Patent Grant
7631762
The present invention relates to a vibration-absorbing sheath, and more particularly to a hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath.
Traditionally, a method for buffering a packaged article generally comprises the steps of: providing a plastic packing sheet provided with a plurality of small air bubbles projected therefrom; and packaging an article in the plastic packing sheet, so as to absorb external vibrations by the plastic packing sheet. However, the small air bubbles of the plastic packing sheet only can absorb limited vibrations, but can not provide an enough buffering effect when a greater vibration or impact load is exerted. To solve the foregoing problem, an air packing bag is developed to be used as a buffering material for packaging.
The air packing bag uses air as a buffering medium of an article, so as to provide a buffering effect for protecting the article. However, there may be some shake or impact during transportation the article, such that the air packing bag made of polyethylene (PE) may be easily punctured by a sharp corner or a metal joint of the article. Once there is a punctured hole on the air packing bag, the air in the air packing bag may be leaked out, so that the packaged article is easily damaged or scratched. Such air packing bag and the equivalents thereof are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,912, entitled “Container for sealingly containing a fluid”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,466, entitled “Process for continuously filling fluid into a plurality of closed bags”; and Japanese Utility Model Publication Patent No. 5-95851, entitled “Sealing bag for containing a fluid”.
As described above, it is important for the inventor of the present invention and related manufacturers to think how to improve the structure of the air packing bag for solving the problem of reducing the buffering protection due to leaking air in the air packing bag, in order to provide the better vibration-absorbing buffering effect.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath, which is used to package an article for providing a buffering protection for the article. The vibration-absorbing air sheath comprises: a first buffering wall having at least one first heat-sealed edge, wherein the first buffering wall is partitioned into a plurality of air columns by a plurality of air column lines which are vertical to the first heat-sealed edge and formed by heat sealing means; a second buffering wall having at least one second heat-sealed edge connected to the first heat-sealed edge by heat sealing means, wherein the second buffering wall is partitioned into a plurality of air columns by a plurality of air column lines which are vertical to the second heat-sealed edge and formed by heat sealing means; at least one first node formed on the first buffering wall so that the first buttering wall can be bent along the first node; at least one second node formed on the second buffering wall so that the second buffering wall can be bent along the second node; a third buffering wall connected between the first buffering wall and the second buffering wall by bending the first buffering wall and the second buffering wall; a receiving space formed between the first buffering wall and the second buffering wall by bending the first buffering wall and the second buffering wall; and a buffering sheet having a first side edge connected to the first buffering wall via the first heat-sealed edge by heat sealing means and a second side edge connected to the second buffering wall via the second heat-sealed edge by heat sealing means. Furthermore, the buffering sheet having the two heat-sealed side edges is partially heat-sealed along the air column lines of the first buffering wall and the second buffering wall by heat sealing means, while the buffering sheet is not heat-sealed along a middle portion of the air column lines, so that a bottom portion of the buffering sheet is suspended. As a result, the buffering sheet is suspended within the receiving space for receiving the article, in order to absorb a vibration of the article and protect the article with a buffering of the first buffering wall, the second buffering wall, and the third buffering wall.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it can provide a buffering protection for the article when the vibration-absorbing air sheath is used to package the article. If the article is shook during transportation, the buffering sheet of the vibration-absorbing air sheath can be used to absorb the vibration of the article, while the first buffering wall and the second buffering wall can be used to protect the article, so as to provide dual vibration-absorbing buffering effects. Furthermore, the structure of the vibration-absorbing air sheath can prevent the article from being in direct contact with the first buffering wall, the second buffering wall, and the third buffering wall, so as to keep the buffering protection from being impaired by the article's puncturing the first, second and third buffering wall, which leads to air leak.
The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein
Referring now to
As shown, the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath comprises an air-column sheet 2 and a buffering sheet 5. The air-column sheet 2 is constructed with a plurality of air columns 20. The air columns 20 are formed with a plurality of bending points 20a, and the air columns 20 can be bent along the bending points 20a to define a first buffering wall 21 and a second buffering wall 22, wherein the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 are in communication with each other. The first buffering wall 21 is provided with a first heat-sealed edge 21a on a side edge thereof, and a plurality of first nodes 21b. The second buffering wall 22 is provided with a second heat-sealed edge 22a on a side edge thereof, and a plurality of second nodes 22b. The first buffering wall 21 can be bent along the first nodes 21b, and the second buffering wall 22 can be bent along the second nodes 22b. Then, the first heat-sealed edge 21a and the second heat-sealed edge 22a can be connected to each other by heat sealing means, so as to define a receiving space 6 between the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22. The receiving space 6 is substantially quadrilateral, and the shape thereof can be slightly varied with the locations and numbers of the first nodes 21b and the second nodes 22b, or with bending angles of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22. For example, the shape of the receiving space 6 can be varied with the extent to which the first buffering wall 21 is bent along the first nodes 21b, or with the extent to which the second buffering wall 22 is bent along the second nodes 22b.
