Abstract: Separator for cylindrical cell of the outwardly guided type, wherein a sheet material is wound around a mandrel, and starting from the winding step until the insertion of a separator into the cell, an outward support is used that renders the binding of neighboring turns of the separator winding unnecessary, and the separator sheet has an extended portion, with the extension being at least equal to the radius of the separator cylinder, and with this extended portion being wetted with distilled or de-ionized water until the material softens and the winding and the mandrel are rotated and the bottom part is folded back and heat fused to close the separator cylinder.

Abstract: Processes for manufacturing hollow structures such as spars for helicopter rotor blades, fixed wings for aircraft, and other aerostructures can include the provision of a path for gases to exit the material from which the spar is formed as the material is heated and cured, to help eliminate voids within the material caused by the presence of such gases.

Abstract: A polymeric web exhibiting a soft and silky tactile impression on at least one side thereof is disclosed. The silky feeling side of the web exhibits a pattern of discrete hair-like fibrils, each of the hair-like fibrils being a protruded extension of the web surface and having a side wall defining an open proximal portion and a closed distal portion. The hair-like fibrils exhibit a maximum lateral cross-sectional diameter of between 2 and 5 mils, and an aspect ratio from 1 to 3. Methods and apparatus for making the polymeric web utilize a three-dimensional forming structure having a plurality of protrusions being generally columnar forms having an average aspect ratio of at least about 1.

Abstract: Laminated glazing for automotive use in which a thermoplastic functional film is thermoformed and then cooled by forced draught, prior to the introduction between the glass sheets of the laminated glazing.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a sheet molded body having a desired three dimensional shape and an excellent quality of the design, which has no crease, by uniformly expanding a decorated sheet prior to molding, and closely contacting the decorate sheet to the surface of a male die. In the manufacturing method, the pressure at the front side of the decorated sheet is lowered relative to that at the back side. An arm means is then moved towards the decorated sheet from the back side of the decorated sheet so that the decorated sheet is inverted by increasing the pressure at the front side relative to that at the back side. The decorated sheet is then three dimensionally formed along the surface of the male die by, while pressing the male die from the back side and moving the arm means backwards, increasing the pressure at the front side.

Abstract: A method of making a finished product includes the steps of providing a feedstock comprising a polymer component comprising 5 to 100 parts by weight of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene in particulate form, polyvinyl chloride in particulate form, and a mixture of polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride both in particulate form; 0 to 95 parts by weight of polystyrene in particulate form; an extender, and optionally reinforcing fibres or particles; mixing the feedstock with a thermosetting resin selected from an unsaturated polyester resin in liquid form and a catalyst for the polyester resin and an epoxy resin in liquid form and a catalyst for the epoxy resin; and subjecting the product to suitable conditions of temperature and pressure to cause the polyethylene and/or the polyvinyl chloride and the polystyrene, if present, to melt and the thermosetting resin to set to form the finished product, e.g a shutter board.

Abstract: A thread or other element for bonding fibers in a fibrous reinforcement for use in a fiber composite is such that it is at least degraded in the course of the production of said fiber composite.

Abstract: A method for forming a container (7) starting from a web (3) of heat-bondable material wound on a reel (4) comprises the following operations: forming a tubular element (5) of predetermined diameter and height; mounting the tubular element (5) over a support (16); closing one end of the tubular element (5) to form the open container (7); inserting the container (7) into a mould (12) after heating if necessary; forcing the walls of the container (7) against the inner walls of the mould (12); opening the mould and withdrawing the container (7) from the support (16).

Abstract: A design of microchannels and a method for economic production of such microchannels. The new microchannel design comprises a thin thermoplastic film and a relatively thick substrate to form microchannels in-between. The microchannels are displaced on the film side. The method for fabricating such microchannels is a hybrid process combining compression, and blowing or vacuum forming to form microchannels between the film and the substrate. During the process, the film is placed on the top of the substrate. A mold or die with to-be-replicated microchannels clamps the film against the substrate. Either blow molding or vacuum forming is then carried out to deform the film and replicate the microchannels. Rapid heatable and coolable molds are preferred to soften the film and form bonds between the film and the substrate while short cycle time is maintained.

Abstract: A method for producing open-ended biaxially oriented containers includes forming a biaxially oriented intermediate by blow forming, without plug assist, a sheet of unoriented thermoplastic material into a forming tube to a depth of draw sufficient for full orientation of the side walls. The blow formed intermediate is placed on a male form a predetermined size, shape, and texture. The intermediate is heated above the orientation temperature of the thermoplastic material to heat shrink the intermediate onto the surface of the male form. The formed container is then removed from the male form.

