Apparatus and method for making inflated articles

An apparatus for forming inflatable containers in a film web having two juxtaposed film plies, the apparatus comprising:

• a transverse sealing device configured to produce a series of transverse seals in the film web to bond the juxtaposed film plies together;
• and
• an intermediate sealing device configured to produce a plurality of columns of discontinuous intermediate seals in the film web;
• wherein the transverse seals form sides of inflatable containers in the film web and the film web has a closed longitudinal edge that forms a closed end of the inflatable containers;
• wherein the intermediate seals are arranged to partition each inflatable container into a plurality of compartments;
• wherein, in each of the inflatable containers, the intermediate seals provide at least one flow passageway between compartments to allow the compartments to fluidly communicate with one another.