A method of applying a lid (1) onto a neck (9) of a container (10), the lid (1) having a side wall (3) extending around an axis and an end wall (2) extending transversely to said axis, comprises the following steps: —positioning the lid (1) onto the neck (9); —exerting on the end wall (2) a force directed towards the container (10), so as to level the lid (1) on the neck (9); —screwing the lid (1) onto the neck (9) by rotating the lid (1) in a screwing direction.

A method of securing a first component part and a second component part together, the method comprising providing an electrically conductive member between a first surface of the first component part and a facing first surface of the second component part and securing the first and second components together by passing a current through the electrically conductive member. The electrically conductive member is distributed across at least 50% of the surface area of the first surface of the first component part.

A welding head comprises a welding element (51) for welding a lid (1) to an opening device of a container (10). The welding head (43) further comprises a 5 compensating device (62) operable for compensating a misalignment between the welding element (51) and the lid (1), thereby centering the welding element (51) relative to the lid (1).

A method of joining workpieces includes the steps of bringing a first workpiece and a second workpiece together, induction heating a susceptor material, and pressing the workpieces together. Each workpiece may include a thermoplastic material, and the workpieces are brought together at a joint interface so that a protrusion of the first workpiece is aligned with a receptacle of the second workpiece. The susceptor material is in contact with the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece during heating such that the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece softens. The step of pressing is performed while the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece is softened, thereby reshaping the first workpiece where the susceptor material is in contact with the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece. The protrusion is deformed to form an interlock with the receptacle at the joint interface.

An apparatus for capping a container (10) comprises: a conveying device for conveying the container (10) along a path; an applying head (23) for applying a lid (1) onto a neck (9) included in an opening device of the container (10); a welding head (43) arranged downstream of the applying head (23), the welding head (43) comprising a welding element (51) for welding the lid (1) to the opening device.

A method of joining workpieces includes the steps of bringing a first workpiece and a second workpiece together, induction heating a susceptor material, and pressing the workpieces together. Each workpiece may include a thermoplastic material, and the workpieces are brought together at a joint interface so that a protrusion of the first workpiece is aligned with a receptacle of the second workpiece. The susceptor material is in contact with the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece during heating such that the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece softens. The step of pressing is performed while the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece is softened, thereby reshaping the first workpiece where the susceptor material is in contact with the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece. The protrusion is deformed to form an interlock with the receptacle at the joint interface.

A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger array that includes stacking a plurality of heat exchanger units in an aligned configuration with respective first ports of the plurality of heat exchanger units aligned. The method can further include generating heat in the first coupling elements at the same time and at a temperature sufficient to generate a first plurality of respective couplings between adjacent sheets of adjacent heat exchanger units about adjacent first ports and without a coupling being generated between the first and second sheets of a given heat exchanger unit.

A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger array that includes stacking a plurality of heat exchanger units in an aligned configuration with respective first ports of the heat exchanger units aligned. The heat exchanger units can include a first and second sheet coupled together to define an cavity between the first and second sheets; the first port at a first end of the heat exchanger unit defined by the first and second sheets; and a second port at a second end of the heat exchanger unit defined by the first and second sheets. The method further includes stacking the plurality of heat exchanger units in an aligned configuration with the first ports of the plurality of heat exchanger units aligned and generating a first plurality of respective couplings between adjacent sheets of adjacent heat exchanger units about adjacent first ports. The coupling can be generated by an adhesive.

A welding head comprises a welding element for welding a lid to an opening device of a container, a supporting body for supporting the welding element and a compensating device for compensating a possible mutual mispositioning of the welding element and the lid during welding of the lid to the opening device, the compensating device being interposed between the supporting body and the welding element, the compensating device comprising a planar spring arrangement provided with at least one planar spring element having a first member and a second member mutually connected by deformable elements.

A retortable container is formed with an opening formed defined by a projecting rim. The rim includes an external surface and securing structure formed thereon. A flexible membrane is sealed to the rim and closes the opening. A closure is provided having a molded plastic tubular ring and a separately formed molded plastic disk. The tubular ring includes an overlapping flange at a top and directed inwardly towards an inwardly positioned open area. The skirt includes an engagement structure for securing the closure to the external surface of the rim. The disk is separately attached to the ring within the open area after the retort process is applied to the sealed bottle.