Integrated Process For Making Inflatable Article

An integrated process for making an inflatable laminated article, comprising the steps of:

• (A) extruding a tubular film having an outside surface and an inside surface;
• (B) cooling the tubular film to a temperature low enough that the inside surface of the tubular film is cool enough not to adhere to itself;
• (C) placing the tubular film into a lay-flat configuration having a first lay-flat side and a second lay-flat side, so that a first inside lay-flat surface of the first lay-flat side of the tubular film is in contact with a second inside lay-flat surface of the second lay-flat side of the tubular film;
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• (D) heat sealing selected portions of the first lay-flat side of the tubular film to the second lay-flat side of the tubular film, by bringing the first lay-flat side of the tubular film into contact with a heated raised surface roller, with the first lay-flat side of the tubular film contacting and passing in partial wrap around the heated raised surface roller, with the heated raised surface roller heating selected portions of the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film to a temperature above the fusion temperature while the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film remain in contact with one another, with the heat sealing being carried out to provide a pattern of sealed and unsealed areas with the unsealed areas providing inflatable chambers between the first lay-flat side of the tubular film and the second lay-flat side of the tubular film;
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• (E) winding up or transporting the inflatable laminated article with the inflatable chambers uninflated.

An integrated process for making an inflatable laminated article, comprising the steps of:

• (A) extruding a flat film having a first outer surface and a second outer surface;
• (B) cooling the flat film so that the first outer surface is cool enough not to adhere to itself upon being doubled back against itself;
• (C) folding the flat film to make a crease in a machine direction of the flat film, with a first flat leaf of the flat film being on a first side of the crease and a second flat leaf of the flat film being on a second side of the crease, the first flat leaf being flat against the second flat leaf so that the first outer surface is doubled back against itself;
• (D) heat sealing selected portions of the first flat leaf to the second flat leaf, the heat sealing being carried out by bringing the first flat leaf of the flat film into contact with a heated raised surface roller to heat selected portions of the first and second flat leaves to a temperature above the fusion temperature, with the first flat leaf of the flat film contacting and passing together in partial wrap around the heated raised surface roller while the first and second flat leaves of the flat film remain in contact with one another, to provide a pattern of sealed and unsealed areas with the unsealed areas providing inflatable chambers between the first flat leaf and the second flat leaf;
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• (E) winding up or transporting the inflatable laminated article with the inflatable chambers uninflated.