Elastomeric cushioning devices for products and objects

• US 4,287,250 A
• Filed: 01/29/1979
• Issued: 09/01/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert C. Bogert
• Original Assignee: Robert C. Bogert
• Inventors: Rudy, Marion F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thibodeau, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US06/007,358
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 428/69, 428/72, 428/158, 428/166, 428/178, 428/198, 156/145, 156/147, 5/341, 5/365, 5/368, 5/449, 2/272, 9/11 A, 9/13, 206/522
• US Class Current: 428/166
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2400/14 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/20 Pneumatic soles filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas inflatable linings for skiboots A43B5/0407
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/03 filled with a gas, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/28 Pneumatic heels filled with a compressible fluid, e.g. air, gas
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/04 Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding , i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/439 Joining sheets for making inflated articles without using a mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72 characterised by the structure of the material of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72341 for gases
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/02 Inflatable articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/122 Soles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2007/00 Use of natural rubber as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2009/00 Use of rubber derived from conjugated dienes, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2009/06 SB polymers, i.e. butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2011/00 Use of rubber derived from chloroprene as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2019/00 Use of rubber not provided for in a single one of main groups B29K2007/00 - B29K2011/00, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/00 Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2021/003 Thermoplastic elastomers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/04 Polymers of ethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/0633 : LDPE, i.e. low density polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/083 : EVA, i.e. ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/10 : Polymers of propylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/22 : Copolymers of isobutene, e.g. butyl rubber
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/08 : Copolymers of styrene, e.g. AS or SAN, i.e. acrylonitrile styrene B29K2055/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/00 : Use of polyvinylhalogenides or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 : PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/12 : containing fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/14 : PVF, i.e. polyvinyl fluoride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2031/04 : Polymers of vinyl acetate, e.g. PVAc, i.e. polyvinyl acetate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/20 : PAN, i.e. polyacrylonitrile
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 : Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2081/00 : Use of polymers having sulfur, with or without nitrogen, oxygen or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2081/04 : Polysulfides, e.g. PPS, i.e. polyphenylene sulfide or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 : Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0085 : Copolymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 : cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0046 : Elastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0065 : Permeability to gases
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0067 : non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 : Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2022/02 : Inflatable articles balls B29L2031/54 ; inner tyres B29L2023/245
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7138 : Shock absorbing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2553/026 : Bubble films
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/12 : characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/05 : the layers not being connected over the whole surface, e.g. discontinuous connection or patterned connection using interposed adhesives or bonding materials applied in spaced arrangements B32B7/14
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/03 : Wrappers or envelopes with shock-absorbing properties, e.g. bubble films for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3888
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24562 : Interlaminar spaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24661 : Forming, or cooperating to form cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24826 : Spot bonds connect components

Abstract

Devices for packaging and/or cushioning products and objects, the devices including permeable elastomeric sheets sealed together at predetermined locations to form separate and discrete chambers, or intercommunicating chambers, inflated initially with a gaseous medium comprising a gas other than air, oxygen or nitrogen which has a very low diffusion rate from each chamber through the elastomeric sheets, ambient air diffusing more readily through the sheets into each inflated chamber to provide a total pressure therein which is the sum of the partial pressure of the air in the chamber and the partial pressure of the gas in the chamber. Not only does the air diffusing into a chamber increase the total pressure therein above the initial inflation pressure of the gas, but the air in the chamber inhibits outward diffusion of the gas from the chamber or compensates for any loss of pressure caused by such outward diffusion of the gas.

Claims

1. A cushioning device exposed to air at atmospheric pressure, comprising opposed layers of permeable elastomeric sheet material surrounded by air at atmospheric pressure, said layers being sealed to each other at predetermined locations to provide a multiplicity of adjacent chambers of predetermined size and shape between said layers, said chambers being inflated with a gaseous medium to a desired initial value, said gaseous medium in said chambers comprising an inert, non-polar gas other than air, oxygen or nitrogen having a very low solubility coefficient, said layers of sheet material having characteristics of relatively low permeability with respect to said gas to resist diffusion of said gas from said chambers through said layers of sheet material and of relatively high permeability with respect to the ambient air surrounding said layers to permit diffusion of said ambient air through said layers into said inflated chambers to provide a total pressure in each chamber which is greater that the initial inflation pressure of said gas and is the sum of the partial pressure of the gas in each chamber and the partial pressure of the air in each chamber, the diffusion rate of said gas through said layers of sheet material being substantially lower than the diffusion rate of nitrogen through said layers of sheet material.

