Abstract: Binder-impregnated carbon fiber rovings and the like, which are sticky and difficult to handle, are stacked to form modules that are packed in resinous bags under vacuum, and are then shaped to desired dimensions and densities without employing conventional molds, but simply by placing them in the confines of jigs or ruler frames and then releasing them from vacuum and expanding them to the desired dimensions. They are thereafter subjected to heat treatments to provide high temperature resistant carbon fiber-reinforced carbon or graphite modules which work, for example, as thermal insulation and refractory walls in high temperature heating furnaces.

Abstract: Disclosed is a skin packaging film for skin packaging high profile and/or heavy articles. The film comprises linear ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer. In one embodiment, the film is antistatic and may be employed for skin packaging of electro-static sensitive items such as circuit boards.

Abstract: A package for microwaving heating or cooking a food item such as an egg roll, which requires surface browning or crispening, comprises a vented tray, a drapable, liquid permeable, microwave susceptive composite material, draped over the food item, and a film lid covering the tray and conformed to the shape of the food item.

Abstract: A method of providing oxygen barrier properties to a retorted container is described. A retort container is filled with a product sensitive to spoilage from oxygen contact, such as certain food. The filled container is heat sealed closed, retorted, and then enclosed with a oxygen barrier material.

Abstract: Packaging for packaging of products under a transparent film, a process for performing this packaging and a device for using this process. The packaging comprises a plate of cardboard or the like intended for supporting at least one product to be packaged, whose face receiving the product or products receives a coating of a layer of synthetic material, a first sheet of synthetic material for covering the upper face of the plate and the product or products resting on it. The first sheet is attached to the plate by being heated and partial vacuum being applied through the plate, and projects beyond the peripheral edge of the plate. A second sheet of synthetic material covers the lower face of the plate and is attached to the upper covering sheet by the peripheral edges of each sheet to one another beyond the edge of the plate. The packaging provides a tamperproof packaging making display of the packaged product possible.

Abstract: A package for extended storage and in-store display of fresh red meat is disclosed. Preferably the package is made by a vacuum skin packaging process wherein the forming web is a composite peelable film having a peelable oxygen barrier layer and an oxygen permeable skin layer which remains to enclose the product when the peelable film is removed after storing. A means and method for readily initiating the peeling process is provided by a combination of a manual pull tab and selected perforations of the forming web.

Abstract: A method for packaging a product includes the steps of placing the product on a first metallic sheet; placing a second metallic sheet over the product; placing the first sheet, product, and second sheet on a supporting member; applying a top web over the second sheet and in sealing arrangement with the supporting member, by a vacuum skin packaging process; and bringing the first and second sheet together to substantially enclose the product between the two sheets. Alternatively, a packet having a first metallic sheet, a product on the sheet, and a second metallic sheet disposed over the product is placed on a supporting member; a top web is placed over the packet by a vacuum skin packaging process; and the first and second sheets are brought together to substantially enclose the product between the sheets. In another embodiment, the product may be placed within a pouch which is then placed on a first sheet with a second sheet placed over the pouch.

Abstract: By providing raised peripheral edges, preferably walls, for the supporting member of a vacuum skin package, a superior vacuum package is achieved when a product is vacuum packaged on such a supporting number. Wrinkles and weak spots are avoided. Preferably, the raised edges are formed in-line as the package is made.

Abstract: A vacuum skin package, having a peripheral area and a central area, comprises a thermoplastic supporting member; a thermoplastic heat-formed top web sealed to the supporting member in the peripheral area of the package; a first moisture impervious metallic sheet having outer and inner non-heat sealable surfaces; a second moisture-impervious metallic sheet having outer and inner non-heat sealable surfaces; the first and second sheets unbonded to each other and substantially enclosing therebetween a product in the central area of the package; and the product and enclosing sheets disposed between and enclosed by the supporting member and top web, the top web in comunication with the outer non-heat sealable surface of the first sheet, and the supporting member in communication with but unbonded to the outer non-heat sealable surface of the second sheet.

Abstract: A support tray 6a with a product 11a thereon is covered loosely by a cover sheet 8 in a first chamber portion 12 to be drawn upwardly into contact with the heated walls of a shallow first mould cavity. The combination of the product 11a, support tray 6a and cover sheet 8 is then advanced to a second chamber portion 13 defined by a deeper second mould cavity into which the cover sheet can be drawn while vacuum is applied to the interior of the ensuing pack through slits in the tray 6a, by means of suction ports 20.

