Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 022l0478 l997-07-24
P 212 425 WO (MAIN REQUEST)
INFLATABLE CUS~ION AND MET~OD OF MAKING SAME
The present invention relates to an inflatable cushion inclu-
ding a pair of flexible walls welded together at their edges,
an inflation valve including a pair of flexible sheets welded
together along two weld lines, said inflation valve being af-
fixed to an internal face of one of said flexible walls by a
welding line at a distance from said welded edges of said ~
cushion, and opening to this outside of said cushion through ,,' -
an aperture provided in said one flexible wall to which said
inflation valve is affixed to permit inflation of the cushion
by insertion of an inflation tube or by a directed jet of
air, said welding line surrounding said aperture and welding
said one flexible wall and a first flexible sheet being adja-
cent thereto together.
AMENDE~ St~T
CA 02210478 1997-07-24
C ~ 1~ S~ J
'~'O
/.. .
INFLATABLE CUS~IION AND METIYOD OF MAKING SAME ~ . . '~
The present invention relates i ~ eral to inflatable
cushions for pacXages, and ~ particular to an inflatabie '',
cushion comprising ~ e~ible walls welded together at ri-~
their edges a ~ inflation valve comprising two flexible . '
sheets w ~ d together, so as to Cor~ a conduit open at its
two ~ for insertion of an inflation tube or for lnflation
di_ec'ed lct of _ir.
Such an inflatable cushicn may ~e used advant2geously for
packing articles of different dimensions znd shapes by wedg-
ing szme in a rigid box.
An inflatable cusAion o~ hc -bc~- k nd is already known -_om
th~ ~t~t~ Oc thc _', n ?~r ~cula~ '~0~. FP~ 2 686 322, in
which the inflation valve located bet~een two flexible walls
forming the cushion is welded at: one of its ends to the two
flexible walls at their edges, leaving an aperture of the
conduit open to the outside for insertion of an inflation
tube.
This known inflatable cushion com~rises two flexible guide
tabs that are needed for insertion of an inflation tube into
the conduit. These flexible guide tabs project from one edge
of the cushion and are welded at inflation valve to the edges
of the flexible walls forming the cushion.
However, this known cushion has several disadvantages.
To begin with, it is required that an inflation tube be
inserted into the interior of the conduit of the inflation
valve of this known cushion. To insert such an inflation
AhlEN~ED SHE~T
~ CA 02210478 1997-07-24
(~a~l ~ Q~EQuEsT)
, ... .
tube, it is necessar~ to first spread the flexible guide
tabs. Thus, it becomes dif icult: to realize an automatic -'
insertion of the tube into the valve and it is not possible
to inflate the cushion without inserting the inflation tube.
Further, the insertion of the inflation tube into the
cushion, via the conduit of the inflation valve, for inflat-
ing or deflating it, produces at the level of the openlng to
the outside of the conduit of the valve a tenslon, ~hich acts
upon the welded edges of ~he flexible cushion walls, t.~is
tension being capable of causing the ed5es to te2r at this
level.
.;
Finally, the inflation valve of this cushion can be posi-
tioned only on one edge of the latter, ~hich is sometimes
difficult to reali~e, when the cushion has a complex shape,
and which can become a disadvantage in the conception of z
pack2ge with an inflatable cushion.
To rem~dy to thc dra-~back3 of thc rreci~~d s'atc of _-t, .hc
present invention proposes a new inflatable cushion in whi
the inflation valve is located such that the inflation ~ e
could be automatically inserted into the interior ~ he in-
flat2ble cushion without producing tension upo ~ he welded
edges of the flexible cushion walls. /
More particularly, according to ~ invention, the inflatable
cushion includes a pair of ~ xible walls welded together at
their edges, an inflatio ~ alve including a pair of flexible
sheets welded toget ~ so as to form a conduit open at both
ends, said inf ~ on valve being affixed to an internal face
of one of ~ flexible walls at a distance from said welded
edges ~ aid cushion, and opens to this outside of said
cu ~ on through an aperture provided in said one flexible
aai~ iL~ _o~ valvc ~cin~ af~i:~cd ~ pc~~
A~EN~D S~!E9
CA 02210478 1997-07-24
- 2a - (MAIN REQUEST)
Another inflatable cushion is known from GB-A-1093212 in
which the inflation valve comprises a pair of flexible plas-
tic panels, one of which being welded to the inner face of
one of the two flexible walls of the inflatable cushion,
while the other one of said pair of flexible plastic panels
being formed from a material which melts at a temperature
higher than that of said wall or said one panel. The panels
of the inflation valve are welded together at three of their ,
edges, defining one open end. The manufacture of this known
inflatable cushion requires at least two kinds of material
due to the different melting temperatures, resulting in in-
creased costs for purchasing and storing. Moreover severals
welding lines are necessary for sealing one end of the infla-
tion valve and for affixing it to an internal face of one of
the flexible walls of the inflatable cushion.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
an inflatable cushion of the above-mentioned kind, the manu-
facture of which is less complicated and less expensive.
