A mechanical assembly for securing a first sheet to a second sheet includes a first projection having a first sidewall and a first top wall. The first sidewall extends from the first top wall at a first acute angle. The first sidewall includes a first top end and a first bottom end. A first discontinuity is defined in the first sidewall between the first top end and the first bottom end. A first base wall extends from the first bottom end. The first base wall extends generally parallel to the first top wall.

A fluid-filled chamber may include a pair of polymer layers that define a plurality of subchambers and a web area. The subchambers are protruding portions of the polymer layers that enclose a fluid, and the web area is portions of the polymer layers that are located between the subchambers and lay adjacent to each other. The subchambers may have greater thickness than the web area. A perimeter bond joining the polymer layers and extends around a periphery of the chamber. In addition, a plurality of interior bonds join the polymer layers and extend around the subchambers, which may seal the fluid within the subchambers.

Provided herein are methods for the modulation of appearance or material properties within items of apparel or equipment. Also provided herein are design articles having alterable designs.

A welding process of an inflatable product is provided that includes using isolating members between first and second portions of weldable tensioning members to resist the first and second portions of the weldable tensioning structures being welded together during welding of the first portions to a first sheet of weldable material and welding of the second portions to a second sheet of weldable material.

A honeycomb sandwich sheet or panel, based on thermoplastic polypropylene, includes a structure having two flat outer films, at the top and bottom, welded to at least two inner or central thermoformed blister films, repeated in a regular and continuous pattern, wherein the at least two inner thermoformed films are welded to each other.

Provided herein are methods for the modulation of appearance or material properties within items of apparel or equipment. Also provided herein are design articles having alterable designs.

Provided is a method for producing a packing sheet with improved insulation and storage properties, which can greatly reduce logistics costs by minimizing a volume during storage and transportation and also greatly increase insulation.

Tip bonded formed laminates, and methods for making tip bonded formed laminates, are made from multiple layers of formed substrates made from films which are bonded together at the tips of their formed protrusions. Tip bonded laminates can be designed with greater resistance to bending, improved resilience to compression, and can be patterned for directionally oriented responses to tensile loads. Also, tip bonded formed laminates made from multiple layers of formed substrates can use their layered structure to provide better aesthetics as well as better physical properties such as improved puncture resistance. Tip bonded formed laminates can be configured with thicker portions and designed patterns, which are appealing to consumers. A tip bonded formed laminate can be made from two or more formed substrates and can be used instead of a single, thick, unformed, substrate, so the laminate can use about the same amount of material, while still providing surprising functional benefits. Tip bonded formed laminates can provide these benefits without relying on more expensive polymers and/or high concentrations of additives and offer significant improvements at a reasonable cost, when compared with unformed, single layer substrates.

Methods for making tip bonded formed laminates are made from multiple layers of formed substrates made from films which are bonded together at the tips of their formed protrusions. Tip bonded laminates can be designed with greater resistance to bending, improved resilience to compression, and can be patterned for directionally oriented responses to tensile loads. Also, tip bonded formed laminates made from multiple layers of formed substrates can use their layered structure to provide better aesthetics as well as better physical properties such as improved puncture resistance. Tip bonded formed laminates can be configured with thicker portions and designed patterns, which are appealing to consumers. A tip bonded formed laminate can be made from two or more formed substrates and can be used instead of a single, thick, unformed, substrate, so the laminate can use about the same amount of material, while still providing surprising functional benefits.

An automated system and method are disclosed for producing an inflatable product having a first sheet, a second sheet, and a plurality of tensioning structures between the first and second sheets. The system includes an upstream tensioning structure production subsystem that produces the tensioning structures and a downstream preassembly production subsystem that couples the tensioning structures to the first and second sheets. The subsystems may operate simultaneously to produce the inflatable product in an automated, efficient, and repeatable manner.