Integrated process for making inflatable article

Abstract

An integrated process for making an inflatable laminated article comprises extruding a first film and a second film, followed by cooling the first film and the second film so that the films will not fuse to one another upon contact with each other. The films are then brought into contact with one another, and selected portions of one or both films are heated so that the films are heat sealed to one another in a selected area having a desired pattern. The unsealed area between the film provides inflatable chambers between the first film and the second film. An alternative process utilizes a film tubing in lay-flat configuration to produce a laminated inflatable article.

1 - 20  (canceled)  
     
     
         21 . An integrated process for making an inflatable laminated article, comprising the steps of: 
 (A) extruding a first flat film and a second flat film;    (B) cooling the first flat film and the second flat film so that the first and second flat films will not fuse to one another upon contact with each other;    (C) heating selected portions of the first flat film to a temperature above a fusion temperature, by passing the first flat film in a partial wrap around a heated roller having a raised surface;    (D) contacting the first flat film with the second flat film after the first flat film passes a point of initial contact with the heated roller, with the first flat film being between the heated roller and the second flat film, so that the first flat film and the second flat film are heat sealed to one another at a selected area to make the inflatable laminated article, with the selected area providing a heat seal pattern which provides inflatable chambers between the first flat film and the second flat film.    
     
     
         22 . The process according to  claim 21 , further comprising winding up or transporting the inflatable laminated article, with the inflatable chambers uninflated.  
     
     
         23 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein the first flat film is passed in a partial wrap around the heated roller having a raised surface, and the second flat film is passed in a partial wrap around a second roller which is in a nip relationship with the heated roller.  
     
     
         24 . The process according to  claim 23 , wherein the second roller is heated and has a raised surface which corresponds with the raised surface of the heated roller, and the raised surfaces of the heated roller and the second roller are operatively aligned and have a nip therebetween, with the first flat film and the second flat film passing through the nip to heat seal together the selected portions of the first and second films.  
     
     
         25 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein the selected portions of the first and second flat films are heat sealed to one another using a combination of heat and pressure.  
     
     
         26 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein the first and second flat films are extruded simultaneously from the same extruder.  
     
     
         27 . The process according to  claim 26 , wherein the first and second flat films are formed by extrusion through an annular die, with the resulting annular film being slit in the machine direction to separate the first and second flat films from one another.  
     
     
         28 . The process according to  claim 26 , wherein the first and second flat films are formed by extrusion from a slot die.  
     
     
         29 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein the cooling step comprises contacting at least one of the first and second flat films with at least one cooling roller.  
     
     
         30 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein the first and second flat films are extruded by separate extruders.  
     
     
         31 . The process according to  claim 30 , wherein the first flat film is formed by extruding polymer through a first slot die, and the second flat film is formed by extruding polymer through a second slot die.  
     
     
         32 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein the heated roller has a continuous raised surface therearound.  
     
     
         33 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein the first and second flat films are heat sealed to one another to provide a repeating pattern consisting of sealed areas and unsealed areas.  
     
     
         34 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein the heated roller having the raised surface has a release coating thereon.  
     
     
         35 . The process according to  claim 34 , wherein the release coating has a surface roughness of from 50 to 500 RMS.  
     
     
         36 . The process according to  claim 34 , wherein the release coating comprises a polyinfused coating.  
     
     
         37 . The process according to  claim 36 , wherein the polyinfused coating comprises polyinfused polytetrafluoroethylene.  
     
     
         38 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein the release coating on the heated roller has a surface roughness of from 50 to 500 rms.  
     
     
         39 . The process according to  claim 21 , further comprising cooling the first and second flat films after heating the selected portions of the flat films, the cooling being carried out by passing the first and second flat films together in a partial wrap around a cooling roller.  
     
     
         40 . The process according to  claim 39 , wherein the cooling roller has a release coating thereon.  
     
     
         41 . The process according to  claim 40 , wherein the release coating on the cooling roller has a Shore A hardness of from 40 to 100.  
     
     
         42 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein the first flat film and the second flat film are forwarded at a speed of at least 120 feet per minute, and the heated roller having the patterned raised surface has a release coating thereon and raised surface edges rounded off to a radius of from {fraction (1/256)} inch to ⅜ inch, and further comprising a cooling roller downstream of and in nip relationship with the heated roller, the cooling roller also having a release coating thereon.  
     
     
         43 . The process according to  claim 42 , wherein the first film and the second film are forwarded at a speed of from 120 to 500 feet per minute, with the patterned raised surface having a surface roughness of from 50 to 500 root mean square, and the release coating on the cooling roller having a Shore A hardness of from 40 to 100.  
     
     
         44 . The process according to  claim 21 , wherein after cooling, the first flat film and the second flat film make a partial wrap around a roller which is upstream of the heated roller having the raised surface.  
     
     
         45 . The process according to  claim 44 , wherein the roller which is upstream of the heated roller having the raised surface is in nip relation with the heated roller having the raised surface.