| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 7364788 |
Fiber-filled molded articles |
April 29, 2008 |
| Polymer molding processes, such as injection-molding processes, include use of a viscosity-reducing supercritical fluid additive resulting in less breakage of reinforcing fibers upon introduction into the mold. |
| 7364677 |
In-mold decorated articles and methods |
April 29, 2008 |
| The invention provides in-mold decorated articles and methods to form the articles. The in-mold decorated articles include a polymeric portion having a substrate material adhered to a surface of the polymeric portion. The substrate material may be, for example, a film or a fabric. In |
| 7361294 |
Injection molding of polymeric material |
April 22, 2008 |
| Injection molding systems and methods useful for making microcellular foamed materials are provided as well as microcellular articles. Pressure drop rate and shear rate are important features in some embodiments, and the invention provides systems for controlling these parameters in an |
| 7318713 |
Polymer processing systems including screws |
January 15, 2008 |
| Injection molding and blow molding systems that include screws having low L:D ratios are provided. The systems are capable of producing microcellular polymeric materials. In some cases, the systems may be formed by retrofitting conventional polymer processing systems. Retrofitting ma |
| 7267534 |
Methods for manufacturing foam material including systems with pressure restriction element |
September 11, 2007 |
| The invention provides systems, methods, and articles useful in the production of foams, and, in particular microcellular foams. The systems include a restriction element that reduces the backflow of polymer melt in an extruder while polymeric material is injected into a mold or ejec |
| 7172333 |
Injection molding screw |
February 6, 2007 |
| An injection molding screw for metal injection molding includes a first end, a second end, a longitudinal body with a first stage and a second stage extending axially along a length of the screw between the ends, a pressure retention device, and optionally, a screw tip. The pressure |
| 7144532 |
Blowing agent introduction systems and methods |
December 5, 2006 |
| The present invention provides blowing agent introduction systems and methods for introducing blowing agent into polymeric foam processing systems. The methods may involve introducing one or more doses of blowing agent into polymeric material in an extruder during a plastication period |
| 6926507 |
Blowing agent delivery system |
August 9, 2005 |
| The invention provides a blowing agent delivery system for introducing a blowing agent into a polymeric foam processing system. The delivery system is designed to discontinuously introduce blowing agent from a continuous source into polymeric material within an extruder. The system, thus |
| 6884823 |
Injection molding of polymeric material |
April 26, 2005 |
| Injection molding systems and methods useful for making microcellular foamed materials are provided as well as microcellular articles. Pressure drop rate and shear rate are important features in some embodiments, and the invention provides systems for controlling these parameters in an |
| 6884377 |
Method and apparatus for microcellular polymer extrusion |
April 26, 2005 |
| Continuous polymeric extrusion nucleation systems and methods useful for making polymeric microcellular foamed materials, including crystalline and semi-crystalline polymeric microcellular materials, are provided. Pressure drop rate is an important feature in some embodiments, and the in |
| 6706223 |
Microcelluar extrusion/blow molding process and article made thereby |
March 16, 2004 |
| A microcellular injection blow molding system and method, and microcellular blow molded articles produced thereby, are described. The system is equipped to extrude microcellular material that changes in thickness, material density, or both in the machine direction while maintaining a |
| 6659757 |
Valve for injection molding |
December 9, 2003 |
| A valve for controlling the flow of a high pressure fluid is provided. The valve provides a reliable way of controlling the flow of high pressure fluids in applications requiring multiple cycles where equipment may be exposed to environmentally harsh conditions, such as high temperatures |
| 6616434 |
Blowing agent metering system |
September 9, 2003 |
| The invention provides a blowing agent metering system and method for use in polymeric foam processing. The system may be used to control the rate of introduction of blowing agent into polymeric material in a processing apparatus to form a mixture having the desired blowing agent weight |
| 6613811 |
Microcellular thermoplastic elastomeric structures |
September 2, 2003 |
| Microcellular thermoplastic elastomeric polymeric structures are provided. The articles have an average cell size of less than 100 .mu.m and a compression set ranging from less than about 30% to less than about 5%, and a rebound value of at least 50%. The articles may be formed from a |
| 6602064 |
Polymer processing system and apparatus |
August 5, 2003 |
| The invention provides a counter-rotating extrusion system for processing foam material. The system is designed to introduce a physical blowing agent into the extruder, thoroughly disperse the blowing agent within the polymer melt and, preferably, to maintain relatively high pressures |
| 6602063 |
Discontinuous blowing agent delivery system and method |
August 5, 2003 |
| The invention provides a blowing agent delivery system and method for introducing a blowing agent into a polymeric foam processing system. The delivery system is designed to introduce blowing agent into polymeric material within an extruder when polymeric material is being plasticated, |
| 6593384 |
Polymer foam processing with low blowing agent levels |
July 15, 2003 |
| Systems and techniques for forming microcellular polymeric material, via injection molding, blow molding, continuous extrusion, or the like, at very low blowing agent levels, are described. The invention involves, in one aspect, the discovery of a region of very low blowing agent level |
| 6579910 |
Methods for manufacturing foam material including systems with pressure restriction element |
June 17, 2003 |
| The invention provides systems, methods, and articles useful in the production of foams, and, in particular microcellular foams. The systems include a restriction element that reduces the backflow of polymer melt in an extruder while polymeric material is injected into a mold or ejected |
| 6376059 |
Polyethylene foams and methods of their production |
April 23, 2002 |
| High-density polyethylene (HDPE) foams that are essentially free of residual chemical blowing agents and reaction-by-products of chemical blowing agent are provided. The HDPE foams can be either microcellular foams or conventional foams. She foams can be produced in extrusion, inject |
| 6322347 |
Methods for manufacturing foam material including systems with pressure restriction element |
November 27, 2001 |
| The invention provides systems, methods, and articles useful in the production of foams, and, in particular microcellular foams. The systems include a restriction element that reduces the backflow of polymer melt in an extruder while polymeric material is injected into a mold or ejected |
| 6294115 |
Microcellular articles and methods of their production |
September 25, 2001 |
| Semi-crystalline microcellular foams that include a midlevel amount of nucleating agent, and methods of their production, are provided. The microcellular foams can be produced in typical polymer processing techniques such as extrusion, injection molding and blow molding. The foams ex |
| 6284810 |
Method and apparatus for microcellular polymer extrusion |
September 4, 2001 |
| Continuous polymeric extrusion nucleation systems and methods useful for making polymeric microcellular foamed materials, including crystalline and semi-crystalline polymeric microcellular materials, are provided. Pressure drop rate is an important feature in some embodiments, and the in |
| 6235380 |
Lamination of microcellular articles |
May 22, 2001 |
| Articles including material laminated to a surface of a microcellular substrate are disclosed, as well as methods of making these articles. Microcellular polymeric material in sheet form can be extruded and continuously fed from the extruded to a lamination system, or microcellular s |
| 6231942 |
Method and apparatus for microcellular polypropylene extrusion, and polypropylene articles produ |
May 15, 2001 |
| A polymeric foam article is comprised mainly of homopolymeric polypropylene, or unimodal polypropylene. The polymeric article can be microcellular, and can be formed into a drinking straw. |
| 6169122 |
Microcellular articles and methods of their production |
January 2, 2001 |
| Semi-crystalline microcellular foams that include a midlevel amount of nucleating agent, and methods of their production, are provided. The microcellular foams can be produced in typical polymer processing techniques such as extrusion, injection molding and blow molding. The foams ex |
