The invention relates to a device comprising a first fixing element, a further fixing element and a folded planar composite; wherein the first fixing element comprises a first fixing surface and the further fixing element comprises a further fixing surface; wherein the folded planar composite is at least partially fixed between the first fixing surface and the further fixing surface; wherein the folded planar composite comprises a first composite region; wherein the first composite region comprises a first layer sequence comprising a first composite layer comprising a first carrier layer, a second composite layer comprising a second carrier layer, a third composite layer comprising a third carrier layer and a fourth composite layer comprising a fourth carrier layer; wherein in the first composite region the second composite layer is joined to the third composite layer and the third composite layer is joined to the fourth composite layer; wherein in the first composite region the third carrier layer is characterised by a smaller layer thickness than in each case one selected from the group consisting of the first carrier layer, the second carrier layer and the fourth carrier layer or a combination of at least two of these; wherein the first fixing surface or the further fixing surface or both comprises a recess comprising a first recess region; wherein the first composite region is located at least partially between the first recess region and the first fixing surface or the further fixing surface.

An aluminum alloy material is prepared that has surface configuration of threefold irregularities such that rough surface having surface roughness of 10 to 100 μm period is observed with an electron microscope in a magnification of 1000 times, surface having fine irregularities of 1 to 5 μm period based on crystal grain boundary is observed with an electron microscope in a magnification of 10000 times and surface having ultrafine irregularities of 30 to 100 nm period is confirmed with an electron microscope in a magnification of 100000 times. Aluminum alloy material is integrally joined with a resin composition consisting of a total resin part containing polyphenylene sulfide resin by 70 mass % or more of the resin part, modified polyolefin resin by 30 mass % or less of the resin part and a resin of third component having ability for promoting compatibility of polyphenylene sulfide resin and modified polyolefin resin.

To provide a balloon catheter and an apparatus and method for manufacturing the balloon catheter, whereby the degree of welding can be appropriately adjusted and the balloon catheter can be formed so as to have a desired surface profile suitable for various uses including medical use. With a shaft 14 inserted through a catheter tube 30a inserted into an end portion 28b of a balloon and also with a pressure tube 32a fitted around a welding section where the end portion 28b of the balloon 28 is lapped over the catheter tube 30a, the shaft 14 is heated by emitting laser light from a laser radiation unit 8 to the welding section while the shaft 14 is rotated by a chuck, to weld the welding section.

To provide a balloon catheter and an apparatus and method for manufacturing the balloon catheter, whereby the degree of welding can be appropriately adjusted and the balloon catheter can be formed so as to have a desired surface profile suitable for various uses including medical use. With a shaft 14 inserted through a catheter tube 30a inserted into an end portion 28b of a balloon and also with a pressure tube 32a fitted around a welding section where the end portion 28b of the balloon 28 is lapped over the catheter tube 30a, the shaft 14 is heated by emitting laser light from a laser radiation unit 8 to the welding section while the shaft 14 is rotated by a chuck, to weld the welding section.

A repair system for repairing a polyolefin pipe containing a transitional film applied over and bonded to the pipe and a reinforcement system, applied over the transitional film. The transitional film has a first side adapted to bond to polyolefins and the reinforcement system contains a fiber-reinforced polyurethane system bonded to the second side of the transitional film. A system two polyolefin tubular members joined end-to-end containing two tubular members arranged such that their respective ends are adjacent, thereby defining a circumferential joint, a transitional film applied and bonded to the circumferential joint and at least a portion of the two tubular members, and a reinforcement system applied over the transitional film. The transitional film has a first side adapted to bond to polyolefins and the reinforcement system contains a fiber-reinforced polyurethane or a fiber-reinforced epoxy system bonded to the second side of the transitional film.

The present disclosure relates to methods by which a warped workpiece is reconfigured in a pre-determined manner to reduce a separation between the warped workpiece and a joining workpiece. The warped workpiece is reformed/reshaped, prior to joining, by softening material of the warped workpiece through application of a predetermined amount of energy at or near warping and using a directional force applied to a first surface of the warped workpiece, thus reducing a separation space at a joining interface of the warped workpiece and joining workpiece.

The present disclosure relates to methods by which a warped workpiece is reconfigured in a pre-determined manner to reduce a separation between the warped workpiece and a joining workpiece. The warped workpiece is reformed/reshaped, prior to joining, by softening material of the warped workpiece through application of a predetermined amount of energy at or near warping and using a directional force applied to a first surface of the warped workpiece, thus reducing a separation space at a joining interface of the warped workpiece and joining workpiece.

Described herein is a flexible but resilient material comprising a soft outside shell and an internal flexible but resilient support core, as well as a method for constructing such a flexible but resilient material that can have multiple applications, including being used to manufacture an improved shoelace to help young children, individuals who are physically challenged, and/or who have a limiting physical disability.

A vertical form fill and seal system supports a sheet of material having material segments and a tube sized for drawing edges of the elongated sheet of material together in an overlapping configuration to form the sheet into a substantially tube shape. The VFFS also includes a sealer that seals the edges of the material to one another and a gusseting mechanism sized for forming a gusseted tuck in each of a left panel portion of the material and a right panel portion of the material. A cutting mechanism removes a first portion and a second portion of a first segment of the material segments in order to form a first cut and a second cut in the first segment and a sealing mechanism folds and seals the first segment at the first cut and at the second cut to provide an end wall with a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped footprint.

A vertical form fill and seal system supports a sheet of material having material segments and a tube sized for drawing edges of the elongated sheet of material together in an overlapping configuration to form the sheet into a substantially tube shape. The VFFS also includes a sealer that seals the edges of the material to one another and a gusseting mechanism sized for forming a gusseted tuck in each of a left panel portion of the material and a right panel portion of the material. A cutting mechanism removes a first portion and a second portion of a first segment of the material segments in order to form a first cut and a second cut in the first segment and a sealing mechanism folds and seals the first segment at the first cut and at the second cut to provide an end wall with a substantially flat, rectangular-shaped footprint.