WEB AND METHOD FOR FLUID FILLED UNITS
A preformed web and a method of producing dunnage units from the preformed web. The web is an elongate flattened thermoplastic tube having an inflation edge and an opposite edge. The tube includes spaced transverse seals that define sides of pouches. In one embodiment, the web is configured such that a gap forms between each pair of adjacent pouches when the pouches are inflated. In one embodiment, an inflation edge of the web comprises a frangible connection that allows the inflation edge to be broken by an unsharpened object.
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The present application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 11/141,304, filed May 31, 2005 entitled “Web and Method for Making Fluid Filled Units” and claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. Nos. 60/576,004, entitled “Web for Fluid Filled Unit Formation,” filed on Jun. 1, 2004, and provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/592,812, entitled “Air Pouch Machine,” filed on Jul. 30, 2004. Provisional patent application Ser. Nos. 60/576,004 and 60/592,812 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present application relates to fluid filled units and more particularly to plastic webs of interconnected pouches and to processes of converting interconnected pouches to fluid filled units.
BACKGROUNDMachines for forming and filling dunnage units from sheets of plastic are known. Machines which produce dunnage units by inflating preformed pouches in a preformed web are also known. For many applications, machines which utilize preformed webs are preferred.
Typically, the entire length of sides of adjacent dunnage units formed from a preformed web are connected by perforations. To separate adjacent units, a worker grasps an edge of one unit with one hand, grasps an edge of an adjacent unit with the other hand, and carefully tears the dunnage units apart to separate the adjacent dunnage units.
SUMMARYThe present invention relates to plastic webs of interconnected pouches and processes of converting interconnected pouches to at least one row of dunnage units. In one embodiment, upon inflation of the pouches, a gap develops between each pair of adjacent fluid filled pouches. This gap remains after the fluid filled pouches are converted to dunnage units. The gap between each pair of dunnage units makes separating adjacent pouches easier and more efficient than with existing interconnected arrays of dunnage units.
In one embodiment, dunnage units are formed from a preformed flattened tubular web that includes a plurality of pouches defined by a plurality of transverse seals. As pouches are inflated, a gap forming area between adjacent pouches ruptures or otherwise separates. A gap is formed between newly formed and adjacent dunnage units. In one embodiment, the gap runs between an inflation edge line of perforations and a spaced apart opposite edge line of perforations. Pouches are converted to dunnage units by inflating the pouch with a fluid, substantially maintaining the inflated volume of the pouch, and hermetically sealing an inflated pouch.
The gap between the inflation edge line of perforations and the spaced apart opposite edge line of perforations makes separating the dunnage units much simpler and easier than separating dunnage units that are connected by a continuous line of un-ruptured perforations. In the present invention, to separate adjacent dunnage units, a worker simply inserts a hand or hands into the gap between adjacent dunnage units and applies forces on one or both of the dunnage units, which are connected only by the spaced apart lines of perforations. As the spaced apart lines of perforations rupture or otherwise separate the adjacent dunnage units are separated.
In one embodiment, an inflated volume is maintained in each air pouch by blowing air into an inflation opening of each pouch until substantially the entire inflation opening of the pouch is sealed. In one embodiment, the inflation opening is closed at a closing location located along the web path of travel. Air is provided into each pouch from a position slightly upstream of the closing location to maintain inflation of the pouch until it is sealed. For example, the inflation is maintained by blowing air into the inflation opening until the a trailing transverse seal of the pouch is within 0.250 inches of the closing position.
In one embodiment, inflated dunnage unit arrays comprise a single row of interconnected inflated pouches. The pouches are defined by first and second layers connected together at an inflation edge, an opposite edge seal, and by a pair of seals that are generally transverse to the inflation edge and the opposite edge. Each pair of adjacent inflated pouches are connected by an inflation edge line of perforations that extends inward and generally perpendicular to the inflation edge and an opposite edge line of perforations that extends inward and generally perpendicular to the opposite edge. The inflation edge line of perforations and the opposite edge line of perforations are spaced apart by a gap that allows a worker to insert an object, such as a hand, to easily separate the pair of adjacent inflated dunnage units.
In one embodiment, a web for forming dunnage units comprises a first elongated layer and a second elongated layer superposed over the first elongated layer. The first and second layers are connected by a frangible connection that extends along an inflation edge and a hermetic seal that extends along an opposite edge. The frangible connection at the inflation edge is configured to break when engaged by a blunt surface. A plurality of transverse seals extend from the hermetic seal to within a predetermined distance from the frangible connection. The hermetic seal and said transverse seals form a plurality of inflatable pouches.
Further advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following description and appended claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
Referring to
A gap forming area 28 denotes an area, preferably linear in shape, that will rupture or otherwise separate when exposed to a predetermined inflation force. The magnitude of the inflation force is less than the magnitude of the force needed to rupture or separate the spaced apart lines of perforations 24, 26. The gap forming area 28 can take on a number of embodiments, as will be discussed below. Any method that produces an area between the spaced apart lines of perforations 24, 26 that ruptures or otherwise separates at a force lower than a force needed to rupture or separate spaced lines of perforations 24, 26 may be employed to make the gap forming area 28.
Referring to
Referring to
In the embodiment illustrated by
The illustrated web 10 is constructed from a heat sealable plastic film, such as polyethylene. The web 10 is designed to accommodate a process for inflating each pouch 12 in the web to create a row or ladder 11 of dunnage units 12′. The gap forming area 28 creates a gap 13 between dunnage units 12′, which facilitate a efficient and effective process for separating adjacent dunnage units 12′ in the row or ladder 11.