Abstract: A rigid packaging material having a coating of heat-sealable, anti-static plastic. A fiberboard sheet substrate is coated with a lamina of polyethylene made electrostatic-free by the addition of an organic anti-static compound. When skin-packaged with a film of heat sealable, anti-static plastic material, a static-sensitive item is completely enclosed by a static-free barrier package.

Abstract: A rigid packaging material having a coating of heat-sealable, anti-static plastic. A fiberboard sheet substrate is coated with a lamina of polyethylene made electrostatic-free by the addition of an organic anti-static compound. When skin-packaged with a film of heat sealable, anti-static plastic material, a static-sensitive item is completely enclosed by a static-free barrier package.

Abstract: A skin packaging machine have a base, an inclined oven above the base, and a film frame pivoted to swing between the base and the inclined oven. The oven has transverse elongated heating elements closely spaced at the lower end and widely spaced at the upper end to provide uniform heat across the surface of the oven. The frame has a pneumatic system for swinging it between its upper and lower positions in order to minimize the possibility of injury.

Abstract: The wire coil wound to a variable diameter which is packaged onto a display backing in the form of a card (3) has groups of turns of different diameters which are stacked by being overlapped according to an increasing or decreasing diameter pattern meeting the relation E=D.sub.o .+-.2 n .phi. where E is the increasing or decreasing winding, D.sub.o is the initial coil diameter, n is a positive integer and .phi. is the wire diameter.

Abstract: Unlike display bases of the blister type of the prior art, the coil (1) is packaged on a display base (3) with a thin plastic film (14) which matches all the visible surfaces of the coil. This film (14) cooperates with the display base (3) both in the zone (15) inside the coil and in the zone (11) outside the latter. If cutting means (7) are also provided on the display base, the film (14) (as shown at 12) completely envelops the cutting means (7) without it being necessary to use additional fastening means. The inner end (10) of the tie material passes through a hole (9) in the film (14) and thus can be pulled for controlled unwinding due to a braking action caused by the at least partial adherence of the film to the turns of the coil. Packaging of this kind can be achieved by a single-stage process in the course of which a stretched and heated film is applied to a porous substrate carrying the coil and optionally the cutting means (7).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of forming containers useful in vacuum packaging applications which require that the packaged product be wrapped in an air-impervious enclosure.According to one aspect of the invention, the method comprises a step wherein a substrate of an air pervious, semipervious or impervious material is mold formed, and a subsequent step wherein an impervious film is applied on the molded substrate and adhered thereto to produce an impervious substrate. In another aspect, a product is placed on the impervious substrate and enclosed by an impervious film in a vacuum skin packaging process.

Abstract: Method and machine for packing bacon bundles in blister packages. Bacon bundles (2) are placed in the blister package (15) by a lifting arm (17) having rotatable rods (21) and transversally extending tines (22). The rods (21) are rotatable over 90.degree.. The distance between the outer tines is slightly smaller than the length of the blister package. If the bacon bundle is too long it will depend over the outer tine and the depending portion (24) will automatically be double folded at the positioning of the bacon bundle in the blister package.

Abstract: A skin packaging machine having a vacuum box and an oven spaced above the vacuum box, a film frame movable between the vacuum box and the oven, and a probe mounted on the film frame, the probe being movable into and out of a position contacting the underside of a film supported on the film frame.

Abstract: A laminated packaging film useful for skin-packaging electrostatic-sensitive items and protecting the items from electrostatic damage during packaging and while the items are vacuumed, contained, and removed from packages. The film includes a pair of sheets of highly resistive, heat-sealable plastic between which is sandwiched a sheet of conductive, heat-sealable plastic. The film resists the buildup of static charges while the item is being packaged and forms a protective Faraday cage while the item is contained in the package.

Abstract: A skin packaging machine having a vacuum box, an oven spaced above the vacuum box, a film frame movable between the vacuum box and the oven, and a source of film. The film frame is hollow and is connected to a source of vacuum. Holes are formed around the upper surface of the film frame to hold the film to the frame during the packaging operation.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of vacuum packing by defining a "dummy product" 17 alongside a product article 14 on a support sheet so that any "webbing" 18 is to the side of that projection 17 which faces away from the adjacent product article 14. That projection 17 can subsequently be trimmed to leave a webbing-free pack. Cutting down webbing reduces the risk of leakage of the pack. Preferably the height of the projection 17 is adjusted in response to the height of a product article 14 so that the extent of such webbing 18 is at a minimum.

