Patent Application
20090188820
The invention relates generally to containers having an inflatable bladder. More particularly, the invention relates to fluid-cushioned containers, for providing protection to objects from damage during transportation and/or storage, and to methods of making and using the containers.
When transporting cargo, it is often desirable to provide temporary protection to prevent or mitigate any damage to the cargo that might otherwise occur during shipment. When the cargo arrives at a desired location, the shipping container, or other protective apparatus, is often unnecessary, adding unwanted bulk and weight to the cargo. For example, in the case of golf clubs, a hard “shell” type container, allows an entire golf bag containing a set of clubs to be placed within the shell, to transport (e.g., via commercial airline) the clubs from one location to another. Such containers are desirable during transportation because the hard shell casing provides protection to the club heads as well as the club shafts. Upon arrival at the desired location, however, the hard containers are generally unnecessary and relatively heavy and bulky, making it difficult for an individual to move the clubs from one location to another. Soft bags, on the other hand are relatively light and easy to move, but provide little to no protection for the clubs during transport. Other presently known containers include a “shell” type hood which fits over the top of a typical golf bag and also provides protection for the club heads. Such protection is provided, generally, at less cost and lower physical bulk than the aforementioned hard shell cases that envelop the entire bag; however, this type of protective apparatus is not effective against damage to the club shafts during shipment.
Similar problems are encountered during transportation of other items such as artwork and museum pieces, skis, snowboards, fishing rods and other athletic and leisure equipment, cosmetic items, antiques, glassware, furniture, and other fragile or valuable goods. Accordingly, improved apparatus and methods for providing protection to goods to mitigate damage during shipment are desired.
The present invention relates, generally, to protective containers, and more particularly to containers that include inflatable bladders. The containers of the invention can be used to protect items during shipment and/or storage of the items. While the manner in which the invention addresses the various drawbacks of the prior art will be discussed in greater detail below, in general, the invention provides a reusable container, having a portion or portions that are inflated to increase protection to items and deflated when reduced bulk and/or access to the items is desired.
In accordance with various embodiments of the invention, a container includes a liner, a cover, and an inflatable bladder interposed between at least a portion of the liner and the cover. In accordance with various aspects of these embodiments, the liner is attached to the cover. In accordance with further aspects, the bladder is also coupled to the cover. The liner may be formed of various materials such as nylon and other durable textiles. Similarly, the bladder may be formed of various materials, such as resilient material such as rubber or plastic. Likewise, the case or cover may be formed of hard materials, such as such plastic or aluminum, or soft materials, such as nylon, other durable textiles, and the like.
In accordance with further embodiments of the invention, a container includes a cover, an inflatable bladder, and a protective plate coupled to the cover. In accordance with various aspects of these embodiments, the container includes a pump to inflate the bladder. In accordance with further aspects, the plate includes a toe catch to stabilize the container while inflating the bladder. In accordance with further aspects, the container includes a liner, and the inflatable bladder is interposed between the liner and the cover. In accordance with yet further aspects, the container further includes rails on a back portion of the protective plate to provide rigidity to the plate.
In accordance with yet further embodiments of the invention, the bladder is formed of a single inflatable cell. In accordance with alternative embodiments, the bladder includes multiple inflatable cells.
In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the bladder includes a puncture-resistant portion formed of a resilient material, such as plastic, natural or synthetic fibers, or a combination of such materials. The puncture-resistant portion may be attached to the inflatable portion by, for example, hermetically sealing sections of the portions together, an injection or other molding process, adhesives, stitching, mechanical coupling, or by any other suitable means.
In accordance with further embodiments of the invention, the size, shape and operational characteristics of the container may be adapted to accommodate a particular item being transported. For example, in the context of transporting golf clubs, some golfers may desire to protect the club heads, so that the shipping container includes an inflatable liner component to surround the club head region. Other golfers may wish to also protect the club shafts, in which case substantially the entire shipping container may include an integral inflatable liner. Protection for other types of equipment, such as, ski and snowboard equipment, camping gear, hunting equipment, mp3 players, and the like, is also contemplated by the present invention.
In accordance with still yet another embodiment of the invention, the shipping container may be adapted to accommodate various items being transported. The shipping container may contain several selectively inflatable compartments to accommodate the individual items being shipped, such as delicate bottles, souvenirs, and the like.
