A vacuum insulating glazing unit (VIGU) comprises two or more glass lites (panes) spaced apart from one another and hermetically bonded to an edge seal assembly therebetween. The resulting cavity between the lites is evacuated to create at least one insulating vacuum cavity within which are disposed a plurality of stand-off members to maintain separation between the lites. The edge seal assembly is preferably compliant in the longitudinal (i.e., edgewise) direction to allow longitudinal relative motion between the two lites (e.g., from thermal expansion). The longitudinal compliance may be obtained by imprinting a three-dimensional pattern into the edge seal material. The edge seal assembly is preferably bonded to the lites with a first bond portion that is hermetic and a second bond portion that is load-resistant. Methods for producing VIGUs and/or compliant edge seal assemblies and VIGU and edge seal apparatus are disclosed.

An adhesive article that remains securely bonded to a substrate until a stimuli is applied. The article may be embodied as an adhesive tape, a bandage, or as other articles. The stimuli may be a change in temperature or application of a reduction that causes a structure within the article to break, creak, or otherwise disrupt to expose the adhesive to a solvent, such as via a difference in Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) or by exposing the article to a glass transition temperature.

An apparatus for making a multilayer absorbent element apt to be incorporated in a sanitary article is provided. The apparatus has an embossing roller bearing a plurality of protruding elements, a pierced roller bearing a plurality of protruding elements and cavities, and a unit of cohesion and drilling. The configuration of the apparatus is such that, after a first layer of sheet material is deformed by the embossing roll and the perforated roller continues to slide on the pierced roller, a second layer of sheet material is superimposed. The first and second layer of sheet material are then carried to the joining and piercing unit in which, at the intermediate zones of the first layer, it forms a plurality of holes passing through the first and second layer and joins them near or at the plurality of holes.

A system and method for producing a heat-sealable composite liquid impervious, moisture-eliminating membrane with a metallic antimicrobial surface treatment including a compatibilized thermoplastic laminate structure, an integral inductive-welding element, and a metallic antimicrobial surface treatment. The method is provided with at least one scrim, a film exudate, a quantity of primary adhesive, at least one susceptor, and a quantity of flocking material, wherein the scrim, film exudate, and flocking material are composed of a compatibilized thermoplastic compound. The method is further provided with an optional metallic slurry, defining a thermoplastic-particulate emulsion configured to coat and embed into a subjected membrane section and fibrous materials when exposed to heat. The method is further expanded to apply to extant installations of similar membrane sections, enabling to post-manufacture surface treatment of a surface with the metallic slurry to confer manifold antimicrobial benefits to said surface.

Connection pads for coupling fluid-instillation and negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) apparatuses to wound dressing, and methods and wound dressings for breaching a drape after coupling a wound dressing to a fluid-instillation and/or NPWT apparatus.

A system and method for producing a disposable undergarment, with the lateral edges of the undergarment bonded by means of an ultrasonic horn. When a blank is formed for an individual undergarment, the lateral edges of opposing edges of the blank will form the seam. When the edges are sealed together, a seam is formed. The individual undergarments may be later separated along the seams.

A substrate bonding apparatus for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate includes a first bonding chuck supporting the first substrate, a second bonding chuck disposed above the first bonding chuck and supporting the second substrate, a resonant frequency detector detecting a resonant frequency of a bonded structure with the first substrate and the second substrate which are at least partially bonded to each other, and a controller controlling a distance between the first bonding chuck and the second bonding chuck according to the detected resonant frequency of the bonded structure.

A method of altering a portion of a substrate may include providing a first device and a second device with a nip therebetween. The second device may comprise a stationary or rotating source of vibration energy. When conveyed through the nip, the substrate may be exposed to the vibration energy and the portion thereof may be altered. Thermal energy may be applied to the portion of the substrate upstream of the nip to raise a temperature of the portion of the substrate to a temperature below a melting temperature thereof. A substrate spreader may contact the substrate upstream of the nip to mitigate fold over or wrinkles in the substrate. When the first device is a rotating anvil and the second device comprises a rotating source of vibration energy, the surface velocities thereof may be variable and may be the same or different.

A solar cell can include a substrate and a semiconductor region disposed in or above the substrate. The solar cell can also include a conductive contact disposed on the semiconductor region with the conductive contact including a conductive foil bonded to the semiconductor region.

There is provided a removal method of a carrier plate used when the carrier plate is removed from a workpiece bonded to a region excluding an outer rim part in a front surface of the carrier plate by a temporary bonding layer disposed on the whole of the front surface of the carrier plate. This removal method of a carrier plate includes a temporary bonding layer removal step of removing part or all of an outer rim part of the temporary bonding layer, a holding step of holding the workpiece from the upper side by a holding unit after removing part or all of the outer rim part of the temporary bonding layer, and a carrier plate removal step of removing the carrier plate from the workpiece by applying a downward force to the outer rim part of the carrier plate from the side of the front surface.