Abstract: An inflatable corner cushion for protecting a corner of an object is disclosed. The inflatable corner cushion may have two triangular, inflatable cushions. Each cushion may have two edges meeting to form a V-shape. The two edges may be sealed together along the V-shaped edges such that, when the chambers are at least partially inflated, a combination of the chambers forms a pocket for enclosing a corner of an object. An inflatable coner cushion may be placed on each corner of an object. The objects and cushion may then be placed in a shipping box. In such a condition, the pocket surrounds each corner such that they are protected from impacts from all directions.

Abstract: An inflatable air packaging device includes a tubular, inflatable member surrounding an object receiving pocket. The pocket is configured in a shape and size to receive, retain, and suspend an object. The inner and outer surfaces of the member are secured to one another to form a plurality of apertures. Each aperture is configured to receive a portion of the object to suspend the object within the pocket. In one embodiment, there are four apertures which each receive a corner of a rectangular object. The device provides a circular air cushion chamber which is disposed around a perimeter of the object. Forces applied to the device are uniformly distributed around the device to minimize the effect on the object.

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.

Abstract: A self-closing and self-sealing valve device for use with inflatable structures. The valve device comprises a pair of relatively flat plastic sheets which are disposed over one another in facewise engagement, and form an air inlet end and air outlet end, the latter of which is disposed in the inflatable structure. The valve is constructed by providing two longitudinal heat seals in proximity to the longitudinal margins of the pair of plastic sheets or strips. An adhesive zone is formed interiorly of the two longitudinal heat seals and causes a self-closing and self-sealing of the valve device. The adhesive zone further precludes any sealing of the two sheets in the adhesive zone during longitudinal sealing operations since sealing will not occur with the presence of the adhesive. In this way, since the two sheets are adhesively secured to one another, there is no back flow from the inflatable and deflatable structure outwardly of the structure even under low pressure condition.

Abstract: An inflatable package is adapted to be formed into a packaging system for retaining an item formed with a pair of inner panels defining an item-receiving zone. Each of a pair of outer panels overlies a respective one of the inner panels to form an inflatable chamber. Overlying edge portions of each respective pair of inner and outer panels are secured together along all overlying edge portions, and overlying edge portions of the inner panels are secured together along at least two substantially parallel edge portions so that the inner panels remain unattached to each other along at least one section to allow insertion of the item into the item-receiving zone. The inflatable chambers are at least partially inflated with a filler medium through an inflating valve.

Abstract: An inflatable package adapted to be formed into a packaging system for retaining an article therein is formed with a pair of overlying inner panels defining a pocket therebetween adapted to retain an article therein and an inflating portion for communicating through the overlying inner panels. A pair of outer panels is provided, each outer panel overlying a respective one of the inner panels and each outer panel being associated with a different one of the inner panels to form an inflatable chamber therebetween. Overlying edge portions of the inner and outer panels are secured together, except at one side of the package where only overlying edge portions of each respective pair of the inner and outer panels are secured together and the inner panels remain unattached to each other to expose the pocket and inflating portion. The inflatable chambers are at least partially inflated with a filler medium which is communicated to the inflatable chambers through the inner panels within the inflating portion.

Abstract: A continuous, two-ply thermoplastic film material, sealed in a manner that forms superimposed panels into individual, inflatable bags that are repeated and separable, individually or in groups of bags, forms a continuous packaging material. The material can be cut or torn from preformed rolls to a desired size to over-wrap a product with an air cushion. Valves are sealed into the material at repeated locations to allow air insertion at any location or to allow a primary air chamber to feed any length of pre-sealed bag material that can be sectioned and filled with air at the same time. The invention also allows wrapping of a product first, without air, and insertion of the wrapped product into a carton or box with provision for inflating the wrapping to conform tightly to the product, inside the carton or box. The wrapping material can be recycled either as a reusable, inflated wrapper or made of biodegradable plastic materials to minimize environmental damage.

Abstract: A flexible, inflatable packaging device is adapted to enclose and protect an article during shipping and the like. The packaging device has an inlet valve for selectively admitting air to inflate the packaging device to protect an enclosed article against rough handling during shipping and the like and an aperture that can be selectively sealed to retain the inflation air or unsealed to release the inflation air to deflate the packaging device to enable removal of the article from the packaging device and compact storage of the packaging device before and after shipping. The packaging device can be inflated and deflate a plurality of times, thereby enabling reuse of the packaging device for shipping a plurality of articles in succession.