Apparatus for inflating and sealing air-filled packing cushions
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B32B-037/04
B65H-031/00
출원번호
US-0303092
(2005-12-16)
등록번호
US-RE40288
(2008-05-06)
발명자
/ 주소
Perkins,Andrew
Reyes,Oliver M.
Borchard,Philipp
De Luca,Nicholas P.
출원인 / 주소
Free Flow Packaging International, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
58
초록▼
A machine which inflates and seals pillows in packaging is compact in overall size, can be conveniently operated to produce varied lengths of strips of inflated pillow-type packaging as needed, can begin production of inflated pillow-type strip packaging immediately after being held out of a product
A machine which inflates and seals pillows in packaging is compact in overall size, can be conveniently operated to produce varied lengths of strips of inflated pillow-type packaging as needed, can begin production of inflated pillow-type strip packaging immediately after being held out of a production cycle for some period of time, and applies a heated sealing element directly to and in sliding contact with a web of film to securely seal the inlet port of an inflated pillow while the pillow is under pressure and as the web of film is continuously and uninterruptedly advanced through the machine.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A machine for making air-filled packing cushions from a web of preconfigured film material having inflatable chambers which communicate with a longitudinally extending inflation channel through laterally extending inlet ports, comprising: first and second pairs of nip rollers
What is claimed is: 1. A machine for making air-filled packing cushions from a web of preconfigured film material having inflatable chambers which communicate with a longitudinally extending inflation channel through laterally extending inlet ports, comprising: first and second pairs of nip rollers for gripping a web of the preconfigured film material and advancing the material through the machine, an inflation station positioned between the pairs of nip rollers for inflating the chambers in the film material, and a sealing roller and a heated sealing element biased toward each other near the inflation station with one side of the film material wrapped about and in rolling contact with the peripheral surface of the sealing roller and the other side of the film material in direct sliding contact with the heated sealing element for sealing the material across the inlet ports to seal the inflated chambers. 2. The machine of claim 1 wherein the sealing roller is positioned with respect to the first and second pairs of nip rollers so as to cause the film material to wrap around a part of the peripheral surface of the sealing roller both in a circumferential direction and also in a lateral direction to create a dead zone in the area where an inlet port is being sealed. 3. The machine of claim 1 wherein the sealing roller and the heated sealing element are biased toward each other with a preselected force, together with means for adjusting the amount of the preselected force. 4. The machine of claim 1 wherein the sealing roller is mounted for rotation at a fixed location in the machine, and the heated sealing element is movable toward and away from the sealing roller. 5. The machine of claim 1 wherein the heated sealing element is mounted at a fixed location in the machine, and the sealing roller is movable toward and away from the heated sealing element. 6. The machine of claim 1 wherein the axes of rotation of at least the second pair of nip rollers are canted at a slight angle with respect to the axis of rotation of the sealing roller. 7. The machine of claim 1 wherein the second pair of nip rollers is adapted to rotate slightly faster than the first pair of nip rollers so as to maintain tension in the web of film material between the two pairs of nip rollers. 8. The machine of claim 1 wherein the heated sealing element has a dimensions in the direction the film material, advances corresponding to the width of one of the inlet ports in the film material. 9. The machine of claim 1 wherein the inflation station includes an inflation tube which is inserted into the inflation channel in the film material so that air under pressure can be introduced into the inflation channel, the inflation tube includes a generally spherical outlet end having a diameter which is substantially the same diameter as the inflation channel, and the outlet end of the inflation tube has an outer coating which facilitates sliding movement of the inflation tube within the inflation channel. 10. The machine of claim 1 wherein the heated sealing element comprises a Nichrome wire covered with a fabric and a PTFE coating on the side of the fabric which is engaged in sliding contact with the film material. 11. The machine of claim 1 wherein the heating element includes a Nichrome wire mounted in a ceramic material which provides insulation against the spread of heat away from the Nichrome wire. 12. The machine of claim 1 including a cartridge unit which contains the heated sealing element and which is constructed so as to be removed and replaced as a unit without the need to replace any individual components of the cartridge unit, the cartridge unit comprising a sub-frame, a guide block with an opening in one end for the heated sealing element, at least one Nichrome wire mounted the opening in the guide block, a strip of fabric having a PTFE coating wound on storage and take-up reels which are rotatively mounted on the sub-frame, and a drive for rotating the take-up reel to feed the fabric across the end of the guide block with the fabric covering the Nichrome wire, the PTFE coating in sliding engagement with one surface of the film material, and the sealing roller holding the film material against the fabric and the underlying,Nichrome wire as the film material advances through the machine. 13. A machine for inflating and sealing pillow patterns in a web of film while continuously and uninterruptedly advancing the web of film through the machine, comprising: a first film transport station for gripping and advancing a web of film in the machine, the web of film having uninflated pillow patterns and an uninflated inflation channel which are preformed in the web of film before the web of film is gripped at the first film transport station, the uninflated pillow patterns comprising multiple, spaced-apart, pillow patterns aligned along one side of the inflation channel which extends longitudinally and continuously along the entire length of the web of film, each uninflated pillow pattern having a narrow width inlet port extending generally transversely to the longitudinally extending inflation channel and connecting the uninflated pillow pattern to the uninflated inflation channel so that when pressurized air is introduced into the inflation channel the pressurized air can be transmitted through the inlet port to inflate the pillow pattern, a series of longitudinally spaced outlet ports on the side of the inflation channel opposite the side having the inlet ports for maintaining calibration of the pressure within the inflation channel and for preventing excessive pressure buildup in the inflation channel and in the inflated pillows, an inflating station for inflating pillows in