INFLATABLE PACKAGING

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/773,833 filed Feb. 16, 2006 entitled INFLATABLE PACKAGING.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns packaging and a method for packaging all kinds of objects with such packaging and a method for producing such packaging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Diverse types of packaging for all kinds of objects are known from the prior art, wherein the different packagings are matched to the corresponding requirements. Aside from simple cardboard packaging with polystyrene inserts, paper inlays and the like, so-called air-chamber mats are known in which a plurality of air chambers are arranged in a plastic film, such that, when such an air-chamber mat is used as packaging, the packaged object is protected against direct impact by the air chambers.

However, for use in packaging, such air-chamber mats must be wrapped around the objects to be packaged and then fastened with adhesive strips and the like. This involves considerable outlay on work and leads to thoroughly unattractive packaging. Moreover, these are hard to handle, such that they mostly have to be incorporated into additional packaging, such as a box and the like.

Additionally, pads that can be filled with air are known wherein air-chamber mats are arranged for example, for mailing in the form of an envelope. An example of such packaging is described in DE 88 11 162. The disadvantage here, however, is that only small, flat objects can be packaged which furthermore cannot withstand large compressive loads, because the packaged object then has to accommodate the compressive forces directly.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to remedy this situation and to provide a packaging which offers a safe, effective and simple packaging possibility, wherein the packaging shall be easy to make and handle. Furthermore, it shall accommodate functions beyond that of pure packaging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention starts with the knowledge that effective packaging in which air or gas chambers are used for the protection and damping of the object to be packaged can be achieved by forming one or more gas chambers with the packaging purpose in mind in order that a packaging space for accommodating the object to be packaged may be defined. Accordingly, in accordance with an aspect of the packaging of the invention, a flexible cover is at least partially provided, which partially limits or surrounds the gas chamber(s) at least on the packaging space side in order that it may be inflated accordingly by filling with a gaseous medium. The outer cover here may either be inherently rigid or also formed by a flexible cover, which derives its stability from filling with a gaseous medium combined with corresponding extension due to the pressure of the gaseous medium. The gas chamber(s) are designed such that the packaging can accommodate compressive forces, which are accommodatable via the outer cover or the gas chambers, without the packaging space totally losing its contour when empty. In other words, the contours and shapes of the gas chamber(s) and especially their mutual arrangement, ensures that conventional compressive loads are accommodated by the outer cover or the gas chambers, without the packaged object itself being exposed to the compressive load. The gas chamber(s) can therefore form(s) a self-supporting structure around the packaging space. For example, this proceeds by forming the gas chambers in the shape of walls for the packaging in the manner of a can or a box. Additional gas chambers may tightly envelop the packaged object at the packaging space side. Overall, therefore, the packaging space is formed as a dimensionally stable cavity.

The packaging space may be formed or shaped in various ways, with the packaging space assuming either a defined contour, especially a contour complementary to the object to be packaged, and accommodates this thus by means of positive locking and/or is deformable such that the flexible cover at the packaging space side makes contact with the object to be packaged and holds it by friction and/or by non-positive locking.

The packaging space may be cubic, quadratic, spherical, cylindrical, or slit-shaped.

The packaging of the invention may be multi-use or disposable packaging.

The packaging may completely envelop the object to be packaged or only surround parts of the object, like a ring, cylinder, or cup.

Complete envelopment of the object to be packaged with the packaging is preferred, however, with the opening for inserting the object to be packaged in the packaging space capable of being closed either by the surrounding gas chamber(s) or by an additional closure in the inflated state. The closures may comprise cover or flap elements with corresponding press buttons, zip fasteners, Velcro hook and loop type fasteners or other connecting means.

The packaging may be built up in two parts from an outer cover and a packaging space limitation, with the outer cover and the packaging space limitation capable of being formed either from the same material or different materials. Furthermore, the packaging may be composed of one or more parts. In a multipart construction, the individual parts can be connected positively, non-positively or by bonding (e.g., welding).

In one embodiment, the packaging is formed from plastic and the flexible cover is formed from a flexible plastic film. It is contemplated that the packaging can be made from a transparent plastic, such that the packaging may be used as sales packaging. This means that the packaged object need not be unpacked for the purpose of being sold in a shop, but rather, when transparent packaging is used, may be placed with the packaging on the sales shelf accordingly.

For objects to be cooled or heated, cooling and/or heating devices may be provided at the packaging that may be integrated into the packaging and/or attached to it. For this purpose, it can be advantageous to provide, in addition to the gas chambers, corresponding chambers for cooling and heating agents, into which the corresponding cooling and/or heating agents may be filled. At the same time, the gas chambers may also accommodate gases for cooling and/or heating.