To remedy to drawbac~s of the precited state of art, the pre-
sent invention proposes a new in~latable cushion in which the
inflation valve is located such that the inflation tube could
be automatically inserted into the interior of the inflatable
cushion without producing tension upon the welded edges of
the flexible cushion walls.
More particularly, according to the invention, the above
problem is solv~d in that said two weld lines form a conduit
open at both ends and that said welding line covers said two
weld lines and includes outside the conduit the second flex-
ible sheet.
~.~E~D Sh~-
~ CA 02210478 1997-07-24
_ ", _
(~A (~ Q~G~OES l ~ ~
inrla~i~n of _hc cu_hicn ~ r~ion of an infl~ 3
by a dir_c~~c jc~ o~
Also, advantageously, in accordance with the ccmplexity or
shape of the cusAion and its use, the aperture provided in
said flexible wall to which said infLation valve is affixed,
is placed ln the appropriate reglon of said ~lexible wall. !
In particular, according to an embodiment of the cushion cb-
ject of the lnvention said aperture in said one flexi~le wall
to which said inflation wall is af~1xed is located in an ,
angle region of said cushion.
It is interesting to note that the insertion of the tube into
the val-~e of the cushion according to the invention, for in-
flating or deflating lt, acts in compression upon the welded
edges of said flexible wall that contributes to held it
~ound.
~urther features, objets and advantages will ~e evident from
the following detalled description o~ the pre~ered embodi-
ments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, ln which :
- Figure 1 ls a partial plan vlew of a cushion in ac-
cordance with the invention, in a deflated state,
.,
- Figure 2 ls an plan view o~ a first embodiment of the
inflation valve of the inflatable cushion in accor-
dznce with the invention, into which an inflation
tube is inserted,
- Figure 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the
inflation valve of the in~1atable cushion in accord-
AMENDED Sf~
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W096/22926 PCT~P95/00271
ance with the invention, into which an inflation tube
is inserted.
Shown in Figure 1 is an inflatable cushion comprising two
walls 10 of a hot or high-frequency weldable, flexible plas-
tic, which are welded together at their edges along a weld
line 12 defining the peripheral edge of the cushion. This
inflatable cushion comprises an inflation valve 20 consisting
of two sheets 21, 22 of a hot or high-frequency weldable,
flexible plastic (see Figures 2, 3), which are welded to-
gether along two essentially parallel weld lines 24, so as to
form a conduit 23 for an inflation tube 30 that is open at
both ends. The inflation valve 20 is welded to one internal
face of one of flexible cushion walls 10, at a distance from
weld line 12 of the cushion, and opens to the outside of the
latter through an aperture 11 which is provided in flexible
wall 10, to which valve 20 is welded.
The weld seam 13 of inflation valve 20 on the flexible
cushion wall 10 describes a circle, which surrounds aperture
11 that is provided in flexible wall 10, leaving flexible
sheets 21, 22 of inflation valve 20 open at the level of con-
duit 23, so as to permit the insertion of an inflation tube
30 into the interior of the cushion through aperture 11 and
conduit 23.
Shown in Figure 2 is a first embodiment of an inflation valve
20. According to this embodiment, the flexible sheets 21, 22
forming the inflation valve 20 are of different lengths.
These sheets 21, 22 are arranged side by side and welded to-
gether along weld lines 24, so that at one end of conduit 23
of inflation valve 20, the transverse edges 21a, 22a of fle-
xible sheets 21, 22 are offset from one another in the axial
direction of the valve. At the other end, the edges 21b, 22b
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
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W 096/22926 PCTAEr95i'C~271
of sheets 21,22 overlie one another. This inflation valve is .
positioned in the interior of the inflatable cushion (see
Figure 1), so that the flexible sheet 22 of inflation valve
20 with its edge 22a set back from edge 21a of the other fle-
xible sheet 21, is positioned adjacent to the internal face
of flexible cushion wall 10, to which the inflation valve is
affixed, the offset edge 22a being adjacent to an edge of
aperture 11 that is provided in said flexible wall 10.
The weld seam 13 of inflation valve 20 on wall 10 is such
that on one portion of circle 13a, wall 10 and sheet 21 in-
cluding forward edge 21a are welded together, that on two
portions of circle 13b arranged on both sides of conduit 23,
~1exible wall 10 and thin sheets 21, 22 are welded together,
and that over the width 13c of conduit 23, only wall 10 and
adjacent sheet 22 are welded together, while leaving the
other sheet 21 forming the valve detached, so as leave the
conduit open.
