Apparatus and method for making inflated articles

An apparatus for making inflated containers from a film web having two juxtaposed film plies, comprising:

• a first sealing device for producing a series of transverse seals that bond the film plies together;
• an inflation assembly for directing gas between the film plies;
• and
• a second sealing device for producing a discontinuous series of longitudinal seals that bond the film plies together and intersect said transverse seals to enclose the gas between the film plies to thereby form inflated containers, said second sealing device comprising:
• a rotatable support cylinder having an outer, circumferential surface, and
• a heating element disposed about at least a portion of said outer surface and secured thereto such that said heating element rotates therewith, said heating element being coiled more than once about said outer surface in the form of an overlapping helical pattern,
• whereby, said longitudinal seals are formed by bringing said second sealing device into rotational contact with the juxtaposed film plies and heating said heating element to a temperature sufficient to cause the film plies to seal together.

A method for making inflated containers from a film web having two juxtaposed film plies, comprising:

• producing a series of transverse seals that bond the film plies together;
• directing gas between said film plies;
• and
• producing a discontinuous series of longitudinal seals that bond the film plies together and intersect said transverse seals to enclose the gas between the film plies to thereby form inflated containers, wherein said longitudinal seals are formed by
• bringing a sealing device into rotational contact with the juxtaposed film plies, said sealing device comprising a heating element coiled more than once about at least a portion of an outer surface of a rotatable support cylinder in an overlapping helical pattern and secured thereto such that said heating element rotates therewith, and
• heating said heating element to a temperature sufficient to cause the film plies to seal together.