Inflatable insulating liners for shipping containers

• US 6,513,974 B2
• Filed: 09/17/1998
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Coldpack
• Original Assignee: John J. Mcgraw, Thomas G. Malone
• Inventors: Malone, Thomas G., McGraw, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascua, Jes F.
• Application Number:
  US09/156,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20020064318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 383/3, 383/110, 383/116, 206/522
• US Class Current: 383/3
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/052 filled with fluid, e.g. inflatable elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3853 formed with double walls, i.e. hollow
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3893 formed with double walls, i.e. hollow

Abstract

An insulating bag is provided having an inflatable, double outer layer defining an interior container space for thermally-sensitive cargo. A surface reflective to radiant thermal energy lies within the inflated outer layer as a layer on an interior surface of the wall and/or as a surface formed on a baffle material lying within the inflated layer. The inner and outer layers of the double outer layers are attached to one-another in a series of attachment seams that together comprise configuration segments that, when inflated, provide structural definition to the interior containment space.

Claims

1. An inflatable cargo container liner providing a substantially rectangular footprint when inflated comprising:

a substantially rectangular multi-layer sheetform substrate;

an outer seam extending about a peripheral edge of said sheetform substrate defining an envelope;

an inflation seam continuously formed within said envelope defining a plurality of inflatable side, top, and bottom panels and a pair of uninflatable panels, each of said uninflatable panels extending between a lateral edge of said inflatable bottom panel and between opposing lateral edges of an adjoining pair of inflatable side panels; and

a valve in fluid communication with said plurality of inflatable side, top, and bottom panels,

whereby said bottom panel, said pair of uninflatable panels, and each of said adjoining pairs of side panels cooperate upon inflation to form a sealed container of substantially rectangular form.

2. An inflatable cargo container liner comprising:

an inner material layer and an outer material layer attached to one another in a manner defining a sheetform envelope having a pair of opposed inner walls;

an inflation seal coupling said inner material and outer material layers in a manner to form a plurality of interconnected inflatable chambers and a plurality of uninflatable gussets; and

a valve in fluid communication with said plurality of interconnected inflatable chambers, wherein said plurality of uninflatable gussets are distributed amono said inflatable chambers in a manner such that upon the inflation of said sheetform envelope said uninflatable gussets and said inflatable chambers cooperate to provide a substantially rectangular footprint for said cargo container liner.

3. A cargo container liner according to claim 2, wherein said inflation seal comprises a plurality of configuration segments that upon inflation of said sheetform envelope provide structural definition to said cargo container liner.

4. An cargo container liner according to claim 3, wherein a first portion of said configuration segments define a sequence of longitudinally-extending insulating bladders.

5. An insulating liner according to claim 4, wherein upon inflation of said sheetform envelope said longitudinally-extending insulating bladders define a top, a bottom, and a pair of opposed side panels.