Patent Application
20210163204
The present invention relates to the field of envelope-type flexible pouches for shipping items, in particular those which have an inflation system that allows the items contained in the envelope to be protected against impact, during their shipment.
The main objective of the present invention is to implement an alternative inflation system which best preserves the inflated envelope until it reaches the recipient.
There are known envelope-type flexible shipping pouches which provide protection for items being shipped. Such protection is necessary for fragile items since envelopes and, in general, parcels are manhandled during their transport to the recipients. These deliveries can be made by planes, trains, or road transport (truck, car or cycle).
A first implementation is to provide foam padding in a pocket of the envelope, said padding defining a compartment for receiving items to be shipped. By way of example, patent EP2345601B1 will be mentioned.
A second implementation consists in providing an inflatable chamber which surrounds a compartment for receiving the items to be shipped. By way of example, the following patent applications or patents may be mentioned: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,184,596A, 4,262,801A, 5,447,235A, 6,056,119A, US2007053615A1, WO02066338A1, GB2545636A, GB2230509A, EP1170225A1 and CA2009365A1. According to these various embodiments, the envelope has an inner pocket defining a compartment for receiving an item, an outer pocket integrating the inner pocket, an opening arranged on the inner and outer pockets to access the compartment. The inner pocket and the outer pocket are secured together by their design in several sheets welded together or in a single sheet folded and welded at its edges, said inner and outer pockets being arranged so as to define an inflatable chamber around said inner pocket.
In documents U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,184,596A, 4,262,801A and GB2230509A, one or more valves on the outer pocket allow to inflate the chamber which can be composed of one or more inflatable areas around the compartment, said valves being closed by plugs. These plugs are likely to be removed during shipment, the pouch then no longer providing any protection for the item which may therefore be delivered damaged.
In documents US2007053615A1, GB2545636A and CA2009365A1, the outer pocket includes one or more flattened flexible valves which collapse and close under the effect of the inflation pressure in the chamber. In the event of improper obturation of the valve(s), the chamber may at least partially deflate, this deflation may for example occur when the pressure in the chamber is not high enough, in the event of improper inflation.
In document U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,235A, the inflatable pouch comprises a channel implemented between the two faces of the inner pocket, this channel comprising two outlet orifices respectively on the two faces of the inner pocket, said outlet orifices communicating in the chamber. The obturation of the channel is obtained by the pressure in the chamber which crushes the two faces of the inner pocket in the area of said channel
In document U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,119A, a channel is provided which includes an outlet opening into the inflatable chamber and an inlet opening onto the pouch. The channel also constitutes a valve which is obturated only due to the pressure in the chamber. The pouch also comprises a flap which only has the function of closing the compartment access opening.
In document EP1170225A1, the inflatable pouch includes a channel implemented between two folded strips disposed between one face of the outer pocket and one face of the inner pocket, the channel being delimited by welds. Furthermore, a weld point or line, arranged between said face of the outer pocket and the two folded strips, allows these two folded strips and thus the channel to be stretched, which allows to close it and prevent the pressurized air to escape from the chamber. This pressurized air is also present in the chambers on each side of the folded strips and communicating with the chamber, said air pressure allowing to maintain the channel closed in addition to the stretching of said folded strips.
