A reclosable package, and a machine and method for making that reclosable package that includes a tray for receiving a product and a substantially horizontal edge, wherein the horizontal edge extends circumferentially on an upper side of the tray and has a clamping portion releasably connected thereto. The package includes a top film across the tray, the edge and the clamping portion, and which may be releasably connected to the edge by a first sealed seam to seal the tray in a gas-tight manner. The top film may be connected to the clamping portion by a second sealed seam. A side face of the tray may include an undercut provided with a projection, the projection being suitable for locking the clamping portion in position when the clamping portion has been detached from the edge and is located between the projection of the undercut and the side face of the tray.

A station for heating thermoplastic sheet-like blanks for a thermoforming line includes a heating carousel which can rotate continuously about a central axis and which has a number of heating heads radially spaced apart from the central axis. Each heating head is adapted to receive at least one respective thermoplastic sheet-like blank at a first peripheral region which is outside the carousel, to retain the at least one blank during the rotation of the carousel while supplying heat to it, and to release the at least one blank to a second peripheral region which is outside the carousel and is angularly spaced apart from the first region.

A station for heating thermoplastic sheet-like blanks for a thermoforming line includes a heating carousel which can rotate continuously about a central axis and which has a number of heating heads radially spaced apart from the central axis. Each heating head is adapted to receive at least one respective thermoplastic sheet-like blank at a first peripheral region which is outside the carousel, to retain the at least one blank during the rotation of the carousel while supplying heat to it, and to release the at least one blank to a second peripheral region which is outside the carousel and is angularly spaced apart from the first region.

A frame is injection molded onto a group of panels to form a container. The panels extend at least partially around, and at least partially define, a cavity of the container.

A thermoforming method includes forming a skin comprising a plurality of plies thermoplastic resin and fiber, securing an edge of the skin to a mandrel, heating, via a heating element, the skin to a forming temperature, moving a thermoforming apparatus with respect to the mandrel, rolling at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus along the skin in a direction away from the clamped edge of the skin in response to the thermoforming apparatus moving with respect to the mandrel, and in response to the at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus rolling along the skin, compressing the skin between the at least one roller and the mandrel, consolidating the plurality of plies of material, and bending the skin to conform to a shape of the mandrel. The consolidated and formed skin is then cooled and removed from the mandrel.

A thermoforming method includes forming a skin comprising a plurality of plies thermoplastic resin and fiber, securing an edge of the skin to a mandrel, heating, via a heating element, the skin to a forming temperature, moving a thermoforming apparatus with respect to the mandrel, rolling at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus along the skin in a direction away from the clamped edge of the skin in response to the thermoforming apparatus moving with respect to the mandrel, and in response to the at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus rolling along the skin, compressing the skin between the at least one roller and the mandrel, consolidating the plurality of plies of material, and bending the skin to conform to a shape of the mandrel. The consolidated and formed skin is then cooled and removed from the mandrel.

A frame is injection molded onto a group of panels to form a container. The panels extend at least partially around, and at least partially define, a cavity of the container.

A method for forming an article includes providing a sheet of material, optionally conditioning the sheet with a surface of a roller, forming the sheet to provide a web, and separating an article from the web to provide the article. An apparatus adapted to form the article from a sheet is provided.

A method for forming an article includes providing a sheet of material, optionally conditioning the sheet with a surface of a roller, forming the sheet to provide a web, and separating an article from the web to provide the article. An apparatus adapted to form the article from a sheet is provided.

A method for producing a thermoformed product on a single machine with several stations and with different tools includes the following steps: (a) melting and homogenizing plastic granules and providing the plastic melt at a preform station; (b) producing a preform at the preform station in a preform cavity; (c) transferring the preform by a transfer carrier to a thermoforming station at the same machine, the thermoforming station having a thermoforming tool having a thermoforming cavity; (d) preferably heating the preform during the transfer; (e) thermoforming of the thermoformed product in the thermoforming cavity. Advantageously, the final thermoformed product is produced directly from the plastic granules using only a single machine, and in particular without any waste, when the preform is dimensioned in such a way that it does not present any excess with respect to the final shape of the product to be produced.