Systems and methods for sealing a container

An apparatus for securing a film to a container, the apparatus comprising:

• a body portion to house film;
• a sealing portion comprising:
• a sealing volume for receiving a top portion of the container, wherein the top portion of the container defines a circular shape with a perimeter;
• a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) positioned within the sealing volume so as to at least partially surround the top portion of the container when the top portion of the container is positioned within the sealing volume;
• a sensor configured to sense when the top portion of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume;
• and
• a loading zone sized to receive a portion of film from the body portion and position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume with the top portion of the container, wherein the portion of the film defines a rectangular shape with four sides and four corners, wherein the four corners of the portion of the film extend past the perimeter of the circular shape of the top portion a greater distance than a center point along each of the four sides such that there is a relative excess of film past the top portion at each of the four corners;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive sensor input from the sensor indicating that the top portion of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume;
• cause, in response thereto, activation of at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs to secure the portion of the film to the top portion of the container,
• wherein the at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprise at least a first set of edge NIR LEDs and a second set of corner NIR LEDs, wherein the first set of edge NIR LEDs is positioned within the sealing volume proximate at least one center point of one side of the portion of the film, wherein the second set of corner NIR LEDs is positioned within the sealing volume proximate at least one corner of the portion of the film;
• and
• operate, the at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs for a sealing cycle to secure the portion of film to the top portion of the container, wherein, during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the first set of edge NIR LEDs differently than the second set of corner NIR LEDs.

An apparatus for securing a film to a container, the apparatus comprising:

• a body portion to house film;
• a sealing portion comprising:
• a sealing volume for receiving a top portion of the container, wherein the top portion of the container defines a plane corresponding to a container lip;
• a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) positioned within the sealing volume so as to at least partially surround the top portion of the container when the top portion of the container is positioned within the sealing volume, wherein the at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of NIR LEDs and a second set of NIR LEDs, wherein the first set of NIR LEDs is positioned within the sealing volume at a first vertical position corresponding to the plane corresponding to the container lip when the top portion of the container is positioned within the sealing volume, wherein the second set of NIR LEDs is positioned within the sealing volume at a second vertical position, wherein the second vertical position is below the first vertical position;
• a sensor configured to sense when the top portion of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume;
• and
• a loading zone sized to receive a portion of film from the body portion and position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume with the top portion of the container;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive sensor input from the sensor indicating that the top portion of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume;
• cause, in response thereto, activation of at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs to secure the portion of the film to the top portion of the container;
• and
• operate, the plurality of NIR LEDs for a sealing cycle to secure the portion of film to the top portion of the container, wherein, during the sealing cycle, the controller is configured to operate the first set of NIR LEDs differently than the second set of NIR LEDs.

An apparatus for securing a film to a container, the apparatus comprising:

• a body portion to house film;
• a sealing portion comprising:
• a sealing volume for receiving a top portion of the container;
• a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) positioned within the sealing volume so as to at least partially surround the top portion of the container when the top portion of the container is positioned within the sealing volume;
• a sensor configured to sense when the top portion of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume;
• and
• a loading zone sized to receive a portion of film from the body portion and position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume with the top portion of the container;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive sensor input from the sensor indicating that the top portion of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume;
• cause, in response thereto, activation of at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs to secure the portion of the film to the top portion of the container;
• and
• operate the at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs according to one of a plurality of operation profiles during a sealing cycle to secure the portion of film to the top portion of the container, wherein the plurality of operation profiles include at least a first operation profile and a second operation profile, wherein an operation characteristic of the first operation profile is different than the second operation profile, wherein the operation characteristic is at least one of an amount of time of operation of one or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs or a power output of the one or more of the plurality of NIR LEDs.

An apparatus for securing a film to a container, the apparatus comprising:

• a body portion to house film;
• a sealing portion comprising:
• a sealing volume for receiving a top portion of the container;
• a plurality of near-infrared light emitting diodes (NIR LEDs) positioned within the sealing volume so as to at least partially surround the top portion of the container when the top portion of the container is positioned within the sealing volume, wherein the at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs comprises at least a first set of NIR LEDs and a second set of NIR LEDs, wherein the first set of NIR LEDs is mounted to a first printed circuit board, wherein the second set of NIR LEDs is mounted to a second printed circuit board, wherein the first printed circuit board includes a first thermistor configured to measure temperature corresponding to operation of the first set of NIR LEDs, wherein the second printed circuit board includes a second thermistor configured to measure temperature corresponding to operation of the second set of NIR LEDs;
• a sensor configured to sense when the top portion of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume;
• and
• a loading zone sized to receive a portion of film from the body portion and position the portion of the film for insertion into the sealing volume with the top portion of the container;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive sensor input from the sensor indicating that the top portion of the container is at least partially positioned within the sealing volume;
• and
• cause, in response thereto, activation of at least one of the plurality of NIR LEDs to secure the portion of the film to the top portion of the container.