Abstract: On the-inside of heated molds hollow bodies are formed by vulcanization, the bodies are formed of elements from natural or synthetic rubber and/or treated elastomers, possibly associated with different materials such as leather, skin, cotton, metals, expanded rubbers and others, combined with each other. A pressurized fluid, such as hot or cold air, vapor or compatible gas, is injected between the hollow bodies being formed. During vulcanization, the components, airtight-coupled with each other along at least a contact and sealing common line, are pushed and kept in forming adhesion against the mold surfaces by the pressurized fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transfer material and surface protecting sheet which can provide a molded article excellent in abrasion resistance and chemical resistance without causing crack in curved part of the molded article. The present invention can make possible not to remain fluidity and stickiness on a protecting printed layer prior to irradiation with an active energy ray, even in an inline printing process. A transfer material or a surface protecting sheet of the present invention has, a substrate sheet, a protecting printed layer which consists of an active energy ray curable resin composition comprising a polyaddition reaction product having an urethane bond amount of from 6000 to 50000 g/eq as an effective ingredient on a surface of the substrate sheet, and an additional printed layer on the protecting printed layer or on the opposite surface of the substrate sheet.

Abstract: A method of producing a curable prepreg which comprises (i) sandwiching a multi-ply fabric layer comprising at least two superposed sheets of woven reinforcing fabric between solid films of a curable resin composition and (ii) heating the resulting sandwich under pressure so that the resin composition impregnates the sheets of woven reinforcing fabric to form a coherent curable structure.

Abstract: In manufacturing a photo film cassette, a disk producing apparatus includes a web supplier which conveys the web from a web roll to the web conveyor. The web conveyor includes two chains which convey the web in an intermittent fashion, and which include pointed portions which serially penetrate an edge portion of the web. A heater disposed upstream from the web conveyor heats the edges of the web. At the heating/forming unit, a heating plate is lowered toward the web at the same time as the female mold is raised toward the web, and the web is squeezed between them before the heating and vacuum/air pressure forming takes. Clampers/coolers disposed upstream and downstream from the heating plate and female mold squeeze the web in fixed fashion to prevent wrinkles on the web. A web/sheet cutter device includes an upper punch above the web and a lower die under the web, which squeeze the web, and cut the web into a sheet having a plurality of disk-like portions.

Abstract: A sheet of expanded plastics material with absorbent properties towards aqueous liquids has a structure with intercommunicating cells and comprises at least one surfactant and at least one lubricating agent. The invention also relates to a tray (1) of plastics material for foods which may release liquids, comprising a base (2) and side walls (3), wherein the base (2) has holes (4) of 0.1-1.5 mm diameter in the surface (4) which is intended to contact the food, and is produced from a sheet as described above. Methods of producing the sheet and the tray are also described.

Abstract: A method for forming a pattern onto an article during injection molding thereof. A pattern-bearing film is heated and softened by a heating board. The softened pattern-bearing film is transferred to the cavity surface of a female mold. Thereafter, the female mold and a male mold are closed. Then, a molten resin is injected into the cavity. When a pattern-bearing film is brought in contact with and heated by the heating board, marks or impressions of air blow holes on the surface of the heating board remain on the pattern-bearing film. To prevent the formation of these marks or impressions, a square-shaped holding frame is fixed on the surface of the heating board. The peripheral portion of the pattern-bearing film is held on the surface of the holding frame. Thus, while the pattern portion of the pattern-bearing film is spaced apart from the surface of the heating board, the film is heated.

Abstract: A method for forming a pattern onto an article during injection molding thereof. A pattern-bearing film is heated and softened by a heating board. The softened pattern-bearing film is transferred to the cavity surface of a female mold. Thereafter, the female mold and a male mold are closed. Then, a molten resin is injected into the cavity. When a pattern-bearing film is brought in contact with and heated by the heating board, marks or impressions of air blow holes on the surface of the heating board remain on the pattern-bearing film. To prevent the formation of these marks or impressions, a square-shaped holding frame is fixed on the surface of the heating board. The peripheral portion of the pattern-bearing film is held on the surface of the holding frame. Thus, while the pattern portion of the pattern-bearing film is spaced apart from the surface of the heating board, the film is heated.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the production of molded articles by deep-drawing a prefabricated polyurethane(urea) part produced from a polyisocyanate polyaddition product having a specific gravity of at least 0.8 g/cm.sup.3. The part is placed inside a deep-drawing mold and pressed at a temperature of up to 230.degree. C. and a pressure of up to 1,000 bar. After the deep-drawing process, the part is subjected to a dwell time of at least 10 seconds at a temperature of up to 230.degree. C. and a pressure of up to 1,000 and is immediately thereafter removed from the mold.

