Abstract: A mould tool (10) for moulding mouldable material, the mould tool comprises a tool body (12) having a plurality of tool body sections (14), at least two of which comprise an inner polymer foam core (16) within an outer skin (18) of resinous material and are stacked one above the other, the tool (10) further comprises a mould skin (20) extending over the body (12) to provide a mould surface (22) on which mouldable material can be moulded. A method of manufacturing such a mould tool and a tool body are also provided.

Abstract: An upper for an article of footwear, the upper including a base layer defining a least a portion of the upper and polymer threads stitched to the base layer. The polymer threads may include a core composed of a first material and a coating composed of a second material, where the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material. The polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer by the coating of the polymer threads. The polymer threads may include one or more polymer thread sets stitched in pattern(s) on area(s) of an outer surface of the base layer to provide targeted characteristics to area(s) on the upper. In some embodiments, the polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer with heat and/or pressure.

Abstract: An upper for an article of footwear, the upper including a base layer defining a least a portion of the upper and polymer threads stitched to the base layer. The polymer threads may include a core composed of a first material and a coating composed of a second material, where the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material. The polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer by the coating of the polymer threads. The polymer threads may include one or more polymer thread sets stitched in pattern(s) on area(s) of an outer surface of the base layer to provide targeted characteristics to area(s) on the upper. In some embodiments, the polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer with heat and/or pressure.

Abstract: A seat cover for use with vehicle seats with or without side deployed airbags. In an example, the seat cover is made of a uni-body construction with upper and lower sections for respectively covering a seat back and seat cushion. Openings are provided in the upper and lower sections for insertion of the seat back and seat cushion. A side panel is disposed on each lateral side of the upper section that aligns with an expected path of the airbag when deployed. A frangible seam couples the panel to the remaining portion of the seat cover. The frangible seam fails at a force sufficiently less than the force of a deploying airbag. Thus when the airbag is deployed the force consumed by cleaving the frangible seam panel does not impede airbag deployment. Also included is an alignment member to position the panel in the expected path of the deploying airbag.

Abstract: An embroidery process allowing for extra lengths of stitched thread pairs to be laid down in a zigzag pattern while embroidering on a dissolvable substrate such that when the substrate is removed, the extra length allows the two-dimensional embroidered structure to relax into a three-dimensional shape.

Abstract: An embroidery process allowing for a three-dimensional shape to be embroidered in two dimensions, allowing for the cost effective and repeatable manufacturing required for use in surgically implanted medical devices.

Abstract: Paper machine clothing, especially a press felt (1), has a support (2) which has at least one layer of a thread lap (3, 4, 5, 13). The lap threads (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 17, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 38, 43, 44, 45) run parallel to one another. Spacing threads are present which run between two lap threads (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 17, 21, 25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 38, 43, 44, 45) and are soluble in a solvent in which the remaining part of the paper machine clothing (1) is not soluble.

Abstract: A multi-layer article of manufacture includes an intermediate layer of a water-swellable colloidal clay, such as bentonite, sandwiched between two layers of flexible sheet or fabric material wherein the two flexible layers of sheet or fabric material are structurally interconnected through the intermediate clay layer, such as by quilting, with threads, fibers, filaments or strands of flexible material at spaced locations over essentially the entire outer surface areas of both sheet or fabric material layers.

Abstract: A multi-embroidered lace comprising a first design made of metallic or lustrous type of yarn embroidered onto a ground fabric using an insoluble back thread. A second and different design made of a different yarn from the first is embroidered over the first design utilizing an insoluble back thread. The ground fabric may or may not be soluble as desired.

Abstract: A dry fiber form, useful for the preparation of fiber/resin composites, is proposed by stitching a continuous tow of structural yarn to a substrate, according to a predetermined pattern. Numerous layers, similar or different to each other, are prepared, and adhered together. In one embodiment, the fibers are stitched to a removable substrate.

