Abstract: A lamellar polymeric body which may be reflective and which contains no metals and method of making it are provided. The body can be fabricated and/or post-formed into a variety of parts without alteration of its appearance. The body includes discontinuous layers of at least one polymeric material within a matrix of another polymeric material, which polymers differ in refractive index. The layers of the polymeric material may be either optically thick, optically thin, or optically very thin.

Abstract: A method of making a multilayer plastic article by forming a multilayer stream of diverse thermoplastic materials and injection molding the multilayer stream directly into the article. The multilayer stream can be formed by coextrusion of the materials or by coextrusion followed by layer multiplication in one or more interfacial surface generators/static mixers. The coextruded stream, or a multiplied stream from the one or more ISG's, can also be divided into substreams and the substreams thereafter recombined prior to being injection molded so that the layers in one such substream are angularly oriented with respect to the layers in another substream.

Abstract: A multilayer film including contiguous layers of two or more diverse thermoplastic materials of differing refractive indices whereby the film retains a permanent color change as evidence of tampering or an attempt at tampering when the yield point of at least one of the diverse materials has been at least equalled by the strain associated with such tampering or with such an attempt at tampering, and where before such yield point is at least equalled the wavelength of an unsuppressed reflectance of normally incident light is not within the visible spectrum while after such yielded point is at least equalled the reflectance is retained in the visible spectrum.

Abstract: A multilayered, highly reflective polymeric body comprising at least two types of optical layers which is thermoformable and capable of being fabricated into films, sheets and a variety of parts while maintaining a uniform reflective appearance is provided. The reflective polymeric body includes at least first and second diverse polymeric materials having a sufficient number of layers of the first and second polymeric materials such that at least 30% of light incident on the body is reflected. A portion of the layers have optical thicknesses between 0.09 and 0.45 .mu.m, and the remaining layers have optical thicknesses of not greater than 0.09 .mu.m or not less than 0.45 .mu.m. The first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03.

Abstract: A multilayered reflective body which is thermoformable and capable of being fabricated into relatively thick parts while maintaining a uniform reflective appearance is provided. The reflective polymeric body includes at least first and second diverse polymeric materials of a sufficient number of alternating layers of the first and second polymeric materials such that at least 30% of the light incident on the body is reflected. A substantial majority of the individual layers of the body have an optical thickness of at least 0.45 micrometers, and adjacent layers of the first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.03. The reflective body may be fabricated into sheets, mirrors, noncorroding metallic appearing articles and parts, reflectors, reflective lenses, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical interference film, made of multiple layers of polymers, which reflects wavelengths of light in the infrared region of the spectrum while being substantially transparent to wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum. The optical interference film includes multiple alternating layers of at least first, second, and third diverse, substantially transparent polymeric materials A, B, and C, with the layers being of an optical thickness of between about 0.09 and 0.45 micrometers. Each of the polymeric materials has a different index of refraction, n.sub.i, and the refractive index of the second polymeric material is intermediate the respective refractive indices of the first and third polymeric materials.

Abstract: A multilayer film indicator, mechanism and process for using the indicator for determining the integrity, authenticity, or conformance of an item to an original state, involving the measurement and comparison of the condition of the indicator to an identifiable original quality of the indicator. The identifiable original quality of the indicator is produced by the optical interactions of layers of diverse thermoplastic materials within a laminate of the indicator and is not readily visible to the naked eye.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating interfacial surfaces in a fluid mass which:(a) divide a first stream of the fluid mass into a plurality of branch streams, redirect or reposition the branch streams, expand and contract the branch streams in a symmetrical fashion, and recombine the branch streams to form a second stream of the fluid mass; or(b) divide a first stream of the fluid mass into a plurality of branch streams, redirect or reposition the branch streams, recombine the branch streams to form a second stream of the fluid mass, and expand and contract the second stream in a symmetrical fashion.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for making multilayer film having a prescribed gradient in, or distribution of, the thicknesses of one or more materials through the thickness of the film.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved elastomeric interference films which are readily coextruded, have improved transparency, and have greater mismatches of refractive indices than those of the prior art. An improved elastomeric optical interference film comprising at least 100 alternating layers of at least first and second divergent substantially transparent elastomeric polymeric materials is provided. Adjacent layers of the first and second polymeric materials differ from each other in refractive index by at least about 0.05, and the thickness of the layers is from about 0.05 to about 0.5 micrometers. Stretching the films results in different wavelengths of light being reflected.

