A welding unit (1) for the thermal welding of film tubes, in particular for a waterless toilet, is proposed, at least two welding means (2, 2a) which can be moved relative to one another being comprised for the thermal welding of a film tube, each welding means (2, 2a) being configured to be movable by means of at least one joint arrangement (3, 3a), the at least one joint arrangement (3, 3a) comprising at least one articulated lever (4, 4a-4e).

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.

At least one of a horn or an anvil includes protrusions that protrude from a facing surface thereof. Two panel parts and a gusset part folded and interposed between the panel parts are sandwiched and compressed by the horn and the anvil. Two portions of the gusset part are welded to each other by ultrasonic vibration of the horn during the sandwiching and compressing.

A method of producing a composite article is disclosed that includes generating composite plies from a low tack composite prepreg material, connecting, by an ultrasonic welding device, two or more of the composite plies by increasing their tackiness to form a composite stack, and forming, by a compression molding device, a composite article from the composite stack.

A forming-material connecting device includes a cutter that cuts a forming material constituted by plural continuous fiber bundles being impregnated with a resin material and supplied in a supply direction corresponding to an extending direction of the plural continuous fiber bundles. The cutter cuts at least a portion of the plural continuous fiber bundles. The forming-material connecting device also includes a joining portion joining portions of the forming material, which are cut by the cutter at a cutting point in the forming material, on a downstream and upstream side with respect to the cutting point in the supply direction by heating to join the resin materials of the portions of the forming material, or the joining portion joins a preceding forming material's trailing end portion and a leading end portion of a following forming material by heating to join resin materials of the preceding forming material and following forming material.

A bag-making and packaging machine includes sealing jaws, a horizontal moving device, a vertical moving device, and a control unit. The sealing jaws perform a transverse sealing operation. The vertical moving device moves the sealing jaws in a vertical direction. The vertical moving device includes a rotating shaft, a motor, and a link mechanism. The link mechanism transmits rotational force of the rotating shaft to the sealing jaws. The control unit performs first control or second control. The first control forwardly rotates and reversely rotates the rotating shaft during a period of time from a start of the transverse sealing operation to a start of a subsequent transverse sealing operation. The second control performs one of the transverse sealing operation and the subsequent transverse sealing operation with a forward rotation of the rotating shaft and the other with a reverse rotation of the rotating shaft.

A bag-making and packaging machine includes sealing jaws, a horizontal moving device, a vertical moving device, and a control unit. The sealing jaws perform a transverse sealing operation. The vertical moving device moves the sealing jaws in a vertical direction. The vertical moving device includes a rotating shaft, a motor, and a link mechanism. The link mechanism transmits rotational force of the rotating shaft to the sealing jaws. The control unit performs first control or second control. The first control forwardly rotates and reversely rotates the rotating shaft during a period of time from a start of the transverse sealing operation to a start of a subsequent transverse sealing operation. The second control performs one of the transverse sealing operation and the subsequent transverse sealing operation with a forward rotation of the rotating shaft and the other with a reverse rotation of the rotating shaft.

A sealing apparatus including a sealing tool that is movable between an inactive position and a sealing position. The sealing tool includes two actuating elements, each with a respective actuating surface that face each other. The actuating elements are configured to allow the passage of a packaging material therebetween and for transversely sealing the packaging material when the sealing tool is in the sealing position. The actuating surfaces are configured to cooperate with one another to perform the sealing. The actuating surfaces are also configured to cooperate with one another during the change in position of the sealing tool to the sealing position, and for transversely cutting the packaging material during the change in position.

A process for packaging a product (P) arranged in a support (4) comprising unrolling a film (10a), transversely cutting the unrolled portion of film (10a) and preparing cut film sheets (18), moving the cut film sheets (18) to a packaging assembly (8) defining at its inside a packaging chamber (24), progressively moving a number of supports (4) inside the packaging chamber (24) of a packaging assembly (8), keeping the packaging chamber (24) open for a time sufficient for a number of supports (4) and for a corresponding number of film sheets (18) to properly position inside said packaging chamber (24), hermetically closing the packaging chamber (24) with the film sheets held above the respective support (4) and at a distance sufficient to allow gas circulation inside the support (4), optionally causing one or both of: a gas withdrawal from the hermetically closed packaging chamber (24) and gas injection of a gas mixture of controlled composition, heat sealing the film sheet (18) to said support (4), wherein the cutting of the film (10a) into film sheets (18) takes place outside the packaging chamber (24) at a station remote from the location where the film sheets are coupled to the supports. An apparatus (1) for performing the above process is also disclosed.

Vertical flow-wrapper that includes a frame, a web feed, which feeds a web to a form-shoulder, and a form-fill tube, which forms the web into a web tube, a longitudinal sealing-means to seal longitudinal edges of the web tube together, and a cross sealing means to provide a cross-seal to the web tube. The cross sealing means includes seal jaws, a closing motor, and a jaw closing mechanism; the seal jaws and the jaw closing mechanism reciprocate between an upper and lower vertical position; the closing motor is provided at the frame and a torque transfer means is provided between the closing motor and the jaw closing mechanism; the closing motor and the reciprocation motor are operated independently from each other; and the closing motor is connected to the frame by a slide bearing or is pivotably connected to the frame.