Inflatable structures, or aeromorphs, are provided with reinforcing member shape controlling features. The inflatable structure includes a bladder formed of a programmable substrate and defining an outer perimeter. The bladder includes a plurality of seams and a plurality of foldable segments defined by the plurality of seams. At least one hinge is provided, located adjacent each foldable segment. The hinge is configured to permit a folding movement of the respective foldable segment. At least one reinforcing member is provided, secured to the bladder and configured to guide a directional movement of at least one of the plurality of foldable segments, control a shape of the inflatable structure, and determine a sequence of folding. In various aspects, the reinforcing member includes a thermoplastic polyurethane, and is secured to a surface of the bladder with additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3-D printing.

A protective packaging formation device is disclosed herein. The protective packaging formation device can include an inflation assembly having a fluid conduit that directs fluid between first and second overlapping plies of a web material and a sealing mechanism. The sealing mechanism can include a heating zone of the sealing mechanism operable to heat the plies to create a longitudinal heat seal that seals the first and second plies together as the web is driven over the heating zone in a downstream direction. The sealing mechanism can also include a pinch zone that overlaps longitudinally with the heating zone. The pinch zone defined by an isolation element that applies a first pressure to the web material along a first region. The pinch zone is also defined by a support structure and a compression element that applies a second pressure to the web material there-between along a second region transverse to the first region.

The present invention relates to an air bag machine. The operational steps of the machine mainly includes: first, placing bag film on a main body, and extending one end of the bag film to pass through a sealing device and material pulling module in sequence. Subsequently, the bag film is pulled to the rear end by the material pulling module when air filling is carried out to the bag film, and at the same time, the bag film is cut to form a hole entrance by a cutting element so as to facilitate filling air into the bag film Thereafter, the sealing device is used to seal the hole entrance to complete the sealing of the finished bag film.

An exemplary air cushion inflation machine includes: a first terminal connected to a direct current input; a second terminal; a reference resistor powered by the direct current input; an op-amp; and a transistor. The first terminal of the op-amp is connected to a variable voltage source and the second terminal of the op-amp is connected to the reference resistor. The transistor has a base connected to an output of the op-amp, an emitter connected to the reference resistor, and a collector connected to a first terminal of a sealing band apparatus having first and second terminals. A meltable material placed between the first and second terminals is melted by resistance of current flowing between the first and second terminals. The variable voltage source changes voltage based on a voltage drop measured across the first and second terminals by a voltage measurement device and the constant current.

A machine for providing cushioning products of varying lengths from a supply of a web material having sequential transverse rows of inflated protrusions. A pair of opposing feed members form a feed nip for moving the web along a path of travel. At least one sensor detects location information for the sequential rows of inflated protrusions as the web travels along the path of travel. A severing device is moveable between (i) an engaged position to separate the web transversely or perforate the web transversely and (ii) a disengaged position. A controller is programmed (i) to receive the location information and (ii) to operatively control the severing device to move it to the engaged position when a selected row is in a determined position relative the severing device.

An inflating stick and a processing machine are provided. The inflating stick includes a body, a link rod, a cutter, and one or more inflating tubes. A front end of the body includes a guiding segment with a cone structure. A rear end of the body includes a packing segment. The body includes a gas inlet formed on the packing segment, an internal chamber allowing gas to flow into through the gas inlet, and gas outlets formed on an outer wall of the body allowing gas to flow out. The packing segment includes a first locking structure and a second locking structure. The first locking structure and the second locking structure communicate with the gas inlet. The second locking structure is detachably fastened to the first locking structure. The link rod and the cutter are disposed in rear of the body. The inflating tube is connected to the gas inlet.

A sealing device generally includes a rotatable support cylinder having an outer, circumferential surface and a heating element disposed about such surface and secured thereto such that the heating element rotates therewith. The heating element is coiled about the outer surface of the cylinder in the form of an overlapping helical pattern. Juxtaposed film plies may be sealed together by bringing the sealing device into rotational contact with the juxtaposed film plies and heating the heating element to a temperature sufficient to cause the film plies to seal together.

A method for making an insulating dunnage product (10) includes the steps of (a) permanently deforming at least one non-planar interior layer (12) that includes a paper sheet to form a plurality of air pockets (14), (b) surrounding the at least one interior layer (12) on all four sides and over the top and bottom sides of the at least one interior layer (12) with at least one outer layer (16) of sheet material and (c) peripherally sealing the at least one outer layer (16) to capture the at least one interior layer (12) therein such that the interior layer (12) has major portions that are free to shift relative to adjacent portions of the at least one outer layer (16).

A flexible structure inflation and sealing assembly that can comprise a driver configured for engaging the flexible structure to drive the structure in a downstream direction longitudinally along a material path and a nozzle configured for reception in an inflation channel that extends through the flexible structure. At least a portion of the nozzle is flexible and is operable to adjust to the direction and angle that the flexible structure approaches from. The flexible portion may align with a tip of the nozzle in one axis and the opposite end of the nozzle in a second axis thereby allowing for misalignment of the flexible structure as it engages the nozzle and is directed to a pinch area.

A device for manufacturing gas filled cushions from preconfigured film material. The device comprises a housing, a film roll holder for supporting a roll of preconfigured film material in a rotatable manner, a gas supply unit, a sealing unit, and conveying means for conducting the film material away from the roll and for conducting said film material along the gas supply unit and the sealing unit in a conducting direction. The device is mountable to a stillage in multiple positions.