Inflatable box and method of use thereof

Abstract

An inflatable box or tube container and method of use are disclosed. The inflatable container may be designed in any shape or size and be made up of any rigid material. The box is uniquely designed to allow for a simple one-step process using a box with an integrated inflating tube and bottom liner to expand internally by inflation with a gaseous fluid, thereby three-dimensionally cushioning an article to be shipped. This completely protects the article and removes the need for peanuts, paper or other fillers in boxes used for shipping goods once the box is closed. The box may further include a bleed valve that releases the gaseous fluid if the inflating tube and/or bottom liner are over-inflated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shipping package, comprising:
 a box or tube container;
 wherein the tube container further comprises:
 a bottom wall having an interior face, an exterior face, and a circular edge; 
 a side tubular wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, and a top edge, wherein the bottom edge of the side tubular wall is attached to the circular edge of the bottom wall; 
 a top wall having an interior face, an exterior face, and a circular edge, wherein the top wall is attached to the side tubular wall at at least one point on the top edge; 
 
 wherein the box further comprises:
 a bottom wall having an interior face, an exterior face, at least a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge; 
 a first side wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the bottom edge is in physical communication with the first edge of the bottom wall when assembled; 
 a second side wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, a top edge, a third side edge and a fourth side edge, wherein the bottom edge is in physical communication with the second edge of the bottom wall and the third side edge is in physical communication with the first side edge of the first side wall when assembled l; 
 a third side wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, a top edge, a fifth side edge and a sixth side edge, wherein the bottom edge is in physical communication with the third edge of the bottom wall and the fifth side edge is in physical communication with the fourth side edge of the second side wall when assembled; 
 a fourth side wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, a top edge, a seventh side edge and a eighth side edge, wherein the bottom edge is in physical communication with the fourth edge of the bottom wall, the seventh side edge is in physical communication with the sixth edge of the third side wall and the eighth side edge is in physical communication with the second side edge of the first side wall when assembled; 
 at least one top wall panel having an interior face and an exterior face, wherein the at least one top wall panel is in physical communication with the top edge of at least one of the first side wall, second side wall, third side wall, or fourth side wall; 
 
   at least one fluid bladder disposed on the interior of the box or tube container,
 where for the box, the at least one fluid bladder is disposed on the interior face of the bottom wall, first side wall, second side wall, third side wall, fourth side wall, and at least one top wall panel of the box; 
 where for the tube container, the at least one fluid bladder is disposed on the interior face of the bottom wall, the side tubular wall, and the top wall; and 
   a fluid inflation valve in fluid communication with an interior lumen of the fluid inflation bladder, wherein the fluid inflation valve is disposed on the fluid bladder, on the interior face of a side wall, on the interior face of a top wall panel, on the exterior face of a side wall, on the exterior face of a top wall panel, in a side wall, or in a top wall.   
     
     
         2 . The shipping package of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid inflation valve comprises a rubber gasket valve or plastic duckbill valve;
 wherein the rubber gasket valve further comprises a rubber sealing member and a septum disposed in the rubber sealing member; and   wherein the plastic duckbill valve further comprises:
 a first plastic sheet having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and a mounting edge; 
 a second plastic sheet having a third longitudinal edge, a fourth longitudinal edge, and a mounting edge; 
 wherein the first longitudinal edge is fixed along its length or substantially along its length to the third longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge is fixed along its length or substantially along its length to the fourth longitudinal edge to form an valve lumen; 
 wherein the plastic duckbill valve is attached using its mounting edge. 
   
     
     
         3 . The shipping package of  claim 2 , wherein mounting tabs are disposed on the mounting edge of the first plastic sheet and the second plastic sheet of the plastic duckbill valve. 
     
     
         4 . The shipping package of  claim 2 , further comprising an inflation tube disposed adjacent to the mounting edge of the first plastic sheet and the second plastic sheet and in fluid communication with the valve lumen. 
     
     
         5 . The shipping package of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid bladder further comprises:
 a first fluid bladder having a plurality of edges and at least one fluid channel disposed on at least one of the plurality of edges;   a second fluid bladder having a plurality of edges and at least one fluid channel disposed on at least one of the plurality of edges, wherein the at least one fluid channel on the second fluid bladder is in fluid communication with the at least one fluid channel on the first fluid bladder.   
     
     
         6 . The shipping package of  claim 1 , further comprising a bleed valve disposed on the fluid bladder and in fluid communication with the interior of the fluid bladder. 
     
     
         7 . The shipping package of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one overlapping top wall panel disposed on the top edge of at least one side wall. 
     
