A composite includes a heavy Leno weave fabric, a first resin coating, and a second resin coating. The heavy Leno weave fabric has a first side and a second side. The fabric is characterized by yarns having a denier number of at least about 1,300 in both warp and weft directions. The fabric defines a pore structure. The first resin coating is on the first side of the heavy Leno weave fabric. The second resin coating is on the second side of the heavy Leno weave fabric. The first and second resin coatings are bound to each other through the fabric via the pore structure.

The present disclosure is directed to a web inflation and sealing apparatus. The device may include a support member for holding a supply of web material and sealing apparatus may include an inflation and a sealing assembly operable to inflate the web material with a fluid by directing the fluid between superimposed plies of the web material and to seal the plies together to seal the fluid therein. The apparatus may include a guide member positioned between the support member and the inflation and sealing assembly such that when the web material is routed from the supply toward the inflation and sealing assembly via the guide member the web material follows a curved longitudinal path. The guide member may define a web-supporting surface extending transversely to the longitudinal path with an elevated profile portion defining at least a portion of the web-supporting surface.

Inflatable membranes may include a pattern layer, a fluorescent layer, and a window, the pattern layer comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, the pattern layer comprising a pattern on the inner surface of the pattern layer, and at least a portion of the pattern layer formed by a transferrable material transferred from a casting plate to the inner surface. The fluorescent layer may include an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the fluorescent layer abutting the outer surface of the pattern layer and comprising a fluorescent material which, upon receiving of light, causes the fluorescent material to emit fluorescent light and causing the pattern to be detectable by a detector. The window may include a transparent material that spans an aperture formed in a distal end of the inflatable membrane.

A welding process of an inflatable product is provided that includes using isolating members between first and second portions of weldable tensioning members to resist the first and second portions of the weldable tensioning structures being welded together during welding of the first portions to a first sheet of weldable material and welding of the second portions to a second sheet of weldable material.

A method includes applying a transferrable material to an outer surface of a casting plate to form a pattern on the outer surface of the casting plate. After applying of the transferrable material, a composite material is applied to the outer surface of the casting plate to form an inflatable membrane. The composite material covers at least a portion of the pattern and includes a florescent material and a pigment material. The inflatable membrane is cured to allow removal of the inflatable membrane from the casting plate. The inflatable membrane has an inner surface having the pattern detectable upon receiving of light causing the fluorescing material to emit florescent light.

A welding process of an inflatable product is provided that includes using isolating members between first and second portions of weldable tensioning members to resist the first and second portions of the weldable tensioning structures being welded together during welding of the first portions to a first sheet of weldable material and welding of the second portions to a second sheet of weldable material.

A fabric and elastomeric material (referred to as a fabric trilayer) combined with a sealant may be applied in such a fashion so as to eliminate or minimize air entrapment in an elastomeric composite structure that forms a seal-sealing volume. The performance of the self-sealing volume is dramatically improved with this minimizing of air entrapment. Surprisingly and unexpectedly, this construction approach may be accomplished without significantly adding to the weight or thickness of the volume and without affecting the outer dimension of the self-sealing volume. Thus, a method and system for forming a self-sealing volume are described. The system includes an elastomeric composite structure comprising at least one layer of an elastomeric material derived from a neat (no solvent) elastomeric material that does not substantially react at room temperature.

A mould comprises a mould body (1) for forming therearound a body (60) with a body cavity which is accessible via an opening. The mould body is assembled from a set of mutually cohesive body parts (30,40). The body parts (30,40) are mutually releasable and removable from the body via the opening. An inflatable body (60) can be manufactured with the mould. The inflatable body (60) comprises a wall of elastomer material, which wall at least in an inflated state of the body bounds a body cavity accessible through a wall opening. The body is inflatable by filling the body cavity with a fluid.

Several aspects of this disclosure relate to a reusable kit and it method of use for repairing a leak in a gas-filled inflatable object. In one form, the kit may include: a hollow housing with a leading end region and a trailing end region; a plunger with a front end region and a back end region, the front end region having a tubular nose, the front end region being adapted to be received in the leading end region of the hollow housing; a plug having a head portion and a shaft portion extending therefrom, the shaft portion of the plug being adapted to be mounted at least partially in a tubular nose of the front end region of the plunger; a sealing ring that surrounds the plunger proximate the front end region thereof, the sealing ring serving to interface with an inner wall of the hollow housing; and an adhesive provided below an underside of the head portion of the plug.

The present disclosure is directed to a web control guide for an inflation and sealing assembly of a protective packaging formation device for inflating a web material into a chain of inflated cushions. The web control guide is positioned along a material path at a transverse spacing from a first compression element and constrains a first thickness of the material path measured normal to the longitudinal and transverse directions of the material path. The transverse spacing and constrained thickness dimension are sufficiently small to prevent transverse movement of the flexible material towards the first compression element to avoid excessive heating of the web material outside a sealing zone.