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 pair of spaced apart heating elements positioned along an inner surface of an element and connected to a power source where a longitudinal axis of the heating elements 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 elements increase a temperature at the interface to melt the plastic material and form a pair of spaced apart seals between the first and second plastic layers.

A vacuum sealer includes: a housing comprising a vacuum chamber therein; a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber; a sealing mechanism adjacent a periphery of the vacuum chamber; a valve positioned and configured to releasably seal the vacuum chamber, the valve movable between a first position, in which the valve forms a seal with the sealing chamber, and a second position, in which the valve does not form a seal with the sealing chamber; and a controller operatively connected with the vacuum pump, the sealing mechanism, and the valve. The controller is configured to move the valve from the first position to the second position during sealing.

A buttress assembly is configured to temporarily adhere to a wet surgical stapler end effector. The buttress assembly includes a buttress body and a humidity tolerant adhesive material. The humidity tolerant adhesive material is applied to at least one side of the buttress body. The humidity tolerant adhesive material is configured to hold the buttress body to an underside of an anvil or a deck of a staple cartridge for at least five minutes in an environment of 100% relative humidity at approximately 37° C.

A feedback control system for use with ultrasonic welding. A weld energy set point and/or a reference power curve are used by a controller to provide a power supply voltage set point and a power supply frequency set point for the power that is to be drawn by an ultrasonic weld generator. Information regarding the actual voltage and/or frequency of the drawn electrical power, and/or the frequency and magnitude of an ultrasonic wave transmitted from the generator to an applicator tool used to weld an object can be utilized by an estimator to estimate the weld energy dissipated at the weld site and/or generate a power curve for the welding operation. Using information from the estimator, the controller can determine adjustments for variables for the current and/or future welding operations. Further, welding may not commence until a clamping force exerted on the object satisfies a clamping force set point.

The present invention relates generally to a new and improved paper-based container. More specifically, the invention relates to a paper-based container that is comprised of a relatively low-density polyethylene coating on one or both surfaces of the container and at least two skive flaps, wherein each of said skive flaps is created during the manufacturing process. The skive flap further comprises at least one leading edge of the container body, and prevents unwanted moisture from entering the container and the contents of the container from saturating the paper-based material. One skive flap is preferably folded in a manner in which a portion of the outside surface of the container is adhered to the inside surface, and a second skive flap is adhered to the outside surface.

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 welding station for producing a wrapping has a support wheel and a welding device housed on the support wheel and having a head assembly that has a welding member, a support body, and a rod axially movable between a retracted position and a forward position. The support body is integral with an axial end of the rod. The welding device has an abutment assembly having an abutment member and a base assembly engaged to the support wheel. The welding device is configurable in an open configuration where the head assembly and the abutment assembly are mutually spaced, the rod is axially retracted, and the abutment member allows the wrapping to be loaded onto and removed from the head assembly, and a welding configuration where the head assembly and the abutment assembly are mutually engaged, the rod is axially forward and the abutment is engaged by the welding member.

A method and apparatus can be used for vacuum skin packaging of a product. The product can be arranged on a support comprising providing a film sheet above said support with said product being arranged between the support and the film sheet. The film sheet can be air tightly fixed to the support. The wall of the support can be perforated to form at least one through hole. At least a portion of air from within the support underneath said film sheet can be removed through the at least one hole. A packaged product is obtainable using the method and apparatus.

The present invention relates generally to a new and improved paper-based container. More specifically, the invention relates to a paper-based container that is comprised of a relatively low-density polyethylene coating on one or both surfaces of the container and at least two skive flaps, wherein each of said skive flaps is created during the manufacturing process. The skive flap further comprises at least one leading edge of the container body, and prevents unwanted moisture from entering the container and the contents of the container from saturating the paper-based material. One skive flap is preferably folded in a manner in which a portion of the outside surface of the container is adhered to the inside surface, and a second skive flap is adhered to the outside surface.

An apparatus for processing an elongated structure includes a mold within which an uncross-linked rubber material is placed, at least one heating unit configured to heat the mold, and a pressure device configured to press the rubber material using the mold heated by the heating unit to promote shaping the rubber material by the mold while proceeding the cross-linking of the rubber material. The heating unit includes a central heating device configured to heat a longitudinal central portion of the mold, multiple cooling devices configured to cool two longitudinal end portions of the mold, multiple intermediate heating devices configured to heat two intermediate portions between the longitudinal central portion and the longitudinal end portions of the mold, heat shield plates disposed between the central heating device and the intermediate heating devices, and heat shield plates disposed between the cooling devices and the intermediate heating devices.