# US 11,305,507 B2 · Heating device for a heating and sealing system

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- Number: US 11,305,507 B2
- Document ID: US11305507B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/725,827
- Filed: 2019-12-23
- Published: 2020-10-29
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-14
- Assignees: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC
- Applicants: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC
- Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch; Stephen J. Milchuck
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305507B2

## CPC

- B31D 5/0073: {including pillow forming}
- B29C 65/224: {being a resistive ribbon, a resistive band or a resistive strip}
- B29C 65/225: {being a coating or being printed, e.g. being applied as a paint or forming a printed circuit}
- B29C 65/228: {characterised by the means for electrically connecting the ends of said heated wire, resistive ribbon, resistive band or resistive strip}
- B29C 65/229: {characterised by the means for tensioning said heated wire, resistive ribbon, resistive band or resistive strip (means for compensating for the thermal expansion of welding jaws in general B29C66/8185)}
- B29C 65/7459: {for continuously and longitudinally welding and severing webs (B29C65/7455 takes precedence)}
- B29C 65/787: {using conveyor belts or conveyor chains (B29C66/83421, B29C66/83521, B29C66/83531 take precedence)}
- B29C 65/7873: {using cooperating conveyor belts or cooperating conveyor chains (B29C66/83423, B29C66/83523, B29C66/83533 take precedence)}
- B29C 65/7894: {of continuously moving sheets or webs}
- B29C 66/0044: {using a separating sheet, e.g. fixed on the joining tool}
- B29C 66/00441: {movable, e.g. mounted on reels}
- B29C 66/0342: {Cooling, e.g. transporting through welding and cooling zone}
- B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)}
- B29C 66/4322: {by joining a single sheet to itself (B29C66/4332 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/439: {Joining sheets for making inflated articles without using a mould}
- B29C 66/73921: {characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics}
- B29C 66/81422: {being convex}
- B29C 66/81423: {being concave}
- B29C 66/81871: {of the welding jaws}
- B29C 66/83423: {cooperating bands or belts}
- B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)}
- B29C 66/8122: {characterised by the composition of the material constituting the pressing elements, e.g. constituting the welding jaws or clamps}
- B29C 66/81265: {Surface properties, e.g. surface roughness or rugosity}
- B29C 66/81433: {being toothed, i.e. comprising several teeth or pins (comprising a single tooth B29C66/81429), or being patterned}
- B31D 2205/0023: as web from a roll
- B31D 2205/0047: Feeding, guiding or shaping the material
- B31D 2205/0082: General layout of the machinery or relative arrangement of its subunits
- B31D: MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C (manufacture by dry processes of articles made from particles or fibres consisting of wood or other lignocellulosic or like organic material B27N; making layered products not composed wholly of paper or cardboard B32B; making articles from cellulosic fibrous suspensions, e.g. wood pulp, D21J)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)

## Abstract

A protective packaging formation device is disclosed herein. The device includes an inflation assembly that directs fluid between first and second overlapping plies of a web material. The device also includes a sealing mechanism that includes an arcuate web-support surface. The web-support surface includes a heater that defines a heating zone that is operable to heat the plies to create a longitudinal heat seal that seals the first and second plies together as the web is driven over the heating zone in a downstream direction. The web-support surface also includes a cooling zone disposed downstream of the heating zone operable to allow the heated plies to cool at the longitudinal heat seal as the web is driven over the heating zone in a downstream direction, such that the cooled longitudinal heat seal retains the fluid between the plies.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heater assembly for a sealing device, comprising:
a curved heating element comprising:
a first heat portion having a first cross-section, first resistance and configured to produce a first temperature sufficient for heat sealing two layers of a plastic material together; and
a second heat portion adjacent to the first heat portion, the second heat portion including a second cross-section larger than the first cross-section, a second resistance lower than the first resistance to produce a second temperature to cool the sealed plastic material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the heating element has a U-shape profile.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the second heat portion comprises a first heat region and a second heat region with the first heat portion between the first heat region and the second heat region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The heater assembly of claim 3, further comprising connection elements coupled to an end of the first heat region to connect electricity and an end of the second heat region to connect to electricity.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises a thin film heat trace extending along the first heat portion and a thin film heat trace wire extending along the second heat portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The heater assembly of claim 5, wherein the sealing device includes a heater support having two electrically conductive supports and an electrically insulative support between the conductive supports, the thin film heater element extending from one electrically conductive support to the other.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The heater assembly of claim 6, further comprising:
a tension mechanism built into the heating element.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the second temperature is in a range of 125° F. to 225° F. and the first temperature is in a range of 400° F. to 500° F.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the thin film heat trace comprises a varying width.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The heater assembly of claim 1, wherein the heating element further comprises polyimide layers which encapsulate the heat trace and provide isolative properties.

### Claim 11

A device for making packaging material, comprising:
a curved heating element comprising:
a first heat portion having a first cross-section, first resistance and configured to produce a first temperature sufficient for heat sealing two layers of a plastic material together;
a second heat portion adjacent to the first heat portion, the second heat portion including a second cross-section larger than the first cross-section, a second resistance lower than the first resistance to produce a second temperature to cool the sealed plastic material; and
a driving mechanism comprises a belt that holds the two layers against the curved heating element.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the heating element has a U-shape profile.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the second heat portion comprises a first heat region and a second heat region with the first heat portion between the first heat region and the second heat region.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, further comprising connection elements coupled to an end of the first heat region to connect electricity and an end of the second heat region to connect to electricity.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the heating element comprises a thin film heat trace extending along the first heat portion and a thin film heat trace extending along the second heat portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, wherein the heating element further comprises polyimide layers which encapsulate the heat trace and provide isolative properties.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the sealing device includes a heater support having two electrically conductive supports and an electrically insulative support between the conductive supports, the thin film heater element extending from one electrically conductive support to the other.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The device of claim 17, further comprising:
a tension mechanism built into the heating element.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the second temperature is in a range of 125° F. to 225° F. and the first temperature is in a range of 400° F. to 500° F.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the heating element comprises a NiChrome wire extending along the first heat portion and a NiChrome wire extending along the second heat portion.