A sealing tool includes an anvil and a horn, at least one of which includes a sealing surface having a gusset sealing section and a zipper sealing section, each configured differently than the other. The gusset sealing section includes a plurality of sealing beads including a gusset section barrier sealing bead having a first height and a protective sealing bead having a second height, the second height being smaller than the first height. The zipper sealing section includes a zipper section barrier sealing bead extending and a tapered section adjacent to the zipper section sealing bead, the tapered section tapering from a larger height adjacent to the zipper section sealing bead to a smaller height as a distance away from the zipper section sealing bead increases.

Presented are repair systems for fixing filler-reinforced polymer structures, methods for making/using such repair systems, and techniques for repairing surface damage/defects of multidimensional fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) panels. A repair system for fixing a contoured surface of an FRP structure includes a flexible contact sheet that is fabricated from a thermally stable polymer, and has a textured contact surface that seats on the FRP structure and overlays the damaged area. A rigid cover sheet, which may be fabricated from a metal material, a polymeric material, and/or resin-impregnated fiber, has a complementary surface that conforms to the contoured surface of the FRP structure and covers the flexible contact sheet. The repair system also includes a heating element that lays against the rigid cover sheet and applies heat to the contoured surface with a substantially uniform profile that is sufficient to soften/melt portions of the FRP structure neighboring the damaged area.

A non-woven textile may be formed from a plurality of thermoplastic polymer filaments. The non-woven textile may have a first region and a second region, with the filaments of the first region being fused to a greater degree than the filaments of the second region. A variety of products, including apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, footwear), may incorporate the non-woven textile. In some of these products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another textile element to form a seam. More particularly, an edge area of the non-woven textile may be heatbonded with an edge area of the other textile element at the seam. In other products, the non-woven textile may be joined with another component, whether a textile or a non-textile.

A sonotrode or ultrasonic welding apparatus for ultrasonically processing a material, including a sealing surface adapted to contact the material to be processed, a rear surface opposite to the sealing surface, and a circumferential lateral surface connecting the sealing surface to the rear surface, the lateral surface having two side surfaces arranged substantially parallel to each other and two end surfaces arranged substantially parallel to each other. In order to provide a sonotrode or ultrasonic welding apparatus for processing a material, which at least reduces damage to the material and at the same time does not impair the production speed, it is proposed that the sealing surface has a convexly curved inlet section which adjoins the lateral surface, and wherein the sealing surface has a coating at least in a section.

A method and installation for joining a cover layer to an object in a continuous process. Joining is effected with the aid of a joining material having thermoplastic properties, wherein the joining material is arranged between the cover layer and the object and is liquefied using ultrasonic vibration energy. Before application of the ultrasonic vibration energy, the joining material is preheated in a contactless manner with the aid of electromagnetic induction in the region of the glass transition temperature of the joining material or above this glass transition temperature. The object is in particular a chip board and the cover layer an edge strip to be joined to an edge of the chip board.

A protective packaging formation device is disclosed herein. The device includes an inflation assembly that directs fluid between first and second overlapping plies of a web material. The device also includes a sealing mechanism. The sealing mechanism includes a heating zone and a cooling zone. The sealing mechanism also includes a heating element that extends along both the heating zone and the cooling zone, with the heating element having a first profile in the heating zone and a second profile in the cooling zone.

A protective packaging formation device is disclosed herein. The protective packaging formation device can include an inflation assembly having a fluid conduit that directs fluid between first and second overlapping plies of a web material and a sealing mechanism. The sealing mechanism can include a heating zone of the sealing mechanism operable to heat the plies to create a longitudinal heat seal that seals the first and second plies together as the web is driven over the heating zone in a downstream direction. The sealing mechanism can also include a pinch zone that overlaps longitudinally with the heating zone. The pinch zone defined by an isolation element that applies a first pressure to the web material along a first region. The pinch zone is also defined by a support structure and a compression element that applies a second pressure to the web material there-between along a second region transverse to the first region.

The present disclosure is directed to a compression belt for inflation and sealing devices. The device may include an inflation assembly, a heating assembly, and a drive mechanism. The inflation assembly may direct fluid between first and second overlapping plies of a flexible web material to inflate chambers between the plies. The heating assembly may be operable to heat the first and second plies of the web material to create a longitudinal heat seal that seals the fluid in the inflated chambers. The drive mechanism may drive the web material in a downstream direction. The drive mechanism may tension the web material against the heating assembly. The drive mechanism may include a first belt including a high grip material on a surface that contacts the web material to grip the web material during heating by the heating assembly.

A reusable plastic container is provided. The container includes a plastic container body having opposing side panels and opposing end panels. The container body also includes top side panel flaps attached to a top portion of each side panel, and bottom side panel flaps attached to a bottom portion of each side panel. The container body has top end panel flaps attached to a top portion of each end panel, and bottom end panel flaps attached to a bottom portion of each end panel. The top and bottom side panel flaps are each defined with respect to the side panels by a fold line. The fold lines including at least one scored portion and at least one welded portion.

A method for manufacturing an automotive interior component may include providing a cover, a substrate, a chute connected to the substrate, heating the cover, forming the cover via a negative vacuum forming tool, and supporting the substrate and chute via a buck. The method may include moving at least of the negative vacuum forming tool and the buck toward the other of the negative vacuum forming tool and the buck such that the cover and the substrate may be in contact with each other. The method may include bonding the substrate with the cover via providing pressurized fluid to a chamber of the buck to force the substrate toward the cover. The chamber may be defined by the buck and the substrate.