Inflatable protective packaging with self-sealing fill channel

Abstract

Inflatable packaging with self-sealing fill channels having a first boundary layer, a second boundary layer, a first valve layer and a second valve layer are disclosed. The first and second valve layers are attached together to form a valve strip that has a plurality of valves and a lengthwise air channel in fluid communication with an entrance of each of the plurality of valves. Outermost, lengthwise edges of the first and second boundary layers are attached to each other and the valve strip is positioned between the first and second boundary layers with at least a portion of the lengthwise air channel not covered by the first and second boundary layers. A plurality of cross seams are formed in the first and second boundary layers and the portion of the valve strip positioned therebetween to define a plurality of inflatable cavities such as dunnage cavities or bubble cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inflatable dunnage packaging with self-sealing fill channels, comprising:
 a first boundary layer having an innermost edge and an opposing outermost edge;   a second boundary layer having an innermost edge and an opposing outermost edge, wherein the outermost edge of the second boundary layer is attached to the outermost edge of the first boundary layer;   a first valve layer; and   a second valve layer attached to the first valve layer to form a valve strip, the valve strip comprising:
 a plurality of valves; and 
 a lengthwise air channel in fluid communication with an entrance of each of the plurality of valves; 
   wherein the valve strip is positioned between the first and second boundary layers with at least a portion of the lengthwise air channel not covered by the first and second boundary layers;   wherein a plurality of cross seams formed in the first and second boundary layers and the portion of the valve strip positioned between the first and second boundary layers define a plurality of inflatable cavities.   
     
     
         2 . The inflatable dunnage packaging of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of patches of resistance ink on an inside surface of the first valve layer or the second valve layer positioned to define an entrance to each of the plurality of valves. 
     
     
         3 . The inflatable dunnage packaging of  claim 2 , further comprising a first lengthwise cavity seal in the first and second boundary layers and the portion of the valve strip positioned between the first and second boundary layers which is positioned to transect the patches of resistance ink. 
     
     
         4 . The inflatable dunnage packaging of  claim 3 , wherein the resistance ink is a high temperature resistance ink and the first lengthwise cavity seal is a heat seal. 
     
     
         5 . The inflatable dunnage packaging of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of valves has a tapered shape from the entrance to the exit. 
     
     
         6 . The inflatable dunnage packaging of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second valve layers are formed from a single piece of material folded into two layers. 
     
     
         7 . The inflatable dunnage packaging of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second boundary layers are formed from a single piece of material fold into two layers. 
     
     
         8 . An inflatable bubble packaging with self-sealing fill channels, comprising:
 a first boundary layer having an innermost edge and an opposing outermost edge;   a second boundary layer having an innermost edge and an opposing outermost edge, wherein the outermost edge of the second boundary layer is attached to the outermost edge of the first boundary layer;   a first valve layer; and   a second valve layer attached to the first valve layer to form a valve strip, the valve strip comprising:
 a plurality of valves; and 
 a lengthwise air channel in fluid communication with an entrance of each of the plurality of valves; 
   wherein the valve strip is positioned between the first and second boundary layers with at least a portion of the lengthwise air channel not covered by the first and second boundary layers;   wherein a plurality of cross seams formed in the first and second boundary layers and the portion of the valve strip positioned between the first and second boundary layers define a plurality of inflatable bubble cells in at least the first and second boundary layers.   
     
     
         9 . The inflatable bubble packaging of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of patches of resistance ink on an inside surface of the first valve layer or the second valve layer positioned to define an entrance to each of the plurality of valves. 
     
     
         10 . The inflatable bubble packaging of  claim 9 , further comprising a first lengthwise cavity seal in the first and second boundary layers and the portion of the valve strip positioned between the first and second boundary layers which is positioned to transect the patches of resistance ink. 
     
     
         11 . The inflatable bubble packaging of  claim 10 , wherein the resistance ink is a high temperature resistance ink and the first lengthwise cavity seal is a heat seal. 
     
     
         12 . The inflatable bubble packaging of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of valves has a tapered shape from the entrance to the exit. 
     
     
         13 . The inflatable bubble packaging of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second valve layers are formed from a single piece of material folded into two layers. 
     
     
         14 . The inflatable bubble packaging of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second boundary layers are formed from a single piece of material folded into two layers. 
     
     
         15 . The inflatable bubble packaging of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the plurality of bubble cells has a generally hexagonal shape. 
     
     
         16 . A method for assembling an inflatable protective packaging, the method comprising:
 providing a valve strip having a plurality of valves and having a lengthwise air channel in fluid communication with an entrance of each of the plurality of valves;   positioning a portion of the valve strip between a first boundary layer and a second boundary layer with at least a portion of the lengthwise air channel not covered by the first and second boundary layers   attaching the first and second boundary layers and the valve strip together with a first lengthwise cavity seal that transects the plurality of valves in the valve strip and at least a portion of a plurality of cross seams;   wherein the plurality of cross seams also attach a portion of the first and second boundary layers to one another and define a plurality of inflatable cavities.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming the valve strip by:
 applying a plurality of patches of resistance ink to an inside surface of at least one of the first valve layer or the second valve layer; and   attaching the first valve layer to the second valve layer with a plurality of valve seals wherein adjacent valve seals define one of the plurality of valves.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing the first and second boundary layers as separate sheets of material; and attaching the first and second boundary layers together with a second lengthwise cavity seal proximate an outermost, lengthwise edge of each of the first and second boundary layers. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing the first and second boundary layers as a single piece of material and folding the single piece of material to define an outermost, lengthwise edge of the inflatable protective packaging. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the inflatable cavities are dunnage cavities or bubble cells.