In document WO02066338A1, the inflatable pouch includes a channel implemented between two folded strips disposed between one face of the outer pocket and one face of the inner pocket, the channel being delimited by welds. Furthermore, a rigid tube is tightly and permanently embedded in this channel, its end being closed by a plug after inflation of the pouch. The outlet orifice of the channel opens into the chamber and has a restricted section delimited by the weld bead at which said outlet orifice is located. This only allows to limit the escape of pressurized air in the chamber after inflation has been carried out, only the plug ensuring an actual obturation of the tube and, thus, of the channel
Document US2011192121A1 is also known relating to a shipping pouch which includes a pocket receiving an inflatable sleeve wherein an item to be shipped is positioned. The inflatable sleeve comprises a common channel that communicates with a plurality of channels. The common channel comprises one or two inlet orifices which correspond to one or two inlet orifices on the pocket. The sleeve is inflated by injecting air through the inlet orifices on the pocket. Once the sleeve is inflated, a weld bead is made along the entire length of the common channel to obturate it and prevent air in the channels from escaping through the inlet orifices. The pocket comprises a flap for closing the opening in order to keep the item in the pocket.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,188A is also known relating to a shipping pouch which includes a conventional envelope wherein an inflatable sleeve is positioned and allows the reception of an item to be shipped. The inflatable sleeve comprises an inner pocket defining a compartment for receiving an item and an outer pocket, an inflatable chamber being defined between the inner and outer pockets. This sleeve comprises a valve which penetrates into the chamber and comprises lips positioned in this chamber. The obturation of the lips is ensured by the pressure in said inflated chamber. The envelope includes a flap for closing it once the sleeve is incorporated therein.
The present invention has the purpose of overcoming the problems of total or partial deflation which may appear on the inflatable pouches of the aforementioned prior art, during their shipments.
To this end, the invention relates to an envelope-type flexible shipping pouch. The pouch comprises an inner pocket defining a compartment for receiving an item, an outer pocket integrating the inner pocket, an opening arranged on the inner and outer pockets to access the compartment. The pouch comprises a system for closing the opening comprising first adhesive means ensuring that said opening is kept closed, so as to prevent access to the compartment.
The inner pocket and the outer pocket are secured together so as to define an inflatable chamber around said inner pocket. This securing between the inner and outer pockets can be achieved in various ways within the reach of the person skilled in the art, for example by welding or gluing between several sheets or by using a single folded sheet and having its edges welded or glued together.
According to the invention, the pouch comprises a channel which extends into the chamber. The channel includes an outlet which opens into the chamber and an inlet which opens onto the pouch. In other words, the outlet of the channel communicates with the chamber so as to be able to inflate said chamber and the inlet of the channel communicates with the ambient environment of the pouch, at least before use of the pouch, so as to be accessible by the user and to be able to inject air into said channel Furthermore, the channel is arranged such that the placement of the system for closing the opening simultaneously leads to the obturation of said channel Obturating the channel means the fact of preventing the pressurized air in the chamber from escaping through the channel, either by directly blocking the inlet of the channel or by bending the channel on itself so as to block it.
Thus, the sender disposes the item to be sent in the compartment by inserting it into the inner pocket through the opening, then inflates the chamber by blowing into the channel; the inner pocket and the outer pocket deform during inflation, which allows the inner pocket to conform to the shape of the item contained in the compartment, so as to immobilize it properly. The pressure in the inflation chamber allows to crush the channel which extends into said chamber, due to its flexibility. This crushing of the channel already limits almost all the possibilities that the gas fluid—generally air—contained in the chamber can escape. The sender then activates the first adhesive means and closes the opening, which simultaneously obturates the channel The first adhesive means then ensure that the opening and thus the obturated channel are maintained in the closed position, which definitively prevents any possibility of deflation of the chamber.
The system for closing the access opening to the compartment can be implemented in two ways, either by a flap present on the pouch, the first adhesive means ensuring maintaining the flap in the closed position of the opening, or directly by the first adhesive means which ensure maintaining the two faces of the pouch pressed against one another, which closes the opening.
According to a first embodiment of said closure system, the latter comprises a flap arranged to close the opening in a folded position, so as to prevent access to the compartment. The first adhesive means are arranged to maintain the flap in the folded position. Furthermore, the channel is arranged so as to be closed when the flap is in the folded position and when the first adhesive means are in place. The first adhesive means then ensure maintaining the flap in its folded position and the channel obturated, which definitively prevents any possibility of deflation of the chamber.
Obturating the channel when the flap is in its folded position can be obtained by various arrangements between the channel and the pouch.
