Systems and methods for applying markings to an article are disclosed. One aspect comprises providing a dye pad shaped to correspond to a desired marking; applying an infusion dye to the dye pad; applying an activation solution to the infusion dye, thereby forming an infusion dye mixture; placing the dye pad in contact with a discrete area of an outer surface of the article; leaving the dye pad in contact with the outer surface of the article under room temperature and pressure, for a duration sufficient to allow the infusion dye mixture to open a polymeric structure of a material of the outer surface and to allow the infusion dye to penetrate the outer surface and form the desired marking within a substrate of the article; and removing the dye pad from the outer surface. An infusion dyeing kit and method for supplying a kit are also disclosed.

The present application relates to encapsulated benefit agents, compositions comprising such encapsulated benefit agents and processes for making and using compositions comprising such encapsulated benefit agents that do not require or require a reduced amount of scavenger materials. Such encapsulated benefit agents, compositions comprising such encapsulated benefit agents are processed such that no or lower levels of scavenger materials are required.

The invention discloses a laundry article used for both cleaning and conditioning fabrics comprising a water-insoluble nonwoven substrate and coated thereon into at least one zone each a detergent composition and a fabric conditioning composition. The fabric conditioning composition comprises a quaternary ammonium cationic surfactant, an alkoxylated fatty alcohol and a fatty acid.

A bluing composition concentrate comprises an aqueous medium and at least one colorant that exhibits a blue or violet shade when deposited onto a textile material. The concentrate can be used to produce a bluing composition, and the bluing composition can be used to treat textile materials in such a way as to decrease the visually-perceived yellow coloration of textile articles that can occur with repeated use and laundering.

Systems and methods for treating small elongated fibrous and particles of certain materials, e.g., PTFE materials in a suspension are presented. In some instances, high-intensity ultrasound (or acoustical energy) is applied to a sample of the material, through a fluid coupling medium or suspension, to achieve a material transformation in the sample. In various embodiments, fibrillation of particles of PTFE or similar materials is accomplished, or the formation of extended structures of these materials is caused or enhanced. Also, the ability to separate long fiber samples by ultrasonic or acoustic cavitation action is provided.

The present invention refers to a process of making a fibrous structure, wherein roughly graded material is provided to rotating, apertured drums. The drums have at least one needle roll in their inside. The roughly graded material is agitated inside the drums, whereby fibers or small fiber clusters are separated from each other. These fibers and small fiber clusters are flung through the apertures to the outside of the drum, where they are directed onto a foraminous carrier to form a fibrous structure. The fibrous structures are especially useful in absorbent articles.

Apparatuses and methods for applying a transfer material onto the surface of an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of transfer printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. In some cases, the apparatuses and methods involve providing a deposition device, such as a printing device; providing a transfer component; depositing a material onto a portion of the transfer component with the deposition device; modifying the portion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon to conform the transfer component to at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensional article; and transferring the transfer material onto the surface of the article.

An adjusting method for adjusting an imprint apparatus includes a preparation step of preparing a sample for evaluating a state in which a contact region of a test mold is in contact with an imprint material supplied on a substrate; an evaluation step of evaluating the sample; and an adjustment step of adjusting the imprint apparatus based on a result of evaluation obtained in the evaluation step. The contact region includes a flat region which does not include a pattern, the evaluation in the evaluation step includes a first evaluation, which is an evaluation of a state of the imprint material in the flat region, and the imprint apparatus is adjusted based on a result of the first evaluation in the adjustment step.

A metal matrix composite article that includes at least first and second regions, first and second reinforcement materials, a metal matrix composite material occupying the second region of the body and comprising a metal matrix material and the second reinforcement component, a preform positioned in the first region of the body and infiltrated by at least the metal matrix material of the metal matrix composite material. The article further includes a transition region located proximate an outer surface of the preform that includes a distribution of the second reinforcement component comprising a density increasing according to a second gradient in a direction toward the outer surface of the preform.

