US20080193055A1

US20080193055A1 - Inflatable bag for bottles packaging

Info

Publication number: US20080193055A1
Application number: US11/789,403
Authority: US
Inventors: Cheng-Yung Chen; Hung-Pin Lai; Ting-You Wei
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-02-12
Filing date: 2007-04-25
Publication date: 2008-08-14
Also published as: TWM316233U

Abstract

The present invention relates to an inflatable bag for bottles packaging. The bag consists of a pair of connecting unit located at each edge of predetermined gas pocket unit. The connecting unit consists of one vertical and one horizontal welding line forming H shape. The outer edges on the H shape are cut to form U shape breaches. After inflation, due to the stress relief effect of the breaches, the outer part of the gas pocket units beyond the horizontal welding line forms top and bottom sides of cylindrical spaces suitable for containing and protecting cylindrical bottle or can from mechanical impact. One or more pair of connecting unit can be constructed so that plural cylindrical space can be formed to contain and protect plural cylindrical bottles or cans from broken during shipping and handling.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inflatable bag for bottles packaging having plural cylindrically closed spaces. Between each pair of cylindrical portion, there is a pair of gas pocket units connected by gas channel. The U-shape breach on outer edge of gas pocket units allows formation of top and bottom side of cylindrical portion to enclose spaces. The cylindrical interior space generated after inflation is suitable for packing cylindrical bottles or cans. Due to the geometrical conformity, it provides better protection during shipping and handling.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Bubble wrap is one of popular devices for packing and protecting commercial articles. It is able to absorb exterior impact by a plurality of uniform air pockets. Its ability of absorbing impact is limited because the air pockets are too small.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,677 disclose an air-packing device is configured by first and second plastic films which are bonded at predetermined portions thereby creating a plurality of series connected air cells. A plurality of check valves established at inputs of the corresponding air containers. And an air input connected to the plurality of check valves. Through a post heat-seal treatments, predetermined edge portions are bonded, there creating an inner space for packing a product therein and an opening for loading the product therethrough. According to the FIGS. 8A and 8B as the said U.S. Pat. No. 7,165,677, the packing device is useful for packing a cylindrically shaped product such as a wine bottle. The patented air-packing device is able to pack only one wine bottle. One such device is unable to pack plural cylindrical bottles and provide suitable protection against impact at the same time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable bag for packaging of bottles or cans in cylindrical shape. The gas pocket units connected by connecting units ensure the formation of cylindrical interior spaces. A pair of connecting units sat between each pair of neighboring cylindrical spaces. A special U-shape breach on outer edge of connecting units provide stress relief and allow formation of top and bottom side of the two neighboring cylindrically closed spaces connected by the connecting unit during inflation. The plural independent cylindrical spaces conform to geometry of bottles or cans and provide better protection against mechanical impact.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable bag with configurable plural cylindrical interior spaces in series for bottles or cans with cylindrical shape. The inflatable bag with plural cylindrical spaces facilitates shipping and handling of products with cylindrical shape.
In order to achieve the preceding objects, one embodiment of the inflated bag for bottles packaging is composed of a plurality of gas pocket units, each of gas pocket units consist of a main gas pocket having larger width and an auxiliary gas pocket having smaller width; welding line having conduits sat between main gas pocket and auxiliary gas pocket, the gas pocket unit is side by side with another, and welding line is located in between, and there are no conduits installed on said welding line, the gas pocket units are isolated between each and gas can not flow between each other; thereby, when any main gas pockets or auxiliary gas pockets is broken, gas in which have left out, the other gas pockets still keep gas in it own; there is a gas inlet on side of the inflatable bag for bottles packaging, a gas channel extend from the gas inlet and is connecting to each of main and auxiliary gas pockets, and gas can be entered though the gas channel; when the inflatable bag for bottles packaging is charged with gas from the gas inlet, gas will go along the gas channel to enter each of main and auxiliary gas pockets and inflates them; the inflatable bag for bottles packaging is composed of two films—upper film and lower film;
characterized in that the inflatable bag equipped with one pair of connecting unit which locate at each edge of predetermined set of main and auxiliary gas pocket; the connecting unit consists of vertical welding line and horizontal welding line which form H configuration by binding the upper and lower film; the connecting unit is completed by cutting out the outer edges to form U shape breaches; and due to the stress relief effect of the breach while the inflatable bag is fully expanded by the charged gas, the outer part of the gas pocket units beyond the horizontal welding line are allowed to form the top and bottom side of the two neighboring cylindrical containers which are connected by connecting unit and are suitable for protecting cylindrical bottles or cans from mechanical impact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detail structure, the applied principle, the function and the effectiveness of the present invention can be fully understood with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the obverse side of the inflatable bag for bottles packaging of the present invention which is uncharged with gas;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the reverse side of the inflatable bag for bottles packaging of the present invention, uncharged with gas;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating both of the obverse and reverse side of the inflatable bag for bottles packaging along line 3-3 shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the obverse side of the inflatable bag for bottles packaging of the present invention while gas is charging;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view along line 5-5 shown in FIG. 3 while gas is charging;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view along line 5-5 shown in FIG. 3 after inflation;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the present invention while the inflatable bag for bottles is fully expanded by the charged gas;

