Inflatable mailer, apparatus and method for preparing the same

An inflatable mailer comprising:

• a) front and rear sheets arranged in opposing face-to-face relation and each including a top edge), a bottom edge, and opposite side edges, the sheets being interconnected along the bottom edge and along opposite side edges to define a mailer with an interior space capable of receiving an article, and wherein the top edges of the sheets are unconnected to form an opening into the interior space;
• and
• b) an inflatable liner disposed in said interior in a partially inflated state, said inflatable liner comprising:
• i) two sheets having inner surfaces sealed to each other in a pattern defining a series of inflatable chambers and at least one common channel in fluid communication with said series of inflatable chambers;
• and
• ii) a controlled volume of gas dispersed throughout said inflatable chambers, wherein said volume of gas is sufficient to substantially inflate said common channel when the gas is moved from said inflatable chambers into said common channel, but is insufficient to inflate the series of inflatable chambers so that the inflatable mailer is in a substantially compact state, whereby an inflation pathway is created through which a second portion of gas can be introduced into said inflatable mailer.

A method of inflating an inflatable mailer comprising:

• a) providing an inflatable mailer comprising:
• (1) a pouch defining an opening through which an article can be placed into an interior space of said pouch;
• and
• (2) an inflatable liner disposed in said interior in a partially inflated state, said inflatable liner comprising:
• i) two sheets having inner surfaces sealed to each other in a pattern defining a series of inflatable chambers and at least one common channel in fluid communication with said series of inflatable chambers;
• and
• ii) a controlled volume of gas dispersed throughout said inflatable chambers, wherein said volume of gas is sufficient to substantially inflate said common channel when the gas is moved from said inflatable chambers into said common channel, but is insufficient to inflate the series of inflatable chambers so that the inflatable mailer is in a substantially compact state, whereby an inflation pathway is created through which a second portion of gas can be introduced into said inflatable mailer;
• b) moving said controlled volume of gas into said common channel;
• c) introducing a second portion of gas into said common channel to fill said series of inflatable chamber;
• and
• d) sealing said inflatable chambers so that the second portion of gas is entrapped therein.