Quilted inflatable packaging device

• US 6,283,296 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William S. Perell
• Original Assignee: Air Packaging Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Newman, Garry F.
• Primary Examiner(s): FOSTER, JIMMY G
• Application Number:
  US09/474,310
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 206/316.2, 206/320, 206/521, 206/522, 206/523, 206/583, 206/591, 206/594, 383/3, 493/189, 493/206-209
• US Class Current: 206/522
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/052 filled with fluid, e.g. inflatable elements

Abstract

An inflatable packaging device has an outer bag having a pair of overlying outer panels. The outer panels have outer peripheral edges which are sealed together along at least a portion of the outer peripheral edges to define a chamber between the outer panels. The device also has an inner bag disposed within the chamber. The inner bag has a pair of overlying inner panels which define a pocket. The pocket is configured to retain an article. The inner panels have inner peripheral edges which are secured to adjacent outer peripheral edges along at least a portion of the outer peripheral edges. The securement of the inner panels to the outer panels suspends the inner bag within the chamber. The inner bag separates the chamber into upper and lower sub chambers which are in communication with one another through a passage between the inner panels. Adjacent inner and outer panels are further sealed together at a plurality of locations to form quilt seals traversing the surfaces of the outer and inner panels. The quilt seals include seals oriented in longitudinal and lateral directions to force the device to conform to an approximate cube or rectangular shape upon inflation of the chamber. The inner and outer panels are further sealed in such a manner to define an aperture in communication with the pocket. An item may be inserted through the aperture into the pocket.

Claims

1. An air packaging device, comprising:

an outer bag having a par of overlying outer panels defining a chamber therein, the outer panels having outer peripheral edges sealed together along at least a portion of the outer peripheral edges;

an inner bag disposed within the chamber and secured to the outer bag, the inner bag having a pair of overlying inner panels defining a pocket configured to retain an article therein, the inner panels having inner peripheral edges; and

the adjacent inner and outer panels sealed together at a plurality of locations to form,

four symmetrical longitudinal columns, each longitudinal column having opposing ends spaced from one another and a plurality of longitudinal quilt seals, each longitudinal quilt seal having ends spaced from one another, each column approximating a surface edge upon inflation of the chamber,

upper lateral quilt seals traversing between first and second longitudinal columns and intersecting with respective longitudinal quilt seals, and

lower lateral quilt seals traversing between third and fourth longitudinal columns and intersecting with respective longitudinal quilt seals,

the longitudinal and lateral quilt seals defining a plurality of laterally extending passages having opposing open ends, the passages in communication with one another,

the upper and lower lateral quilt seals configured to conform respective surface areas to an approximate planar shape upon inflation of the chamber.

2. The packaging device of claim 1, wherein the chamber includes first and second sub chamber portions disposed on opposing sides of the inner bag.

3. The packaging device of claim 2, further comprising a passage for openly communicating between the first and second sub chamber portions.

4. The packaging device of claim 1, further comprising a flow channel disposed on the outer bag and in communication with the chamber.

5. The packaging device of claim 1, wherein the adjacent inner and outer panels are sealed together to form five lateral quilt seals.

6. The packaging device of claim 1, wherein the adjacent inner and outer panels are sealed together to form bottom support seals adjacent a closed end of the device and traversing the surface of the inner and outer panels.

7. The packaging device of claim 6, wherein the bottom support seals extend from a lateral quilt seal.

8. The packaging device of claim 1, wherein the outer and inner panels are sealed together to form radial seals adjacent the aperture.

9. The packaging device of claim 1, wherein the outer and inner panels comprise a gas impervious, flexible material.

10. The packaging device of claim 1, wherein the upper lateral quilt seals are disposed non-equidistant from one another and the lower lateral quilt seals are disposed non-equidistant from one another.

11. A method for manufacturing an air packaging device, the method comprising:

sealing outer peripheral edges of a pair of overlying outer panels to form an outer bag and define a chamber therein;

securing a pair of overlying inner panels having inner peripheral edges to the outer bag to form an inner bag defining a pocket and suspended within the chamber; and

sealing adjacent inner and outer panels to form,

four symmetrical longitudinal columns, each longitudinal column having

opposing ends spaced from one another and a plurality of longitudinal quilt seals, each longitudinal quilt seal having ends spaced from one another, each column approximating a surface edge upon inflation of the chamber,

upper lateral quilt seals traversing between first and second longitudinal columns and intersecting with respective longitudinal quilt seals, and

lower lateral quilt seals traversing between third and fourth longitudinal columns and intersecting with respective longitudinal quilt seals,

