Patent ID: 7730698

Claim:
A crimper for engaging and heat sealing overlapping layers of a packaging material, the crimper comprising: a first crimper portion that includes a crimping surface; a second crimper portion secured to the first crimper portion, where portions of the first and second crimper portions cooperate to define: a first interior cavity and a second interior cavity, where each of the first and second interior cavities includes a first longitudinally-extending length, and a first passageway and a second passageway, where: each of the first and second passageways that includes a second longitudinally-extending length that is shorter than the first longitudinally-extending length the first passageway extends from the first interior cavity to an exterior of the crimper, and the second passageway extends from the second interior cavity to the exterior of the crimper, where the second crimper portion includes a plurality of spaced pads that extend from and are integrally formed with a lower surface of the second crimper portion, where the plurality of spaced pads minimize heat transfer to a crimper bar connected to the second crimper portion, where each of the plurality of spaced pads includes a radius that matches a rounded contour of the crimper bar; a first heating element that includes: a first body, and a first wire extending from a first junction with the first body, where the first junction between the first body and the first wire is disposed completely within the first interior cavity and the first wire extends through the first passageway to the exterior of the crimper; and a second heating element that includes: a second body, and a second wire extending from a second junction with the second body, where the second junction between the second body and the second wire is disposed completely within the second interior cavity and the second wire extends through the second passageway to the exterior of the crimper.