Abstract: A skin packaging machine having a base, an inclined oven above the base, and a film frame pivoted to swing between the base and the inclined oven. The oven has transverse elongated heating elements closely spaced at the lower end and widely spaced at the upper end to provide uniform heat across the surface of the oven. The frame has a pneumatic system for swinging it between its upper and lower positions in order to minimize the possibility of injury.

Abstract: A film packaging machine 20 has a vacuum platen 28 with a slidable air-permeable discharge plate 72 that is driven by air cylinders 112, 114 within the platen to eject a finished package by moving a leading edge of the package off the platen and into pinch rolls 62. A small plenum 96 beneath the platen surface at the discharge end, extending across the width of the platen, is supplied with air under pressure to relieve the vacuum beneath the leading portion of the package to facilitate ejection.

Abstract: A process of producing a package for a product by heat-bonding through a heat sealable coating a first wall of porous spun bonded polyolefin material to a second and thicker wall of porous material, placing a product atop the first wall, draping a thermoformable film over the product, heating the film, drawing the film against the product and the first wall, and bonding the drawn film to the first wall during the drawing operation.

Abstract: A method of making a bond structure and a bond structure are provided that produce concurrently a peel bond and a lap bond. One end of a sheet to be joined to a second end of the same or other sheet is folded back on itself and on end of the other member inserted. The two pairs of contacting surfaces thus formed are subsequently bonded to each other. The bonding may be by any means and the clamping force across the bond during bonding need be applied from one side of the sheet only. By insuring that the peel bond fails before the material, a flat lap bond may be achieved by causing only the peel bond to fail.

Abstract: An improved method of vacuum packaging by using a specific laminated film as a package film, the laminated film being composed of a plastically deformable layer of a synthetic resin having a yield stress more than 50 kg/cm.sup.2 at a temperature of 23.degree. C. and an elongation of less than 30% at elastic limit at a shaping temperature of 50.degree. to 180.degree. C. and an elastic layer of a synthetic resin having an elongation of more than 40% at elastic limit at the shaping temperature.

Abstract: A landscape blanket to be used as ground cover in which particles such as crushed stone, marble chips and the like are arranged in a substantially single layer and are held together to form a blanket by sheets of transparent plastic material which conform to the shape of the particles and are bonded thereto without the use of adhesive. The plastic sheets are bonded to the particles by forcing them into contact with the particles while the plastic sheets are in a softened condition.

Abstract: A method for pressure packaging of articles between a heated thermoplastic film and a substrate utilizes apparatus providing a bed platen, means for heating a thermoplastic film, means for supporting the film above the bed platen and a pressure platen having a recess in the lower surface thereof adapted to receive the article being packaged. The pressure platen and bed platen are moved relative to each other so as to deform the heated thermoplastic film into a sheath about the article and to press the heated film against the substrate outwardly of the article to effect bonding therebetween. The pressure platen desirably has a release coating thereon to prevent adhesion of the heated film thereto. Vacuum may be drawn through the bed platen and the substrate to enhance bonding of the film to the substrate.

Abstract: While thermoforming an article skin-wrap packaging, the article being disposed on an air-tight supporting plate firmly applied on an evacuated chamber and a plastic film displaced parallel to the supporting plate to firmly engage the article and the supporting plate, vacuum is provided in the wrapping by means of at least one suction tube or nozzle temporarily placed between the supporting plate and the film.

Abstract: An article is packaged in a multilayer flexible plastic sheet having a layer of a self-adhering plastic material and a layer of normally solid, thermoplastic organic polymer by (1) inserting the article between two opposing portions of the multilayer plastic sheet such that the layer of self-adhering plastic material faces the article; (2) collapsing the opposing portions into conforming contact with the article such that essentially all gases are permitted to pass out of the resulting package; and (3) sealing together the opposing contacting surfaces of said opposing portions to form a hermetically sealed package such that the self-adhering plastic material remains in clinging, conforming contact with the article and itself upon puncture of the multilayer plastic sheet.