According to a first embodiment of the pouch provided with a flap, the inlet of the channel opens onto the flap so that in its folded position, said flap folds the channel back on itself to pinch it and thus obturate it. Thus, the obturation of the channel is obtained by folding the channel on itself when the flap is folded.
According to a second embodiment of the pouch provided with a flap, the inlet of the channel opens onto the outer pocket in an area where the first adhesive means are located when the flap is in the folded position. Thus, the inlet of the channel opens onto an outer wall of the outer pocket, in the area receiving the flap when it is folded down and glued; the inlet of the channel is therefore trapped by the first adhesive means and the flap glued on said outer wall, which obturates the inlet of the channel
According to a second embodiment of said closure system, the first adhesive means directly ensure the closure of the opening, without the need for the presence of a flap. According to this implementation of the pouch, the inlet of the channel opens onto an inner wall of the pouch. Furthermore, the first adhesive means are arranged opposite the inner wall so as to press against the latter and to obturate both said inlet of the channel and said opening.
According to one embodiment of the pouch, the channel extends over the length of the outer pouch so that the outlet of said channel is positioned in the last third of the chamber starting from its end located at the opening. Preferably, the outlet of the channel is located in the proximity of the lower edge of the outer pocket.
According to one embodiment of the pouch, the channel comprises a flat width, that is to say before the inflation of the chamber, comprised between five and thirty millimeters (5 mm and 30 mm), preferably comprised between eleven and twenty-three millimeters (11 mm and 23 mm), preferably equal to twenty millimeters (20 mm).
According to one embodiment of the pouch, the inner pocket comprises a first face and the outer pocket includes a first face. Furthermore, the channel is implemented between side edges of the inner and outer pockets and a partial weld arranged between the two first faces along said side edges and with a slight spacing from said side edges. Provision could be made of other variants of implementation of the channel between the first face of the outer pocket and the first face of the inner pocket. It is also possible to provide for the implementation of the channel between a second face of the outer pocket and a second face of the inner pocket.
The implementation of the channel directly between one face of the outer pocket and one face of the inner pocket advantageously allows to generate folds in the channel when the pouch is inflated. Indeed, the inflation of the pouch has the effect of deforming the outer pocket and the inner pocket by generating folds on the outer surface of the pouch. These folds on the pouch obturate the channel, preventing air in the chamber from escaping through said channel. Preferably, the length of the channel is at least half the length of the pouch, preferably at least two-thirds of the length of the pouch, so as to ensure the presence of at least one fold on the channel during inflation of the chamber and, thus, the obturation of said channel.
However, provision can be made for the implementation of the channel between the first face and the second face of the outer pocket or between the first faces and the second faces of the inner and outer pockets, according to other variant embodiments, without departing from the scope of invention.
According to one embodiment of the pouch, the outer pocket is made of a material selected from poly-olefins and the inner pouch is also made from a material selected from poly-olefins. This will make it easier to recycle the pouch after use.
According to one embodiment, the pouch comprises anti-fraud detection means which cooperate with the first adhesive means when the system for closing the opening is placed. This allows to see whether the pouch was opened or not before it was delivered to the recipient. Of course, it is possible to consider variants of pouches without such detection means. In the embodiment with a flap, the pouch comprises on its upper front part said anti-fraud detection means which cooperate with said first adhesive means in the folded position of the flap.
According to a first embodiment of the pouch, the inner pocket comprises a lower edge which is floating relative to the outer pocket. According to a second embodiment of the pouch, the inner pocket comprises a lower edge which is secured to an inner wall of the outer pocket. This second embodiment has the effect, in comparison with the first embodiment, of totally immobilizing the item in the inflated chamber.
According to one embodiment of the pouch, the latter comprises a rigid blowing tube partially incorporated into the channel for inflating the chamber, said tube being removable. This rigid tube enables the chamber to be inflated by simply blowing into said tube, without the need for additional compressor-type inflation means. Once the chamber is inflated, the tube is extracted, the extraction of the tube allows the channel to be crushed under the pressure in said chamber, then the channel is completely obturated when the closure system is placed, with or without a flap. Since the tube is not driven down the entire length of the channel, the end of the channel remains free relative to the end of the tube, which allows the outlet of the channel to collapse under the effect of the pressure in the chamber when the sender stops blowing into the tube and during the extraction of said tube, thus avoiding deflation of the chamber. The tube can be pre-positioned in the channel; on the contrary, provision can be made to insert the tube when using the pouch.
