An exemplary air cushion inflation machine includes: a first terminal connected to a direct current input; a second terminal; a reference resistor powered by the direct current input; an op-amp; and a transistor. The first terminal of the op-amp is connected to a variable voltage source and the second terminal of the op-amp is connected to the reference resistor. The transistor has a base connected to an output of the op-amp, an emitter connected to the reference resistor, and a collector connected to a first terminal of a sealing band apparatus having first and second terminals. A meltable material placed between the first and second terminals is melted by resistance of current flowing between the first and second terminals. The variable voltage source changes voltage based on a voltage drop measured across the first and second terminals by a voltage measurement device and the constant current.

A heat sealer module for a heat-sealing station of a packaging apparatus has a sealing belt for contacting a terminal portion of semi-sealed packages and for guiding the terminal portion of the semi-sealed packages along a main movement direction; the heat sealer module also has a first driving belt and a second driving belt to assist in accompanying the packages in proper position for sealing. A heat sealer having opposed heat sealer modules. A packaging apparatus for heat sealing packages having a vacuum chamber with an elongated opening and a conveyor for receiving semi-sealed packages and for moving the semi-sealed packages relative to the vacuum chamber is disclosed. The packaging apparatus includes evacuation means for evacuating gas present in the semi-sealed packages and forming evacuated semi-sealed packages. The packaging apparatus includes the heat sealer for heat sealing the terminal portion of each evacuated semi-sealed package thereby forming heat sealed packages.

A packaging apparatus with an improved pinch roller apparatus, fluid supply apparatus, and/or a sealing apparatus. The pinch roller apparatus (e.g., comprising one or more guide and/or pinch rollers) is used to deliver film material to the fluid supply apparatus (e.g., nozzle and blower apparatus, or the like) that fills one or more chambers of the film material with fluid (e.g., air, gas, or other like fluid), and the film material is then sealed by a sealing apparatus (e.g., using one or more heating elements with an improved temperature sensor configuration) that seals the fluid within the one or more chambers in order to form the inflated article (e.g., inflated packaging material). In particular, the sealing apparatus provides improved sealing through the improved accuracy of the temperature reading in the heating zone, in part, by locating a sensor between a heating element and a protective member that covers the sensor.

A heating block assembly including one or more configurable insulator segments and a heater block having a first surface configured to removably receive the one or more configurable insulator segments, in which each of the one or more configurable insulator segments covers only a portion of the first surface. A method for sealing at least one portion of a package using such a heating block assembly is also disclosed.

A packaging apparatus with an improved pinch roller apparatus, fluid supply apparatus, and/or a sealing apparatus. The pinch roller apparatus (e.g., comprising one or more guide and/or pinch rollers) is used to deliver film material to the fluid supply apparatus (e.g., nozzle and blower apparatus, or the like) that fills one or more chambers of the film material with fluid (e.g., air, gas, or other like fluid), and the film material is then sealed by a sealing apparatus (e.g., using one or more heating elements with an improved temperature sensor configuration) that seals the fluid within the one or more chambers in order to form the inflated article (e.g., inflated packaging material). In particular, the sealing apparatus provides improved sealing through the improved accuracy of the temperature reading in the heating zone, in part, by locating a sensor between a heating element and a protective member that covers the sensor.

A machine converts a web of preformed pouches, which are defined by transverse seals extending from a remote edge, into inflated dunnage units. A sealing arrangement is positioned to provide a longitudinal seal intersecting the transverse seals to close the preformed pouches and form a dunnage unit. The sealing arrangement has at least two sealing belts. Each belt is positioned so that respective first sides engage a surface of the web and pull the web through sealing elements positioned on either side of the web. A heating element is on a second side of the first belt not engaging the web. A compliant material is on a second side of the second belt not engaging the web. As the web passes between the heating element and compliant material, imperfections in the web are smoothed by the compliant material and the layers of the web are sealed by the heating element.

A system for forming a tendon sleeve on an atmospheric balloon is described herein, the system comprising a coupling assembly including a seam coupling mechanism that forms a seam joint between a first gore panel and a second gore panel, the seam joint is spaced from respective first and second lateral edges of the first and second gore panels to form first and second edge flanges, and an edge coupling mechanism that forms an edge joint between the first and second edge flanges and closes a tendon sleeve, the edge joint spaced from the seam joint, the tendon sleeve includes a tendon sleeve passage between the seam joint and the edge joint and between the first and second edge flanges. The system also includes a tendon positioning mechanism that positions a tendon within the tendon sleeve passage. A tendon sleeve formed by this system is also described herein.

The invention relates to a welding device (1) for producing tubular bodies by the edge-side welding of two substrate edges (2, 3), in particular two laminate edges, said welding device having a continuous, circulating first contact belt (5) for coming into contact with the substrate (4), and an energy source (12, 13) for providing welding energy. According to the invention, the first contact belt (5) has a seamless polyimide contact surface (35) for coming into contact with the substrate (4).

A method and apparatus for sealing a bag made of a polymeric material by applying heat activated layers on different portions of the bag, wherein the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer have respective heat activation temperatures below the softening point temperature of the polymeric material; after creasing the bag along a fold line, applying heat at a temperature below the softening point temperature of the polymeric material to activate the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer to adhesive states after the bag has been filled with contents; and folding the bag to form an adhesive-to adhesive seal by contact between the heat activated first adhesive layer and the heat activated second adhesive layer.

A composite belt assembly for a band sealer is provided. The composite belt assembly comprises a belt comprising a main belt; a first layer; and a second layer; wherein the first layer is arranged in contact with the main belt, preferably between the second layer and the main belt; and the first layer includes an attachment portion, configured to contact the main belt and the second layer. There is also provided a band sealer comprising a composite belt assembly and a packaging line comprising the band sealer. There is further provided a method for heat sealing a package, comprising providing a composite belt assembly, gripping a bag neck of the package using the composite belt assembly, guiding the bag neck of the package along a movement plane using the composite belt assembly providing a sealing element configured for heat sealing a plastic material of the bag neck, and applying heat to at least part of the bag neck through the first layer of the composite belt assembly using the sealing element.