Inflation and sealing device for inflatable air cushions

An inflatable-cushion inflation and sealing device, comprising:

• an inflation assembly configured for inflating with a fluid a cushion cavity disposed between first and second layers of a film;
• and
• a sealing mechanism, comprising:
• first and second belts configured and disposed for nipping therebetween overlapping portions of the first and second film layers adjacent the inflated cushion cavity to keep the fluid from escaping from between the overlapping portions and directing the overlapping portions about a curved path, and
• a heating element disposed operable to heat the overlapping portions sufficiently to seal the overlapping portions for sealing the fluid in the cushion cavity;
• wherein the sealing mechanism has a belt supporting portion and sealing portion that is configured for longitudinally heat sealing the overlapping portions together;
• wherein the first belt is disposed between the second belt and the belt supporting portion, and has a first width transverse to the path;
• and
• wherein the second belt has a second width transverse to the path and wider than the first width and disposed to pinch a pinched part of the overlapping portion against the first belt and to pinch a sealed part of the overlapping portion against the sealing portion of the sealing drum.

An inflatable-cushion inflation and sealing device, comprising:

• an inflation assembly configured for inflating with a fluid a cushion cavity disposed between first and second layers of a film;
• and
• a sealing mechanism, comprising:
• first and second belts configured and disposed for nipping therebetween overlapping portions of the first and second film layers adjacent the inflated cushion cavity to keep the fluid from escaping from between the overlapping, portions and directing the overlapping portions about a curved path, and
• a heating element disposed along a curved portion of the curved path and operable to heat the overlapping portions sufficiently to seal the overlapping portions for sealing the fluid in the cushion cavity;
• wherein the first and second belts are configured such that the path comprises:
• a sealing segment in which the belts hold the overlapping portions in association with the heating element to seal the overlapping portions;
• and
• a cooling segment, downstream of the sealing segment, in which the belts direct the sealed overlapping portions away from the heating element along a curve that has a different curvature than the sealing segment to allow the seal to cool sufficiently to retain the fluid unassisted;
• wherein the belts pinch the overlapping portions together to keep the fluid from escaping from the cushion cavity in each of the sealing and cooling segments.

An inflatable-cushion inflation and sealing device, comprising:

• an inflation assembly configured for inflating with a fluid a cushion cavity disposed between first and second layers of a film;
• a sealing mechanism configured for sealing overlapping portions of the first and second film layers adjacent the inflated cushion cavity;
• and
• first and second tension rollers disposed on a transversely opposite side of the film from the overlapping portions, the tension rollers being configured for gripping an opposite edge of the film and oriented at an angle to a direction transverse to a path to bias said opposite edge away from the overlapping portions for improving airflow into the cushion cavity.

A method of inflating and sealing an inflatable cushion, comprising:

• inflating a cushion cavity with a fluid, the cavity disposed between first and second layers of a film;
• directing overlapping portions of the first and second film layers adjacent the inflated cushion cavity about a rotary sealing drum to hold the overlapping portions against each other sufficiently tightly to keep the fluid from escaping from between the overlapping portions;
• and
• using a heat source that is disposed around substantially the entire periphery of a sealing drum to form a longitudinal seal configured to seal the fluid in the cushion cavity, wherein the heat source is configured to maintain a temperature around substantially the entire periphery that is sufficient to seal the overlapping portions to each other.

An inflatable-cushion inflation and sealing device, comprising:

• an inflation assembly configured for inflating with a fluid a cushion cavity disposed between first and second layers of a film, the inflation assembly comprising a fluid conduit configured for reception longitudinally in an inflation channel disposed between joined portions of the film layers for inflating the cushion cavity with a fluid, wherein the film has a major surface extending longitudinally and transversely with respect to the inflation channel;
• a sealing mechanism configured for receiving overlapping portions of the first and second film layers adjacent the inflated cushion cavity to seal the portions to each other to form a longitudinal seal configured to seal the fluid in the cushion cavity;
• and
• a cutter including a blade;
• wherein the sealing mechanism is configured so that film is drawn along a path, which is curved away from the blade to pull the film against the blade to facilitate cutting open the inflation channel for extraction of the fluid conduit there, such that the blade is disposed on an outside of the curve with respect to the inflation conduit.