A process for welding porous membranes, the process containing i) providing first and second porous membranes; ii) at least partially superimposing the first and second porous membranes to obtain an at least partial superimposition region; iii) welding the first and second porous membranes at least in a portion of the at least one superimposition region at a temperature in the range from 100 to 300 C. to obtain an at least partially welded composite of the first and second porous membranes, wherein the first and second porous membranes are made of at least one thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of a polyurethane elastomer, a polyester elastomer, a polyetherester elastomer, a polyesterester elastomer, a polyamide elastomer, a polyetheramide elastomer, a polystyrene elastomer, and an ethylene-vinyl acetate elastomer, and wherein the first and second porous membranes have pores having an average pore diameter of less than 2000 nm.

The present invention relates to a machine comprising: an unwinding unit (11) for unwinding a flexible band (1), a folding unit (14) of a flexible band (1), a drive unit (31) configured for moving the flexible band (1) in a forward movement direction (DA), a welding unit (16) and a cutting unit (17) for cutting the flexible band, wherein the cutting unit (17) is a laser beam cutting unit (53) separating each individual flexible package from the flexible band (1) and providing a fill opening in each flexible package by means of at least one fill opening cut. The laser beam cutting unit (53) has associated therewith a separator device, movable in a vertical direction and including an insertable separator element (41), interposed between the opposite faces of the folded flexible band (1), in an area adjacent to the fill opening (3), for separating the opposite faces of the flexible band (1) during cutting operations to prevent the fusion thereof.

A system for forming material includes a housing including at least one wall defining an interior space. The housing is configured to contain a pressurized fluid in the interior space. The system also includes at least one tool configured to shape the material. The at least one tool is movable along a path from a first position external to the housing to a second position at least partially within the interior space. The system further includes a membrane extending at least partially in the path of the at least one tool.

A method for producing a component from two or more sub-components includes the steps of: producing each of the sub-components using an additive manufacturing process in which a resin, which is radiant-energy-curable, is partially cured using a selective application of radiant energy, wherein each sub-component includes a joint surface in which the resin is partially cured which is cured to a lesser degree than the remainder of the respective sub-component, so as to leave the joint surfaces in a condition suitable for bonding; assembling the sub-components with their respective joint surfaces in mutual contact; and performing a secondary cure of the partially-cured resin at the joint surfaces using an application of radiant energy, so as to further cure the partially-cured resin and bond the sub-components to each other, thereby forming the component.

A method for producing a portion unit of a detergent by inserting a base element made from a first film portion into a deep-drawing mold that forms a holding volume from the first film portion, the holding volume having a plurality of chambers spaced apart from one another; pouring at least one detergent composition into the chambers; placing a cover element made from a second film portion onto the filled chambers; connecting the cover element to the base element, which forms a film wrapping, sealing seams being formed between adjacent wall portions of the chambers; removing the portion unit from the deep-drawing mold, wherein the outside of the film wrapping is then wetted at least in the region of the adjacent wall portions and, by pressure being exerted, the sealing seams are compressed and the adjacent wall portions are brought into contact with one another and interconnected.

In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, various novel dispensing devices can be provided. Such devices can involve a range of sprayer heads and sprayer/foamer systems incorporating such heads. Novel sprayer/foamer heads can include buffers of various types. By using a buffer, a user need not continually be pumping the device in order for the device to be spraying or foaming. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, such a buffer can be spring loaded, spring loaded combination, elastomeric or gas. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the buffer can be in line or adjacent to a piston chamber. If adjacent, it can be connected to the piston chamber with a one way valve, to provide for spray after a downstroke of the piston has been completed, or without, to allow spraying to cease once a user releases the trigger or other actuator. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, such novel sprayers and foamers can be mounted upside down, in various Flairomop devices, used to clean floors or the like. When using a buffer, a piston chamber can be designed to deliver greater amount of liquid per unit time than can be possibly dispensed through the nozzle or nozzles. The fraction of liquid that cannot be sent through the nozzle(s), due to their inherent restriction, can thus be sent to the buffer for dispensing after the piston downstroke has been completed. A volume of the piston chamber, a volume of the buffer, a pressure response of the buffer, the throughput of the nozzle, and the minimum opening pressure of the outlet valve can be arranged to restrict the outlet pressures of liquid droplets exiting the nozzle within a defined range.

A process and apparatus (1) for packaging a product (P) arranged on a tray (4) is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a packaging assembly (8) configured for tightly fixing one or more film sheets to one or more trays. The packaging assembly includes a lower tool (22) defining a prefixed number of seats (23) for receiving the trays and an upper tool (21) facing the lower tool and cooperating with the upper tool to define a packaging chamber (24). The packaging assembly (8) is configured to operate at least in a first operating condition, where said packaging chamber (24) is open, and in a second operating condition, where said packaging chamber (24) is hermetically closed. First injection apertures (90) are positioned in corner regions of the seat and are configured to inject streams of gas in a direction substantially parallel to and above the flange (4c) of a tray (4) positioned in said seat. The process includes the step of activating injection of a plurality of streams of gas through said first apertures (90) in order to form a controlled atmosphere inside the tray before closing the tray with the film.

A packaging machine for producing packages (2) from a sheet of packaging material (3), said packaging material (3) comprising a plurality of marks (20) associated with corresponding portions (21) of said packaging material (3), said packaging machine comprising a working unit (30) having a track arrangement (31) and a plurality of transporting elements (32), each transporting element (32) supporting a tool (40) arranged for carrying out a working operation on said packaging material (3), said transporting elements (32) being movable on said track arrangement (31) (independently from each other, each of said transporting elements (32) comprising a sensor device (33) arranged for detecting a corresponding mark (20) and generating a signal indicating the position of said mark (20) with respect to said transporting element (32), said packaging machine further comprising a control unit arranged to control the position of said transporting element (32) along said track arrangement (31) on the basis of said signal; a method for producing packages (2) from a sheet of packaging material (3) is also disclosed.

A packaging device, particularly for packaging trays containing food products or technical materials in a controlled atmosphere and by means of a film of plastic material, comprising an upper chamber and a lower chamber, which can be fastened by mutually superimposing them and are each provided internally with a plurality of heat-sealing and/or cutting and/or die-cutting elements arranged concentrically, the lower chamber being provided centrally with a plurality of supporting elements for a tray.

A seal head assembly includes a plurality of heat seal plates defining a corresponding plurality of heating areas, each heat seal plate including a heating element to independently control the temperature of the corresponding heating area.