The air-column sheet 2 is formed by two outer films 2a, 2b connected to each other by heat sealing means. The two outer films 2a, 2b can be preferably made of polyethylene (PE).
The buffering sheet 5 is made of flexible material, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), expanded polyethylene (EPE), expanded polypropylene (EPP), fabric, foam material, polyethylene (PE) sheet provided with small air bubbles projected therefrom, corrugated paper, paper, or paper-like material. The buffering sheet 5 has a first side edge formed with a plurality of heat-sealed points 5a by heat sealing means for mounting on the first buffering wall 21, and a second side edge formed with a plurality of heat-sealed points 5b by heat sealing means for mounting on the second buffering wall 22. Thus, the buffering sheet 5 can be suspended within the receiving space 6 and substantially similar to a hammock structure. Meanwhile, the buffering sheet 5 has a central portion defining an accommodating space 50 for accommodating an article 100, wherein the accommodating space 50 is formed between two folded halves of the buffering sheet 5.
According to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath further comprises an air-filling channel 9, wherein the two outer films 2a, 2b are connected to each other by heat sealing means, so as to define an air flowing space therebetween, i.e. the air-filling channel 9. The air-filling channel 9 is formed on the side edge of the first buffering wall 21, and used to fill air into the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22. In this manner, the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 will be filled with air and inflated, in order to provide a vibration-absorbing buffering effect.
Furthermore, according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath further comprises at least one serial check valve system 4 which is constructed by connecting two inner films 1a, 1b to each other by heat sealing means. The serial check valve system 4 is used to communicate the air-filling channel 9 with the first buffering wall 21. The air in the air-filling channel 9 is flowed into the first buffering wall 21 through the serial check valve system 4. Then, the serial check valve system 4 can seal the first buffering wall 21, so as to prevent the air in the first buffering wall 21 from leaking out. Moreover, a heatproof material 1c is applied between the two inner films 1a, 1b, and a plurality of air inlets 2e are formed between the two inner films 1a, 1b where the two inner films 1a, 1b are not connected to each other by heat sealing means. Each of the air inlets 2e is corresponding to each of the air columns 20, and communicated with one air channel 14. The air channel 14 is sandwiched between the two inner films 1a, 1b, wherein at least one of the two inner films 1a, 1b is coated with the heatproof material 1c between the two inner films 1a, 1b, and the two inner films 1a, 1b are connected to each other by heat sealing means. After the air flows through an air-filling opening 9a and finishes inflating the air-filling channel 9, the two outer films 2a, 2b must be pulled outward and away from each other, in order to open the air inlets 2e. In this manner, the air will be filled into the air columns 20 along the air channel 14, so as to inflate the air columns 20. After the air columns 20 are inflated, the inner air pressure of the air columns 20 presses the two inner films 1a, 1b, so that the two inner films 1a, 1b will be tightly attached to the two outer films 2a, 2b. (Alternatively, according to another different structure, the two inner films 1a, 1b can only be suspended within the air columns 20 instead of being tightly attached to the two outer films 2a, 2b.) Finally, the air channel 14 will be closed, and the air columns 20 will be sealed, so that the air in the air columns 20 can be prevented from leaking out, in order to ensure the air sealing effect.
According to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first buffering wall 21 further comprises a first connection edge 21c substantially vertical to the first heat-sealed edge 21a, and the second buffering wall 22 further comprises a second connection edge 22c substantially vertical to the second heat-sealed edge 22a. The first side edge and the second side edge of the buffering sheet 5 are attached to the first connection edge 21c and the second connection edge 22c by heat sealing means, respectively. Furthermore, the first buffering wall 21 further comprises a first bottom edge 21d substantially vertical to the first heat-sealed edge 21a, and the second buffering wall 22 further comprises a second bottom edge 22d substantially vertical to the second heat-sealed edge 22a. The first bottom edge 21d and the second bottom edge 22d can be connected to each other by heat sealing means, so as to seal the receiving space 6. Especially, an interval is defined between the buffering sheet 5 and a heat-sealed connection portion of the first bottom edge 21d and the second bottom edge 22d. The interval can be used to prevent the buffering sheet 5 from being in direct contact with the air columns 20 close to the first bottom edge 21d and the second bottom edge 22d.