     
         8 . The shipping package of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid bladder is disposed on the interior face of the least one overlapping top wall panel. 
     
     
         9 . The shipping package of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid bladder is formed of rubber, plastic, graphene, mylar, or suitable material. 
     
     
         10 . The shipping package of  claim 1 , wherein the box or tube container is formed of cardboard, paper, plastic, graphene, wood, corrugated paper, or suitable material. 
     
     
         11 . A method for cushioning a package for an item being shipped, comprising the steps of:
 providing a box or tubular container,
 wherein the tube container further comprises:
 a bottom wall having an interior face, an exterior face, and a circular edge; 
 a side tubular wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, and a top edge, wherein the bottom edge of the side tubular wall is attached to the circular edge of the bottom wall; 
 a top wall having an interior face, an exterior face, and a circular edge, wherein the top wall is attached to the side tubular wall at at least one point on the top edge; 
 
 wherein the box further comprises:
 a bottom wall having an interior face, an exterior face, at least a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge; 
 a first side wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the bottom edge is in physical communication with the first edge of the bottom wall when assembled; 
 a second side wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, a top edge, a third side edge and a fourth side edge, wherein the bottom edge is in physical communication with the second edge of the bottom wall and the third side edge is in physical communication with the first side edge of the first side wall when assembled l; 
 a third side wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, a top edge, a fifth side edge and a sixth side edge, wherein the bottom edge is in physical communication with the third edge of the bottom wall and the fifth side edge is in physical communication with the fourth side edge of the second side wall when assembled; 
 a fourth side wall having an interior face, an exterior face, a bottom edge, a top edge, a seventh side edge and a eighth side edge, wherein the bottom edge is in physical communication with the fourth edge of the bottom wall, the seventh side edge is in physical communication with the sixth edge of the third side wall and the eighth side edge is in physical communication with the second side edge of the first side wall when assembled; 
 at least one top wall panel having an interior face and an exterior face, wherein the at least one top wall panel is in physical communication with the top edge of at least one of the first side wall, second side wall, third side wall, or fourth side wall; 
 
 at least one fluid bladder disposed on the interior of the box or tube container,
 where for the box, the at least one fluid bladder is disposed on the interior face of the bottom wall, first side wall, second side wall, third side wall, fourth side wall, and at least one top wall panel of the box; 
 where for the tube container, the at least one fluid bladder is disposed on the interior face of the bottom wall, the side tubular wall, and the top wall; 
 
 a fluid inflation valve in fluid communication with an interior lumen of the fluid inflation bladder, wherein the fluid inflation valve is disposed on the fluid bladder, on the interior face of a side wall, on the interior face of a top wall panel, on the exterior face of a side wall, on the exterior face of a top wall panel, in a side wall, or in a top wall; 
   introducing an item into the box or tube container;   closing the box or tube container;   attaching the fluid inflation valve to a source of fluid under pressure; and   flowing fluid into the at least one fluid bladder, such that the fluid inflates the at least one fluid bladder around the item.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid under pressure is a gaseous fluid. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising removing the source of fluid under pressure. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the deflating the at least one fluid bladder prior to removal of the item from the box or tube container. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid inflation valve comprises a rubber gasket valve or plastic duckbill valve;
 wherein the rubber gasket valve further comprises a rubber sealing member and a septum disposed in the rubber sealing member; and   wherein the plastic duckbill valve further comprises:
 a first plastic sheet having a first longitudinal edge, a second longitudinal edge, and a mounting edge; 
 a second plastic sheet having a third longitudinal edge, a fourth longitudinal edge, and a mounting edge; 
 wherein the first longitudinal edge is fixed along its length or substantially along its length to the third longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge is fixed along its length or substantially along its length to the fourth longitudinal edge to form an valve lumen; 
 wherein the plastic duckbill valve is attached using its mounting edge. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein mounting tabs are disposed on the mounting edge of the first plastic sheet and the second plastic sheet of the plastic duckbill valve. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising an inflation tube disposed adjacent to the mounting edge of the first plastic sheet and the second plastic sheet and in fluid communication with the valve lumen. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one fluid bladder further comprises:
 a first fluid bladder having a plurality of edges and at least one fluid channel disposed on at least one of the plurality of edges;   a second fluid bladder having a plurality of edges and at least one fluid channel disposed on at least one of the plurality of edges, wherein the at least one fluid channel on the second fluid bladder is in fluid communication with the at least one fluid channel on the first fluid bladder.   
       The method of  claim 11 , wherein the box or tube container further comprises a bleed valve disposed on the fluid bladder and in fluid communication with the interior of the fluid bladder.