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims, considered in connection with the drawing figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to similar elements throughout the figures, and:
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity, and therefore may omit extraneous detail and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to facilitate the description of various aspects and features of the present invention.
The container of the present invention may be used to enclose and provide protection to a variety of items such as golf clubs, other sporting equipment, food, computers, and other items. For convenience, the container is described in detail below in connection with a variety of specific applications. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention is not limited to these specific applications and that the embodiments described below are merely exemplary.
With momentary reference to
With continued reference to
Plate 102 is shaped to fit around a lower portion of cover 104 and is configured to house the pump mechanism(s) used to inflate bladder 500. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the pump mechanism includes handle 206, pumps 202 and 204, a manifold 212, tubes 214, 216 to fluidly couple pumps 202, 204 to manifold 212, a pressure release valve to prevent bursting of bladder 500 while pumping (not illustrated), and a coupler 220 to fluidly couple manifold 212 to bladder 500. In accordance with alternative embodiments of the invention, container 100 may include one or more electrical pumps in addition to or in lieu of manual pumps 202, 204.
Container 100 may also include bars 222, 224 to stabilize plate 102. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, bars 222, 224 are formed of plastic, rubber, or metal and attached to plate 102 using glue, rivets, screws, combinations thereof, or the like. Bars 222, 224 are generally constructed, such that bars 222, 224 protrude from a rear portion of plate 102 and extend further out from plate 102 than any other component (e.g., pumps, handle) of container 100.
Plate 102 may also include a toe catch 226, which is a cavity formed within plate 102. Users can use catch 226 to stabilize container—for example, when bladder 500 is being inflated or deflated—or use catch 226 as a handle when lifting container 100.
As noted above,
A shape of bladder 500 may vary in accordance with various applications. When used in connection with container 100 that is used to transport golf clubs, bladder 500 may include first portion 522, which is substantially rectangular, a second portion 524, which is substantially triangular, and a third portion 526, which is substantially circular. Substantially circular portion 526 is configured to fold over golf club heads, when clubs (and a bag) are inserted into container 100, to provide support to clubs and mitigate movement of the clubs. Bladder 500 may be formed of any suitable material, such as polyurethane (e.g., Noveon Estane Resins) having a thickness of about 5-120 mils, preferably about 8-30 mils, and more preferably about 12 mils. Puncture resistance of bladder 500 may be enhanced by applying a nylon blend material, such as DuPont Cordura, to a portion of the respective assembly. The material for bladder 500 may alternatively include a resilient plastic, rubber, or other suitable high-tension material.
Bladder 500 may include multiple cells or baffled areas that may be independently formed in a variety of ways. In accordance with various aspects of the invention, baffled areas are formed by heat-sealing multiple layers of material (e.g., polyurethane) together to form a bladder having multiple baffled areas.
It should be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that the herein described invention refers to the various sections, cells, and bladders as “inflatable.” In this context, various sections, cells, and bladders may be inflated with any fluid, such as gas, liquid or a semi-solid such as a gel or foam material. Moreover, the various valves of the invention are intended to regulate the respective type of cushioning fluid that occupies the various sections, cells, and bladders.
Similar to cover 104, liner 1402 may be formed of any suitable material, such as nylon, cotton, polyester or the like. In accordance with one particular example of the invention, liner 1402 is formed of nylon.
Cover 104 can be coupled to protective plate 102 using any suitable device. For example, cover 104 can be coupled to plate 102 using rivets, screws, glue, or the like. Alternatively, cover 104 can be attached to plate 102 by securing straps or the like to or around cover 104.
Referring momentarily to
Referring now to
Plate 608 is similar to plate 102, except plate 608 includes portion 702 and a contoured portion 704. When container 600 is used to transport golf clubs, contoured portion 704 may be desirable because it more closely matches a contour of a golf club carrying bag.
Similar to container 100, container 600 includes a retractable handle 706, pumps (e.g., pumps 202, 204, not illustrated in
The present invention has been described above with reference to various exemplary embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the inflatable liner, container, and bags and methods described herein may be used with various transporting and storage devices. These alternatives can be suitably selected depending upon the particular application or in consideration of any number of factors associated with the operation of the container. These and other changes or modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.
