An apparatus for vacuumizing and sealing a package includes a plurality of platens and vacuum chambers, each chamber adapted to mate with a dedicated one of the platens; a conveying system for conveying the platens and chambers along a generally angular path having a single axis of rotation; an automated loading assembly having a linear component and configured to load a package onto each of the platens; an automated unloading assembly having a linear portion and configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each loaded platen onto an outfeed conveyor; and a vacuumizing/sealing system configured to cause relative movement of each chamber/platen pair, along a portion of the angular path, to form therebetween an air-tight enclosure accommodating the package and effect vacuumization and sealing of the package.

A pair of thermoplastic resin members are placed on an anvil. A pressing force of a tool horn vibrating ultrasonically in a direction not perpendicular to but along upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members is applied to the upper surfaces. The application of the pressing force of the tool horn vibrating ultrasonically allows melting of a vicinity of the upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members. A welded structure part is formed on an unwelded structure part, thereby welding the pair of thermoplastic resin members as an overlap structure including the welded structure part arranged on the unwelded structure part. The distance and positional relationship between the pair of thermoplastic resin members after the welding are unchanged before and after the welding. The surfaces, placed on the anvil, of the thermoplastic resin members are neither burned nor discolored.

One or more implementations of a multi-film thermoplastic structure include a first film having a first appearance in contact with a second film having a second appearance at one or more visually distinct contact areas, including a continuous contact area spanning a width of the structure. In one or more implementations the multi-film thermoplastic structure comprises a thermoplastic bag and the continuous contact area forms a hem seal near a top opening of the thermoplastic bag.

One or more implementations of a multi-film thermoplastic structure include a first film having a first appearance in contact with a second film having a second appearance at one or more visually-distinct contact areas arranged into a text. Wherein the one or more visually-distinct contact areas, cause the first film to take on the second appearance of the second film. In one or more implementations the multi-film thermoplastic structure comprises a thermoplastic bag and text comprises a suffocation warning.

An apparatus for vacuumizing and sealing a package includes a plurality of platens and vacuum chambers, each chamber adapted to mate with a dedicated one of the platens; a conveying system for conveying the platens and chambers along a generally angular path having a single axis of rotation; an automated loading assembly having a linear component and configured to load a package onto each of the platens; an automated unloading assembly having a linear portion and configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each loaded platen onto an outfeed conveyor; and a vacuumizing/sealing system configured to cause relative movement of each chamber/platen pair, along a portion of the angular path, to form therebetween an air-tight enclosure accommodating the package and effect vacuumization and sealing of the package.

A method for welding a first hose end at a joint with a second hose end in a seam that extends on a circumference of the first hose end, the method comprising the steps: applying a protective layer at the joint to an inside of the first hose end; pushing the second hose end beyond the joint over the first hose end; pressing the first hose end and the second hose end together flat at the joint between two first damping jaws that are moved towards each other; welding the first hose end and the second hose end together by two first partial seams while pressed together, wherein the protective layer prevents a welding of the inside of the first hose end; releasing the first hose end and the second hose end from the two first clamping jaws after welding the two first partial seams.

A method wherein a bulky three-dimensional emblem can be made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin containing a vapor-deposited-metal laminated film. An apparatus for producing a three-dimensional emblem made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin includes a slide jig in which an electrode flat plate die and an electrode projecting die are slidable in a horizontal plane, an electrode recessed die capable of approaching and separating from the slide jig in a vertical direction and at a position where it can oppose the electrode flat plate die and the electrode projecting die, and a high-frequency oscillator that performs high-frequency dielectric heating by continuously generating a high-frequency voltage across the opposing dies, wherein recesses form in a surface of the electrode flat plate die opposing the electrode recessed die, and during high-frequency dielectric heating, a portion of the lower layer material enters the recess and is held on the electrode flat plate die.

An apparatus for vacuumizing and sealing a package includes a plurality of platens and vacuum chambers, each chamber adapted to mate with a dedicated one of the platens; a conveying system for conveying the platens and chambers along a generally angular path having a single axis of rotation; an automated loading assembly having a linear component and configured to load a package onto each of the platens; an automated unloading assembly having a linear portion and configured to unload a vacuumized, sealed package from each loaded platen onto an outfeed conveyor; and a vacuumizing/sealing system configured to cause relative movement of each chamber/platen pair, along a portion of the angular path, to form therebetween an air-tight enclosure accommodating the package and effect vacuumization and sealing of the package.

A pair of thermoplastic resin members are placed on an anvil. A pressing force of a tool horn vibrating ultrasonically in a direction not perpendicular to but along upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members is applied to the upper surfaces. The application of the pressing force of the tool horn vibrating ultrasonically allows melting of a vicinity of the upper surfaces of the pair of thermoplastic resin members. A welded structure part is formed on an unwelded structure part, thereby welding the pair of thermoplastic resin members as an overlap structure including the welded structure part arranged on the unwelded structure part. The distance and positional relationship between the pair of thermoplastic resin members after the welding are unchanged before and after the welding. The surfaces, placed on the anvil, of the thermoplastic resin members are neither burned nor discolored.

A laser welding method and system for joining portions of first and second workpieces of thermoplastic material that is partially permeable to a laser beam but absorbs radiation from the laser beam. The first and second workpieces, which are made of material that absorbs radiation from a laser beam, are clamped together. A mask is placed on a first surface of the first workpiece, the first surface being opposite the surface engaging the second workpiece. The mask is impermeable to a laser beam and forms a slot for passing a laser beam to the portion of the first surface of the upper workpiece exposed by the slot, so that heating and melting of the material of the workpieces is limited to the width of the slot. A laser beam is directed onto the slot and moved in a manner to illuminate the slot to melt and join the workpieces.