This invention describes novel design and construction method for inflatable, pressure intensifier equipment that can be used for processing composites structures. The equipment can be used as a manufacturing and processing platform wherever low pressure and high temperature inputs are required in an enclosed volume.

A sealing device generally includes a rotatable support cylinder having an outer, circumferential surface and a heating element disposed about such surface and secured thereto such that the heating element rotates therewith. The heating element is coiled about the outer surface of the cylinder in the form of an overlapping helical pattern. Juxtaposed film plies may be sealed together by bringing the sealing device into rotational contact with the juxtaposed film plies and heating the heating element to a temperature sufficient to cause the film plies to seal together.

A protective packaging formation device is provided herein. The device includes an inflation assembly having a fluid conduit that directs fluid between overlapping plies of a polymeric web. The device also includes a driving mechanism that drives the film in a downstream direction. The device also includes a sealing mechanism that includes a thin film heater that heats the plies to create a longitudinal seal that seals the plies of film together. The driving mechanism drives the web such that the web slides across the heating assembly in a downstream direction to trap fluid between the plies.

The present invention is a method for manufacturing inflatable bladders for use in articles of manufacture. The method includes the steps of providing a first polymer film, applying a curable release coating to the polymer film in a pattern that corresponds to the configuration of the inflatable bladder, curing the release coating to the first polymer film, providing a second polymer film with the first polymer film to form a layered element such that the release coating is disposed between the polymer films, positioning the layered element between two plies of material, applying heat and pressure to adhere the polymer films together except in the area where the release coating has been applied to form an inflatable compartment surrounded by a sealed perimeter, and removing the plies of material from the adhered first and second polymer films.

An internal tensioning structure for use in an inflatable product fulfills the basic function of maintaining two adjacent inflatable surfaces in a desired geometric arrangement when the inflatable product is pressurized. The tensioning structure is formed by connecting a pair of plastic strips sheets via spaced-apart strands, such as strings or wires. When pulled taut, the strands provide a high tensile strength between the two opposed plastic strips. At the same time, the plastic strips facilitate a strong, long-lasting weld between the tensioning structure and the inflatable product.

Foamed articles including a foamed thermoplastic elastomeric material, methods of making the foamed articles, and methods for manufacturing articles of footwear, apparel, and athletic equipment incorporating such foamed articles are provided. In one aspect, a method for making a foamed article comprises placing an article comprising a foamable material and carbon dioxide in a vessel, maintaining the vessel at a first pressure and first temperature at which the carbon dioxide is a liquid and carbon dioxide is soluble in the foamable material, optionally exposing the infused article to a second temperature and second pressure, and subjecting the article to a third pressure and third temperature at which the infused carbon dioxide phase transitions to a gas, thereby expanding the foamable material into a foamed material and forming the foamed article.

A die-welding system for a de-icer assembly includes a die, a die base, a high energy source, and a de-icer assembly. The de-icer assembly includes a first welded-material layer and a second welded-material layer. At least one of the die and the die base includes a welded-portion pattern thereon configured to weld the first welded-material layer to the second welded-material layer in the pattern of the welded-portion pattern such that inflatable portions are formed within the welded-portion pattern formed in the de-icer assembly between non-welded sections of the first welded-material layer and the second welded-material layer.

A method of manufacturing a de-icer assembly includes positioning a first welded-material layer and a second welded-material layer between a die and a die base of a die-based welding system, wherein at least one of the die and the die base includes a welded-portion pattern configured to weld the first welded-material layer to the second welded-material layer in the pattern such that inflatable portions are formed within the welded-portion pattern formed in the de-icer assembly between non-welded sections of the first welded-material layer and the second welded-material layer, pressing the first welded-material layer and the second welded-material layer together between the die and die base, and applying high energy to the die-based welding system using a high energy source such that the first welded-material layer and the second welded-material layer are welded together at the areas in the shape of the welded-portion pattern to form a welded de-icer assembly.

The present disclosure is directed to a compression belt for inflation and sealing devices. The device may include an inflation assembly, a heating assembly, and a drive mechanism. The inflation assembly may direct fluid between first and second overlapping plies of a flexible web material to inflate chambers between the plies. The heating assembly may be operable to heat the first and second plies of the web material to create a longitudinal heat seal that seals the fluid in the inflated chambers. The drive mechanism may drive the web material in a downstream direction. The drive mechanism may tension the web material against the heating assembly. The drive mechanism may include a first belt including a high grip material on a surface that contacts the web material to grip the web material during heating by the heating assembly.

Disclosed is a buffering air cushion machine, wherein the angle between a heat-sealing cooling transmission module as a core component of the buffering air cushion machine and a horizontal plane is between 20-50 degrees, thus greatly decreasing the transverse dimension of the buffering air cushion machine, so as to decrease the size of the whole machine and decrease the space occupied by the buffering air cushion machine; an inflation guide rod of a bent type may release some tension on a sealing side (an inflating passage) of a air cushion film, and may prevent wrinkles and bends from forming on the sealing side of the air cushion film during heat-sealing, so as to improve the quality of heat-sealing; furthermore, an upper coiling film guide rod and a lower coiling film guide rod may block the inflating passage connecting two air cushion films, and may prevent the air in the air cushion film which is filled with air but not sealed yet from travelling forward, so as to form a sealed high-pressure region and maintain the pressure in an inflation region, thus maintaining the pressure in the air cushion film after heat-sealing.