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US 2006/0218876 A1Published application
Apparatus for Inflating and Sealing Pillows in Packaging Cushions
AssigneeFree-Flow Packaging International, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Perkins, Oliver Reyes, Philipp Borchard, Nicholas De Luca
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine which inflates and seals pillows in packaging is compact in overall size, can be conveniently operated to produce varied lengths of strips of inflated pillow-type packaging as needed, can begin production of inflated pillow-type strip packaging immediately after being held out of a production cycle for some period of time, and applies a heated sealing element directly to and in sliding contact with a web of film to securely seal the inlet port of an inflated pillow while the pillow is under pressure and as the web of film is continuously and uninterruptedly advanced through the machine.
Claims25
A system for manufacturing air cushions for use as packaging dunnage comprising:
- (a) a longitudinally extending plastic film comprising a relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel, at least one row of generally rectangular presealed inflatable chambers each having an unsealed opening into the longitudinally extending channel, and a plurality of laterally extending perforations separating the inflatable chambers;
- and
- (b) an inflation machine for inflating the inflatable chambers of the plastic film, the inflation machine comprising:
- a pair of film drive rollers that cause the plastic film to be gripped at or near the narrow longitudinally extending channel and drawn in a continuous and uninterrupted manner through inflation, sealing and slitting mechanisms in a substantially planar path;
- wherein the inflation mechanism comprises a source of inflation gas and an air outlet which together cause inflation gas to be injected into the relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film as the plastic film is drawn through the inflation mechanism;
- wherein the sealing mechanism comprises an electrically energized heating element that generates heat to be delivered to the inflation side of one or more of the inflatable chambers to seal the unsealed opening and trap the inflation gas within the inflatable chambers as the plastic film is drawn through the sealing mechanism;
- and
- wherein the slitting mechanism comprising a blade that slices open the relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film as the film is drawn through the slitting mechanism.
5 more elements
A system for manufacturing air cushions for use as packaging dunnage comprising:
- (a) a longitudinally extending plastic film comprising a relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel and at least one row of generally rectangular presealed inflatable chambers each having an unsealed opening into the longitudinally extending channel;
- and
- (b) an inflation machine for inflating the inflatable chambers of the plastic film, the inflation machine comprising:
- an elongate member adapted for slidable insertion into the narrow longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film,
- a pair of film drive rollers that cause the plastic film to be gripped at or near the narrow longitudinally extending channel and drawn in a continuous and uninterrupted manner through inflation, sealing and slitting mechanisms in a substantially planar path,
- wherein the inflation mechanism comprises a source of inflation gas and an air outlet which together cause inflation gas to be injected into the inflation side of one or more of the inflatable chambers as the film is drawn through the inflation mechanism;
- wherein the sealing mechanism comprises an electrically energized heating element that generates heat to be delivered to the inflation side of one or more of the inflatable air chambers to seal the unsealed opening and trap the inflation gas within the chambers as the film is drawn through the sealing mechanism;
- and
- wherein the slitting mechanism comprising a blade that slices open the relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film to allow the film to disengage from the elongate member as the film is drawn through the slitting mechanism.
6 more elements
Apparatus for inflating a plurality of inflatable chambers in a plastic film having a relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel to form inflated packaging pillows, the apparatus comprising:
- a pair of film drive rollers that cause the plastic film to be gripped at or near the relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel and drawn in a continuous and uninterrupted manner through inflation, sealing and slitting mechanisms in a substantially planar path;
- wherein the inflation mechanism comprises a source of inflation gas and an air outlet which together cause inflation gas to be injected into the inflatable chambers as the plastic film is drawn through the inflation mechanism;
- wherein the sealing mechanism comprises an electrically energized heating element that generates heat to be delivered to seal an unsealed opening of the inflatable chambers and trap the inflation gas within the inflatable chambers as the plastic film is drawn through the sealing mechanism;
- and
- wherein the slitting mechanism comprising a blade that slices open the relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film as the film is drawn through the slitting mechanism.
2 more elements
Apparatus for use in inflating a plurality of inflatable chambers in a plastic film having a longitudinally extending channel, the apparatus comprising:
- a driving mechanism configured to cause the plastic film to be gripped at or near the longitudinally extending channel and drawn in a continuous and uninterrupted manner in a generally planar path;
- an inflation mechanism positioned along the generally planar path comprising a source of inflation gas and an air outlet which together are capable of injecting inflation gas into the inflatable chambers as the plastic film is drawn along the path and through the inflation mechanism;
- a sealing mechanism positioned along the generally planar path comprising an electrically energized heating element capable of generating heat to be delivered to seal an unsealed opening of the inflatable chambers and trap the inflation gas within the inflatable chambers as the plastic film is drawn along the path and through the sealing mechanism;
- and
- a slitting mechanism positioned along the generally planar path comprising a blade that is configured to slice open the longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film as the film is drawn along the path and through the slitting mechanism.
2 more elements
A system for manufacturing air cushions for use as packaging dunnage comprising:
- (a) a longitudinally extending plastic film comprising a relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel, at least one row of generally rectangular presealed inflatable chambers each having an unsealed opening into the longitudinally extending channel, and a plurality of laterally extending perforations separating the inflatable chambers;
- and
- (b) an inflation machine for inflating the inflatable chambers of the plastic film, the inflation machine comprising:
- drive rollers that cause the plastic film to be gripped at or near the narrow longitudinally extending channel and drawn in a continuous and uninterrupted manner through inflation, sealing and slitting mechanisms in a substantially planar path;
- wherein the inflation mechanism comprises a source of inflation gas and an air outlet which together cause inflation gas to be injected into the relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film as the plastic film is drawn through the inflation mechanism;
- wherein the sealing mechanism comprises an electrically energized heating element that generates heat to be delivered to the inflation side of one or more of the inflatable chambers to seal the unsealed opening and trap the inflation gas within the inflatable chambers as the plastic film is drawn through the sealing mechanism;
- and
- wherein the slitting mechanism comprising a blade that slices open the relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film as the film is drawn through the slitting mechanism.
5 more elements
A system for manufacturing air cushions for use as packaging dunnage comprising:
- (a) a longitudinally extending plastic film comprising a relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel and at least one row of generally rectangular presealed inflatable chambers each having an unsealed opening into the longitudinally extending channel;
- and
- (b) an inflation machine for inflating the inflatable chambers of the plastic film, the inflation machine comprising:
- an elongate member adapted for slidable insertion into the narrow longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film,
- drive rollers that cause the plastic film to be gripped at or near the narrow longitudinally extending channel and drawn in a continuous and uninterrupted manner through inflation, sealing and slitting mechanisms in a substantially planar path,
- wherein the inflation mechanism comprises a source of inflation gas and an air outlet which together cause inflation gas to be injected into the inflation side of one or more of the inflatable chambers as the film is drawn through the inflation mechanism;
- wherein the sealing mechanism comprises an electrically energized heating element that generates heat to be delivered to the inflation side of one or more of the inflatable air chambers to seal the unsealed opening and trap the inflation gas within the chambers as the film is drawn through the sealing mechanism;
- and
- wherein the slitting mechanism comprising a blade that slices open the relatively narrow longitudinally extending channel of the plastic film to allow the film to disengage from the elongate member as the film is drawn through the slitting mechanism.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.