A method for forming an article includes providing a sheet of material, optionally conditioning the sheet with a surface of a roller, forming the sheet to provide a web, and separating an article from the web to provide the article. An apparatus adapted to form the article from a sheet is provided.

A method for forming an article includes providing a sheet of material, optionally conditioning the sheet with a surface of a roller, forming the sheet to provide a web, and separating an article from the web to provide the article. An apparatus adapted to form the article from a sheet is provided.

A method for thermoforming an article includes extruding a sheet of material, conditioning the sheet with a roller, thermoforming the sheet to provide a web, and cutting the web to provide the article.

A method for thermoforming an article includes extruding a sheet of material, conditioning the sheet with a roller, thermoforming the sheet to provide a web, and cutting the web to provide the article.

An apparatus for making containers (2) comprising a rotor (6) rotatably mounted on a supporting structure (5), a thermoforming device (7) comprising a supporting unit (11) mounted on the rotor (6) and a closing unit (12) which is stationary relative to the rotation of the rotor (6), a feeding device (8) for feeding to the supporting unit (11) a first article (13) for making a supporting skeleton (3), a positioning device (16) for positioning a sheet of thermoformable material (14) between the supporting unit (11) and the closing unit (12), and an extracting device (9) configured to extract the containers (2) from the supporting unit (11), the rotor (6) rotating in a stepping fashion to position the supporting unit (11) one after another in a loading predetermined angular position in which the feeding device (8) feeds a first article (13) to it, a thermoforming predetermined angular position in which the closing unit (12) and the supporting unit (11) are coupled for thermoforming the sheet of thermoformable material (14) on the first article (13), and an unloading predetermined angular position in which the extracting device (9) picks up the finished container (2) from the supporting unit (11).

A station for feeding closing seals for containers, which includes at least one fixed magazine of seals which is provided with an outlet from which the seals can be taken individually. The station includes a carousel for feeding seals which can rotate with respect to a first central rotation axis and is provided with pickers which are radially spaced apart from the first rotation axis. The pickers are individually rotatable about a second rotation axis which is not parallel to the first axis of the carousel. During the rotation of the carousel, at least one picker can is configured to rotate about the second axis from a position for taking the seal from the magazine to a position for releasing the seal.

A station for feeding closing seals for containers, which includes at least one fixed magazine of seals which is provided with an outlet from which the seals can be taken individually. The station includes a carousel for feeding seals which can rotate with respect to a first central rotation axis and is provided with pickers which are radially spaced apart from the first rotation axis. The pickers are individually rotatable about a second rotation axis which is not parallel to the first axis of the carousel. During the rotation of the carousel, at least one picker can is configured to rotate about the second axis from a position for taking the seal from the magazine to a position for releasing the seal.

A thermoforming method includes forming a skin comprising a plurality of plies thermoplastic resin and fiber, securing an edge of the skin to a mandrel, heating, via a heating element, the skin to a forming temperature, moving a thermoforming apparatus with respect to the mandrel, rolling at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus along the skin in a direction away from the clamped edge of the skin in response to the thermoforming apparatus moving with respect to the mandrel, and in response to the at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus rolling along the skin, compressing the skin between the at least one roller and the mandrel, consolidating the plurality of plies of material, and bending the skin to conform to a shape of the mandrel. The consolidated and formed skin is then cooled and removed from the mandrel.

A thermoforming method includes forming a skin comprising a plurality of plies thermoplastic resin and fiber, securing an edge of the skin to a mandrel, heating, via a heating element, the skin to a forming temperature, moving a thermoforming apparatus with respect to the mandrel, rolling at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus along the skin in a direction away from the clamped edge of the skin in response to the thermoforming apparatus moving with respect to the mandrel, and in response to the at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus rolling along the skin, compressing the skin between the at least one roller and the mandrel, consolidating the plurality of plies of material, and bending the skin to conform to a shape of the mandrel. The consolidated and formed skin is then cooled and removed from the mandrel.

A reclosable package, and a machine and method for making that reclosable package that includes a tray for receiving a product and a substantially horizontal edge, wherein the horizontal edge extends circumferentially on an upper side of the tray and has a clamping portion releasably connected thereto. The package includes a top film across the tray, the edge and the clamping portion, and which may be releasably connected to the edge by a first sealed seam to seal the tray in a gas-tight manner. The top film may be connected to the clamping portion by a second sealed seam. A side face of the tray may include an undercut provided with a projection, the projection being suitable for locking the clamping portion in position when the clamping portion has been detached from the edge and is located between the projection of the undercut and the side face of the tray.