Thermoplastic bags with phased deformation patterns are described. In particular, one or more implementations comprise thermoplastic bags with ring rolling, SELFing, or other deformation patterns phased or aligned relative to the sides of the bags. The phased deformation patterns can allow for reducing or eliminating deformation patterns in areas of the thermoplastic bag in which side seals or other seals are formed. Additionally or alternatively, the phased deformation patterns can provide for zones that provide differing properties (e.g., functional or aesthetic). Such zones can vary aligned along a width of the thermoplastic bag and optionally also vary along a height of the thermoplastic bag. The differing zones can provide the thermoplastic bags with phased deformations that provide leak prevention, liquid containment, and other benefits.

A method includes a bag forming process with a bag wicketing machine having a sideweld seal head that receives plies of web material, conveys the plies through the sideweld seal head, seals the plies together, cuts the plies to form a bag blank, and moves the bag blank onto an exit conveyor. Pressurized air from nozzles of a pneumatic blow down bar is directed at the bag blank. With an energized laser operatively mounted on the pneumatic blow down bar, the position of the pneumatic blow down bar relative to the bag blank and the exit of the sideweld seal head is adjusted so that a beam emanating from the laser is positioned against the bag blank at a desired location where pressurized air from the nozzles of the pneumatic blow down bar is directed against the bag blank and forces the bag blank into engagement with the conveyor.

Packages made from flexible material, wherein the packages include one or more self-folds formed by applying activation energy to the flexible material are presented. The packages include a polymeric film, wherein the polymeric film is formed from one type of polymer, and wherein the flexible material defines an enclosed product volume. The packages include a first panel formed from the flexible material and a second panel formed from the flexible material. The packages include a self-fold that has an overall thickness that is about 5% to about 30% greater than a thickness of the flexible material outside of the self-fold. The self-fold has a differential thermal-mechanical set than the flexible material outside of the self-fold, and forms an angle of about 100 degrees to about 170 degrees between the first panel and the second panel.

Improvements to asynchronous spatial listen before talk (LBT) procedures are disclosed. In a shared spectrum network spatial LBT procedures are used for directionally targeting the channel reservation process. Prior to transmitting channel reservation signaling, the transmitter and receiver determine an effective interference considering available multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) configuration information. When the effective interference exceeds a predefined threshold, the node may without transmission of its channel reservation signal. Otherwise, when the effective interference remains within the threshold, each node's transmitted channel reservation signal may also identify at least a beamforming matrix either as payload or used to precode the node's channel reservation signal.

A machine for the production of a stand up pouch from a web includes a film feed which moves the web at continuously at a constant speed through a punching station, a folding station, and a welding station. The welding station includes a pair of seal bars which are driven by a server motor at a speed equal to a speed of the web during the welding. The punch station includes at least one electromagnetic punch.

The present invention relates to a method for making airtight packages (100) made of flexible material that are configured to seal an environment inside the package with respect to an external environment, said packages (100) comprising a front panel (1), a back panel (2) and two side gussets (3, 4) provided at opposite ends of the front panel (1) and of the back panel (2) so as to connect the front panel (1) to the back panel (2). The method comprises a first step of folding a sheet (60) made of flexible material along two first fold lines (L1) which are mutually parallel so as to form a tubular element (61). Moreover, the method comprises a second step that consists in folding an end portion of the tubular element (61) along two second fold lines (L2) that are oblique with respect to the direction of the first fold lines (L1) so as to form an end portion of the tubular element (61) that has two triangular portions (6, 7) having two mutually parallel sides (8, 9) and having a distance between each other equal to twice a first predetermined distance (D1). In addition, the present invention also comprises a machine (200) which allows using such method and a package that can be made by means of such method and such machine.

One or more implementations of a multi-layer film include a first layer non-continuously bonded to a second pigmented layer. The multi-layer film includes an unexpected appearance differing from the appearance of the pigmented layer. In one or more embodiments, the multi-layer film includes a metallic appearance despite the pigmented layer being devoid of metallic pigment. The multi-layer film also includes areas that are visually distinct from areas of the film with the unexpected appearance. The visually-distinct areas comprise areas in which the first layer non-continuously is in intimate contact with the second pigmented layer. The visually-distinct areas have the appearance of the pigmented layer or another appearance. One or more implementations also include methods of making multi-layer films and bags with an unexpected appearance and visually-distinct areas.

A thermoplastic film which exhibits elastic-like behavior along at least one axis when stretched or elongated and then released. The thermoplastic film comprises a plurality of raised rib-like elements extending in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the thermoplastic film. The thermoplastic film further includes a plurality of web areas positioned about the plurality of raised rib-like elements. The plurality of raised rib-like elements and plurality of web areas are arranged in a complex pattern. The complex pattern provides visual and tactile cues as the films are stretched or elongated. The complex pattern can cause the thermoplastic film to have a complex stretch profile.

A multiple-ply thermoplastic film which exhibits elastic-like behavior along at least one axis when stretched or elongated and then released. The thermoplastic film comprises a plurality of raised rib-like elements extending in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the thermoplastic film. The thermoplastic film further includes a plurality of web areas positioned about the plurality of raised rib-like elements. The plurality of raised rib-like elements and plurality of web areas are arranged in a complex pattern. The complex pattern, when stretched or elongated and then released, can cause areas of billowing and delamination between plies of the multiple-ply thermoplastic film. The resulting billowed and delaminated areas form billow pockets for capturing liquids that can capture liquids when one of the plies is punctured.

A pouch machine vertical sealer capable of fusing a pouch film web to form a plurality of spaced vertical seals along a length of the film web to form pouches. The pouch machine vertical sealer includes a sealer wheel rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation and defines a film web path about a periphery of the sealer wheel. The vertical sealer further includes a plurality of vertical sealer land assemblies spaced apart about the periphery of the sealer wheel. Each vertical sealer land assembly includes an impulse heater such that contact between the film web and each impulse heater of the plurality of vertical sealer land assemblies forms the spaced apart vertical seals along the length of the film web.