The present invention describes a microfabricated or nanofabricated structured diamond abrasive with a high surface density array of geometrical protrusions of pyramidal, truncated pyramidal or other shape, of designed shapes, sizes and placements, which provides for improved conditioning of CMP polishing pads, or other abrasive roles. Three methods of fabricating the structured diamond abrasive are described: molding of diamond into an array of grooves of various shapes and sizes etched into Si or another substrate material, with subsequent transferal onto another substrate and removal of the Si; etching of an array of geometrical protrusions into a thick diamond layer, and depositing a thick diamond layer over a substrate pre-patterned (or pre-structured) with an array of geometrical protrusions of designed sizes, shapes and placements on the surface.

An abrasive article includes a polymer matrix and abrasive grains dispersed in the polymer matrix, wherein the abrasive article has a void volume of at least 50%. The polymer matrix is polymerized from a monomer including at least one double bond.

Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) fabricated by sintering a mixture including diamond particles and a selected amount of graphite particles, polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) having a PCD table comprising such PCD, and methods of fabricating such PCD and PDCs. In an embodiment, a method includes providing a mixture including graphite particles present in an amount of about 0.1 weight percent (“wt %”) to about 20 wt % and diamond particles. The method further includes subjecting the mixture to a high-pressure/high-temperature process sufficient to form PCD.

An abrasive article includes a body having abrasive particles contained within a bond material. The abrasive particles can include a majority content of silicon nitride and a minority content of sintering material including at least two rare-earth oxide materials. In an embodiment, the rare-earth oxide materials can include Nd2O3 and Y2O3. In a particular embodiment, the abrasive particles comprise a content (wt %) of Nd2O3 that is greater than a content of Y2O3 (wt %).

A method of forming an abrasive article includes providing a green body having abrasive particles including microcrystalline alumina, and heating the green body via microwave radiation to form a bonded abrasive body including the abrasive particles and a bond material comprising a vitreous phase.

An abrasive article includes a fibrous substrate, a binder disposed on the fibrous substrate, and abrasive grains in contact with the binder. The binder includes an imide cross-linked urethane derived from a blocked isocyanate component and an anhydride component.

An abrasive article including a bonded abrasive having a body formed of abrasive grains contained within a bond material, wherein the body grinds a superabrasive workpiece having an average Vickers hardness of at least about 5 GPa at an average specific grinding energy (SGE) of not greater than about 350 J/mm3, at a material removal rate of at least about 8 mm3/sec, and wherein grinding is a centerless grinding operation.

An abrasive article having an abrasive body including abrasive grains contained within a bond material, wherein the abrasive grains comprise microcrystalline alumina, and wherein the bond material includes less than about 1.0 mol % phosphorous oxide (P2O5), and a ratio measured in mol % between a total content of sodium oxide (Na2O) and a total content of potassium oxide (K2O) defined by [K2O/Na2O] having a value greater than about 0.5.

Methods of making a superabrasive tool precursor are disclosed, along with such precursors and associated tools. Particularly, methods are disclosed for orienting superabrasive particles in a viscous binding material in order to provide tools based thereupon and having desired performance characteristics.

An abrasive article includes a shaped abrasive particle including a body having a first height (h1) at a first end of the body defining a corner between an upper surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, and a second height (h2) at a second end of the body opposite the first end defining an edge between the upper surface and a third side surface, wherein the average difference in height between the first height and the second height is at least about 50 microns. The body also includes a bottom surface defining a bottom area (Ab) and a cross-sectional midpoint area (Am) defining an area of a plane perpendicular to the bottom area and extending through a midpoint of the particle, the body has an area ratio of bottom area to midpoint area (Ab/Am) of not greater than about 6.

The inventive method comprises chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with an inventive polishing composition comprising a liquid carrier and abrasive particles that have been treated with a compound.

An abrasive article includes an elongated body, a bonding layer including a metal overlying a surface of the elongated body, and a coating layer including a polymer material overlying the boding layer. The abrasive article further includes abrasive grains contained within the bonding layer and coating layer, and wherein the bonding layer comprises an average thickness (tbl) at least about 40% of the average grit size of the abrasive grains.

A method of making shaped abrasive particles including forming an abrasive flake comprising a plurality of precursor shaped abrasive particles and a frangible support joining the precursor shaped abrasive particles together; transporting the abrasive flake through a rotary kiln to sinter the abrasive flake; and breaking the sintered abrasive flake into individual shaped abrasive particles. The method is useful to make small shaped abrasive particles having insufficient mass to be efficiently individually sintered in a rotary kiln without joining two or more of the shaped abrasive particles together.

