A bag (100) suitable for packaging fruit and vegetable products (2) comprising a casing (103) capable of housing the products to be packaged and at least one first band (104) and one second band (105) each arranged on the outer face of the casing so as to seal said casing, the first band (104) being joined to the casing only at its ends (104a, 104b) forming a handle (106) and the second band (105) joined along the length thereof to the associated face of the casing, forming a stable bottom (105c). A station (1) for producing this bag (100) comprises an expansion device (4) of tubular material comprising an upper expansion body (4a) and a lower expansion body (4b) mechanically linked to each other with a capacity for movement of one with respect to the other and that cooperate with welding groups.

A radially expansible press plunger including a base plate and a first plunger skirt. A circumferential edge portion of the first plunger skirt is arranged at a guiding surface of the base plate and being arranged radially inward of the circumferential edge of the bottom surface. The first plunger skirt is resiliently transformable between an unexpanded state and a radially expanded state. The expansible press plunger further comprises a second plunger skirt having a plunger skirt side wall with a circumferential edge portion at a bottom end of the second plunger skirt and being arranged radially outward of the circumferential edge portion of the first plunger skirt. The second plunger skirt is resiliently transformable between an unexpanded state and a radially expanded state under influence from the circumferential edge portion of the first plunger skirt.

A system for consolidating materials, comprising a sonotrode configured to direct ultrasonic energy into materials to be consolidated, wherein the materials to be consolidated have both a glass transition temperature and a melting temperature; a non-rigid consolidating material in proximity to the sonotrode, wherein the non-rigid consolidating material and sonotrode define a region therebetween for receiving the materials to be consolidated, and wherein the non-rigid consolidating material has a glass transition temperature that is higher than the glass transition temperature of the materials to be consolidated and a melting temperature that is higher than the melting temperature of the materials to be consolidated.

A method of joining overlapping thermoplastic roofing membrane components in which a first thermoplastic roofing membrane component and a second roofing membrane component are positioned in overlapping relationship between a pair of complementary molding surfaces. Heat is generated in a metal substrate and transferred by thermal conduction from the metal substrate to overlapping portions of the first and second thermoplastic roofing membrane components to locally melt and coalesce a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the first thermoplastic roofing membrane component and a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the second thermoplastic roofing membrane component. The molten thermoplastic material of the first and second thermoplastic roofing membrane components forms a zone of coalesced thermoplastic material that, upon cooling, forms a solid weld joint.

A sonotrode includes multiple layers of a material melted to one another to form a structure. The structure provides a base that has an attachment feature that is configured to operatively secure to an ultrasonic converter. The structure includes a shaft that extends from the base to a terminal end that provides a working surface that is configured to selectively engage a workpiece. The structure has at least one shaft that includes a first shaft that extends from the base to a first terminal end that provides a first working surface that is configured to selectively engage a workpiece. The first shaft is integrally formed with the base from the multiple layers to provide an unbroken, monolithic construction.

A medical dressing including: a flexible base layer including a front surface configured to face a skin of a patient and a back surface opposite the front surface, wherein the flexible base layer includes a first opening; an adhesive layer on the front surface of the base layer; a flexible cover layer entirely covering the opening of the base layer; a flexible intermediate layer sandwiched between the base layer and the cover layer, wherein the base layer, cover layer and intermediate layer joined together along an annular pattern extending entirely around the first and second openings, wherein the annular pattern joints the base layer to the intermediate layer entirely around the first and second openings, and the annular pattern joins the layers around the first and second openings except at slots extending beyond an outer edge of the cover layer and ending before an outer edge of the intermediate layer.

A first object is anchored in a second object. The first object has a material with thermoplastic properties, and the second material has a material that is solid and is penetrable by the first material when in a liquefied state. The second object has an insertion face with an opening having a mouth in the insertion face, and the first object has an insert portion that for anchoring is placed in the opening or about the mouth thereof. For anchoring, energy suitable for liquefaction of the first material impinges in an amount and for a time sufficient for at least partial liquefaction of the first material and interpenetration of the first and second materials. The second object, around the opening, has an anisotropic strength with respect to forces perpendicular to the opening axis.

A joining element has an anchoring portion for in-depth anchoring in the object and a head portion arranged proximally of the anchoring portion with respect to an insertion axis. The head portion has a lateral outer surface that has a structure that is well-defined, especially within tight tolerances. The joining element is positioned relative to an object of a non-liquefiable material such that the anchoring portion reaches into an opening of the object or is placed adjacent a mouth thereof. Then, the joining element is pressed towards a distal direction, to press the anchoring portion into the opening, while mechanical vibration energy is coupled into the joining element by a tool, in an amount and for a time sufficient for liquefaction of a portion of the thermoplastic material to cause interpenetration of the thermoplastic material into structures of the object.

An ultrasonic module for use in package sealing systems that includes a moveable front jaw; an elognated sonotrode disposed within the front jaw, wherein the sonotrode includes an elongated sealing face, and wherein the width of the sealing face is at least 12 inches (30.48 cm); a moveable rear jaw; and an anvil mounted on the rear jaw opposite the sonotrode, wherein the anvil mechanically cooperates with the sonotrode to seal a package.

A sonotrode that includes a sealing face; a front quarter wavelength region adjacent to the sealing face, wherein the front quarter wavelength region has been modified to increase the gain of the sonotrode; and a rear quarter wavelength region adjacent to the front quarter wavelength region, wherein the rear quarter wavelength region has been modified to create a non-uniform amplitude profile across the length of the sealing face of the sonotrode.