# US 2017/0282479 A1 · Heat sealer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0282479 A1 - Document ID: US20170282479A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/474,839 - Filed: 2017-03-30 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-30 - Assignees: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC - Applicants: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC - Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch; Paul F. Ostwald; William James Watts - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170282479A1 ## CPC - B31D 5/0073: {including pillow forming} - B29C 65/222: {comprising at least a single heated wire} - 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 65/7894: {of continuously moving sheets or webs} - B29C 66/0044: {using a separating sheet, e.g. fixed on the joining tool} - B29C 66/1122: {Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence)} - B29C 66/133: {Fin-type joints, the parts to be joined being flexible (the parts to be joined being rigid B29C66/1312)} - B29C 66/221: {being in the form of a sinusoidal wave (B29C66/2272 takes precedence)} - B29C 66/223: {being in the form of a triangle wave or of a sawtooth wave, e.g. zigzagged} - B29C 66/225: {being castellated, e.g. in the form of a square wave or of a rectangular wave (B29C66/2276 takes precedence)} - B29C 66/439: {Joining sheets for making inflated articles without using a mould} - B29C 66/81457: {comprising a block or layer of deformable material, e.g. sponge, foam, rubber (pressing elements supported or backed-up by resilient material B29C66/8161)} - B29C 66/81465: {one placed behind the other in a single row in the feed direction} - B29C 66/83411: {Roller, cylinder or drum types (B29C66/83431 takes precedence; rollers, cylinders or drums moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined B29C66/8362)} - B29C 66/83413: {cooperating rollers, cylinders or drums} - B29C 66/83415: {the contact angle between said rollers, cylinders or drums and said parts to be joined being a non-zero angle (B29C66/83433 takes precedence)} - B29C 66/431: {Joining the articles to themselves (B29C66/4322 and B29C66/4332 take precedence)} - B29C 66/8122: {characterised by the composition of the material constituting the pressing elements, e.g. constituting the welding jaws or clamps} - B29L 2031/7138: {Shock absorbing} - B31D 2205/0023: as web from a roll - 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) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A protective packaging formation device is provided herein. The device includes an inflation assembly having a fluid conduit that directs fluid between overlapping plies of a polymeric web. The device also includes a driving mechanism that drives the film in a downstream direction. The device also includes a sealing mechanism that includes a thin film heater that heats the plies to create a longitudinal seal that seals the plies of film together. The driving mechanism drives the web such that the web slides across the heating assembly in a downstream direction to trap fluid between the plies. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A protective packaging formation device, comprising: an inflation assembly having a fluid conduit that directs fluid between first and second overlapping plies of a polymeric web; a driving mechanism that drives the film in a downstream direction; and a sealing mechanism that includes a thin film heater that heats the plies to create a longitudinal seal that seals the first and second plies of film together, trapping the fluid therebetween as the driving mechanism drives the web such that the web slides across the heating assembly in a downstream direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The protective packaging formation device of claim of claim 1, wherein the heating assembly further comprises a low-friction layer positioned between the web and the thin film heater. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The protective packaging formation device of claim of claim 2, wherein the web directly engages against the heating assembly and moves across the low friction layer of the heating assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The protective packaging formation device of claim 1, wherein the thin film heater comprises: a first layer and a second layer; and a heating element sandwiched between the first and second layers, wherein the first layer, the second layer, and the heating element are bonded to one another. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The protective packaging formation device of claim 4, wherein the bonding material is polyimide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The protective packaging formation device of claim 1, wherein the thin film heater is stationary during operation relative to the driving mechanism and the polymeric web. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The protective packaging formation device of claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism comprises a first compression element that compresses the web against the heating assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The protective packaging formation device of claim 7, wherein the first compression element is rotatable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The protective packaging formation device of claim 8, wherein the driving mechanism further comprises a second compression element positioned relative to the first compression element such that the web is compressed between the first compression element and the second compression element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The protective packaging formation device of claim 9, wherein the heating assembly contacts the web as the web moves with the web being compressed against the heating assembly by the first compression element and the second compression element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The protective packaging formation device of claim of claim 9, wherein the second compression element comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the heating assembly is at least partially received between the first portion and the second portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The protective packaging formation device of claim 9, wherein the first compression element and the second compression element are directly driven to move the web across the heating assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The protective packaging formation device of claim 12, wherein the heating assembly is configured to retain tension in the heating element during thermal expansion ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The protective packaging formation device of claim 12, wherein the heating element has a waveform shape. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The protective packaging formation device of claim 13, wherein the waveform shape is sinusoidal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The protective packaging formation device of claim 13, wherein the wave form shape is a square wave. ### Claim 17 A protective packaging formation device, comprising: an inflation assembly having a fluid conduit that directs fluid between first and second overlapping plies of a polymeric web; a driving mechanism that drives the film in a downstream direction; and a sealing mechanism that includes a heating element that heats the plies to create a longitudinal seal that seals the first and second plies of film together, trapping the fluid therebetween, as the driving mechanism drives the web such that the web slides across the heating assembly in a downstream direction, wherein the heating element includes a spring tensioning mechanism that retains tension in the heating element during thermal expansion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The protective packaging formation device of claim 17, wherein the heating element includes a stationary contact positioned on one side of the heating element and a spring loaded contact positioned on the other side of the heating element. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The protective packaging formation device of claim 18, wherein the spring loaded contact is a leaf spring located in a heating element housing with a first end of the leaf spring anchored and a second end of the leaf spring free floating and bent to produce the desired tension in the heating element such that as the heating element expands under heat the leaf spring takes up the slack keeping the heating element in tension. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The protective packaging formation device of claim 18, wherein the spring loaded contact is an extension spring located in a heating element housing with a first end of the extension spring anchored and a second end of the extension spring free floating and bent to produce the desired tension in the heating element such that as the heating element expands under heat the extension spring takes up the slack keeping the heating element in tension.