An air spring component includes at least two parts, which have corresponding joining areas. The joining areas are connected to one another in an adhesive-bonded manner in an inert atmosphere. The air spring component can be a rolling piston, a supplementary volume container for the rolling piston or an air spring pot.

Methods and apparatus for introducing a modified atmosphere into a package and sealing that package with a film are disclosed. Cooperating upper and lower bell members having internal volumes in fluid communication with one another via a duct configured to cause sequential pressure differentials between the volumes permit the sealing film to be controllably retracted from and applied to outflow holes so as to allow evacuation of ambient air using a single constant vacuum source, rather than requiring precision timing controls and/or multiple vacuum sources. Another dedicate circuit introduces the modified atmosphere into the package, and a sealing unit such as a heat welder subsequently seals the film against the package.

A method of producing a plate-like construction having a double-wall structure and its use. According to the present invention, several elongated profiles which have essentially straight central axes are arranged against each other in such a way that adjacent hollow profiles abut each other and together form, in general terms, a flat stack having two opposite sides. The hollow profiles are welded together in order to join them with welded seams, in which case the welding is essentially carried out simultaneously from both sides of the stack. Besides good flexural strength and the opportunity to recycle, thermoplastic plates which are produced by means of the present method exhibit resistance to corrosion, decay and mould.

A sheet bonding device includes a pressurization mold which is constituted of an upper mold and a lower mold and performs sealing through heating by sandwiching a sealing target portion of a bag main body and a sealing target portion of a gas barrier function sheet with pressurization surfaces; a plurality of support pins which are provided in the lower mold so as to be retractable and position the gas barrier function sheet with respect to one surface of the bag main body by penetrating the sealing target portions of the bag main body and the gas barrier function sheet; and gas spray means for making the gas barrier function sheet float by spraying inert gas to an area-enlarged portion, which does not overlap the bag main body, of the gas barrier function sheet supported by the support pins.

A device for welding plastic materials includes a handheld, wand-type applicator that dispenses a focused stream of oxygen-free air for optimum fusion. The applicator comprises a heating coil that warms the dispensed air to a sufficient temperature to sufficiently meld the plastic materials. A weld air delivery system delivers the supply of oxygen-free air to the weld applicator. A separate coolant air delivery system includes a tank that collects a reserve supply of ambient air that is used to cool the heating coil when applicator is not actively welding plastic materials. The inclusion of separate delivery systems ensures that ambient air is used to cool applicator, whereas oxygen-free air is preserved for use in welding applications. For safety purposes, a switch deactivates the heating coil when the pressure of the reserve air in the tank falls beneath a predefined threshold that is considered necessary to adequately cool the applicator.

Apparatus with facing bell members for modified-atmosphere packaging of products contained in trays, comprising at least three circuits: a first circuit and a second circuit (24, 25) which are connected to the main chamber (P) enclosing the internal volume of the trays and open out in different positions (23, 23) of this volume and a third circuit (17) connected to the internal chambers (2, 9) of the bell members (1, 8) and these circuits are intercepted by respective valve means (28, 128, 18, 118) so as to be initially all connected to the vacuum means (21, 121) and then the said first circuit (24) is closed, while the said second circuit (25) is connected to the means (26) for introducing the service gases which, entering into the tray, force the remaining air out so as to occupy a small buffer formed by the said second closed circuit (24, 28). The third circuit (17) is connected via associated valve means (118) to means (22) for gradual pressurization, using also atmospheric air, in order to balance the internal pressurization of the tray with the service gases.

The invention relates to a device for heat sealing a film lid placed on the rim of a glass, the device comprising a deformable and thermally conductive element designed to press against the film lid and the rim and to heat the film lid and the rim. A peripheral portion of the conductive element is arranged to extend beyond the rim. The device has means for hinging and suspending the conductive element, and means for transmitting a pressure force exerted by an actuator to the conductive element, which force transmission means are distinct from the means for hinging and suspending the conductive element.

When the opposing housings (1, 8) of the apparatus are closed, they form between them a small main chamber (P) delimited above by the film (H) for covering the tray and below by the tray (V) itself containing the product (M), and laterally by any suitable mechanical interface structure which surrounds the perimeter of said film and connects it to the perimeter of the upper edge (B) of the tray, this interface structure having holes (22) which are suitably distributed, are located outside the perimeter of the tray, and communicate with said main chamber (P). One or more of these holes (22) open(s) on at least one side of the tray and is/are connected to a first circuit (23, 24), while another one or more of said holes (22) open(s) on at least one opposing side of the tray and is/are connected to a second circuit (17) which in turn is connected to the inner chambers of the two housings (1, 8). Means (18, 19, 20) are provided to operate in such a way that, in the step of vacuum formation, both said first circuit (24) and said second circuit (17) are connected to vacuum forming means (21) which are kept active for a sufficient time to eliminate some of the air from the inside of the tray and to act in such a way that said first circuit (24) is connected in the next step or at the correct time to means (25) for supplying the process gases, while said second circuit (17) is closed or remains in communication with the vacuum means (21) to ensure that the process gas entering the tray from said first circuit (22, 24) causes the residual air in the tray to flow out from and/or towards said second circuit (22, 17), thus flushing and saturating the inner volume of the tray, which is subsequently sealed using known steps and means for welding and finally cutting the film (H).

A preheating arrangement includes a preheating device defining a first plane by a first centerline along a first axis and a second centerline along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. A first preheating structure is asymmetric with respect to the first and/or the second centerline. A second preheating structure is oriented like the first preheating structure such that, when viewed along a third axis perpendicular to the first plane, the preheating structures are arranged one above the other. A first actuator rotates the preheating device between first and second positions and the preheating structures in the first position have a first orientation and in the second position a second orientation rotated around the axis of asymmetry by 180 or in which they are rotated by an angle in the range of 0<<360, or 90270 or =180 around the third axis compared to the first orientation.