Abstract: In forming operations on plastic sheets, plates, strips, or tubes (particularly, having highly glossy surfaces) by molding or forming tools, the surface qualities, particularly the gloss, remains undamaged if; (a) the tool is maintained at a temperature in the thermoelastic state region of the plastic until disengagement of the plastic from the tool; and (b) the formed plastic is cooled at its rear side to below the softening temperature, and is disengaged from the forming tool while said tool is hot.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermoforming hollow articles including forming molds and die cutting molds disposed in spaced-apart relationship wherein the web or sheet of thermoplastic material is sequentially moved or indexed in an integrated operation whereby an article formed in the forming molds is advanced into proper alignment with respect to the die cutting molds and die cut, and subsequently withdrawn to an appropriate storage assembly. The forming molds and die cutting molds being positioned on upper and lower platens.

Abstract: A method of molding oriented structural yarn/polymer matrix composite structural articles in which a preform of oriented yarn layers saturated with a resin is placed in a shape-defining mold, which is put in an enclosure, and subjected to heat and pressure to cure the resin, after which a cooling medium may be introduced. To enable the use of lightweight multi-part molds, and a mixture of pressure is distributed evenly, an internal liner is collapsed about the mold prior to curing. The process is extremely productive, and allows for accuracy and reproducibility through the use of real time temperature monitoring and closed loop feedback control.

Abstract: An apparatus for heat staking plastic parts to other parts to form an assembly are featured, using multiple heating elements which are arranged in zones and which are separately programmable in terms of temperature and displacement to develop optimum deformation of plastic having different characteristics. The heating elements are isolated thermally to provide an improved conservation of heat energy.

Abstract: A method for encapsulating an electrical component or forming a resin based filler reinforced composite article which comprises providing a rigid mold having a cavity and an opening in one surface of the mold connected to the cavity, and a chamber in which the mold is placed for applying heat and varying pressure to the mold contents. The chamber is preheated to the curing temperature of the resin and is maintained at this temperature. The component or filler is loaded into the mold cavity and the mold is placed in the preheated chamber. Then the mold cavity is filled with a low viscosity heat curable, thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin. Next, the mold cavity is evacuated to a subatmospheric pressure to impose a vacuum on the mold to impregnate the component or filler with the resin, degas the mold cavity contents, and expand any voids in the resin. The vacuum is released to atmospheric pressure to collapse any gas bubbles remaining in the mold contents.

Abstract: A packaging machine which has a station in which a thermoplastic packaging foil is heated to its thermoplastic state by contacting with the surface of a heating plate. The contacting surface of the heating plate has a plurality of raised zones adjacent to and surrounded by interconnected retracted zones which together form a venting channel for preventing the inclusion of any residual air between the foil and the contacting surface of the heating plate. The raised zones are generally convex in shape, with continuous curvature towards the retracted interconnected and surrounding zones so that, in use, the foil may be applied across its total surface on the contacting surface of the heating plate without inclusion of residual air therebetween, thus achieving uniform heating of the packaging foil and avoiding any deformation or warping thereof.

Abstract: Thermoforming equipment includes a solid state sensor adapted to determine when a sheet of thermoplastic material has been clamped between a forming mold and a heating platen. Clamping force is provided by a cutter blade carried by said mold around the periphery thereof. Electronic control circuitry responsive to the sensor maintains the thermoplastic sheet in clamped relation without being severed by the blade. After the thermoplastic sheet has been formed into an article defined by the mold, the mold and platen are permitted to continue to close beyond the point sensed by the sensor, permitting the blade to penetrate the sheet and sever the formed article therefrom.

Abstract: A method for making a decorative plate used in a building characterized by making a transfer sheet by applying a primer layer comprising a water-soluble binder to the surface of a synthetic resin sheet, printing a pattern comprising a coloring agent and a binder, at least one of which is water-soluble, on the primer layer, making a mold for a slip casting having the pattern layer on the inside surface by shaping the transfer sheet with the surface of the pattern layer upward, pouring a mixture comprising a hydraulic material and water into the mold, hardening the mixture, and stripping the synthetic resin sheet from the resulting decorative plate produced.

Abstract: Plastics foil is shaped in a deep drawing apparatus by being placed in a mould, while the foil is below its deformation temperature, having heated wall surfaces and by applying a pressure differential to the foil so that it progressively stretches and contacts the mould wall. The progressive heating and stretching of the foil ensures that the corners of the moulded article are not thinner than the remaining portions of the moulded article, thus reducing the amount of plastics material necessary for an article of given strength.