2. A cushioning device as defined in claim 1, said adjacent chambers being discrete and separate from one another.

4. A cushioning device as defined in claims 1 or 3, wherein said elastomeric material is either polyurethane, polyester elastomer, butyl rubber, fluoroelastomer, chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, neoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, butadiene styrene rubber, ethylene propylene polymer, natural rubber, high strength silicone rubber, low density polyethylene, adduct rubber, sulfide rubber, methyl rubber, or thermoplastic rubber.

5. A cushioning device as defined in claim 2, wherein said elastomeric material is either polyurethane, polyester elastomer, butyl rubber, fluoroelastomer, chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, chlorosulfonated polyethylene, polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, neoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, butadiene styrene rubber, ethylene propylene polymer, natural rubber, high strength silicone rubber, low density polyethylene, adduct rubber, sulfide rubber, methyl rubber, or thermoplastic rubber.

6. A cushioning device as defined in claim 1, wherein said gas under pressure is hexafluoroethane.

7. A cushioning device as defined in claim 1, wherein said gas under pressure is sulfur hexafluoride.

8. A cushioning device as defined in claim 2, said chambers being of spherical shape.

9. A cushioning device as defined in claim 2, said chambers being of spheroidal shape.

10. A cushioning device as defined in claim 2, said chambers being of generally cylindrical shape.

11. A cushioning device as defined in claim 2, said chambers each having a portion of substantially square shape.

12. A cushioning device as defined in claim 2, said chambers each having a portion of rectangular shape.

13. A cushioning device as defined in claim 2, said chambers each having a portion of rectangular shape, some of said chambers being in staggered relation with respect to other of said chambers.

14. A cushioning device as defined in claims 1, 6 or 7, wherein said elastomeric material is an ether based polyurethane.

15. A cushioning device as defined in claim 2, said chambers being partially collapsed when inflated with said gas to said initial value.

16. A cushioning device as defined in claim 10, said chambers being partially collapsed when inflated with said gas to said initial value.

17. A cushioning device as defined in claim 8, wherein said layers are sealed to one another at spaced circular weld areas to form said spherical chambers upon inflation of said chambers.

18. A cushioning device as defined in claim 8, wherein said layers are sealed to one another at spaced circular weld areas to form said spheroidal chambers upon inflation of said chambers.

19. A cushioning device as defined in claim 10, wherein said layers are sealed to one another at spaced circular weld areas to form said generally cylindrical chambers upon inflation of said chambers.

20. A cushioning device as defined in claims 1 or 3, wherein said layers are sealed to one another at spaced weld areas to form generally dome shaped chambers, each chamber having a portion at the weld area of substantially square shape.

21. A cushioning device as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein said layers are sealed to one another at spaced weld areas to form generally arch shaped chambers, each chamber having a portion at the weld area of substantially rectangular shape.

22. A cushioning device as defined in claim 17, said chambers being partially collapsed when inflated with said gas to said initial value.

23. A cushioning device as defined in claim 18, said chambers being partially collapsed when inflated with said gas to said initial value.

24. A cushioning device as defined in claim 19, said chambers being partially collapsed when inflated with said gas to said initial value.

25. A cushioning device as defined in claims 1 or 3, said initial inflating gas being diluted with air to form an initial chamber inflating mixture therewith having a pressure above atmospheric.

26. A cushioning device as defined in claims 1 or 3, said ambient air diffusing through said layers into said chambers and increasing the pressure in said chambers above said initial value.

27. A cushioning device as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3;

wherein the initial inflation pressure of said gaseous medium in said chambers is superatmospheric.

28. A cushioning device as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3;

wherein the initial partial pressure of said gas in said chambers is superatmospheric.

3. A cushioning device exposed to air at atmospheric pressure, comprising opposed layers of permeable elastomeric sheet material surrounded by air at atmospheric pressure, said layers being sealed to each other at predetermined locations to provide a multiplicity of adjacent chambers of predetermined size and shape between said layers, said chambers being inflated with a gaseous medium under pressure to a desired initial value, said gaseous medium in said chambers comprising a gas, said layers of sheet material having characteristics of relatively low permeability with respect to said gas to resist diffusion of said gas therethrough from said chambers and of relatively high permeability with respect to the ambient air surrounding said layers to permit diffusion of said ambient air through said layers into each of said chambers to provide a total pressure in each chamber which is greater then the initial inflation pressure of said gas and is the sum of the partial pressure of the gas in each chamber and the partial pressure of the air in each chamber, said gas being either hexafluoroethane, sulfur hexafluoride, perfluoropropane, perfluorobutane, perfluoropentane, perfluorohexane, perfluoroheptane, octafluorocyclobutane, perfluorocyclobutane, hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoromethane, monochloropentafluoroethane, 1,2-dichlorotetrafluoroethane, 1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, chlorotrifluoroethylene, bromotrifluoromethane, or monochlorotrifluoromethane.