the web of film, a sealing station having a sealing roller and a heated sealing element biased toward each other with a pre-selected force for sealing inflated pillows by sealing the inlet ports, a slitting station for slitting the inflation channel to permit removal of a strip of inflated, sealed pillows from the machine, a sensor positioned to monitor air flow out of the outlet ports for counting the number of inflated pillows produced and maintaining accurate positioning of the web of film within the machine, and a second film transport station for gripping and advancing the web of film, with a longitudinally extending portion of the web of film which contains the inlet ports being interposed between and pressed between the heated sealing element and the sealing roller with one film surface engaged directly and in sliding contact with the heated sealing element and the other film surface wrapped in rolling contact around a part of the peripheral surface of the sealing roller as the web of film is continuously and uninterruptedly advanced through the sealing station, and the seal being formed complete and secure at the time the web of film moves out of rolling contact with the sealing roller without the need for additional pressing together of the web of film after the sealing station and without the need for additional cooling of the seal across the inlet port. 14. A machine for inflating and sealing packing cushions in a web of preformed film material having a longitudinally extending inflation channel, a plurality of inflatable chambers communicating with the inflation channel through laterally extending inlet ports, and longitudinally spaced outlet ports which also communicate with the inflation channel, comprising: first and second film transport stations each having a pair of nip rollers for gripping the web of preformed film material and advancing it through the machine, an inflation station for inflating the chambers through the inflation channel, a sealing station having a sealing roller and a heated sealing element biased toward each other with a preselected force for sealing the inlet ports to close the inflated chambers, and a slitting station for slitting the film material along the inflation channel to permit removal of a strip of inflated, sealed cushions from the machine, with one surface of the film material in direct sliding contact with the heated sealing element and the other surface of the film material wrapped in rolling contact around a part of the peripheral surface of the sealing roller as the web of film material advances through the sealing station, and the longitudinally spaced outlet ports providing an outlet for pressure in the inflation channel while the film material is being wrapped around the peripheral surface of the sealing roller. 15. A machine for making air-filled packing cushions from a preconfigured film material having inflatable chambers which communicate with a longitudinally extending inflation channel through laterally extending ports, comprising: means for advancing the preconfigured film material through the machine, means for inflating the chambers through the inflation channel, a cartridge containing a heated sealing element which cooperates with the sealing roller in engaging opposite surfaces of the film material to seal the inlet ports closed after the chambers are inflated, the cartridge being removably mounted and being adapted to be removed and replaced as a unit without having to replace any individual components of the cartridge. 16. The machine of claim 15 wherein the cartridge has a sub-frame, a guide block with an opening in one end for the heated sealing element, at least one Nichrome wire mounted in the opening in the guide block, a strip of fabric having a PTFE coating wound on storage and take-up reels which are rotatively mounted on the sub-frame, and a drive for rotating the take-up reel to feed the fabric across the end of the guide block with the fabric covering the Nichrome wire, the PTFE coating in sliding engagement with one surface of the film material, and the sealing roller holding the film material against the fabric and the underlying Nichrome wire as the film material advances through the machine. 17. A machine for making air-filled packing cushions from a web of preconfigured film material having a longitudinally extending inflation channel and a plurality of inflatable chambers which communicate with the inflation channel through laterally extending inlet ports, comprising: means for advancing the web of preconfigured film material through the machine, means for introducing air into the inflatable chambers through the inflation channel, and a sealing roller and a heated sealing element biased toward each other with one side of the film material wrapped about and in rolling contact with the peripheral surface of the sealing roller and the other side of the material in direct sliding contact with the heated sealing element for sealing the material across the inlet ports to seal the inflated chambers. 18. A machine for making air-filled packing cushions from a web of preconfigured film material having a longitudinally extending inflation channel, a plurality of inflatable chambers communicating with the inflation channel through laterally extending inlet ports, and longitudinally spaced outlet ports which also communicate with the inflation channel, comprising: means for advancing a web of the preconfigured film material through the machine, means for introducing air into the chambers through the inflation channel to inflate the chambers, means for sealing the inlet ports closed to retain the air in the inflated chambers, and a sensor for monitoring air flow out of the outlet ports as the material advances through the machine. 19. A machine for inflating and sealing a preconfigured film material having inflatable chambers in communication with an inflation channel to make air-filled packing cushions, comprising: an upstanding support having a laterally facing side wall, a spindle extending from the side wall in cantilevered fashion for rotatively supporting a roll of the film material perpendicular to the wall, a feed mechanism on the same side of the wall as the spindle for drawing the film material from the roll and advancing it along a path beside the wall with the material generally perpendicular to the wall, an air injector extending through the side wall for insertion into the inflation channel to inflate the chambers as the material advances along the path, and a heating element outboard of the side wall for sealing the inflated chambers in the advancing material. 20. The machine of claim 19 wherein the air injector and the heating element are spaced vertically from the roll of film material. 21. The machine of claim 19 including a plurality of stationary guides which extend laterally from the side wall for directing the film material along the path. 22. The machine of claim 21 wherein one of the guides has a cylindrical surface about which the film material is trained as it advances between the roll and the air injector. 23. The machine of claim 19 including means for discharging the cushions from the machine in a downward direction after the chambers have been inflated and sealed.
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