Packaging system

Abstract

Packaging for one or more bottles comprises one or more inflatable pouches, each for protecting a respective bottle. The pouches are formed from interconnected parallel tubes 3 of flexible polymeric material. A valve 4 allows inflation of the pouches. An outlet 5 allows deflation of the pouches, so that they can be reused. A set of series of pouches can be transported in a substantially parallelepiped bag.

1 . Packaging for one or more bottles, comprising one or more inflatable pouches, each for protecting a respective bottle, the one or more pouches being formed from interconnected parallel tubes of flexible polymeric material, and a valve allowing inflation of the tubes and the pouch, the pouch also capable of being deflated. 
     
     
         2 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , comprising a deflation opening, openable to allow deflation of the pouch. 
     
     
         3 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve that allows inflation of the pouch is also adapted to allow deflation thereof. 
     
     
         4 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , comprising a series of said pouches, with the tubes of adjacent pouches being interconnected and the series having a single valve for inflation and deflation of the series. 
     
     
         5 . Packaging according to  claim 4 , comprising a series of four or six of the pouches. 
     
     
         6 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubes extend in a generally mutual parallel orientation to form a substantially cylindrical wall of the or each pouch in an inflated condition thereof. 
     
     
         7 . Packaging according to  claim 6 , wherein the tubes also form a base of the or each pouch in the inflated condition. 
     
     
         8 . Packaging according to  claim 1 , wherein the or each pouch comprises a body portion intended to contain a body of a bottle, and an upper portion connected to the body portion along part of a perimeter of the body portion and arranged to be placed over a neck and a closure of the bottle. 
     
     
         9 . A combination of packaging according to  claim 1  and a bag for containing a plurality of the pouches, each inflated, and arranged in a rectangular array, each pouch housing a bottle, the bag comprising a rectangular bottom panel joined at edges thereof to four rectangular side panels, and a rectangular lid joined at one edge to an upper edge of one of the side panels, foldable with respect thereto and having means for attaching the lid to at least one of the other side panels.