Abstract: An embroidered design adapted to be heat sealed to another article is disclosed. The embroidered design comprises a bobbin yarn forming a top surface of the embroidered design, and a needle or front yarn forming the bottom surface of the embroidered design. The needle yarn comprises first and second coextensive strands. One of the strands is made from a thermoplastic material which melts and forms an adhesive bond with the supporting article upon application of heat and pressure. The other strand remains intact upon application of heat and pressure. The second strand maintains the structural integrity of the embroidered design. The embroidered design also comprises a backing material disposed between the top and bottom surfaces which backing material is made from a degradable substance. The backing material disintegrates upon application of heat and pressure and may be brushed away.

Abstract: A soil erosion control blanket formed from a mat of interlocking woodwool fibres, the mat of woodwool being retained as a coherent structure by means of longitudinal rows of stitching giving the blanket a quilted appearance.

Abstract: The doll of the present invention is formed by outlining a desired feature with an adhesive such as a meltable, fuser thread between a front and rear piece of fabric in an outline of the desired feature such as the nose or mouth. After the adhesive is made to hold the two sheets of fabric together, soft material is inserted between the two sheets within the feature. The outline of a nose is U-shaped, and soft material can be inserted through the top opening between the two pieces of fabric. The outline of a mouth is closed so the soft material is pushed through a slit in the rear piece of fabric. The mouth can also be formed by satin-like stitches in which long stitches are formed on the top of the front sheet of material extending from the outline of the mouth or lips. The soft material is inserted through the rear sheet to cause the front sheet and the satin stitches to bulge outward. The lips can also be formed by running stitches forming an outline, which is then filled.

Abstract: A method of joining together a sheet or sheets of an organic polymer which is not normally melt-processable, e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene, the method comprising the steps of(a) contacting a strip of melt-processable organic polymer, e.g. fluorinated ethylene/propylene copolymer, with the faces of the sheet or sheets in the region of juxtaposed edges of the sheet or sheets,(b) stitching the strip to the sheet or sheets by means of a thread, and(c) heating the strip in order to fuse the strip and/or the thread to seal the holes created by the stitching step, and, where the strip has not previously been fused to the faces of the sheet or sheets, in order to fuse the strip to the faces of the sheet or sheets.Preferably, the thread is of a melt-processable fluorine-containing polymer and a gauze is placed in contact with and stitched to the faces of the sheets opposite from the faces contacted with the strip of melt-processable organic polymer.

Abstract: Fibrous substrates intended for the production of composite bodies are produced from sheet material consisting of fibrous filaments or threads bound into a coherent sheet with a binder by providing fine, substantially uniformly sized and distributed perforations in at least selected areas of the coherent sheet, subdividing the perforated sheet into a plurality of substantially identical smaller flat sheets each comprising at least one of said selected areas, stacking the smaller sheets one upon another so that in the resulting stack the perforations in one sheet overlie the perforations in the immediately underlying sheet and thus form passages through the stack and thereafter threading through said passages in said stack strands or rods formed from fibrous filaments or threads which have been bound together with a binder.

Abstract: A lock core panel wherein a face sheet, base sheet and core are integrally joined at each web line by fiber material prior to curing. The upper face sheet comprises layers which may be angularly oriented and selected fibers or strands removed, if desired, to provide desired porosity for noise suppression purposes.

Abstract: Non-woven, bias laid fabrics, where the various fabric layers are held together by external means, such as stitching, and wherein, preferably, at least two of the layers are formed at an angle of from 30.degree. to 150.degree. relative to the long axis of the fabric, are formed by directing at least two pluralities of yarns back and forth across the width of the forming fabric, to be wrapped around or mounted on a series of needles formed on a moving conveyor, one conveyor being placed on either side and moving in the direction of the long axis of the fabric. Speed of movement of the yarns can be determined by the speed of movement of the mechanism for the machine operated to hold the various fabric layers together; preferably said machine mechanism moves more slowly near the ends of each cycle, so that yarn carriers are similarly slowed at either end of the forming fabric width, aiding in making successive courses of yarn lie parallel to each other without the necessity for extra equipment.