The present invention is directed to device and method for promoting plant growth. The device is a plant spacing member that has a body and a first end and a second end. The first end and second end have openings for receiving at least one plant limb therein to create a space between the limbs of the plant. An increased flow of air and light then flow through the created space to the interior of the plant to stimulate the growth of the plant. In addition, the increase flow of air and light dries the plant to reduce the accumulation of mold and mildew.

An amino-containing silica particle is provided. The amino-containing silica particle is obtained by hydrolysis-condensation reaction of an alkoxy silane represented by formula (I), an alkoxy silane represented by formula (II) and a catalyst: Si(OR1)4 formula (I) (NH2—Y)m—Si(OR2)4-m formula (II) wherein in formula (I), R1 is a C1-C10 alkyl group, and in formula (II), Y is a C1-C10 alkyl group or a C2-C10 alkenyl group, R2 is a C1-C10 alkyl group, and m is an integer of 1 to 3.

A method for protecting a surface of an article from sulfate corrosion resulting from exposure to a sulfate containing material at an elevated temperature includes coating the surface with a nickel based material to form an anti-corrosion coating. The nickel based material includes NiO, a spinel of formulation AB2O4, or a combination thereof, wherein A includes nickel, and B includes iron or a combination of manganese and a B site dopant.

A sheet material includes a fibrous substrate made of microfibers and a hydrophilic-group-containing resin applied to the fibrous substrate. The hydrophilic-group-containing resin has a microphase-separated structure that satisfies Condition I: In a phase image obtained by observing an area of 1 μm2 in a cross-section of the hydrophilic-group-containing resin applied to the fibrous substrate by phase imaging using an atomic force microscope (AFM), a standard deviation of a mode of brightness distribution of areas of 0.2 μm2 in the area of 1 μm2 is from 0 to 10. Provided are a sheet material that is produced through an eco-conscious production process and yet has such uniformity that is comparable to those of man-made leathers produced using organic-solvent-based polyurethanes, an elegant surface appearance, and a good touch, and a method for producing such a sheet material.

A laminate including a radio wave permeable member having a radio wave permeability; and a heat conducting member having an electromagnetic wave shielding property and/or a rigidity retaining member having an electromagnetic wave shielding property in the thickness direction of the radio wave permeable member; wherein the laminate has a radio wave permeable area solely constituted from the radio wave permeable member as a part of the laminate, and the radio wave permeable area is a thin area; and an integrally molded article using such laminate.

Provided is a method for manufacturing magnetic particles, in which an oxidation treatment, a reduction treatment, and a nitriding treatment are performed in that order on raw material particles with a core-shell structure in which a silicon oxide layer is formed on the surfaces of iron microparticles, thereby nitriding the iron microparticles while maintaining the core-shell structure. Due to this configuration, granular magnetic particles with a core-shell structure in which a silicon oxide layer is formed on the surfaces of iron nitride microparticles can be obtained.

A method of producing a titanium dioxide pigment is provided. Also provided is a method of improving the processability of titanium dioxide particles without adversely affecting the rheological properties of the titanium dioxide particles.

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of articles of manufacture made of or based on sulphur, which comprises cooling of liquid sulphur in a volume of containment until the sulphur mass solidifies and forming of the product, characterized in that elastic pressure waves are applied to the cooling mass of liquid sulphur to produce a crystalline suspension of solid sulphur in liquid sulphur.

Titanium dioxide which includes particles having a large major-axis length in a large proportion and comprises columnar particles having a satisfactory particle size distribution. A titanium compound, an alkali metal compound, and an oxyphosphorus compound are heated/fired in the presence of titanium dioxide nucleus crystals having an aspect ratio of 2 or higher to grow the titanium dioxide nucleus crystals. Subsequently, a titanium compound, an alkali metal compound, and an oxyphosphorus compound are further added and heated/fired in the presence of the grown titanium dioxide nucleus crystals. Thus, titanium dioxide is produced which comprises columnar particles having a weight-average major-axis length of 7.0-15.0 μm and in which particles having a major-axis length of 10 μm or longer account for 15 wt. % or more of all the particles.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fine crystal particle production method and device that are excellent in mixing efficiency. This object is achieved by a method for producing fine crystal particles, comprising: a swirl flow producing step at which a swirl flow of liquid a comprising reactant A is supplied into a cylinder having a circumferential surface partially or wholly composed of a porous membrane; and a reaction step at which liquid b comprising reactant B which is reactive with the reactant A is supplied through the porous membrane to the swirl flow to effect mixing, whereby the reactants A and B are reacted to precipitate fine crystal particles.

