A process for packaging a product (P) arranged in a support (4) comprising unrolling a film (10a), transversely cutting the unrolled portion of film (10a) and preparing cut film sheets (18), moving the cut film sheets (18) to a packaging assembly (8) defining at its inside a packaging chamber (24), progressively moving a number of supports (4) inside the packaging chamber (24) of a packaging assembly (8), keeping the packaging chamber (24) open for a time sufficient for a number of supports (4) and for a corresponding number of film sheets (18) to properly position inside said packaging chamber (24), hermetically closing the packaging chamber (24) with the film sheets held above the respective support (4) and at a distance sufficient to allow gas circulation inside the support (4), optionally causing one or both of: a gas withdrawal from the hermetically closed packaging chamber (24) and gas injection of a gas mixture of controlled composition, heat sealing the film sheet (18) to said support (4), wherein the cutting of the film (10a) into film sheets (18) takes place outside the packaging chamber (24) at a station remote from the location where the film sheets are coupled to the supports. An apparatus (1) for performing the above process is also disclosed.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to manufacturing a balloon envelope for use in a stratospheric balloon system. For instance, a stream of polyethylene mixture us extruded through an extruder in order to orient molecules of polymer chains of polyethylene and to provide an oriented film. The oriented film is passed through an electron beam and thereby crosslinking the polymer chains to provide a cross-linked film. The cross-linked film is heat sealed to form the balloon envelope.

A method of producing flexible polypropylene fabric bags with heat fused seams comprising providing fabric pieces, wherein each fabric piece has a coated side and an uncoated side; positioning fabric pieces so that a coated side of one fabric piece faces a coated side of another fabric piece; selecting an area of fabric to be joined for forming a seam or joint; applying heat to the area to be joined that is less than the melting point of the fabrics, for forming one or more seams or joints and wherein the heat fused seams or joints of a resulting polypropylene bag retains at least 85% of the fabric strength without using sewing machines.

A stitchless highly oriented polypropylene fabric bulk bag of the type that can hold 500 to 5000 pounds (226.7 to 2268 kilograms) of bulk material includes a highly oriented polypropylene fabric top, body and bottom, with a heat fused joint providing an air tight connection between the top and body, and another air tight heat fused joint connecting the body and bottom. A fill spout and discharge tube may also be provided with an air tight heat fused joint connecting the fill spout to the top and another air tight heat fused joint connecting the discharge spout to the bottom. Heat sealing machinery include heat seal bar assemblies that can self-align during heat-sealing to apply even pressure to all areas being heat sealed. A heating element is of single piece construction and can include end coupler portions as part of the single piece construction. Carrier plates used in a heat-sealing assembly line guide parts placement, provide quality checks for parts placement, and tooling set-up for machinery.

A pipe joining system and pipe joint are shown m which two sections of molecularly oriented pipe are joined using heat shrinking techniques. A first section of pipe is provided having a straight, pre-formed socket with an internal diameter and with an end opening having enough clearance to allow a mating spigot section having a given external diameter to be inserted into the socket end opening. After the spigot end is inserted to a given depth, the socket is heated sufficiently so that the internal diameter of the socket end comes into contact with the external diameter of the spigot end, the molecularly oriented pipe being in a rubbery state and exhibiting a low elastic modulus which allows the socket end to conform tightly to the spigot end external diameter without deforming the spigot end.

A method of producing flexible polypropylene fabric bags with heat fused seams comprising providing fabric pieces, wherein each fabric piece has a coated side and an uncoated side; positioning fabric pieces so that a coated side of one fabric piece faces a coated side of another fabric piece; selecting an area of fabric to be joined for forming a seam or joint; applying heat to the area to be joined that is less than the melting point of the fabrics, for forming one or more seams or joints and wherein the heat fused seams or joints of a resulting polypropylene bag retains at least 85% of the fabric strength without using sewing machines.

The present disclosure is concerned with a method of forming a seal with a polyethylene based film structure. The polyethylene based film structure has at least one layer formed with an oriented polyethylene having a predetermined melting temperature (T.sub.m). A conductive heat sealing device provides heat to form the seal, where a first sealing bar of the conductive heat sealing device operates at a first operating temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius (° C.) below the T.sub.m of the oriented polyethylene in the polyethylene based film structure and a second sealing bar of the conductive heat sealing device operates at a second operating temperature of at least 15° C. higher than the operating temperature of the first sealing bar. The seal formed with the polyethylene based film structure retains at least 99 percent of its original surface area prior to forming the seal.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to manufacturing a balloon envelope for use in a stratospheric balloon system. For instance, a stream of polyethylene mixture us extruded through an extruder in order to orient molecules of polymer chains of polyethylene and to provide an oriented film. The oriented film is passed through an electron beam and thereby crosslinking the polymer chains to provide a cross-linked film. The cross-linked film is heat sealed to form the balloon envelope.

A method of producing flexible polypropylene fabric bags with heat fused seams comprising providing fabric pieces, wherein each fabric piece has a coated side and an uncoated side; positioning fabric pieces so that a coated side of one fabric piece faces a coated side of another fabric piece; selecting an area of fabric to be joined for forming a seam or joint; applying heat to the area to be joined that is less than the melting point of the fabrics, for forming one or more seams or joints and wherein the heat fused seams or joints of a resulting polypropylene bag retains at least 85% of the fabric strength without using sewing machines.

This method for producing a packaged food product portion includes the following steps: providing a cup defining an inner area for receiving the food product; cold pouring, at a temperature below 50° C., the food product into the receiving area of the cup; covering the food product using a thermally insulating lid arranged such that thermally conducting flaps of the cup extend toward the outside of the lid after the covering step; folding the flaps on an outer face of the lid opposite the receiving area; and heat-sealing the flaps on the outer face.