Web for fluid filled unit formation

• US 20060110553A1
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automated Packaging Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automated Packaging Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Lerner, Hershey
• Granted Patent: US 7,550,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/34.100
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/305 involving the use of cartridge heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/0342 Cooling, e.g. transporting through welding and cooling zone
• 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 66/232 said joint lines being multiple and parallel, i.e. the joint being formed by several parallel joint lines
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4312 for making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles, e.g. transversal seams
• 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 66/81423 being concave
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81427 comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81457 comprising a block or layer of deformable material, e.g. sponge, foam, rubber pressing elements supported or backed-up by resilient material B29C66/8161
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81465 one placed behind the other in a single row in the feed direction
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8161 said pressing elements being supported or backed-up by springs or by resilient material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81815 of the clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83433 the contact angle between said rollers, cylinders or drums and said bands or belts being a non-zero angle
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7138 Shock absorbing
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/737 Articles provided with holes, e.g. grids, sieves nets B29L2028/00
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 2205/0058 Cutting; Individualising the final products
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 5/0073 including pillow forming
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/052 : filled with fluid, e.g. inflatable elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 : Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1334 : Nonself-supporting tubular film or bag [e.g., pouch, envelope, packet, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/15 : Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24562 : Interlaminar spaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24661 : Forming, or cooperating to form cells

Abstract

A web for the manufacture of fluid filled units with a novel machine and process is disclosed. The web includes an elongate heat sealable, flattened plastic tube comprised of face and back imperforate layers. The layers are imperforately joined together along spaced side edges. The layers include superposed longitudinal lines of weakness disposed generally transversely midway between the side edges. The web has longitudinally spaced, pairs of transverse seals. Each transverse seal extends from a respective side edge to an end near but spaced from the longitudinal lines of weakness. The transverse seal pairs include transverse lines of weakness extending from one side edge to the other generally centrally of each seal in a longitudinal direction. The side edges, transverse seals and lines of weakness together delineating two oppositely oriented strings of pouches with each pouch having three imperforate sides and a centrally located fill opening at its fourth side. The transverse lines of weakness are spaced slightly more than one half the circumference of a cylindrical fluid fill nozzle used to fill the pouches such that the web closely surrounds the nozzle during pouch fluid filling.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A web for the manufacture of fluid filled units comprising:

a) an elongate heat sealable, flattened plastic face and back layers including imperforate sections;

b) the layers being imperforately joined together at a side edge by a selected one of a fold and a seal;

c) the layers being joined by longitudinally spaced transverse seals, each transverse seal extends from the side edge and terminates in a spaced relationship with a split edge of the layers;

(d) at least some of the transverse seals respectively including transverse lines of weakness extending from the side edge to the split edge in a longitudinal direction of the seals;

(e) the side edge, transverse seals and lines of weakness together delineating a string of pouches with each pouch having two imperforate sections, three imperforate sides and a centrally located fill opening at its fourth side; and

,

(f) characterized by the transverse lines of weakness being defined by spaced perforations extending through both layers with the perforations nearest to the split edge of the layers being shorter in length than the lengths of other perforations that are spaced further from the split edge and extend toward the side edge.

18. The web of claim 17 wherein each of the transverse seals includes a transverse line of weakness.

19. The web of claim 18 wherein each transverse line of weakness longitudinally bisects the seal in which it is formed

20. The web of claim 17 wherein those of the transverse perforations in the transverse seals are elongate and closely spaced such that sides of successive pouches are lightly tacked together for facile separation following inflation and sealing.

21. The web of claim 20 wherein each of the shorter perforations are between and spaced from an associated transverse seal and the split edge.

24. A plastic web for the manufacture of fluid filled units comprising:

a) an elongate flattened top and bottom layers;

b) the layers being longitudinally joined a side edge by a selected one of a fold and a seal;

c) longitudinally spaced transverse seals, the seals extending from the side edge toward but spaced from a split edge of the layers;

d) a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse lines of weakness each bisecting an associated transverse seal and extending substantially from the side edge to the split edge; and

e) the transverse lines of weakness being perforations including relatively short perforations extending from the split edge toward the side edge and longer perforations that extend from the short perforations to the side edge.

25. The web of claim 24 wherein there are spaced sets of large perforations with the sets respectively solely in an associated transverse seal.

26. The web of claim 24 wherein those of the transverse perforations in the transverse seals are elongate and closely spaced such that sides of successive pouches are lightly tacked together for facile separation following inflation and sealing.

27. The web of claim 24 wherein the layers apart from the said lines of weakness are imperforate.

28. The web of claim 24 wherein the layers are split during an inflation process to form the split edge.