Buffer packing bag

• US 6,629,777 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sun A. Kaken Co., Ltd., Yamato-Esulon Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Sun A. Kaken Co., Ltd., Yamato-Esulon Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanaka, Mikio, Nakata, Sayuri, Hosokawa, Kazuhiko, Takechi, Yoshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascua, Jes F.
• Application Number:
  US09/996,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20020064319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 383/3, 383/66, 383/87, 383/37, 206/522
• US Class Current: 383/3
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/02 Local reinforcements or stiffening inserts, e.g. wires, strings, strips or frames B65D33/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/24 using self-locking integral or attached closure elements, e.g. flaps B65D33/25 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/052 filled with fluid, e.g. inflatable elements

Abstract

The buffer packing bag comprises an air-supplying passage, which is made of plastic films placed one on another and bonded at desirable spots, and an air-inflatable section formed beside the air-supplying passage, which is divided into individual air-inflatable parts, formed by heat-bonded at multiple spots, and check valves, which allow and stop air flow between each of individual air-inflatable parts and the air-supplying passage, and space-making folds, made in both of the divided portions of the air-inflatable section by heat-bonding to make at least two lines in each portions crossing the individual air-inflatable parts, with the formation to make a loading slit by folding inward from both of the width ends along the length side of the base and heat-bonding both of the overlapped areas of the length sides.

Claims

1. A buffer packing bag comprising:

a base made of two substantially rectangular-shaped plastic films placed one on another and heat-bonded along length sides thereof, the base having a first and a second width side;

a flat air-supplying passage with an air inlet formed along said first width side of the base, said second width side being closed;

a flat air-inflatable section formed between the two plastic films and beside said air-supplying passage, said air-inflatable section being divided into multiple individual air-inflatable parts formed by heat-bonded lines running parallel to the length sides;

a flat check valve of plastic film in each of said individual air-inflatable parts functioning to allow and stop air flow between each of said individual air-inflatable parts and said air-supplying passage;

two air-flowing space-making folds formed in said air-inflatable section permitting the first and the second width sides of the base to be folded together in order to contain an article in the buffer packing bag, each air-flowing space-making fold being formed by heat-bonding to make at least two lines at a predetermined interval crossing each of individual air-inflatable parts; and

a loading slit for said article formed on the base of the bag by folding inward from the first and the second width sides along the length sides of the base, the loading slit appearing between the first and the second width sides of the base which meet each other after the base is folded along said space-making folds,

wherein the bag is inflated by letting air in with pressure through said air inlet and said air-supplying passage and into the air-inflatable section.

2. The buffer packing bag as defined, in claim 1, wherein the space-making folds formed by heat-bonding spots in each of the individual air-inflatable parts without blocking air flow through the individual air-inflatable parts.

3. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one bending fold is formed substantially parallel to and between said space-making folds on the air-inflatable section, the at least one bending fold being heat-bonded at interval to allow air flow through each of said individual air-inflatable parts, and wherein said loading slit opens by folding the at least one bending fold outward.

4. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a flat flap formed on an outer end edge of the second width side of the base,

wherein an adhesive layer is provided on a side of said flat flap;

said adhesive layer for fixing said flat flap to said individual air-inflatable parts adjacent to said first width side of said base when the base is folded, thereby making it possible to cover said loading slit.

5. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 4, wherein said flat flap is formed on the base, said flat flap and individual air-inflatable parts being separated from each other by a heated bonded area.

6. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 4, wherein said adhesive layer and a transcription layer are respectively provided on different surfaces of the bag,

wherein said adhesive layer and said transcription layer are separate before use of the bag,

wherein said adhesive layer and said transcription layer are stuck together during use of the bag, and

wherein upon opening of the bag, a transcription material of the transcription layer is transcribed to the adhesive layer.

7. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 6, wherein said transcription layer is made of sheet or film material, or a printing layer printed directly on the outer face of the individual air-inflatable part, whereby when said adhesive layer on said flat flap which previously has been attached to said transcription layer to cover the packing bag is opened, said transcription layer is removed partially or wholly and remains attached to said adhesive layer.

8. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 7, wherein the transcription layer made of said sheet or film material is formed of a multi-layer material the layers of which may be separated when the loading slit is opened.

9. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 1, wherein an opening formed by folding the flat air-inflatable section of said buffer packing bag along the length sides of the base so that the first and the second width sides almost touch each other is said loading slit for inserting or removing said article.

10. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said loading slit, formed by folding the air-inflatable section of said flat buffer packing bag and placing the first and the second width sides opposite to each other with a certain breadth of gap remaining, serves as an opening for inserting or removing said article.

11. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said air-inflatable section is constituted by a transparent or translucent plastic film.

12. A buffer packing bag comprising:

a containing space for an article with a first and a second containing portion formed therein; and

a loading slit for inserting or removing said article, the containing space,

the first and the second containing portions comprising a base made of plastic films placed one on another and heat bonded along length sides thereof, the base including a plurality of individual air-inflatable parts, said individual air-inflatable parts being formed parallel to each other by heat-bonding the base at multiple spots, each of the air-inflatable parts being provided with a flat check valve made of plastic film,

the first and the second containing portions being formed by folding the base inward from width sides of the base crossing the individual air-inflatable parts and the length sides of the base, causing the loading slit to appear between the width sides of the base after the base is folded,

each of the first and the second containing portions being pocket-shaped with an opening and defined by the loading slit, said opening positioned between an edge of each of the pocket-shaped portions,

a part of the opening being the loading slit, the edges of the pocket-shaped portions being adjacent, making the first and the second containing portions face each other,

a bending fold being provided in the base opposite to said opening, said bending fold being formed by partially heat-bonding the base in a direction crossing the air-inflatable parts, the partial heating bonding allowing an air flow when the air-inflatable parts are inflated by air, thus inflating said buffer packing bag,

wherein the first containing portion contains a part of the article before the second containing portion is folded toward the first containing portion to contain a remaining part of the article.

13. The buffer packing bag as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

a single air-supply passage,

wherein each of the individual air-inflatable parts is provided with air through said one air-supply passage, the check valve parts in each of the air-inflatable parts allowing and stopping the air flow between the single air-supply passage and each of the individual air-inflatable parts.