An apparatus for vacuumizing and sealing a package includes a plurality of platens and vacuum chambers, each chamber adapted to mate with a dedicated one of the platens; a conveying system for conveying the platens and chambers along a generally angular path having a single axis of rotation; an automated loading assembly having a linear component and configured to load a package onto each of the platens; an automated unloading assembly having a linear portion and configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each loaded platen onto an outfeed conveyor; and a vacuumizing/sealing system configured to cause relative movement of each chamber/platen pair, along a portion of the angular path, to form therebetween an air-tight enclosure accommodating the package and effect vacuumization and sealing of the package.

An apparatus for vacuumizing and sealing a package includes a plurality of platens and vacuum chambers, each chamber adapted to mate with a dedicated one of the platens; a conveying system for conveying the platens and chambers along a generally angular path having a single axis of rotation; an automated loading assembly having a linear component and configured to load a package onto each of the platens; an automated unloading assembly having a linear portion and configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each loaded platen onto an outfeed conveyor; and a vacuumizing/sealing system configured to cause relative movement of each chamber/platen pair, along a portion of the angular path, to form therebetween an air-tight enclosure accommodating the package and effect vacuumization and sealing of the package.

A method for nanoimprinting a pattern on an organic polymer substrate, comprising: (a) preparing a soft operational mold, the operational mold comprising a pattern to be replicated to the substrate; (b) soaking the operational mold in a solvent to produce diffusion of solvent to the mold; (c) removing the operational mold from the solvent, and placing it on a surface of the organic polymer substrate to form a structure, and simultaneously (i) heating the structure to a temperature T<Tg, where Tg is the glass transition temperature of the organic polymer; and (ii) applying controlled pressure in a range of 20-300 psi on the mold to effect a penetration into the surface of the organic polymer substrate, thereby to replicate the pattern of the mold to the surface of the substrate; and (d) separating the operational mold from the patterned substrate.

A crosslinked polyolefin separator having a ratio (A/B) of storage modulus G′ (A) to loss modulus G″ (B) of 2 or more, at a range of the frequency of the crosslinked polyolefin separator of 1 rad/s or less, in the frequency-loss/storage modulus curve. The crosslinked polyolefin separator is controlled to have a high ratio of storage modulus to loss modulus, and thus maintains its elasticity even at high temperature. Therefore, it is possible to provide a separator having improved safety.

A laser-welded body includes at least three of resin members, which contain a thermoplastic resin including: a first resin member which is a laser-irradiated subject, has an absorbance a.sub.1 of 0.01 to 0.12; a second resin member which has an absorbance a.sub.2 of 0.1 to 0.9 and includes a butted part where ends of one or more resin members are brought into contact with each other; and a third resin member which has an absorbance a.sub.3 of 0.2 to 3.8, and the absorbances a.sub.2, a.sub.3 exhibited by the second resin member and the third resin member are attributed to the inclusion of nigrosine as a laser beam absorbent therein, and the resin members are overlapped in the above mentioned to form contacted parts at these interfaces, at least a part of the butted part and/or the contacted parts are laser-welded.

A laser-welded body includes at least three of resin members, which contain a thermoplastic resin including: a first resin member which is a laser-irradiated subject, has an absorbance a.sub.1 of 0.01 to 0.12; a second resin member which has an absorbance a.sub.2 of 0.1 to 0.9 and includes a butted part where ends of one or more resin members are brought into contact with each other; and a third resin member which has an absorbance a.sub.3 of 0.2 to 3.8, and the absorbances a.sub.2, a.sub.3 exhibited by the second resin member and the third resin member are attributed to the inclusion of nigrosine as a laser beam absorbent therein, and the resin members are overlapped in the above mentioned to form contacted parts at these interfaces, at least a part of the butted part and/or the contacted parts are laser-welded.

The method of the present invention for producing a shaped film includes a step of arranging a thermoplastic resin film to divide a space into a first space located on one surface side of the film, and a second space located on the other surface side, a step of heating the thermoplastic resin film, a step of curving the thermoplastic resin film in one space by using a difference in pressure between the first space and the second space, a step of stopping the curving step of the thermoplastic resin film in a state where at least a convex curved surface of both surfaces of the film is exposed into the space, and a step of cooling the curved film.

A process for welding profiles (1) of a thermoplastic or thermoplastic elastomer to a top layer (3) of a belt (2), such as a conveyor belt, also being made of a thermoplastic or thermoplastic elastomer. The process uses thermal impulse welding and applies the welding heat onto the surface (21) of the belt (2) which is opposite to the top layer (3). The process is in particular suited for welding TPO profiles to TPO top layers.

A process for welding profiles (1) of a thermoplastic or thermoplastic elastomer to a top layer (3) of a belt (2), such as a conveyor belt, also being made of a thermoplastic or thermoplastic elastomer. The process uses thermal impulse welding and applies the welding heat onto the surface (21) of the belt (2) which is opposite to the top layer (3). The process is in particular suited for welding TPO profiles to TPO top layers.

A composite tube includes a first layer including a cross-linked polyolefin elastomer, wherein the first layer is configured for fluid contact; and a second layer adjacent to the first layer, the second layer including an elastomer.