According to one embodiment, for the width ranges of the channel defined above, the diameter of the rigid tube is comprised between three and fifteen millimeters (3 mm and 15 mm), preferably between eight and eleven millimeters (8 mm and 11 mm), preferably equal to nine millimeters (9 mm). Thus, the diameter of the rigid tube is related to the flat width of the channel, which prevents an escape of the air blown on the sides of the channel during the inflation of the chamber and properly maintains the rigid tube when the latter is pre-positioned in the channel before using the pouch.
Furthermore, the length of the rigid tube is comprised between half and two-thirds of the length of the pouch. This allows the rigid tube to be pushed enough into the channel so that air can easily enter the chamber during inflation by blowing normally through the rigid tube with the mouth.
According to one embodiment of the pouch with a flap, said flap comprises an upper part and a lower part wherein the inlet of the channel is located. Furthermore, second temporary adhesive means are arranged on the upper part. Thanks to this configuration of the flap, the upper part of the flap can be folded over the lower part of the flap, the presence of the second temporary adhesive means allowing to temporarily maintain the upper part folded over the lower part before use. Moreover, the rigid tube is pre-positioned in the channel. Temporary adhesive means mean the fact that the upper part of the flap can be released from the lower part of the flap, after it has been put in place, without any damage to said upper and lower parts.
Thus, when the rigid tube is pre-positioned in the channel before use of the pouch, only the end of said tube slightly projecting from the inlet of said channel, the upper part can be folded over the end of the rigid tube with the second adhesive means which ensures temporarily maintaining said upper part on the lower part, which protects the end of the rigid tube against dirt, before use.
The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description based on figures, among which:
In the remainder of the description, the term pouch is used to designate the flexible shipping pouch according to the invention. Furthermore, the same references are used to designate the same features according to the various variants of pouches according to the invention.
With reference to
The two faces 31, 32 of the outer pocket 3 are welded together at the side edges 33, 34 of said outer pocket 3. These two faces 31, 32 can also be welded together at the lower edge 35 of the outer pocket 3, when the latter is implemented from two sheets and not from a single sheet folded in half at said lower edge 35.
Likewise, the two faces 21, 22 of the inner pocket 2 are welded together at the side edges 23, 24 of said inner pocket 2. These two faces 21, 22 can also be welded together at the lower edge 25 of the inner pocket 2, when the latter is implemented from two sheets and not from a single sheet folded in half at said lower edge 25.
In
In
In
In
In
When the flap 7 is folded over the upper front part la of the pouch 1, by folding it along a first fold line 11, the channel 10 is also folded back on itself, which obturates said channel 10 at said fold line 11.
The pouch 1 comprises an anti-fraud strip 12 incorporating a system for visualizing a fraudulent opening. Such systems for anti-fraud visualization are well known in the field of envelopes or sachets, in particular for the transport of valuables. The anti-fraud strip 12 is positioned in the upper front part la of the pouch 1.
The pouch 1 also includes an adhesive layer 13 temporarily coated with a protective strip 14. This adhesive layer 13 is disposed on the inner face 7a of the flap 7. When the protective strip 14 is removed and the flap 7 is in the folded position, the adhesive layer 13 rests on the anti-fraud strip 12 and on the upper front part 1a of the pouch 1, which keeps the opening 5 closed and the channel 10 folded back on itself. The adhesive layer 13 ensures a permanent closure of the pouch 1, the release of the flap 7 for opening the pouch 1 activating the anti-fraud strip 12.