the longitudinal and lateral quilt seals defining a plurality of laterally extending passages having opposing open ends, the passages in communication with one another,

the upper and lower lateral quilt seals configured to conform respective surface areas to an approximate planar shape upon inflation of the chamber.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising inflating the chamber with a filler medium.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising disposing the inner bag within the chamber to thereby define first and second sub chamber portions on opposing sides of the inner bag.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming a passage for openly communicating between the first and second sub chamber portions.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising disposing a flow channel on the outer bag and in communication with the chamber.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein sealing adjacent inner and outer panels to form longitudinal and lateral quilt seals fuller comprises forming five lateral quilt seals.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising sealing adjacent inner and outer panels together to form bottom support seals adjacent a closed end of the device.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising sealing the outer and inner panels together to form radial seals adjacent the aperture.

19. An air packaging device, comprising:

an outer bag having upper and lower outer panels defining a chamber therein, the outer panels having outer peripheral edges sealed together along at least a portion of the outer peripheral edges;

an inner bag disposed within the chamber and secured to the outer bag, the inner bag having upper and lower inner panels having inner peripheral edges, the inner panels defining a pocket to retain an article therein;

upper longitudinal quilt seals disposed between the upper outer panel and the upper inner panel, the upper longitudinal quilt seals approximating surface edges upon inflation of the chamber;

upper lateral quilt seals disposed between the upper outer panel and the upper inner panel, the upper lateral quilt seals traversing between the upper longitudinal quilt seals and between the upper longitudinal quilt seals and the outer peripheral edges;

lower longitudinal quilt seals disposed between the lower outer panel and the lower inner panel, the lower longitudinal quilt seals approximating surface edges upon inflation of the chamber; and

lower lateral quilt seals disposed between the lower outer panel and the lower inner panel, the lower lateral quilt seals traversing between the lower longitudinal quilt seals and between the lower longitudinal quilt seals and the outer peripheral edges.

20. The packaging device of claim 19, wherein the chamber includes first and second sub chamber portions disposed on opposing sides of the inner bag.

21. The packaging device of claim 20, further comprising a passage for openly communicating between the first and second sub chamber portions.

22. The packaging device of claim 19, further comprising a flow channel disposed on the outer bag and in communication with the chamber.

23. The packaging device of claim 19, further comprising:

upper bottom support seals disposed between the upper outer panel and the upper inner panel and traversing between an upper lateral quilt seal and an outer peripheral edge to define a first bottom surface area; and

lower bottom support seals disposed between the lower outer panel and the lower inner panel and traversing between a lower lateral quilt seal and an outer peripheral edge to define a second bottom surface area.

24. The packaging device of claim 19 wherein the upper lateral quilt seals are disposed non-equidistant from one another and the lower lateral quilt seals are disposed non-equidistant from one another.

25. A method for manufacturing an air packaging device, the method comprising:

sealing at least a portion of outer peripheral edges of upper and lower outer panels to form an outer bag and define a chamber therein;

securing a pair of upper and lower inner panels having inner peripheral edges to the outer bag to form an inner bag suspended within the chamber, the inner bag defining a pocket for retaining an article therein;

forming upper longitudinal quilt seals between the upper outer panel and the upper inner panel, the upper longitudinal quilt seals configured to approximating surface edges upon inflation of the chamber;

forming upper lateral quilt seals between the upper outer panel and the upper inner panel, the upper lateral quilt seals traversing between the upper longitudinal quilt seals and between the upper longitudinal quilt seals and the outer peripheral edges;

forming lower longitudinal quilt seals between the lower outer panel and the lower inner panel, the lower longitudinal quilt seals configured to approximate surface edges upon inflation of the chamber; and

forming lower lateral quilt seals between the lower outer panel and the lower inner panel, the lower lateral quilt seals traversing between the lower longitudinal quilt seals and between the lower longitudinal quilt seals and the outer peripheral edges.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the chamber includes first and second sub chamber portions disposed on opposing sides of the inner bag.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising forming a passage for openly communicating between the first and second sub chamber portions.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising disposing a flow channel on the outer bag and in communication with the chamber.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

forming upper bottom support seals between the upper outer panel and the upper inner panel such that the upper bottom support seals traverse between an upper lateral quilt seal and an outer peripheral edge to define a first bottom surface area; and

forming lower bottom support seals between the lower outer panel and the lower inner panel such that the lower bottom support seals traverse between a lower lateral quilt seal and an outer peripheral edge to define a second bottom surface area.