University of Washington

Pacific Bin Corporation

Dustin Miller

Vipin Kumar

Krishna V Nadella

Stephen M Probert

John R McKnight

Robert H Afflerbach

Peter D Wilson

David E Griffin

Craig M Watjen

William F Kuykendall

Henry G Schirmer

Wei Ey Li

John Chunpo Lu

Methods for reducing the density of thermoplastic materials and the articles made therefrom having similar or improved mechanical properties to the solid or noncellular material. Also disclosed are improvements to foaming methods and the cellular structures of the foams made therefrom, and methods for altering the impact strength of solid or noncellular thermoplastic materials and the shaping of the materials into useful articles.

Methods for altering the impact strength of noncellular thermoplastic materials

Cellular thin films include a first side separated from a second side, the separation of which defines the thickness of the thin film; at least one layer of a polymeric material arranged along the thickness of the thin film, wherein the polymeric material includes cells and the first and second sides of the thin film have exterior surfaces that have substantially the same thickness as the interior walls forming the cells. The surfaces of the thin films have bumps caused by the cells. The thin exterior surfaces of the thin films is advantageous to allow the films to be flexible.

Microcellular thermoplastic thin films formed by a solid-state foaming process

Interconnected, open-celled porous or microporous polymeric foams are used for the preparation of heat transfer devices. The use of such porous polymeric foams can generate a turbulent flow within a heat exchanging liquid, thus enabling increased heat transfer to and from the fluid. The present disclosure provides devices having a heat transfer element containing a heat exchange region wherein a heat exchange fluid can be circulated through a porous polymeric foam; and method for making and using such devices.

Porous thermoplastic foams as heat transfer materials

Foaming methods for making cellular thermoplastic materials

Improvements to foaming methods and the interbimodal cellular structures of the foams made therefrom are disclosed.

Bimodal cellular thermoplastic materials

A collapsible container for containing goods, including a liquid and/or solid/liquid mixture, configured to be assembled and disassembled manually without the use of tools. The container includes a plurality of upright panels coupled to a base by their bottom portions. Each panel of a first type is flanked along its opposing upright edges by a pair of adjacent panels of a second type. Each of the edges of each of the panels is coupled by an edge joining assembly to one of the edges of one of the flanking panels. The assembly comprises a first elongated edge joining member having a longitudinal channel with alternating partially enclosed portions and substantially unenclosed portions and a second elongated edge joining member having longitudinally extending spaced apart locking members. Each unenclosed portion is configured to receive a locking member, which are slid longitudinally within the channel into an adjacent partially enclosed portion.

Collapsible container

A collapsible container for containing goods, including a liquid and/or solid/liquid mixture, configured to be assembled and disassembled manually without the use of tools. The container includes a plurality of upright panels coupled to a base by their bottom portions. The bottom portion of each panel has a relieved portion that extends into a corresponding groove formed in the base. The panels include panels of a first type and panels of a second type, with the relieved portion of the panels of the first type differing from the relieved portion of the panels of the second type. Each panel of the first type is flanked along its opposing upright edges by a pair of adjacent panels of the second type. Each of the edges of each of the panels is coupled by an edge joining assembly to one of the edges of one of the flanking panels.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Dustin Miller