the primary mold. When the primary substrate is formed into the primary mold, the retractable pins prevent the in-lay piece from moving out of position. Once the primary substrate has cooled sufficiently, the pins are retracted allowing the finished primary carrier art to be removed from the primary mold.