The lower edge 25 of the inner pocket 2 can remain free relative to the outer pocket 3, as shown in
In
The diameter of the rigid tube 15 is selected in proportion to the flat width of the channel 10. When the width of the channel 10 is comprised between five and thirty millimeters (5 mm and 30 mm), the diameter of the rigid tube 15 is comprised between three and fifteen millimeters (3 mm and 15 mm). When the width of the channel 10 is comprised between eleven and twenty-three millimeters (11 mm and 23 mm), the diameter of the rigid tube 15 is comprised between eight and eleven millimeters (8 mm and 11 mm). When the width of the channel 10 is twenty millimeters (20 mm), the diameter of the rigid tube 15 is nine millimeters (9 mm). This prevents the air blown from the sides of the channel from escaping during inflation of the chamber.
Furthermore, this allows the rigid tube 15 to be properly maintained when the latter is pre-positioned in the channel 10 before the use of the pouch; in other words, the rigid tube 15 cannot slide completely into the channel 10 so that its end 15a always projects from the opening 9 and, thus, remains accessible.
Furthermore, the length of the rigid tube is comprised between half and two-thirds of the length of the pouch. This allows the rigid tube 15 to be pushed enough into the channel 10 so that air can easily enter the chamber during inflation by blowing normally through the rigid tube with the mouth.
In
Of course, variants of pouch 1 can be considered without ensuring such protection of the end 15a of the rigid tube 7 against dirt, in which case the flap 7 could be shorter and not be equipped with the temporary adhesive strip 17.
The items 16 are inserted through the opening 5, into the compartment 6 of the inner pocket 2. Then the sender blows into the tube 15, which inflates the chamber 4. This inflation of the chamber 4 allows the two faces 21, 22 of the inner wall 2 to be pressed against the item 16 and to block the opening 5, as illustrated in
Variants are considerable within the scope of the invention. In particular, provision can be made for a different arrangement of the various welds between the inner 2 and outer 3 pockets to define the compartment 6, the opening 5, the chamber 4 and the channel 10.
In one variant, the channel 10 could be implemented on the same principle as described above, between the second face 22 of the inner pocket 2 and the second face 32 of the outer pocket 3. In this case, the orifice 9, that is to say the inlet 10a of the channel 10, will be disposed in the upper front part la of the pouch 1 so that when the flap 7 is folded, the adhesive layer 13 and said flap 7 cover said orifice 9, which also obturates the channel 10 in the folded position of said flap 7.
In another variant, the channel 10 could be implemented on the same principle as described above, but between the first face 31 and the second face 32 of the outer pocket 3. The side edge 23 of the inner pocket 2 will be in this case shifted towards the inside of the outer pocket 3, beyond the position of the weld 84.
Other variants of channels 10 can be considered inside the chamber 4.
The arrangement of the channel 10 between the first face 21 of the inner pocket 2 and the first face 31 of the outer pocket 3 or between the second face 22 of the inner pocket 2 and the second face 32 of the outer pocket 3, has the advantage of ensuring the formation of folds on the pouch 1 and on the channel 10 during the inflation of the chamber 4. These folds on the channel 10 then naturally ensure its obturation, which prevents the deflation of the chamber 4 even before placing the flap 7. Placing the flap 7 then guarantees against any possible risk of deflation of the chamber 4.
The pouch 1 will also comprise on at least one of its outer walls 1b, 1c a window (not shown) allowing to write the address of the recipient and optionally that of the sender, in particular before inflation of the chamber 4.
With reference to
With reference to
The pouch 1 in
On these variants of the pouch 1 of
Other pouch 1 implementations, with or without flap 7, can still be considered without departing from the scope of the invention, in particular as regards the arrangement of the channel 10 and of its inlet 10a and as regards the arrangement of the system 100 for closing the opening 5 for access to the compartment 6 (alternative arrangements of the adhesive layer 13 in the version with or without flap 7, . . . ).
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR1853187 | Apr 2018 | FR | national |
| FR1900046 | Jan 2019 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR2019/050842 | 4/10/2019 | WO | 00 |
