Packaging pillow and a packaging pillow system and method for rapidly deflating the same

Abstract

There is provided a packaging pillow as commonly inflated with air and used to cushion articles in shipping packages. The packaging pillow contains a rip cord which is attached to the surface of the packaging pillow and can be removed to creature an aperture in the pillow and thus enable the pillow to be rapidly deflated. The packaging pillow can be one of a series of packaging pillows, i.e., a system, produced in a continuous length which can be separated from the length in desired portions, and then used in packaging. Such a system of packaging pillows can be deflated using the rip cord by pulling on the rip cord across the length of the plurality of pillows in order to quickly deflate a series of pillows without undue effort. Upon their deflation the apertured pillows can be discarded such that they do not occupy an undesirable amount of refuse space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging pillow comprising:
 at least two film layers which are attached to each other by sealed film edges such that an air-tight sealed pocket is formed therebetween;   a longitudinal rip cord adhered along a surface of one of the film layers which rip cord is configured to form a permanent longitudinal aperture in the surface of the film layer upon removal therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two film layers contain two film layers, which film layers comprise a film material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, high-density, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and acrylic. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed film edges are heat sealed and/or sealed with adhesive. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging pillow is in the shape of a square or rectangle. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed film edges are from about 0.25 inches to about 2 inches in width around the sides of the sealed film pocket. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed film pocket contains a gas selected from the group consisting of air, argon, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal rip cord has a length of from about 1 inch up to about 12 inches, 
     
     
         8 . The packaging pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal rip cord has perforations along its width. 
     
     
         9 . The packaging pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal rip cord is in the form of an adhesive tape. 
     
     
         10 . The packaging pillow of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture has the same length and width as that of the rip cord employed. 
     
     
         11 . A method of rapidly deflating a packaging pillow comprising:
 providing a packaging pillow which comprises:
 at least two film layers which are attached to each other by sealed film edges such that an air-tight sealed pocket is formed therebetween; and, 
 a longitudinal rip cord adhered along a surface of one of the film layers which rip cord is configured to form a permanent longitudinal aperture in the surface of the film layer upon removal therefrom; and, 
   pulling the longitudinal rip cord to form the permanent longitudinal aperture in the surface of the film layer.   
     
     
         12 . A packaging pillow system comprising:
 a plurality of connected packaging pillows each packaging pillow comprising at least two film layers which are attached to each other by sealed film edges such that an air-tight sealed pocket is formed therebetween, and wherein the plurality of packaging pillows are each connected by a contiguous area of the sealed film edges, which contiguous area contains a weakened area therein, and   a longitudinal rip cord adhered along a surface of one of the film layers of each of the packaging pillows and which rip cord is configured to form a permanent longitudinal aperture in the surface of the film layer of each of the packaging pillows upon removal of the rip cord therefrom.   
     
     
         13 . The packaging pillow system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of connected packaging pillows comprise a linear series of packaging pillows of rectangular shape which are each bonded to each other, along their length. 
     
     
         14 . The packaging pillow system of  claim 12 , wherein the weakened area comprises a seam or perforations. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging pillow system of  claim 12 , wherein the weakened area has printed markings on the film. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging pillow system of  claim 12 , wherein the weakened area is created by way of a laser. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging pillow system of  claim 12 , wherein the weakened area is created by mechanical weakening. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging pillow system of  claim 12 , wherein the weakened area is created by directional polymerization.