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.

A device for thermally welding workpieces including a heating element and a shielding gas supply is provided. The device includes a heating plate consisting of a thermal insulating material in which a groove is formed, said groove includes a heating element, relative to which a surface of a workpiece to be welded is positioned in close proximity to the heating element. A feed channel for a shielding gas is formed in the heating plate and communicates with the groove via at least one through-channel, and the feed channel for supplying shielding gas can be connected to a shielding gas source via a feed line and a valve. The device may further include an assembly for welding a first and a second workpiece, said assembly includes a first and second movement device for moving the workpieces towards one another.

A system and method for bonding a first layer of material to a second layer of material includes a first electrically conductive plate, a second electrically conductive plate spaced apart from the first electrically conductive plate. The second electrically conductive plate is electrically grounded. A high frequency generator in electrical communication with the first electrically conductive plate supplies high frequency electrical signals to the first electrically conductive plate. An adhesive applied to one of the first and second layers of material has an electromagnetic susceptor material that when subjected to the electric field heats the adhesive to an adhesive curing temperature to bond the first layer of material to the second layer of material. A clamping mechanism applies pressure to one of the first and second layers of material to maintain contact between the first and second layers until an adhesive cure time has lapsed.

A joining method is provided during which a first thermoplastic component joint section and a second thermoplastic component joint section are arranged between first tooling and second tooling. The second thermoplastic component joint section is abutted against the first thermoplastic component joint section at a joint area. The first thermoplastic component joint section is joined to the second thermoplastic component joint section to provide a unitized thermoplastic structure. The joining includes: pressing the first thermoplastic component joint section against the second thermoplastic component joint section at the joint area between the first tooling and the second tooling using a pressure device; and heating the first thermoplastic component joint section and the second thermoplastic component joint section at the joint area using a first heater configured with the first tooling. The unitized thermoplastic structure is cooled at the joint area using a first cooler configured with the first tooling.

A layered body containing continuous sheets is thermally fused when passing through a space between an anvil roll and an energy applying device to form a layered sheet. A nip stage for sandwiching the layered body is provided upstream of the space between the anvil roll and the energy applying device. The nip stage includes at least one displacement member which is displaced in accordance with the thickness of the layered body sandwiched by the nip stage. Whether the thickness of the layered body sandwiched by the nip stage has deviated from a reference range is detected on the basis of the displacement of the displacement member, and when it is detected that the thickness has deviated from the reference range, the energy applying device is caused to retreat in a direction going away from the anvil roll.

A welding device (10a; 10b) for welding an outlet element (12a; 12b) to a packaging material (14a; 14b) has at least one anvil (16a; 16b) comprising at least one receiving region (18a; 18b) for receiving the outlet element (12a; 12b) that is to be welded, has a holding element (20a; 20b) which the anvil (16a; 16b) is arranged on, and at least one welding die (22a; 22b), in particular a sonotrode, which is configured to interact with the anvil (16a; 16b) for a welding of the outlet element (12a; 12b) to the packaging material (14a; 14b), wherein the welding device (10a; 10b) comprises at least one support unit (24a; 24b) for supporting the anvil (16a; 16b), comprising at least one movably supported support element (26a; 26b), which is configured to exert a holding force onto the anvil (16a; 16b) in a welding operation state of the welding die (22a; 22b).

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.

A method of joining overlapping thermoplastic geomembrane components in which a first thermoplastic geomembrane component and a second thermoplastic geomembrane component are positioned in overlapping relationship between a pair of complementary molding surfaces, with one or more of the complementary molding surfaces being defined by an electrically conductive metal susceptor. Heat is generated in the metal susceptor and transferred by thermal conduction from the metal susceptor to overlapping portions of the first and second thermoplastic geomembrane components to locally melt and coalesce a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the first thermoplastic geomembrane component and a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the second thermoplastic geomembrane component. The molten thermoplastic material of the first and second thermoplastic geomembrane components forms a zone of coalesced thermoplastic material that, upon cooling, forms a solid weld joint.

A first thermoplastic component and a second thermoplastic component including a first joint portion and a second joint portion, respectively, are provided. A least a portion of a surface area of each of the first and second joint portions include a respective first and second mating surface. The first and second mating surfaces of the respective first and second joint portions are positioned in contact with one another. The first and second joint portions are fusion joined. Fusion joining the first and second joint portions forms a fused unitary portion of the first and second thermoplastic components.

Pet food bags, and methods of making the same, contain a seal that resists air exchange more than conventional bags thereby protecting nutritional ingredients that are susceptible to oxidation.