Method for Unified Inflation and Sealing

A method for introducing fluid into a sealed volume, comprising:

• contacting a first layer of an article with a pressurization conduit, the pressurization conduit having an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter, the inner perimeter defining a conduit volume;
• forming an aperture in the first layer of the article with a punch, at least a portion of the punch being within the conduit volume, the conduit volume being in fluid communication with a first volume in the article via the aperture in the first layer;
• injecting one or more fluids from the conduit volume into the first volume via the aperture in the first layer to generate a first pressure;
• compressing, using the pressurization conduit, at least a portion of the first layer of the article against at least a portion of the second layer of the article;
• and
• forming a bond between the first layer of the article and the second layer of the article, the bond being formed around the aperture in the first layer, wherein the punch comprises a punch head, the punch head comprising a punch edge defining a perimeter, a surface of the punch within the circumference being concave and defining a punch volume, an average depth of the punch volume being less than a thickness of the first layer.