In the example illustrated by
Other methods of creating a gap forming area not specifically disclosed are with the scope of the present application. Any area that separates and forms a gap between adjacent pouches as pouches 12 in a web 10 are inflated are contemplated by this disclosure.
In one embodiment, the line of perforations 24 that extends from the opposite edge 20 is omitted. In this embodiment, the gap forming area 28 extends from the inflation edge line of perforations 26 to the opposite edge. In this embodiment, the gap 13 extends from the inflation edge line of perforations 26 to the opposite edge 20.
The connection of the layers 14, 16 at the inflation edge 18 can be any connection that is maintained between layers 14, 16 prior to the web 10 being processed to create dunnage units 12′. In the embodiment illustrated by
A longitudinally extending guide pin 56 is disposed in the web at station B. The guide pin 56 is disposed in a pocket bounded by the top and bottom layers 14, 16, the inflation edge 18, and ends of the transverse seals 22. The guide pin 56 aligns the web as it is pulled through the machine. In the embodiment illustrated by
A blower 60 is positioned after the cutter 58 or blunt surface 58′ in station B. The blower 60 inflates the web pouches as the web moves past the blower. Referring to
The inflation seal 42 is formed at station C by a sealing assembly 62 to complete each dunnage unit. In the exemplary embodiment, the inflated volume of the pouches is maintained by continuing to blow air into the pouch until substantially the entire length of the inflation opening 59 is sealed. In the example of
In the examples illustrated by
The present invention is not to be considered limited to the precise construction disclosed. Various modifications, adaptations and uses may occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. All such modifications, adaptations, and uses fall within the scope or spirit of the claims.
Claims
1. A method of forming dunnage units from a preformed web, the process comprising:
- providing the preformed web, wherein the preformed web includes a plurality of pouch defining seals between top and bottom layers that define a plurality of pouches, wherein the preformed web includes a pocket bounded by the top and bottom layers, an inflation edge of the web, and ends of the pouch defining seals, wherein the preformed web includes an inflation side line of perforations, a spaced apart opposite side line of perforations, and a gap forming area between the inflation side line of perforations and the opposite side line of perforations, wherein the inflation side line of perforations, the opposite side line of perforations, and the gap forming area extend in a direction that is transverse to the inflation edge of the web, the inflation side line of perforations extends between said inflation edge of said preformed web and said gap forming area, the opposite side line of perforations extends between an opposite edge of said preformed web and said gap forming area;
- inserting a guide pin into the pocket of the preformed web after the web is formed;
- feeding the web of side connected pouches along a path of travel to and through an inflation station;
- sequentially inflating the pouches, wherein inflating the pouches causes edges of the gap forming area to spread apart and form a gap between a portion of the pouch being inflated and a portion of an adjacent pouch;
- passing each inflated pouch to and through a sealing station that forms an inflation seal across the pouch defining seals to convert each inflated pouch into a dunnage unit; and
- cutting the preformed pocket of the web open with a knife after the guide pin is inserted into the pocket.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gap forming area comprises an elongated cut.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the gap forming area comprises weak connections.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the gap forming area comprises a line of perforations that is weaker than the inflation side line of perforations and the opposite side line of perforations.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising engaging a dunnage unit between the inflation side line of perforations and the opposite side line of perforations and pulling the dunnage unit relatively away from an adjacent dunnage unit to separate the adjacent dunnage units.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said gap forming area comprises weak connections and wherein said weak connections break upon inflation to cause said edges of said gap forming area to spread apart.
7. A method of forming dunnage units from a preformed web, the process comprising:
- providing the preformed web, wherein the preformed web includes a plurality of pouch defining seals between top and bottom layers that define a plurality of pouches, wherein the preformed web includes an inflation side line of perforations, a spaced apart opposite side line of perforations, and a gap forming area between the inflation side line of perforations and the opposite side line of perforations, wherein the inflation side line of perforations, the opposite side line of perforations, and the gap forming area extend in a direction that is transverse to the inflation edge of the web, the inflation side line of perforations extends between said inflation edge of said preformed web and said gap forming area, the opposite side line of perforations extends between an opposite edge of said preformed web and said gap forming area;
- inflating the pouches defined by the preformed web to an inflated volume that causes edges of the gap forming area to spread apart between the preformed inflation side line of perforations and the preformed spaced apart opposite side line of perforations;
- forming an inflation seal across the preformed pouch defining seals to convert the inflated pouches to dunnage units.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said gap forming area comprises weak connections and wherein said weak connections break upon inflation to cause said edges of said gap forming area to spread apart.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the gap forming area comprises an elongated cut.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein the gap forming area comprises weak connections.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein the gap forming area comprises a line of perforations that is weaker than the inflation side line of perforations and the opposite side line of perforations.
12. The method of claim 7 further comprising engaging a leading dunnage unit between the inflation edge line of perforations and the opposite edge line of perforations and pulling the leading dunnage unit relatively away from an adjacent trailing dunnage unit to separate the leading dunnage unit from the trailing dunnage unit.
13. The process of claim 12 wherein the step of engaging a dunnage unit between the inflation side line of perforations and the opposite side line of perforations and pulling the dunnage unit relatively away from an adjacent dunnage unit to separate the adjacent dunnage units is performed by engaging a leading dunnage unit between the inflation side line of perforations and the opposite side line of perforations and pulling the leading dunnage unit relatively away from the adjacent trailing unit to separate the leading dunnage unit from the trailing dunnage unit.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 18, 2010
Publication Date: Nov 11, 2010
Applicant: Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. (Streetsboro, OH)
Inventor: Rick Steven Wehrmann (Stow, OH)
Application Number: 12/818,318
International Classification: B65B 31/00 (20060101);