An article of manufacture for stretchable night visibility bands for people and animals with a inner band consisting of a primarily stretchable material, an outer band consisting of a night visibility material, a way to attach the inner band to the outer band, a means to interchange said inner bands and said outer bands and a way to close the inner band around an object. A preferred embodiment includes further an outer band made of a night visibility material fabricated of least one of the following: a reflective, a florescent or a glow in the dark material and backed with a material such as VELCRO that attaches to the inner band, A preferred embodiment includes the element of inner band consisting of a stretchable material with a looped surface such as Velstretch™.

A mass sensor is provided for measuring a particle mass within an aerosol. The duration of a sensing cycle is set such that a pre-set change in mass resulting from particles deposited is caused. In the absence of cleaning, the lifetime of the sensor is dependent on the total mass deposited. As a result, the lifetime is made essentially constant by this approach, because each sensing operation is made to give rise to a constant amount of deposited particle mass. This means the lifetime can be predicted more accurately.

The invention relates to a method for controlling the divergence of a jet of particles in vacuo with an aerodynamic lens, the aerodynamic lens including at least one chamber; a diaphragm, a so-called inlet diaphragm, intended to form an inlet of the aerodynamic lens for a jet of particles, the inlet diaphragm having a given diameter (d1); and another diaphragm, a so-called outlet diaphragm, intended to form an outlet of the aerodynamic lens for this jet of particles; the method including: a step for generating the jet of particles from the inlet to the outlet, in vacuo, of the aerodynamic lens; and a step for adjusting the diameter (ds) of the outlet diaphragm for controlling the divergence of the jet of particles.

The present invention is directed to a degradation composition, methods and kits for degrading organic pollutants comprising reduced copper based nanoparticles-polymer complex (Cu-NPs) and an oxidant.

A method for removing glyphosate from a solution by contacting the solution with a polymeric particle including a moiety selected from the group consisting of ammonium, amine and combinations thereof, wherein the moiety is positively charged in the solution.

A preparation method of Bacillus subtilis biological composite material loaded with Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles with core-shell structure includes the following steps: 1) preparation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, 2) preparation of Fe3O4@mSiO2 nanoparticles, 3) preparation of Fe3O4@mSiO2@MANHE nanoparticles; and 4) preparation of Bacillus subtilis@Fe3O4@mSiO2@MANHE composite.

The present invention is directed to systems, apparatus and methods for creating derivatives of at least one form of HDL without substantially affecting LDL. These derivatives of HDL are particles with reduced lipid content, particularly reduced cholesterol content. These particles have the capacity to bind cholesterol and are administered to a patient to enhance cellular cholesterol efflux and reduce cholesterol levels in cells, tissues, organs, and blood vessels. The present method is useful for treating atherogenic vascular disease and may be combined with other therapies such as statins, inhibitors of cholesterol absorption, niacin, anti-inflammatories, exercise and dietary restriction.

Highly efficient and rapid filtration-based concentration devices, systems and methods are disclosed with sample fluidic lines and a filter packaged in a disposable tip which concentrate biological particles that are suspended in liquid from a dilute feed suspension. A sample concentrate or retentate suspension is retained while eliminating the separated fluid in a separate flow stream. The concentrate is then dispensed from the disposable tip in a set volume of elution fluid. Suspended biological particles include such materials as proteins/toxins, viruses, DNA, and/or bacteria in the size range of approximately 0.001 micron to 20 microns diameter. Concentration of these particles is advantageous for detection of target particles in a dilute suspension, because concentrating them into a small volume makes them easier to detect. All conduits by which the disposable tip attaches to the instrument are combined into a single connection point on the upper end of the tip.

An assay system and method for use in the field of chemical testing is disclosed. The assay system can be used for filtering whole blood for testing on an integrated circuit containing digital control functionality.

