Polymers in Sport and Leisure

References and Abstracts
to carry stocks of two different parts. Then, with the help of
Du Pont Italiana’s Technical Service Centre for Engineering
Polymers, MGM redesigned the chassis as a single injection
moulded part in high strength Zytel 6,6 nylon. The new
chassis is lighter than the previous version and so is easier to
carry and use, but it sacrifices nothing in performance and
durability. Details are given.
MGM SPA
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY; EUROPEAN UNION; ITALY;
WESTERN EUROPE
Accession no.689814
Item 198
Engineering Design
No.1, 1998, p.4-5
BOON FOR BIKERS
Daykin S
Du Pont (UK) Ltd.
A young designer’s ingenuity and perseverance, together
with some design and development assistance from Du
Pont, is reported to have led to the invention of the
Terraplane, a device which enables mountain bikers to
ride over seemingly insurmountable obstacles with
apparent ease, and without damage to the chain wheel.
Moulded entirely of Zytel ST nylon, the Terraplane is
roughly the size and shape of a clotheshanger; it is fixed
to the down-tube so that it almost bridges the gap between
the bicycle’s wheels. Details are given.
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY; EUROPEAN UNION; UK;
WESTERN EUROPE
Accession no.689813
Item 199
Eureka
18, No.7, July 1998, p.22-3
WHEELS WITHIN PLASTIC WHEELS
Shelley T
Synthetic polymer tyres, with rolling resistances very
close to those of conventional air-filled tyres, offer
puncture-proof operation and extended lifetimes. The
technology began by improving the handling of
wheelchairs and subsequently advanced to bicycles. The
newest versions are suitable for lawn tractors and electric
vehicles, with full scale car tyres a real possibility in the
near future. Prices are likely to be comparable with those
of their conventional rubber equivalents. Urathon’s
business is built on PU. Based in Hilmarton in Wiltshire,
it has built up a substantial reputation for PU tyres for
wheelchairs. The tyres, which are all moulded in China,
are made so that the foam skins are on the outside, while
the PU is in contact with the surface of the mould. Details
are given of more recent developments.
URATHON TYRE INDUSTRIES
EUROPEAN COMMUNITY; EUROPEAN UNION; UK;
WESTERN EUROPE
Accession no.689792
Item 200
Advanced Materials & Processes
153, No.6, June 1998, p.77
MATERIALS ON THE TOSHIBA
The Toshiba is a sailing yacht that is participating in an
11 month Whitbread Around-the-World race. The 1997-
98 race marks the first time that all competing yachts are
built to the same class, at 64 ft long and 30,000 lb. Because
all the boats are the same class, many distinctions between
them are marginal. However, some differences can be
significant. For example, the sail on the Toshiba has high
performance sails made of AlliedSignal’s Spectra fibre.
In fact, of the Toshiba’s 16 sails, the mainsail and other
highly loaded spinnakers are made of sailcloth fabricated
of Spectra yarns. These fibres were chosen because of
their superior UV resistance, high tear strength and
resistance to flex fatigue. The patented process for making
the sailcloth was invented originally for the 1992
America’s Cup race. The cloth, which is described as
resembling a fibre-reinforced film more than cloth, is a
flexible composite in which Spectra fibre is incorporated
into a non-woven, unidirectional laminate with Du Pont
Mylar backing. Details are given.
ALLIEDSIGNAL CORP.
USA
Accession no.687903
Item 201
Plastics News(USA)
10, No.4, 23rd March 1998, p.23
COMFORT, SAFETY NO LONGER TAKE A
BACK SEAT
Pryweller J
This article looks at the development of the design of
technologically-advanced seating and occupant protection
systems in Formula One racing cars, resulting from a
three-year agreement between Lear Corp. of the USA,
and UK-based Steward Grand Prix. Full details are
provided.
LEAR CORP.
USA
Accession no.684147
Item 202
Molding Systems
56, No.5, May/June 1998, p.41-3
MULTI-SHOT PROCESS IS A TEAM EFFORT
The new one-time Fun Saver sport camera, with its onehanded
operation and rubberised waterproof casing, was
the most complex multi-shot injection moulding project
ever attempted by Kodak. The company partnered
injection moulding machine maker Ferromatik Milacron
and mouldmaker Foboha to develop a process for
moulding the hard inner housing of clear PS overmoulded
with a soft, coloured outer layer.
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