A method for making a connection between a pair of objects includes using a fixture to hold in place shims used to control the gap thickness between the objects. The gap may be subsequently filled with adhesive that is then cured. The fixture may be a flexible piece of material that is able to withstand the cure environment, for example being able to withstand heat used to cure the adhesive. The fixture may facilitate maintaining the proper gap by holding the shims in their proper places and orientation until the adhesive is cured and the shims are removed. The use of the fixture may improve the uniformity of the gap at less effort, and may reduce defects in the adhesive layer, for example by facilitating removal of the shims without disturbing or damaging the adhesive, such as by pulling the shims straight out of their locations in the gap.

Provided is a workpiece bonding method that makes it possible to achieve a joining state with a high strength and to obtain a good repeatability of the joining state.

A workpiece bonding method according to the present invention is a workpiece bonding method for bonding two workpieces to each other, each of the two workpieces being composed of a material selected from the group consisting of synthetic resin, glass, silicon wafer, crystal and sapphire, the workpiece bonding method including: a surface activation step of activating a bonded surface of at least one of the workpieces; and a laminating step of laminating the two workpieces such that respective bonded surfaces contact with each other, and a pretreatment step of removing moisture from the bonded surface of the workpiece that is to be subjected to the surface activation step is performed before the surface activation step is performed.

One or more implementations of a multi-layer film include a first substantially un-pigmented 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 substantially un-pigmented layer non-continuously bonded is in intimate contact with the second pigmented layer. The visually-distinct areas have the appearance of the pigmented layer. One or more implementations also include methods of making multi-layer films and bags with an unexpected appearance and visually-distinct areas.

One or more implementations of a multi-layer film include a first substantially un-pigmented 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 substantially un-pigmented layer non-continuously bonded is in intimate contact with the second pigmented layer. The visually-distinct areas have the appearance of the pigmented layer. One or more implementations also include methods of making multi-layer films and bags with an unexpected appearance and visually-distinct areas.

A method for making a connection between a pair of objects includes using a fixture to hold in place shims used to control the gap thickness between the objects. The gap may be subsequently filled with adhesive that that is then cured. The fixture may be a flexible piece of material that is able to withstand the cure environment, for example being able to withstand heat used to cure the adhesive. The fixture may facilitate maintaining the proper gap by holding the shims in their proper places and orientation until the adhesive is cured and the shims are removed. The use of the fixture may improve the uniformity of the gap at less effort, and may reduce defects in the adhesive layer, for example by facilitating removal of the shims without disturbing or damaging the adhesive, such as by pulling the shims straight out of their locations in the gap.

The invention relates to a method for producing a component bond (70, 140) comprising: a fastening structure (60, 160) that has at least one component layer (60; 160a, 160b); and a thermoplastic connecting element (10, 110) having a head (12) and a shank (14), in which method the connecting element (10, 110) is driven into the fastening structure (60, 160) under pressure whilst rotating, such that the shank (14) penetrates the fastening structure (60, 160). The connecting element (10, 110), after penetrating the fastening structure (60, 160), is converted by friction into a softened, free-flowing state in a die (44, 144) which is placed against the fastening structure (60, 160) in the opposite direction to the driving direction, resulting in a thicker section (22, 22) that extends beyond the radial extent of some sections of the shank (14). The fastening structure (60, 160) is thus interlockingly held between the head (12) and the thicker section (22, 122).

An improved ultrasonic system and method. The ultrasonic stack is moved at a low, constant (or slowly varying) speed at the initiation of the welding operation, with this speed being maintained until the predetermined condition is satisfied. In some applications, this produces a higher quality weld, such as in applications involving plastic material that softens very quickly once ultrasonic energy is imparted to the workpieces being welded, which causes the force between the workpieces to decrease rapidly. Advancing the ultrasonic stack at a low speed or slow acceleration can avoid scuffing or marking of the surface of the workpiece in contact with the ultrasonic horn, decrease audible noise produced during the welding process, and improve the consistency of weld quality in such applications compared to conventional techniques.

One or more implementations of a multi-layer film include a first substantially un-pigmented 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 substantially un-pigmented layer non-continuously bonded is in intimate contact with the second pigmented layer. The visually-distinct areas have the appearance of the pigmented layer. One or more implementations also include methods of making multi-layer films and bags with an unexpected appearance and visually-distinct areas.

A heat sealing apparatus including a first sealing bar having a first sealing bar contact surface with a first resistance heating element extending along the upper sealing bar contact surface; a second sealing bar having a second sealing bar contact surface; a sealing bar moving mechanism for moving the first sealing bar and the second sealing bar away from and toward each other into compression contact; a power pulsing mechanism including a microprocessor running a computer program for delivering electric power pulses to the first resistance heating element in selected pulse durations separated by at least one selected interval duration and at a frequency between 0.001 and 5000 Hertz; an electric power source and an apparatus circuit including the first resistance heating element and the sealing bar moving mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of joining resin tubes, in which the degree of freedom of selecting a tube material is large, and further a defect such as stiffness and contraction at joining portions of the tubes is not developed. The method of joining resin tubes according to the present invention is a method of joining resin tubes so that a first tube is joined to a second tube, the first tube and the second tube each being made of synthetic resin, the method comprising: a surface activation step of activating each of a joining region of the first tube and a joining region of the second tube; and an adhesion step of adhering the joining region of the first tube obtained via the surface activation step with the joining region of the second tube obtained via the surface activation step to each other.