A station for sealing thermoformed containers for a packaging line and a method for sealing the containers includes a sealing carousel which rotates continuously about a central axis and includes sealing heads which are radially spaced apart from said central axis. Each sealing head is adapted to receive at least one container to be sealed at a first, input, peripheral region, which is outside the sealing carousel; receive at least one closing seal at a second, input, peripheral region, which is outside the sealing carousel; and hold the closing seal and the container during the rotation of the sealing carousel and couple them together. The station further releases the container complete with the closing seal at a third, output, peripheral region, which is outside the sealing carousel and angularly spaced from the first and from the second region.

A cup sealing apparatus with a shaft, a heating element, an alignment plate, and a spring biasing the alignment plate into engagement with the alignment cone. The shaft extends has an alignment cone at an end thereof, the alignment cone having a modified cone taper surface centered about a longitudinal axis. The heating element includes a heating surface operable to adhere a seal to a cup presented to the heating surface. The alignment plate is spaced from the opposite axial surface, and has a profile corresponding with the taper surface so that the profile and the taper surface form a non-circular interface between the alignment cone and the alignment plate. With deflection of the spring, the alignment plate and the heating element are free to deviate from a prescribed orientation and out of coaxial alignment to match a cup axis of a cup presented to the heating surface.

A method and apparatus for sealing a plastic enclosure is provided. The apparatus includes a handle including elements pivotally coupled together at a first end. The apparatus also includes a heating element positioned along an inner surface of an element and connected to a power source where a longitudinal axis of the heating element is oriented parallel with a longitudinal axis of the element. Plastic material including first and second plastic layers is positioned at an interface between the second elements. Upon pivoting the first elements from an open position to a closed position the heating element increases a temperature at the interface to melt the plastic material and form a seal between the first and second plastic layers.

A device for sealing sample tubes comprises a tool assembly configured to interface with a rack holding a plurality of sample storage tubes, the tool assembly holding a plurality of punches and a die plate including a plurality of cutting holes, with each of the plurality of cutting holes accepting one of the plurality of punches. The tool assembly receives a foil sheet between the punches and the die plate. The device includes an actuator enabling linear movement of the tool assembly. Linear movement of the tool assembly towards the rack engages the die plate against the rack and punches the punches through the cutting holes of the die plate to punch a plurality of sealing sections from the foil sheet and to press and seal each of the sealing sections against a top end of each of the plurality of sample storage tubes in the rack.

Systems and methods for controlling and/or calibrating a pump system for use in negative pressure wound therapy are described herein. In some embodiments, a method for controlling a pump system includes calculating an amplitude and an offset for a drive signal based at least in part on previously calculated parameters and a negative pressure setting, generating the drive signal, and applying the drive signal to a pump system. The pump system can be fludicially connected to a wound dressing positioned over a wound.

A method and apparatus for sealing a plastic enclosure is provided. The apparatus includes a handle including elements pivotally coupled together at a first end. The apparatus also includes a heating element positioned along an inner surface of an element and connected to a power source where a longitudinal axis of the heating element is oriented parallel with a longitudinal axis of the element. Plastic material including first and second plastic layers is positioned at an interface between the second elements. Upon pivoting the first elements from an open position to a closed position the heating element increases a temperature at the interface to melt the plastic material and form a seal between the first and second plastic layers.

A tube joining device which is capable of preventing occurrence of a joining failure. The tube joining device includes: a first tube holding portion for holding a first tube; a second tube holding portion for holding a second tube; a tube superimposing portion that aligns the first tube and the second tube; and a switching mechanism switching from a state of holding the second tube to a state of releasing the second tube.

A calibrated coupling station for components of capsules includes an external body and a bag. A through seat for stably housing the external body supports the bag and is arranged on an articulated sector of a respective advancement component movable along a frame. At least one grip element is aligned with a predefined stop area of the at least one through seat and is movable from a raised configuration in which its terminal end rests on a bottom of the bag, in turn juxtaposed against an inner face of the base of the external body/The grip element is adapted to define an intermediate configuration for a calibrated positioning in which the terminal end, stably coupled to the bottom of the bag, is arranged at a predefined distance from the inner face of the base of the external body.

A device for sealing sample tubes comprises a tool assembly configured to interface with a rack (10) holding a plurality of sample storage tubes (20), the tool assembly holding a plurality of punches (322) and a die plate (324) including a plurality of cutting holes, with each of the plurality of cutting holes accepting one of the plurality of punches (322). The tool assembly receives a foil sheet (131) between the punches (322) and the die plate (324). The device includes an actuator enabling linear movement of the tool assembly. Linear movement of the tool assembly towards the rack (10) engages the die plate (324) against the rack (10) and punches the punches (322) through the cutting holes of the die plate (324) to punch a plurality of sealing sections from the foil sheet (131) and to press and seal each of the sealing sections against a top end of each of the plurality of sample storage tubes (20) in the rack (10).

Systems and methods for controlling a pump system for use in negative pressure wound therapy are described herein. In some embodiments, a method for controlling a pump system includes causing provision of negative pressure, via a flow path, to a wound dressing configured to be positioned over a wound, the flow path configured to fluidically connect the pump system to the wound dressing, measuring a first pressure value in the flow path at a first time, measuring a second pressure value in the flow path at a second time, calculating a first rate of pressure change using the first and second pressure values, and in response to determining that the calculated first rate of pressure change satisfies a threshold rate of change, providing an indication that the wound dressing is full, wherein the method is performed under control of a controller of the pump system.