A method of sealing reinforced packages. The method can comprise moving an open-ended package in a downstream direction on a package conveyor by engaging the open-ended package with a chain flight of the package conveyor moving in the downstream direction. The method further can comprise forming a bag with a closed end by engaging at least a seal portion of a tail section of an open-ended tube portion of the open-ended package between the chain flight of the package conveyor and a hot plate positioned adjacent the package conveyor. The chain flight can move with the tail section in the downstream direction relative to the hot plate, which can transfer thermal energy to the tail section to at least partially form a seal along the seal portion in the tail section to at least partially form the closed end of the bag.

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 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 horizontal packaging machine (M) for packaging a product (P) fed in a horizontal direction (X) comprises a cut-sew group (22) for making on a packaging film (F) transverse welds and a cut to close and separate from each other two successive packs (C1, C2, C3, C4), wherein the cut-sew group (22) comprises a plurality of cut and sew tools (U1, U2, U3) for making the transverse welds and the cut, wherein the transverse welds define the edges of the packs (C1, C2, C3, C4) according to different packaging sizes for the product (P), wherein the cut-sew group (22) comprises an upper shaft (AS) and a lower shaft (AI) driven in rotation independently by means of a respective upper motor (MS) and a respective lower motor (MI), in which each shaft (AS, AI) mounts on it the plurality of cut and sew tools (U1, U2, U3) and in which each cut and sew tool (U1, U2, U3) is composed of an upper tool (US) and a corresponding lower tool (U1). In particular, the horizontal packaging machine (M) includes compensation means of the mutual distance (MMV, PE, P1, P2, CT, FL) between the two shafts (AS, AI) with micrometric adjustment of the distance to compensate for thermal expansion and use of packaging film (F) of different thickness.

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 machine and method for making bags is described and includes a web traveling from an input section to a rotary drum, to an output section. The rotary drum includes at least one seal bar, having a first sealing zone, and an adjacent weakening zone. The weakening zone may be a heated perforator, includes a heating wire, or be disposed to create an auxiliary sealed area. The heating wire can have connected thereto, a source of power that is an adjustable voltage or magnitude, and/or pulsed, and/or a feedback loop. The heating wire ay be an NiCr wire and make intermittent contact with the web and be disposed in an insert. The weakening zone may create a line of weakness that is uniform or varies in intensity, is a separating zone, or includes a heat film, a toothed blade, a row of pins, a source of air, or a source of vacuum. The sealing zones ma include temperature zones, cartridge heaters, cooling air, or hated air, or a source of ultrasonic, microwave or radiative energy.

A machine and method for making bags is described and includes a web traveling from an input section to a rotary drum, to an output section. The rotary drum includes at least one seal bar, having a first sealing zone, and an adjacent weakening zone. The weakening zone may be a heated perforator, includes a heating wire, or be disposed to create an auxiliary sealed area. The heating wire can have connected thereto, a source of power that is an adjustable voltage or magnitude, and/or pulsed, and/or a feedback loop. The heating wire ay be an NiCr wire and make intermittent contact with the web and be disposed in an insert. The weakening zone may create a line of weakness that is uniform or varies in intensity, is a separating zone, or includes a heat film, a toothed blade, a row of pins, a source of air, or a source of vacuum. The sealing zones ma include temperature zones, cartridge heaters, cooling air, or hated air, or a source of ultrasonic, microwave or radiative energy.

Systems and methods of controlling outputs of infrared heaters used to join a first part to a second part, and a component made thereby. Upper and lower nests hold the first and second parts, respectively. A movable heating platen has infrared heaters on opposite surfaces. Imaging sensors have fields of view encompassing heated portions of the first and second parts, respectively, when the platen is retracted away from an area between the upper and lower nests. A controller causes the upper and lower nests to move while causing the platen to extend into and retract away from the area between the upper and lower nests. The first imaging sensor takes a first image of the heated portions of the first part, which causes an adjustment to be made to an output of the infrared heaters in a subsequent welding cycle.

A medical device includes a scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes inflating the delivery balloon during a diameter reduction to improve scaffold retention and maintaining an inflated balloon during the diameter reduction and prior and subsequent dwell periods.

A pouch machine vertical sealer capable of fusing a pouch film web to form a plurality of spaced vertical seals along a length of the film web to form pouches. The pouch machine vertical sealer includes a sealer wheel rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation and defines a film web path about a periphery of the sealer wheel. The vertical sealer further includes a plurality of vertical sealer land assemblies spaced apart about the periphery of the sealer wheel. Each vertical sealer land assembly includes an impulse heater such that contact between the film web and each impulse heater of the plurality of vertical sealer land assemblies forms the spaced apart vertical seals along the length of the film web.