By way of a heating device, it is conceivable, for example, that a heating wire be integrated into the packaging that is also operated by means of an integrated accumulator.

The packaging of the invention enables objects to be packaged in such a way that the packaging is initially provided in an uninflated state, with when the outer cover and packaging space limitation are completely flexible, a highly space-saving possibility for transporting the packaging to the point of use being feasible.

The object to be packaged is inserted into the packaging space through the insertion opening of the uninflated packaging. Then, the packaging is inflated by filling with a gaseous medium, for example, air, with the gas chambers closing around the object to be packaged or forming the packaging space. Only in the event that additional closures are provided, it may be necessary in a further stage to seal the insertion opening in the packaging space, for example, by inflating one or more other gas chambers.

Aside from air, the gaseous medium used for filling the gas chambers may be noble gases, (e.g., especially helium) for avoiding additional weight, or any other gas, which, for example, may itself be directly used for cooling or heating purposes.

The packaging is ideally suited for packaging glass, porcelain, bottles, medicines, (e.g., medicines that need to be cooled) foodstuffs, that also need to be cooled, and other objects that also need to be cooled during transport, electronic devices, books and the like.

The packaging of the invention may be simply produced by directly manufacturing the outer cover and the packaging space limitation in their corresponding shape, more precisely by corresponding casting or injection moulding, or by shaping the corresponding components thereof in a suitable manner and then joining them together by suitable joining techniques, such as welding and the like.

These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages, characteristics and features of the present invention are apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment using the enclosed drawing. FIG. 1 illustrates in purely schematic form a three-dimensional view of a packaging in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a packaging 1, which has an outer cover 7 with a quadratic shape and a packaging space limitation 8, also with a quadratic shape, which between them envelop a gas space 2.

Both the outer cover 7 and the packaging space limitation 8 are formed from a transparent, flexible plastic film, which can be folded flat in the uninflated state. In the inflated state, a gaseous medium (e.g., air) is filled into the gas space 2 through a valve 3, such that the outer cover 7 as well as the packaging space limitation 8 are placed into an elongated state, which imparts adequate stability to the entire packaging 1. For this purpose, the pressure in the gas chamber 2 may be adjusted to requirements. The valve 3 ensures that no pressure loss occurs.

Both the outer cover 7 and the packaging space limitation 8 are connected together from cut-to-size plastic film or have been accordingly made in a casting or injection molding method, such that they have the corresponding quadratic shape in the inflated state. As a result, a packaging space 4 is defined inside the packaging 1, in which, for example, an equally quadratic product 5 may be accommodated positively. Additionally, it is also conceivable for objects of other shapes to be arranged in the quadratic packaging space 4. To this end, a packaging space opening 6 provided at the rear side to be correspondingly closable. For example, covers, flaps and the like may be provided here, which can be connected to the contiguous outer cover 7 via corresponding closures, such as press buttons, Velcro hook and loop type fasteners, zip fasteners and the like. Additionally, it is also conceivable for the packaging space opening 6 to be closed with a second gas chamber 9, which may be arranged either via a film hinge articulated at the packaging space opening 6 in order that closing may be effected rather in the manner of a lid after the object to be packaged has been inserted, or arranged such that, after the object to be packaged has been inserted, it is inflated by filling a gaseous medium through a second valve (not shown), such that the packaging space opening 6 is automatically closed as a result. The second gas chamber 9 may be arranged permanently at the packaging space opening 6 or the adjacent outer cover 7 or the packaging space limitation 8. It is, however, also conceivable for the second gas chamber 9 to be removably arranged in the packaging space opening 6 and to be kept in the packaging space opening 6 by positive locking and/or friction due to the inflation.

By way of alternative to the embodiment shown, it is also conceivable for the packaging space 4 to have a different contour or shape, such as cubic, spherical or cylindrical or to be formed in any other arbitrary shape. It is, however, also conceivable for the packaging space 4 to be formed as a slit. This means that, in the inflated state, the gas chamber sides at the packaging space side are formed such that they actually lie against each other. However, due to an object arranged in the packaging space, the sides of the gas chambers close around the object to be packaged such that this is held tightly in the packaging space 4. This has the advantage of allowing all kinds of objects to be held tightly in the packaging space.

The above description is considered that of the preferred embodiments only. Modification of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and to those who make or use the invention. Therefore, it is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above is merely for illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.