Referring now to
As shown, when the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath of the present invention is used to package the article 100, it can provide a buffering protection for the article 100. Even though the buffering sheet 5 is shifted downward due to the press of the article 100, the interval still can keep the buffering sheet 5 away from the air columns 20 close to the first bottom edge 21d and the second bottom edge 22d. When the article 100 is shook during transportation, the buffering sheet 5 can be used to is absorb the vibration of the article 100, while the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 located on two sides of the article 100 can be used to protect the article 100, so as to provide a buffering protection for the article 100. If the article 100 is violently shook to generate a force biasing downward against the buffering sheet 5, the air columns 20 on the bottom of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 can be used to absorb the vibration of the article 100, so as to provide dual vibration-absorbing buffering effects. Furthermore, the vibration-absorbing air sheath of the present invention can prevent the article 100 from directly contacting with the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22, so as to avoid reducing the buffering protection caused by that the article 100 punctures the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 to leak the air out.
Referring now to
As shown, in the second preferred embodiment, the first bottom edge 21d of the first buffering wall 21 and the second bottom edge 22d of the second buffering wall 22 can be separated from each other instead of being connected to each other by heat sealing means. Thus, the receiving space 6 will be an open space. When the buffering sheet 5 receives the article 100, a force may be generated to bias downward against the buffering sheet 5, and the air columns 20 still can absorb the vibration of the article 100, so as to provide the buffering protection for the article 100.
Referring now to
As shown, the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath of the present invention further comprises two connection portions 51 formed on two ends of the buffering sheet 5, wherein the two connection portions 51 are two folded connection portions of the buffering sheet 5. When the article 100 is shook to cause the buffering sheet 5 to shift leftward and rightward, the buffering sheet 5 is firstly used to buffer and absorb the vibrations of the article 100, and then the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 are used to protect the article 100. Thus, the present invention can provide dual buffering effects of absorbing vibrations for the article 100. Furthermore, the buffering sheet 5 of the present invention can prevent the article 100 from directly contacting with the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22, so as to avoid reducing the buffering protection caused by that the article 100 punctures the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 to leak the air out.
Referring now to
As shown, the first buffering wall 21 is provided with a plurality of first nodes 21b, and the second buffering wall 22 is provided with a plurality of second nodes 22b. The first buffering wall 21 can be bent along the first nodes 21b, and the second buffering wall 22 can be bent along the second nodes 22b. A receiving space 6 is defined between the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 (as shown in
According to the structure of the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath in the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the buffering sheet 5 is connected to and mounted on the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 by heat sealing means. Alternatively, the buffering sheet 5 may be selected from an extension sheet extended from at least one side edge of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22. According to the present invention, it is to be noted that the buffering sheet 5 may also be selected from other equivalent structural improvement or variation, without limitation.
According to the structure of the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath in the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 are formed and exemplified by bending the common air-column sheet 2, without limitation. Alternatively, the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 also can be selected from two separate air-column sheets 2, each of which is provided with an air-filling channel 9 and a plurality of serial check valves system 4.
Referring now to
As shown, the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath comprises an air-column sheet 2 which is constructed with a plurality of air columns 20. The air columns 20 are formed with a plurality of first nodes 21b and a plurality of second nodes 22b. The air columns 20 can be bent along the first nodes 21b and the second nodes 22b to define a first buffering wall 21, a second buffering wall 22, and a third buffering wall 23, wherein the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 are in communication with each other via the third buffering wall 23. The first buffering wall 21 is provided with a first heat-sealed edge 21a on a side edge thereof. The second buffering wall 22 is provided with a second heat-sealed edge 22a on a side edge thereof. The first buffering wall 21 can be bent along the first nodes 21b, and the second buffering wall 22 can be bent along the second nodes 22b. Then, the first heat-sealed edge 21a and the second heat-sealed edge 22a can be connected to each other by heat sealing means, so as to define a receiving space 6 between the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22. The receiving space 6 is substantially quadrilateral, and the shape thereof can be slightly varied with the locations and numbers of the first nodes 21b and the second nodes 22b, or with bending angles of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22. For example, the shape of the receiving space 6 can be varied with the extent to which the first buffering wall 21 is bent along the first nodes 21b, or with the extent to which the second buffering wall 22 is bent along the second nodes 22b. In the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, the buffering sheet 5 has a first side edge connected to the first buffering wall 21 via the first heat-sealed edge 21a by heat sealing means, and a second side edge connected to the second buffering wall 22 via the second heat-sealed edge 22a by heat sealing means. Furthermore, the buffering sheet 5 having the two heat-sealed side edges is partially heat-sealed along a plurality of air column lines 20b of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 by heat sealing means. Thus, the buffering sheet 5 is suspended within the receiving space 6 and substantially similar to a hammock structure. Meanwhile, the buffering sheet 5 has a central portion defining an accommodating space 50 for accommodating an article 100, which can be protected with a buffering of the first buffering wall 21, the second buffering wall 22, and the third buffering wall 23.
