A flexible container incorporating flexible front and rear sheets with a perimeter seal in which at least one length or section of the perimeter seal can include a seal weld that has both a permanent seal section and a pressure absorbing seal section. The pressure absorbing seal section is configured to peel, fail, or split when the flexible container, filled with a solution or liquid, is dropped onto a hard surface to thereby absorb the impact of the drop. The flexible container can be provided with one or more dispensing and/or additive ports or without any port. The flexible container may include more than one compartments with a peelable seal separating two adjoining compartments of the flexible container.

Methods and apparatus for positioning a structure on a polymer layer are described. A method may involve forming a first polymer layer. The method may further involve positioning, by an apparatus, a structure on the first polymer layer, where the apparatus comprises a rod having a first end that supports the structure as the structure is being positioned and a plunger located around the first end of the rod that presses the structure onto the first polymer layer as the structure is being positioned. And the method may involve forming a second polymer layer over the first polymer layer and the structure, where the first polymer layer defines a first side of a body-mountable device and the second polymer layer defines a second side of the body-mountable device opposite the first side.

An end effector for welding composite components includes an end effector housing and a welding member mounted to the end effector housing. The end effector further includes a leading roller mounted to the end effector housing forward of the welding member and at least one follower roller mounted to the end effector housing aft of the welding member. The end effector further includes at least one first cooling air jet positioned to direct a first stream of cooling air toward the at least one follower roller.

A packaging material sealing device, in particular cross seam packaging material sealing device for a vertical packaging machine, includes a first sealing jaw and at least a second sealing jaw, at least one movement unit for actuating the two sealing jaws along a sealing direction, and at least one control unit. In at least one operating state the control unit controls a rotation of the two sealing jaws relative to a transport direction of a packaging material. At least two guiding rails of the movement unit for moving the two sealing jaws along at least the sealing direction each have clearance with respect to their bearings in order to allow rotation of the two sealing jaws relative to the transport direction.

A packaging material sealing device includes a first sealing jaw and at least a second sealing jaw and at least one movement unit, which includes a first actuator and at least a second actuator for actuating the two sealing jaws along a sealing direction, and at least one control unit. In at least one operating state, the control unit controls the two actuators for setting an asymmetrical sealing force for the two sealing jaws.

A stretchable sheet 10 includes: a plurality of attached portions 3 spaced apart from each other in the direction of stretch Df, wherein the first surfaces 1f and 2f of a pair of sheets 1 and 2 are attached to each other by being welded without using an adhesive, at the attached portions 3, the attached portions 3 hold elastic members F, and the attached portions 3 extend in a direction Dp crossing the direction of stretch Df of the elastic members F; and a plurality of folds P that appear between the attached portions 3 while the elastic members F are shrunk, wherein the attached portions 3 include: a plurality of strongly-attached portions 3s arranged on opposite sides of each elastic member F in the crossing direction Dp; and a plurality of weakly-attached portions 3w arranged between adjacent elastic members F and between adjacent strongly-attached portions 3s.

A stretchable sheet 10 includes: a plurality of attached portions 3 spaced apart from each other in the direction of stretch Df, wherein the first surfaces 1f and 2f of a pair of sheets 1 and 2 are attached to each other by being welded without using an adhesive, at the attached portions 3, the attached portions 3 hold elastic members F, and the attached portions 3 extend in a direction Dp crossing the direction of stretch Df of the elastic members F; and a plurality of folds P that appear between the attached portions 3 while the elastic members F are shrunk, wherein the attached portions 3 include: a plurality of strongly-attached portions 3s arranged on opposite sides of each elastic member F in the crossing direction Dp; and a plurality of weakly-attached portions 3w arranged between adjacent elastic members F and between adjacent strongly-attached portions 3s.

Provided are methods and apparatuses for processing objects by applying different forces and/or pressure levels to different portions of surfaces of these objects. An apparatus may include a flexible wall and a contact member. In some embodiments, the flexible wall forms a bladder such that the contact member is disposed inside the bladder. During operation, the flexible wall may be pressed against an object using a pressure differential across the wall (e.g., by pressurizing the bladder). This creates a first force acting on a first portion of the object surface. Furthermore, the contact member may be forced against the flexible wall and apply a second force to a second portion of the object surface through the wall. The second portion of the object surface may be a subset of the first portion or an entirely different portion.

Provided are methods and apparatuses for processing objects by applying different forces and/or pressure levels to different portions of surfaces of these objects. An apparatus may include a flexible wall and a contact member. In some embodiments, the flexible wall forms a bladder such that the contact member is disposed inside the bladder. During operation, the flexible wall may be pressed against an object using a pressure differential across the wall (e.g., by pressurizing the bladder). This creates a first force acting on a first portion of the object surface. Furthermore, the contact member may be forced against the flexible wall and apply a second force to a second portion of the object surface through the wall. The second portion of the object surface may be a subset of the first portion or an entirely different portion.

A process for producing a flexible container is provided. The process includes: A. providing a rear panel web, a front panel web, a first folded gusset panel web, and a second folded gusset panel web, each panel web having peripheral edges and a bottom face, each bottom face having two opposing tapered edges meeting at a bottom end; B. placing the folded gusset panel webs between the rear panel web and the front panel web, the gusset panel webs opposing each other, the panel webs configured to form a common periphery and the bottom seal area including the bottom end of each panel; C. first sealing the peripheral edges, the tapered edges, and the bottom seal area under a set of heat seal conditions; D. second sealing a portion of the bottom seal area under a second heat seal condition; and E. forming a flexible container.