Tyco Electronics Corporation

Rene Jairo Revueltas

Ashok K Mehan

Daniel A Chandler

Bryan P Williams

Erling Hansen

Stephen P Tordoff

Jim Imperiale

A foamable copolymer based coupling is provided for securely affixing a light emitting glass lamp in a metal base to form a lamp assembly. The copolymer is preferably selected from ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene methyl acrylate, and combinations thereof. The foamable coupling may be placed around one end of the glass lamp or in the lamp base before the lamp and base are matingly engaged. The assembled lamp is then heated to a temperature, which causes the foamable coupling to expand and securely affix the lamp in the base.

Foamable adhesive composition

Provided is a melt composition for a heat shrinkable foam structure that includes at least one base polymer and a blowing agent made from at least one heat-activated chemical compound encapsulated by a plurality of polymeric shells. The melt composition may also include a crosslinking promoter or other additives. Also provided is a method for making a heat-shrinkable polymer foam tubing. A melt composition containing at least one base polymer material having a melt temperature and a blowing agent having an activation temperature is provided. The melt composition is mixed at an elevated temperature. The melt composition is then extruded through a die at a high temperature. The extruded foam tube is then processed, often heat-processed. Additionally provided is a heat shrinkable foamed polymer tube containing an inner layer and an outer layer of an extruded foamed polymer tube, where each layer is made from at least one base polymer and a blowing agent and the blowing agent includes a heat-activated chemical compound encapsulated in a plurality of polymer shells.

Heat-recoverable foam tubing

Foamable coupling for lamp assembly and methods for using the coupling

A bi-layer covering sheath has a foamable polymeric inner layer, and a non-foamable non-heat-shrinkable polymeric outer layer surrounding and in intimate contact with the inner layer; the outer layer having a melting point that is at least 60&deg; above the melting point of the inner layer, and the thickness and mechanical strength of the outer layer being such that the sheath retains substantially constant outer dimensions at a temperature sufficient to cause foaming of the inner layer. These sheaths are tubes for covering, generally, elongated substrates such as tubes, rods, wires, and cables, especially tubes, and caps for covering an end of such substrates.

Bi-layer covering sheath

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Menlo Park, CA, United States of America

Rene Jairo Revueltas