In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing a magnetic particle embedded flexible substrate, a printed flexible substrate for a magnetic tray, or an electro-magnetic carrier for magnetized or ferromagnetic flexible substrates. For instance, in accordance with one embodiment, there are means disclosed for fabricating a flexible substrate having one or more electrical interconnects to couple with leads of an electrical device; integrating magnetic particles or ferromagnetic particles into the flexible substrate; supporting the flexible substrate with a carrier plate during one or more manufacturing processes for the flexible substrate, in which the flexible substrate is held flat against the carrier plate by an attractive magnetic force between the magnetic particles or ferromagnetic particles integrated with the flexible substrate and a complementary magnetic attraction of the carrier plate; and removing the flexible substrate from the carrier plate subsequent to completion of the one or more manufacturing processes for the flexible substrate. Other related embodiments are disclosed.

Apparatuses and methods for applying a transfer material onto the surface of an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of transfer printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. In some cases, the apparatuses and methods involve providing a deposition device, such as a printing device; providing a transfer component; depositing a material onto a portion of the transfer component with the deposition device; modifying the portion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon to conform the transfer component to at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensional article; and transferring the transfer material onto the surface of the article.

Apparatuses and methods for applying a transfer material onto the surface of an article are disclosed, including apparatuses and methods of transfer printing on and/or decorating three-dimensional articles, as well as the articles printed and/or decorated thereby. In some cases, the apparatuses and methods involve providing a deposition device, such as a printing device; providing a transfer component; depositing a material onto a portion of the transfer component with the deposition device; modifying the portion of the transfer component with the transfer material thereon to conform the transfer component to at least a portion of the surface of the three-dimensional article; and transferring the transfer material onto the surface of the article.

Clothing articles (e.g., aquatic “board” shorts) are generally comprised of at least one unitary woven fabric panel having multiple seamlessly adjacent different fabric weave sections. These seamlessly adjacent different fabric weave sections may be selected from plain fabric weaves, twill fabric weaves and/or Dobby fabric weaves. Aquatic activity shorts are provided which include a one piece rear fabric panel providing a seamless back rise.

Articles of apparel include: (a) a garment structure having one or more fabric elements structured and arranged to provide a close fit to at least one predetermined portion of a body (e.g., area(s) of the body for which enhanced position sensing and/or feedback are desired, such as the lower back, the arch of the foot, etc.); and (b) a body position feedback system engaged with or integrally formed as part of the garment structure. The body position feedback system may apply higher tensile or constricting forces to selected portions of the wearer's body, which can help stimulate or interact with nerves and deep tissue receptors located in various portions of the body. The increased forces at selected locations of the body give the wearer sensory feedback regarding the position or orientation of these parts of the body and can improve or accelerate development of “muscle memory.”

An article having an inner article layer and an outer article layer to be worn by a mammal comprising a thermally insulating layer of a reflective metalized polymeric insulation material having moisture vapour transference properties adjacent to at least one of the inner and outer article layers. An apparatus and method for producing a reflective metalized polymeric thermally insulating assembly having moisture vapour transference properties suitable for use in the article is also provided. The insulation material provides enhanced thermal retention.

Sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) and articles of footwear include heel-supporting areas and/or forefoot-supporting areas that include a central area (e.g., a central recessed area) and a plurality of surrounding rings. Additionally or alternatively, the sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) may include bands of material defined by recessed grooves to provide a bumpstop type impact-force attenuating structure.

Sole structures include (a) a first midsole component formed at least in part from a first polymeric foam material, wherein the first midsole component forms at least a majority of a plantar support surface and at least a majority of a medial sidewall surface of the sole structure, and wherein the first midsole component includes a lateral side edge; and (b) a second midsole component formed at least in part from a second polymeric foam material, wherein the second midsole component forms at least a majority of a lateral sidewall surface of the sole structure, wherein the second midsole component includes a medial side edge that extends adjacent the lateral side edge of the first midsole component. The second polymeric foam material may have a higher durometer than the first polymeric foam material.

An article of footwear has a tubular structure. The tubular structure may include tab portions that extend away from a tunnel portion of the tubular structure. The tab portions may engage parts of the article of footwear. The tab portions may engage an upper or sole structure along a bite line. The tab portions may be attached to a heel counter, eyestay, or other structure on the article of footwear.