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 heat seal between a plastic bag and a plastic sheet is used to provide a more secure and reliable seal to define a modified atmosphere for a pallet of perishables. The heat seal reduces atmosphere failures and aids in providing a more consistent atmosphere in the pallet bag system thus reducing the number of pallets that have an out of specification atmosphere. The heat seal may be created with a heating sealing apparatuses that is part of a system used to load and seal a load of containers of perishables onto a pallet. The heat sealing apparatus uses two heated rollers coupled to a rotating arm to contact and heat seal a plastic bag to a plastic seal that enclose a palletized load of perishables that are rotated on a turntable.

A method and apparatus for making bags or pouches is disclosed. An ultrasonic sealer may be used to form the seals. Sealing patterns may be used to provide a desired strength profile.

A contact welding heating component and to an automatic welding machine for plasticizing the edges of thermally fusible/meltable material sheets disposed so as to overlap at least partially. A roughening device for the material sheets, which is disposed upstream of the trailing-material edge of the heating component in the direction of movement of the contact welding heating component, protrudes beyond the upper side of the heating component and/or the lower side of the heating component, wherein the roughening device extends transversely to the direction of movement of the contact welding heating component, adjoining the trailing-material edge of the heating component, and includes a number of sharp-edged raised roughening elements extending in the direction of movement of the contact welding heating component, preferably having a variable height in the direction of movement of the contact welding heating component. The automatic welding machine includes a contact welding heat component thus designed.

A system and method for controlling the speed of both a continuous web and a bonding apparatus is provided in order to effectuate stronger bonds in the web. The bonding system includes a velocity changing device for increasing and decreasing a velocity of the web in a machine direction, an anvil and a corresponding ultrasonic horn that interact to form ultrasonic bonds on the web, and an anvil actuator configured to control a movement of the anvil. A control system is also included in the bonding system for controlling operation of the anvil actuator the velocity changing device, with the control system programmed to decrease a moving velocity of the web from a feed velocity to a bonding velocity as the web passes between the anvil and the ultrasonic horn and control movement of the anvil to synchronize the movement of the anvil with the moving velocity of the web.

An apparatus for fabricating an elastic nonwoven material generally includes a first bonding module and a second bonding module. The second bonding module is positionable in close proximity to the first bonding module. At least one of the first bonding module and the second bonding module has a face with a width dimension and a circumferential axis and is rotatable about a rotation axis. The face has a plurality of ridges. The ridges are positioned such that at least two adjacent ridges overlap along the circumferential axis.

One or more implementations of a multi-layer film include a first layer non-continuously bonded to a second pigmented layer. The multi-layer film includes an unexpected appearance differing from the appearance of the pigmented layer. In one or more embodiments, the multi-layer film includes a metallic appearance despite the pigmented layer being devoid of metallic pigment. The multi-layer film also includes areas that are visually distinct from areas of the film with the unexpected appearance. The visually-distinct areas comprise areas in which the first layer non-continuously is in intimate contact with the second pigmented layer. The visually-distinct areas have the appearance of the pigmented layer or another appearance. One or more implementations also include methods of making multi-layer films and bags with an unexpected appearance and visually-distinct areas.

A set of sealing jaws incorporating an adjustable seal area to seal the vertical portion of a bottom gusseted style of package. An adjustable seal surface allows a packaging machine to run different film web widths without the need to change jaws. The sealing jaws to be converted to run bottom gusset packages to pillow packages without the requirement to change jaws.

An ultrasonic system and method for sealing a complex interface, such as a Gable top, having multiple and a variety of layers across the interface, or an oval or round spout having a complex geometry. The system includes two ultrasonic horns arranged opposite a gap between which the interface is provided. The frequency and phase of the ultrasonic energy are synchronized as the energy is applied simultaneously while the interface is pressed between a jaw and the energy is applied to both sides of the interface. Only one application of the frequency- and phase-synchronized ultrasonic energy is required to hermetically seal all the layers of the interface together.

An apparatus for fabricating an elastic nonwoven material generally includes a first bonding module and a second bonding module. The second bonding module is positionable in close proximity to the first bonding module for receiving a first nonwoven fabric, a second nonwoven fabric, and at least one elastic strand therebetween. The second bonding module has a face with a width dimension and a circumferential axis and is rotatable about a rotation axis. The face has a plurality of ridges includes a first ridge and a pair of second ridges positioned on opposing sides of the first ridge along the circumferential axis. The first ridge defines a plurality of interspaced lands and notches, and the second ridges are configured to sever the at least one elastic strand when in close proximity to the first bonding module.