The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for joining a longitudinal seam in a tube, to an apparatus and method of joining a longitudinal seam in a tube in a borehole, to an apparatus and method of repairing a tube and to a pig. In an aspect an apparatus is provided for joining a longitudinal seam in a tube. The apparatus (200) includes a spool (202) for progressively unwinding a coiled member (10) into an extended form (12). The member (10) transitions from a flat form when coiled (11) to a slit tube form when extended (12), in which form the member is resiliently biased. A joining device (214) is positioned downstream of the spool arranged to provide energy to a portion of the member in its extended form to cause heating so as to progressively join together the longitudinal edges of the slit tube as the member passes the joining device. A longitudinal seam (20) is thereby formed in the tube.

Joints, such as adhesive and welded thermoplastic joints, comprising embedded and/or surface mounted components of a sensor system are provided. The embedded and/or surface mounted component can be an optical fiber. Strain and/or stress can be monitored in the joint in a spatially resolved manner periodically or continuously, for example, to warn of potential failure of the joint or estimate residual/remaining life of a bonded component. The stress and/or strain information can also be used to improve the design of the joint. Methods and systems for monitoring stress and/or strain in a joint, and methods of preparing the joints are provided, as well.

Joints, such as adhesive and welded thermoplastic joints, comprising embedded and/or surface mounted components of a sensor system are provided. The embedded and/or surface mounted component can be an optical fiber. Strain and/or stress can be monitored in the joint in a spatially resolved manner periodically or continuously, for example, to warn of potential failure of the joint or estimate residual/remaining life of a bonded component. The stress and/or strain information can also be used to improve the design of the joint. Methods and systems for monitoring stress and/or strain in a joint, and methods of preparing the joints are provided, as well.

A method of producing flexible polypropylene fabric bags with heat fused seams comprising providing fabric pieces, wherein each fabric piece has a coated side and an uncoated side; positioning fabric pieces so that a coated side of one fabric piece faces a coated side of another fabric piece; selecting an area of fabric to be joined for forming a seam or joint; applying heat to the area to be joined that is less than the melting point of the fabrics, for forming one or more seams or joints and wherein the heat fused seams or joints of a resulting polypropylene bag retains at least 85% of the fabric strength without using sewing machines.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for mechanically bonding substrates together. The apparatuses may include a pattern roll including a pattern element protruding radially outward. The pattern element includes a pattern surface and includes one or more channels adjacent the pattern surface. The pattern roll may be positioned adjacent an anvil roll to define a nip between the pattern surface and the anvil roll, wherein the pattern roll is biased toward the anvil roll to define a nip pressure between pattern surface and the anvil roll. As substrates advance between the pattern roll and anvil roll, the substrates are compressed between the anvil roll and the pattern surface to form a discrete bond region between the first and second substrates. As such, during the bonding process, some yielded substrate material flows from under the pattern surface and into the channel to form a channel grommet region.

A method of making a flowcell includes bonding a first surface of an organic solid support to a surface of a first inorganic solid support via a first bonding layer, wherein the organic solid support includes a plurality of elongated cutouts. The method further includes bonding a surface of a second inorganic solid support to a second surface of the organic solid support via a second bonding layer, so as to form the flowcell. The formed flowcell includes a plurality of channels defined by the surface of the first inorganic solid support, the surface of the second inorganic solid support, and walls of the elongated cutouts.

An aerosol container suitable for use as an aerosol dispenser. The aerosol container includes at least a valve and product delivery device joined to an outer container. The valve and product delivery device have respective annular welds or other seals joining the valve and product delivery to the outer container. The welds, or other seals may be concentric, with one circumscribing the other, in the same plane or different planes. Suitable product delivery devices include bags and dip tubes.

A method of activating a surface of a plastics substrate formed from: (a) polyaryletherketone such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK) polyether ketone ketone (PEKK), polyether ketone (PEK); polyether ether ketone ketone (PEEKK); or polyether ketone ether ketone ketone (PEKEKK); (b) a polymer containing a phenyl group directly attached to a carbonyl group, for example polybutadiene terephthalate (PBT) optionally wherein the carbonyl group is part of an amide group, such as polyarylamide (PARA); (c) polyphenylene sulfide (PPS); or (d) polyetherimide (PEI); for subsequent bonding,
the method comprising the step of exposing the surface to actinic radiation wherein the actinic radiation: includes radiation with wavelength in the range from about 10 nm to about 1000 nm; the energy of the actinic radiation to which the surface is exposed is in the range from about 0.5 J/cm.sup.2 to about 300 J/cm.sup.2.

Hard to bond substrates are then more easily subsequently bonded for example using acrylic, epoxy or anaerobic adhesive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a thin volume hologram sheet to be embedded sufficiently resistant to a mechanical stress such as a stress including a tensile stress, a shear stress and a compression stress at the time of processing even under a heating condition, a forgery prevention paper and a card using the same. The object is achieved by providing a volume hologram sheet to be embedded comprising a volume hologram layer, and a substrate disposed only on one side surface of the volume hologram layer using an adhesion means, wherein a peeling strength of the volume hologram layer and the substrate is 25 gf/25 mm or more.

Process for forming a permanent join between two sections of fibrous material contained in a thermosetting resin matrix, said process comprising overlaying the two sections and subjecting the overlaid sections to ultrasonic welding to form a permanent join between the two sections, wherein there is no significant change in the sub-ambient Tg of the fibrous material contained in the thermosetting resin matrix in the region of the permanent join.