Abstract:
A heat- seal device (12) generally includes a heat source (30), a thermal conductor (26), which encapsulates at least a portion of the heat source (30) and is capable of transferring heat from the heat source (30), and a thermal insulator (28), which substantially surrounds the thermal conductor (26) but leaves a portion (44) thereof exposed, the exposed portion (44) of the thermal conductor providing a heat- seal contact surface (46), which is adapted to be brought into contact with a material to be sealed.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for making a foam-in-place cushion in which a foam-forming composition is dispensed between two plastic film portions in a predetermined fashion to selectively control the distribution of the foam in the cushion. A foam dispenser (50) can be moved in a transverse direction as foam is dispensed. A dispersion device (40, 70) can be employed to apply pressure on predetermined areas of the film portions towards each other so as to cause the composition to be redistributed in position in a predetermined manner while the composition is in a less than fully expanded state. The plastic film can then be sealed closed to form an expanding foam cushion that can be placed into a shipping carton where the cushion expands to fill void space, or into a mold where the cushion expands and is molded into a desired shape .