An article of footwear can comprise: an upper, and a sole assembly connected to the upper to form a receptacle for a human foot, the sole assembly can comprise: a cushion comprising an exterior wall that forms an enclosure; an antenna disposed within the enclosure; and a microchip connected to the antenna. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear can comprise: positioning an electronic communication device between two plies of polymer laminate; heating the two plies of polymer laminate to form a weld area and a cushion area, wherein the electronic communication device becomes encapsulated between the two plies of polymer laminate, inflating the cushion area with a gas; and sealing the cushion area.

Systems and methods of controlling outputs of infrared heaters used to join a first part to a second part, and a component made thereby. Upper and lower nests hold the first and second parts, respectively. A movable heating platen has infrared heaters on opposite surfaces. Imaging sensors have fields of view encompassing heated portions of the first and second parts, respectively, when the platen is retracted away from an area between the upper and lower nests. A controller causes the upper and lower nests to move while causing the platen to extend into and retract away from the area between the upper and lower nests. The first imaging sensor takes a first image of the heated portions of the first part, which causes an adjustment to be made to an output of the infrared heaters in a subsequent welding cycle.

An induction cooking system includes a first container that receives first contents and a second container sized to fit within the first container. The second container is composed of a ferromagnetic material such that the second container is heated in response to received electromagnetic radiation. An exterior surface of the second container is in contact with the first contents of the first container, and an interior surface of the second container is in contact with second contents placed within the second container.

A packaging machine including a hot plate assembly adapted to fuse a length of heat-sensitive film wrapped around a package. A controller is adapted to calculate a time period the heating element is energized to fuse the length of heat-sensitive film wrapped around the package based on an initial temperature of the heating element. A hot plate status indicator is adapted to indicate at least to different statuses of operation of the packaging machine.

The present disclosure is concerned with a method of forming a seal with a polyethylene based film structure. The polyethylene based film structure has at least one layer formed with an oriented polyethylene having a predetermined melting temperature (T.sub.m). A conductive heat sealing device provides heat to form the seal, where a first sealing bar of the conductive heat sealing device operates at a first operating temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius (° C.) below the T.sub.m of the oriented polyethylene in the polyethylene based film structure and a second sealing bar of the conductive heat sealing device operates at a second operating temperature of at least 15° C. higher than the operating temperature of the first sealing bar. The seal formed with the polyethylene based film structure retains at least 99 percent of its original surface area prior to forming the seal.

A welding process of an inflatable product is provided that includes using isolating members between first and second portions of weldable tensioning members to resist the first and second portions of the weldable tensioning structures being welded together during welding of the first portions to a first sheet of weldable material and welding of the second portions to a second sheet of weldable material.

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.

A method is provided for managing the temperature of heat sensitive material located near a repair patch being thermally cured on a composite skin using a heating blanket. The method comprises configuring an assembly of thermally conductive cooling blocks to fit within a space between the heating blanket and the heat sensitive material. The assembly of thermally conductive cooling blocks is then installed against the skin within the space, forming a heat sink that conducts a portion of heat out of the composite skin away from the heat sensitive material.

A welding process of an inflatable product is provided that includes using isolating members between first and second portions of weldable tensioning members to resist the first and second portions of the weldable tensioning structures being welded together during welding of the first portions to a first sheet of weldable material and welding of the second portions to a second sheet of weldable material.

The utilization of heat in the manufacturing of footwear may be accomplished through microwave energy. The microwave energy is conveyed to the footwear components through a microwave transparent window of a tool. The microwave transparent tool window forms as least a portion of a part-contacting surface of the tool. Another surface of the tool is formed from a microwave reflecting material, such as aluminum. The footwear component(s) are exposed to microwave energy while within the tool such that the microwave energy passes through the tool window to cause a dielectric heating of one or more materials within a tool cavity of the tool.