Referring now to
As shown, the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath comprises an air-column sheet 2 and the buffering sheet 5.
The buffering sheet 5 has a first side edge connected to a first bottom edge 21d by heat sealing means, and a second side edge connected to a second bottom edge 22d by heat sealing means, so that a bottom portion of the buffering sheet 5 is suspended.
In other words, when the article 100 is protected by the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath, the periphery of the article 100 is doubly protected by the air columns 20 of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 and the accommodating space 50. Meanwhile, a bottom of the article 100 is protected by the air columns 20 of the third buffering wall 23. The buffering sheet 5 can hold the article 100 to prevent it from escaping from between the air columns 20 of the third buffering wall 23.
The fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention is different from the fourth preferred embodiment in two ways: the buffering sheet 5 in the fifth embodiment is smaller in size and is heat-sealed at a lower position. The smaller buffering sheet 5 is effective in reducing material cost, while a change in the heat-sealed position can still provide a hammock structure with a suspended bottom.
In the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, the periphery and the bottom of the article 100 are in contact with the buffering sheet 5. In the fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention, the periphery of the article 100 is in contact with the air columns 20 of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22, while the bottom of the article 100 is in contact with the buffering sheet 5.
The air-column sheet 2 in formed by two outer films 2a, 2b connected to each other by heat sealing means, as described in the first preferred embodiment. The two outer films 2a, 2b can be preferably made of polyethylene (PE).
The buffering sheet S is made of a flexible material, such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), expanded polyethylene (EPE), expanded polypropylene (EPP), fabric, foam material, polyethylene (PE) sheet provided with small air bubbles projecting therefrom, corrugated paper, paper, or paper-like material.
According to the present invention, the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath further comprises an air-filling channel 9, wherein the two outer films 2a, 2b are connected to each other by heat sealing means, as described in the first preferred embodiment, so as to define an air flowing space therebetween, i.e., the air-filling channel 9.
The air-filling channel 9 is formed on the side edge of the first buffering wall 21. After the air flows through an air-filling opening 9a and finishes inflating the air-filling channel 9, the two outer films 2a, 2b must be pulled outward and away from each other, so that the air will be filled into the air columns 20 along the air channel 14 for inflating the air columns 20. Thus, the air will be filled into and thereby inflate the first buffering wall 21, the second buffering wall 22, and the third buffering wall 23, so as to provide the vibration-absorbing buffering effect.
According to the structure described in the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, the buffering sheet 5 having the two heat-sealed side edges is partially connected to the air column lines 20b by heat sealing means, while the buffering sheet 5 is not heat-sealed along a middle portion of the air column lines 20b, so that a bottom portion of the buffering sheet 5 is suspended. Furthermore, the buffering sheet 5 and the third buffering wall 23 are spaced by an interval defined by the receiving space 6 formed therebetween, so as to prevent the buffering sheet 5 from being directly in contact with the air columns 20 close to the third buffering wall 23. Because the buffering sheet 5 is partially connected to the air column lines 20b of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22, air pressure resulting from air inflation presses side surfaces of the buffering sheet 5 tightly against the air columns 20 of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22. As a result, the accommodating space 50 formed by the buffering sheet 5 can provide a better packaging effect.
In other words, when the article 100 is protected by the hammock-type vibration-absorbing air sheath, the periphery of the article 100 is doubly protected on both sides by the air columns 20 of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 and the accommodating space 50. Meanwhile, the bottom of the article 100 is doubly protected by the receiving space 6 and the air columns 20 of the third buffering wall 23. When the article 100 is accommodated into the accommodating space 50 of the buffering sheet 5, an upper portion of the first buffering wall 21 and the second buffering wall 22 will be drawn by the buffering sheet 5 being compressed, and therefore incline inward, so as to clamp and hold the article 100 more securely is place.
The present invention has been described with a preferred embodiment thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications to the described embodiment can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20090188830 A1 | Jul 2009 | US |
