Abstract: A machine and method for the manufacture of a continuous production of pneumatically filled packaging pillows for use as void fill packaging for the safe shipping of articles. A strip of flattened preformed film material with a repeated sealing pattern is advanced along a path through the machine and include a common inflation channel that is guided onto a longitudinally extending inflation tube at a first station. The inflation tube has an orifice through which pressurized air is expressed in controlled fashion to inflate pillow chambers that emanate off the common inflation channel of the film material. The film material is advanced to a second station where continuous longitudinally extending heat seals are formed in the film material in a manner to trap and confine a quantity of air inside the inflated pillow chambers. The film material is then advance to a third station where the common inflation channel is slit open in order to release the film material from the inflation tube of the machine.

Abstract: An improved method of and apparatus for manufacturing thin plastic sheet air-inflated shipping or storage cushions or pillows for delicate articles and the like involving the use of novel retractable air-injection straws and plastic blank supporting and sealing techniques.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for automatically feeding from a roll successive pairs of inflatable packaging bags each having a common intermediate inflation channel to present the end bag upon a base platform for receiving an item-to-be-packaged, and then to fold the other bag of the pair thereover to envelope the same; and then sealing the enveloping bags to provide a package of appropriate item size, inflating the bags through the inflation channel, and finally severing the inflated package from the roll.

Abstract: A thermally insulating and cushioning inflatable and deflatable packaging for shipping or storing items, such as cold articles and the like, formed of thin film valve-inflatable chambers or envelopes preferably of high emissivity and low absorptivity coefficients material and provided with interior inflating-expandable honeycomb-like or cellular baffles adhered in collapsed or closed position to the interior walls of the inflatable chambers; and novel methods of making the same, including incorporating, outer shipping envelopes or bags.

Abstract: An inflatable protective packaging for articles comprising a pair of adjacent flat bag chambers with an intermediate inflation channel therebetween communicating at an inner end with the chambers and having an outer inflation opening preferably independently sealable for each bag chamber at the outer end of the channel. The item may be formed as successive flat, servable units on a roll, or integrated with envelopes or boxes.