To make an inflatable cushion in accordance with the inven-
tion, as shown in Figure 1, which comprises an inflation
valve as shown in Figure 2, and in which two flexible walls
10 are peripherally welded together, the following steps are
carried out:
a) - A resist 26 is provided in conduit 23 Qf inflation
valve 20 at its end which corresponds with transverse
edges 21a,22a of offset flexible sheets 21, 22;
~ b) - The inflation valve 20 is placed against the inter-
nal face of flexible cushion wall 10, so that fle-
xible sheet 22 with its set back edge 22a is posi-
tioned adjacent to the internal face of flexible wall
10, and that the end of conduit 23 provided with re-
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
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W096/22926 PCT~P95/00271
sist 26 is positioned at the aperture 11 provided in
flexible wall 10;
c) - The inflation valve 20 is welded to flexible wall
10 along welding line 13, which surrounds aperture 11
of flexible wall 10, and which covers resist 26.
The resist 26 may be made in the form of an individual tab of
silicon or even paper. In this instance, the resist 26 is
pulled out of conduit 23 through aperture 11 in flexible wall
10, after the welding step (c) of the foregoing process.
According to a variant of this method, the resist 26 is
formed by printing an insulating material, such as, for
example, a fast-drying varnish, on one of the opposite inter-
nal faces of sheets 21, 22 forming the inflation valve. This
printing occurs in step (a) of the above-described method.
When welding valve 20 to flexible wall 10, this resist 26
allows, in an advantageous manner, to leave the two sheets
21, 22 of the valve separated from one another at conduit 23,
so as to thus permit the insertion of a flexible inflation
tube into the interior of this valve. A major feature of this
invention is that the construction of valve 20 is such that a
directed let of air from an air nozzle (not shown) can be
aimed at the outer end of the conduit 23 and this jet of air
will open the conduit 23 and inflate the cushion without the
necessity of inserting an inflation tube into the conduit 23.
This feature permits automatic inflation or very fast manual
inflation.
Shown in Figure 3 is another embodiment of an inflation valve
of the inflatable cushion in accordance with the invention.
In this embodiment, the flexible sheets 21, 22 forming this
valve have the same dimensions. These sheets 21, 22 are su-
SUBSTITUTE SH EET (RULE 26)
CA 02210478 1997-07-24
W 096/22926 PcT/~9s/~27l
perposed and welded together along welding lines 24, so as to
form conduit 23. One of these flexible sheets 22 includes
here a circular opening 25, which is located at one end of
conduit 23 between the two welding lines 24. This inflation
~ valve is located in the interior of the flexible cushion in
~ .accordance with the invention, so that flexible sheet 22 with
opening 25 is adjacent to the internal face of ~1exible wall
lO, to which the inflation valve is attached, with opening 25
being opposite aperture 11 provided in flexible wall 10. In
this instance, the thin sheets 21, 22 and flexible wall 10
are welded along a circular portion surrounding the two over-
laid apertures 11, 25, and covering the two welding lines 24
that form conduit 23. It should be noted that at conduit 23,
only the flexible wall 10 and thin wall 22 adjacent to the
inflation valve are welded together, whereas the other thin
sheet 21 remains detached, so that an inflation tube 30 can
be inserted or a directed air jet can pass therethrough.
As one will note, a common characteristic of the inflation
valves shown in Figures 2 and 3 is that the welding lines 24
of flexible sheets 21, 22 are locally spaced apart from one
another, so that the conduit 23 of flexible inflation tube 30
that is created by welding lines 24 has a widening, which is
located at a distance from the free end of the conduit placed
in the interior of the cushion. This has the advantage that,
when the inflation of the cushion is stopped and the tube 30
is still partially engaged in conduit 23, the two flexible
sheets 21, 22 rest against one another duç to a distortion
that is caused in the vicinity of the free end of the cond~it
in the widening, so as to obstruct immediately the conduit
and to thus prevent a partial deflation of the cushion.
Once inflated, the inflatable cushion of this invention has
- advantageously a double seal at aperture ll in flexible wall
10 .
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
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A first seal is formed by the valve itself, which is self-
closing by the two flexible sheets 21, 22 overlying one an-
other.
A second seal is ensured by sealingly applying flexible sheet
~ 21 of the inflation valve, which is outermost with respect to
flexible wall 10, to aperture 11, so as to obstruct same.
It is understood that the present invention is by no means
limited to the embodiments described and illustrated therein,
but that a person skilled in the art will be able to conceive
any variant within its scope.
SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)