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating another preferred embodiment of present invention which is uncharged with gas; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating another preferred embodiment of present invention while the inflatable bag for bottles is fully expanded by the charged gas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the inflatable bag for bottles packaging of the present invention is composed of a plurality of gas pocket units 10. Each of gas pocket units 10 consist of a main gas pocket 11 having larger width and an auxiliary gas pocket 12 having smaller width. Welding line 31 sat between main gas pocket 11 and auxiliary gas pocket 12. Conduits 30 are installed along welding lines 31 by distance of 10˜15 centimeters, such that gas in the main gas pockets 11 and auxiliary gas pocket 12 can be flowed through conduits 30. However, gas pocket unit 10 is side by side with another, and welding line 32 is located in between, and there are no conduits installed on said welding line 32. The gas pocket units 10 are isolated between each and gas can not flow between each other. Thereby, when any main gas pockets 11 or auxiliary gas pockets 12 is broken, gas in which have left out, the other gas pockets still keep gas in it own. There is a gas inlet 2 on side of the inflatable bag for bottles packaging 1, a gas channel 14 extend from the gas inlet 2 and is connecting to each of main and auxiliary gas pockets 11,12, and gas can be entered though the gas channel 14. When the inflatable bag for bottles packaging 1 is charged with gas from the gas inlet 2, gas will go along the gas channel 14 and enters each of main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 12 and inflates them.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the FIG. 2 shows the reverse side of the inflatable bag for bottles packaging 1 when it is uncharged with gas, and the FIG. 3 illustrates a sectional view including the obverse and reverse side of the inflatable bag for bottles packaging 1 along line 3-3 shown in FIG. 1. The inflatable bag for bottles packaging 1 is composed of two films, upper film 21 and lower film 22, both of which are made of plastic or similar materials. The periphery of said films is pressed welding along line 35 by high temperature, which seal up the inflatable bag for bottles packaging 1 and prevent gas from escape. The check valves of the gas pockets are composed of two films, upper valve film 25 and lower valve film 26, which are of appropriate length and placed between upper and lower films 21, 22. Welding lines 31, 32, 35 are formed by binding upper and lower films 21,22 and upper and lower valve films 25,26 together using hot press. And an anti-welding layer 33 located near gas channel 14 is placed between upper and lower valve films 25, 26. It is to avoid upper and lower valve films 25, 26 binding together while the welding line 36 is formed by hot press. The welding line 36 located at the pocket inlet 45 of the gas pocket units 10 is formed by hot pressing on films 21, 22, 25 and 26. In this way, said anti-welding layer 33 allow gas charging though upper and lower valve films 25, 26 at pocket inlet 45 found in each main and auxiliary gas pockets 11,12. Still Referring to FIG. 1, there are gas guiding welding spots 34 on the upper and lower valve films 25, 26. They are formed by binding upper film 21, upper valve film 25 and lower valve film 26 together using hot press. The upper and lower valve films 25, 26, anti-welding layer 33 and gas guiding welding spots 34 together act as check valves, which be able to seal the pocket inlet 45 of each gas pocket units 10 when the inflatable bag for bottles packaging 1 is charged with gas, and making gas pocket units 10 gastight after charging.
Further, folding lines 41, 42, 43, 44 located appropriately at each main and auxiliary gas pocket 11, 12, allow automatic bending of each main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 12 when the bag is charged with gas. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, successive folding along 35, 41, 42, 43 and 44 will form a closed envelope to protect bottles article inside against impact from any direction.
Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the inflatable bag for bottles packaging 1 of the present invention equipped with one pair of connecting unit 60 which locate at each edge of predetermined set of main and auxiliary gas pocket 11, 12. The connecting unit 60 consists of vertical welding line 61 and horizontal welding line 62 which forms H configuration by hot pressing the upper and lower film 21, 22. The connecting unit 60 is completed by cutting out the outer part to form U shape breach 63.
Referring to FIG. 4, when the inflatable bag for bottles packaging 1 is charged through the gas inlet 2 with gas, the gas will go along the gas channel 14 and enter each of main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 12. Said gas guiding welding spots 34 allow gas entering main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 12 easily. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, which illustrate a sectional view of charged main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 12 along line 5-5 shown in FIG. 3. After charging, the upper valve film 25 and the lower valve film 26 will be pressed tightly toward upper film 21 by high pressure in main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 12. The gas guiding welding spots 34 bind upper film 21, upper valve film 25 and lower valve film 26 together by hot press. Therefore upper and lower valve films 25, 26 will be pressed toward upper film 21 instead of the lower film 22. The upper and lower valve films 25, 26, and upper film 21 are made of plastic or similar film materials, which will close pocket inlet 45 and gastight each main and auxiliary gas pockets 11, 12 while upper and lower valve films 25,26 are pressed toward upper film 21. Thereby, the main and auxiliary gas pockets 11,12 contain gas, and the welding spots 34 assist gastight effect.
Referring to FIG. 7, showing an inflated bag for bottles packaging 1 in which all gas pocket unit 10 are inflated and bended along 41, 42, 43 and 44 and form 3 dimensional pockets. Due to the stress relief effect of the U shape breach 63 on connecting unit 60, the outer part beyond the bending spots 41, 42, 43, and 44 of gas pocket unit 10 forms top and bottom sides of the two neighboring cylindrical containers which is connected by connecting unit 60 and are suitable for protecting cylindrical bottles or cans from mechanical impact. After inflation, gas channel 14 does not contain pressurized gas, and is always flattened. Bottle is put into cylindrical space through opening 50, and the flattened gas channel 14 is used as cover for opening 50. Connecting unit 60 also acts as connector for cylindrical containers to facilitate handling. Every gas pocket unit 10 is isolated by welding line 32, therefore the rest of gas pocket unit 10 remain pressurized when one or some of gas pocket unit 10 is broken and flattened. The protection function of inflated bag for bottles packaging 1 is therefore retained even if one or some of gas pocket unit 10 was broken and flattened.
The previous embodiment consists of one pair of connecting unit 60 locating on each edge of specific set of main and auxiliary gas pocket 11, 12. It connects two set of cylindrical container form by inflated gas pocket units 10 on each side. By same principle, two or more pairs of connecting unit 60 may be constructed on predetermined set of gas pocket units 10 and making three or more cylindrical spaces for bottles. One of the embodiments is demonstrated in FIG. 8, which showing the front view of an uncharged inflated bag for bottles packaging 1 having two pairs of connecting unit 60. FIG. 9 showing the perspective view of the same embodiment inflated and forming three cylindrical spaces for bottles. Another possible embodiment having gas pocket units 10 which consists of only one gas pocket (only main gas pocket 11) is also able to form plural cylindrical spaces for bottles with the aid of said connecting unit 60.
While the invention has been described with referencing to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or variations may be easily made without departing from the spirit of this invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

