The present invention provides a movable load bearing structure with a surface that includes antimicrobial agents capable of eliminating, preventing, retarding or minimizing the growth of microbes and also minimizing cross-contamination when the load bearing structure is being reused for cargoes that differ from a previously transported cargo, for example, different food types, such as poultry, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruit. The load bearing structure may be a dunnage platform or a container for storing and/or shipping cargo.

A seam sealed heat resistant glove or mitt includes a front portion having a periphery and a rear portion having a periphery. The front and rear portions are joined to one another along a portion of their respective peripheries to define seams. The front and rear portions, when joined to one another, define an interior with seams formed at the interior and at an exterior of the glove or mitt with seams formed at the exterior. A welded thermoplastic material is disposed over the seams on at least one of the interior and the exterior of the glove or mitt and is cured by the application of ultrasonic energy. A method of making a seam sealed glove or mitt is disclosed.

A method is provided for assembling a stack-up including a first workpiece with a clearance hole and a second workpiece. The method comprises adhering an adhesive to a first face of the first workpiece so as to completely cover and close the clearance hole and securing the second workpiece to a second face of the first workpiece with an adhesive. A stack-up and the method of capturing adhesive squeeze-out during a stack-up assembly process are also disclosed.

Proposed is lower rollers of a hot air welder, and more particularly, to a lower roller structure of a hot air welder, which includes a first lower roller unit installed on a worktable to be pivoted vertically and a second lower roller unit installed on a main body to be slidably moved in front and rear, such that a welding operation of flat fabric and a welding operation of a cylindrical shape can be performed in a single hot air welder through alternate use of the first and second lower roller units.

The present invention provides a movable load bearing structure with a surface that includes antimicrobial agents capable of eliminating, preventing, retarding or minimizing the growth of microbes and also minimizing cross-contamination when the load bearing structure is being reused for cargos that differ from a previously transported cargo, for example, different food types, such as poultry, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruit. The load bearing structure may be a dunnage platform or a container for storing and/or shipping cargo.

A method for strengthening a polyethylene tubular member. The polyethylene tubular member has an outer surface, a circumference, a wall thickness, and an area to be strengthened and the outer surface of the polyethylene tubular member contains polyethylene. The method contains the step of wrapping a fabric layer around the circumference of the tubular member at least two full rotations and covering the area to be strengthened. The fabric layer contains a plurality of interwoven tape elements with a base layer of a strain oriented olefin polymer disposed between covering layers of a heat fusible olefin polymer. The method also contains the step of applying heat and optionally pressure to the fabric layer bonding the tape elements of the fabric layer together and bonding the tape elements and the tubular member together.

A product made by a method for bonding fibers that includes providing a first fiber layer and a second fiber layer positioned below the first fiber layer to bond the first fiber layer with the second fiber layer. The method may also include providing a first additive layer. The first additive layer is located between the first fiber layer and the second fiber layer. Then, the method may further include activating the first additive layer by directing energy at the first additive layer.

Embodiments of the present invention provide reinforcements for inflatable device assemblies. Specific embodiments provide a welded reinforcement for crotch areas of inflatable devices. Particular benefits may be achieved when the areas to be reinforced with the reinforcement system described are non-linear, defining a geometry with at least one curve or angle. Specific aspects of the reinforcement system provide one or more precut gusset elements that are configured to be secured with respect to a crotch area of a base substrate and welded.

A method for connecting two duct sections having an outer layer of thermoplastic material and an inner layer of foam, and duct produced by the method. The method entails the use of thermoplastic material to form at least one flange in the finished duct. The thermoplastic material may be a portion of the outer thermoplastic layer of the duct section or it may be made, in-situ, from a separate strip or strips of thermoplastic material. In the latter case, a strip of thermoplastic material may be fashioned into a sleeve in which the ends of the duct sections reside or a separate strip may be securely fastened to each of the ends of each of the duct sections. In the latter case, a portion of the strip extends radially outwardly and a belly band or the like is positioned over the radially outwardly extending portion of the strip and tightened to bring them together and seal the interface between the ends of the duct sections.

A method of constructing a large, complex composite panel involves connecting smaller compression molded thermoplastic subpanels, edge to edge using a thermoplastic co-consolidation method. The edges of adjacent subpanels are given complementary surface configurations. The surface configurations are overlapped and heat and pressure are applied to the overlapping surface constructions to co-consolidate the surface constructions in forming a large, composite panel of two or more subpanels.