Method for forming a transparent article comprising: heating a polymer sheet 40 to form a heated sheet; creating a pressure differential across the heated sheet; pushing the heated sheet onto the contoured surface 20 to form a shaped article; and releasing the shaped article from the mold 12. Also included herein are articles made therefrom.

Method for forming a transparent article comprising: heating a polymer sheet 40 to form a heated sheet; creating a pressure differential across the heated sheet; pushing the heated sheet onto the contoured surface 20 to form a shaped article; and releasing the shaped article from the mold 12. Also included herein are articles made therefrom.

A balloon wrapping apparatus and a balloon wrapping method are disclosed by which a balloon can be wrapped appropriately. The balloon wrapping apparatus for wrapping a balloon of a balloon catheter provided with the balloon at a distal portion of an elongated shaft includes: a pleating section that forms the balloon with wing shapes projecting in radial directions; a folding section that includes a plurality of blades aligned in a circumferential direction, and that folds the wing shapes formed in the balloon along the circumferential direction by moving rotationally the blades; and a rotational support portion that supports a portion of the shaft which portion is on a proximal side of the balloon, and that rotates the shaft in a direction opposite to a rotary movement direction of the blades in a state in which the balloon is positioned in relation to the folding section.

A balloon wrapping apparatus and a balloon wrapping method are disclosed by which a balloon can be wrapped appropriately. The balloon wrapping apparatus for wrapping a balloon of a balloon catheter provided with the balloon at a distal portion of an elongated shaft includes: a pleating section that forms the balloon with wing shapes projecting in radial directions; a folding section that includes a plurality of blades aligned in a circumferential direction, and that folds the wing shapes formed in the balloon along the circumferential direction by moving rotationally the blades; and a rotational support portion that supports a portion of the shaft which portion is on a proximal side of the balloon, and that rotates the shaft in a direction opposite to a rotary movement direction of the blades in a state in which the balloon is positioned in relation to the folding section.

It is disclosed a process of packaging of product arranged on a support comprising providing a plastic film above said support with said product being arranged between the support and the film sheet, and air tightly fixing said film to said support. The process is implemented using an apparatus for packaging comprising a film supply assembly and a base equipment having an upper side defining one or more receiving areas, each one of the receiving areas being configured for receiving at least one respective product loaded support; an upper tool is configured for holding a film portion above the product loaded support and then heat sealing the film portion to the product loaded support. Each receiving area has a flat portion and elongated features protruding above the plane of flat portion. It is also disclosed a packaged product obtainable with said process and apparatus.

A film structure comprising at least a functional film (212), a carrier layer (20), and a counter-force liner (22), said a functional film (212) being in between said carrier layer (20) and said counter-force liner (22). The carrier layer (20) and the counter-force liner (22) are larger than the receiving area, and the film structure comprises fastening means adapted to fasten, directly or indirectly, the counter-force liner (22) to the carrier layer (20) at least on a portion of a zone outside the functional film (212). It is also proposed a corresponding machine, optical device and method for forming a functional film intended to be laminated on an optical article.

A distance measuring system includes a light source unit that emits infrared light toward a target object, a light receiving unit that receives the infrared light from the target object, and an arithmetic processing unit that obtains information regarding a distance to the target object on the basis of data from the light receiving unit, in which an optical member including a bandpass filter that is selectively transparent to infrared light in a predetermined wavelength range is arranged on a light receiving surface side of the light receiving unit, and the bandpass filter has a concave-shaped light incident surface.

A fluid-filled chamber may include a pair of polymer layers that define a plurality of subchambers and a web area. The subchambers are protruding portions of the polymer layers that enclose a fluid, and the web area is portions of the polymer layers that are located between the subchambers and lay adjacent to each other. The subchambers may have greater thickness than the web area. A perimeter bond joining the polymer layers and extends around a periphery of the chamber. In addition, a plurality of interior bonds join the polymer layers and extend around the subchambers, which may seal the fluid within the subchambers.

A stretching and bending mechanism 3, fixes a resin sheet material 2 by a first fixed clamp and a second fixed clamp at both sides of a center of a transverse direction of the resin sheet material 2 at each end in a longitudinal direction of the resin sheet material 2, and when transverse guides 13 are bent between the first and second fixed clamps 9a, 9b, at least one of the longitudinal guides 15 is guided by the bending guide 16 so as to move toward the center side in the transverse direction.

A stretching and bending mechanism 3, fixes a resin sheet material 2 by a first fixed clamp and a second fixed clamp at both sides of a center of a transverse direction of the resin sheet material 2 at each end in a longitudinal direction of the resin sheet material 2, and when transverse guides 13 are bent between the first and second fixed clamps 9a, 9b, at least one of the longitudinal guides 15 is guided by the bending guide 16 so as to move toward the center side in the transverse direction.