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 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . An integrated process for making an inflatable laminated article, comprising the steps of:
 (A) extruding a tubular film having an outside surface and an inside surface;   (B) cooling the tubular film to a temperature low enough that the inside surface of the tubular film is cool enough not to adhere to itself;   (C) placing the tubular film into a lay-flat configuration having a first lay-flat side and a second lay-flat side, so that a first inside lay-flat surface of the first lay-flat side of the tubular film is in contact with a second inside lay-flat surface of the second lay-flat side of the tubular film; and   (D) heat sealing selected portions of the first lay-flat side of the tubular film to the second lay-flat side of the tubular film, by bringing the first lay-flat side of the tubular film into contact with a heated raised surface roller, with the first lay-flat side of the tubular film contacting and passing in partial wrap around the heated raised surface roller, with the heated raised surface roller heating selected portions of the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film to a temperature above the fusion temperature while the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film remain in contact with one another, with the heat sealing being carried out to provide a pattern of sealed and unsealed areas with the unsealed areas providing inflatable chambers between the first lay-flat side of the tubular film and the second lay-flat side of the tubular film; and   (E) winding up or transporting the inflatable laminated article with the inflatable chambers uninflated.   
     
     
         20 . An integrated process for making an inflatable laminated article, comprising the steps of:
 (A) extruding a flat film having a first outer surface and a second outer surface;   (B) cooling the flat film so that the first outer surface is cool enough not to adhere to itself upon being doubled back against itself;   (C) folding the flat film to make a crease in a machine direction of the flat film, with a first flat leaf of the flat film being on a first side of the crease and a second flat leaf of the flat film being on a second side of the crease, the first flat leaf being flat against the second flat leaf so that the first outer surface is doubled back against itself;   (D) heat sealing selected portions of the first flat leaf to the second flat leaf, the heat sealing being carried out by bringing the first flat leaf of the flat film into contact with a heated raised surface roller to heat selected portions of the first and second flat leaves to a temperature above the fusion temperature, with the first flat leaf of the flat film contacting and passing together in partial wrap around the heated raised surface roller while the first and second flat leaves of the flat film remain in contact with one another, to provide a pattern of sealed and unsealed areas with the unsealed areas providing inflatable chambers between the first flat leaf and the second flat leaf; and   (E) winding up or transporting the inflatable laminated article with the inflatable chambers uninflated.   
     
     
         21 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the selected portions of the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film are heat sealed to one another using a combination of heat and pressure. 
     
     
         22 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the cooling step comprises contacting the tubular film with at least one cooling roller. 
     
     
         23 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the heated raised surface roller has a continuous raised surface therearound. 
     
     
         24 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film are heat sealed to one another to provide a repeating pattern consisting of sealed areas and unsealed areas. 
     
     
         25 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the heated raised surface roller has a release coating thereon. 
     
     
         26 . The process according to  claim 25 , wherein the release coating has a surface roughness of from 50 to 500 RMS. 
     
     
         27 . The process according to  claim 26 , wherein the release coating comprises a polyinfused coating. 
     
     
         28 . The process according to  claim 27 , wherein the polyinfused coating comprises polyinfused polytetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         29 . The process according to  claim 28 , wherein the release coating on the heated raised surface roller has a surface roughness of from 50 to 500 rms. 
     
     
         30 . The process according to  claim 19 , further comprising cooling the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film after heating the selected portions of the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film, the cooling being carried out by passing the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film together in a partial wrap around a cooling roller. 
     
     
         31 . The process according to  claim 30 , wherein the cooling roller has a release coating thereon. 
     
     
         32 . The process according to  claim 31 , wherein the release coating on the cooling roller has a Shore A hardness of from 40 to 100. 
     
     
         33 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film are forwarded at a speed of at least 120 feet per minute, and the heated raised surface roller has a release coating thereon and raised surface edges rounded off to a radius of from 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. 
     
     
         34 . The process according to  claim 33 , wherein the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film are forwarded at a speed of from 120 to 500 feet per minute, and the release coating on the cooling roller having a Shore A hardness of from 40 to 100. 
     
     
         35 . The process according to  claim 19 , wherein after cooling, the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film make a partial wrap around a roller which is upstream of the heated raised surface roller. 
     
     
         36 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein the roller which is upstream of the heated raised surface roller is in nip relation with the heated roller having the raised surface. 
     
     
         37 . The process according to  claim 19 , further comprising passing a contact roller in nip relationship with the heated raised surface roller, with the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film passing through the nip between the contact roller and the heated raised surface roller, with the contact roller applying pressure to the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film as the first and second lay-flat sides of the tubular film pass through the nip between the contact roller and the heated raised surface roller. 
     
     
         38 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein the contact roller has an elastic outer layer.