What is clamed is:

1. An inflated bag for bottles packaging comprising

an upper film

a lower film

a plurality of gas pocket units which are isolated and side by side between each, each of gas pocket units consist of a main gas pocket having larger width and an auxiliary gas pocket having smaller width;

a welding line having conduits sat between main gas pocket and auxiliary gas pocket;

a gas inlet on one side of the inflatable bag a gas channel extended from the gas inlet and connecting to each of main and auxiliary gas pockets, though which gas can be entered;

characterized in that the inflatable bag equipped with one pair of connecting unit which locate at each edge of predetermined set of main and auxiliary gas pocket;

the connecting unit consists of vertical welding line and horizontal welding line which forms H configuration by binding the upper and lower film;

the connecting unit is completed by cutting out the outer edges to form U shape breaches; and

due to the stress relief effect of the breach while the inflatable bag is fully expanded by the charged gas, the outer part of the gas pocket units beyond the horizontal welding line are allowed to form the top and bottom side of the two neighboring cylindrical containers which are connected by connecting unit and are suitable for protecting cylindrical bottles or cans from mechanical impact.

2. The inflated bag for bottles packaging as defined in claim 1, wherein two or more pairs of connecting units be constructed on predetermined set of gas pocket units and force the package to form three or more cylindrical spaces for bottles or cans while the inflatable bag is fully expanded by the charged gas.

3. The inflated bag for bottles packaging as defined in claim 1, wherein the gas pocket units consist of only one gas pocket.

4. The inflated bag for bottles packaging as defined in claim 2, wherein the gas pocket units consist of only one gas pocket.