Abstract: A quadrangular optical waveguide is formed by the coextrusion of polymeric materials. The waveguide comprises a solid light conducting core which is encased in a cladding layer having a lower index of refraction. Taps may be formed in the waveguide by a heated probe to deflect light out of the waveguide.

Abstract: A hollow light conductor with enhanced light-transmitting properties is formed by the coextrusion of polymeric materials. The hollow light conductor comprises a continuous annular core layer encased in inner and outer cladding layers.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing blown articles is disclosed wherein the article is manufactured from a parison having a high degree of multi-axial orientation. The method permits molecular orientation within the parison to be superposed with orientation imparted during the blowing step, whereby a blown article of greatly improved properties is manufactured.

Abstract: Multilayer film or sheet prepared by coextrusion is extruded wherein the thickness of the inner layers is varied by varying the flow of one component to the central portion of the sheet while diverting that portion to an external portion of the sheet or film.

Abstract: Apparatus for rapidly making thermoplastic containers wherein the resultant containers can, if desired, be multilayered for vapor or gas barrier or other reasons, or be oriented for toughness and improved stress crack resistance. The apparatus takes a measured amount of thermoplastic material which is lubricated, heated and forged into a desired shape preform with a predetermined lip configuration. The center portion of each said preform is maintained at a forming temperature while the peripheral portion thereof is clamped and rapidly brought below the softening point of the plastic resin. The preform can then be immediately thermoformed into a container having a desired shape and size, and cooled. If desired, the preform can be forged, cooled and recovered for a subsequent thermoforming operation or can be a finished article itself.

Abstract: A scrap free process for rapidly making thermoplastic containers wherein the resultant containers can, if desired, be multilayered for vapor or gas barrier or other reasons, or be oriented for toughness and improved stress crack resistance. The containers can be formed from multilayered or homogeneous plastic sheets wherein a relatively thin thermoplastic blank is provided. This blank is lubricated, heated and forged into a desired shape preform with a predetermined lip configuration. The center portion of each said preform is maintained at a forming temperature while the peripheral portion thereof is rapidly brought below the softening point of the plastic resin. The preform is then immediately thermoformed into a container having a desired shape and size, and cooled. If desired, the preform can be forged, cooled and recovered from a subsequent thermoforming operation.

Abstract: A plastic container for food products and method of making the container, the body of the container thermoformed from a sheet comprising a plurality of layers which are held together in a contiguous structure without being securely bonded together, said layers of the container body functionally secured in place after filling by an interlocking closure. At least one layer provides structural rigidity and a good water vapor barrier and at least one other layer provides a barrier to the transmission of oxygen and a supplementary water vapor barrier. The container is capable of withstanding retort temperatures. Separation of the scrap sheet from which the container body is formed and recycle of separate layer scrap from the container body thermoforming process can be accomplished since the layers forming the container body are not securely bonded together.

Abstract: Apparatus for rapidly making thermoplastic containers wherein the resultant containers can, if desired, be multilayered for vapor or gas barrier or other reasons, or be oriented for toughness and improved stress crack resistance. The apparatus takes a measured amount of thermoplastic material which is lubricated, heated and forged into a desired shape preform with a predetermined lip configuration. The center portion of each said preform is maintained at a forming temperature while the peripheral portion thereof is clamped and rapidly brought below the softening point of the plastic resin. The preform can then be immediately thermoformed into a container having a desired shape and size, and cooled. If desired, the preform can be forged, cooled and recovered for a subsequent thermoforming operation or can be a finished article itself.