The present invention relates to a compact inflation system, and in more particularly, relates to a system and method for inflating packaging airbags.
The packaging is a means to protect an article from contamination, dirt, and damage. The packaging is of utmost significance in the manufacture, sale, and transport of articles. The primary purpose of the packaging is to protect an article from the environment. For example, packaging can protect an article from dust, water, etc. Also, the packaging has a primary function to protect an article from external shocks and bumps. This function of packaging is of importance in the transportation of fragile articles which are very suspectable to damage during transportation. Good packaging can protect an article from damage due to shocks or bumps both during transportation and mishandling of the article.
Different kinds of packaging materials are commercially available, such as paper, plastic, and cardboard. Each packaging material has its own uses and indications. The paper can be used to protect an article from dirt. The plastic can protect an article from both dirt and liquid. Cardboards, on the other hand, are sturdy and can provide limited protection against shocks. For enhanced protection against shocks, materials such as Styrofoam, foam, bubble packs, crumpled paper, or airbags, each being inserted inside a bag or container are popularly used.
Airbags are bags that can be inflated to protect an article contained in the bag. The airbag can be made of polyethylene or other materials having similar properties. The airbag is manufactured as a sheet having two overlapping plies. The two plies have air cavities which can be inflated with air. The air cavities are fluidly connected to an inflation port through unidirectional flow valves and inflatable tubes. The air can enter from the inflation port and uniformly distributes to the plurality of inflatable cavities. The unidirectional flow valve can be provided at the inflation port and prevents leaking of air. Moreover, the entry of each cavity can be provided with a unidirectional flow valve. This can be helpful in case, any cavity is ruptured, while the unidirectional flow valve prevents leakage of air from other cavities. The airbag can be manufactured in the form of a container. For example, airbag containers are used to contain glass bottles for protection against bumps. Such airbag containers have become quite popular for the transportation of wine bottles.
At retail outlets, costly glass articles, such as wine bottles are packed in airbag containers for protection against bumps. The airbag container is available as a sheet, which is inflated by a manual air pump. However, the use of manual pumps is both laborious and time-consuming. Thus, a need is appreciated for an improved inflation system for packaging airbags.
The principal objective of the present invention is therefore directed to an air inflation system for use in inflating packaging airbags.
It is an additional objective of the present invention that the inflation system is portable and compact.
It is a further objective of the present invention that the inflation system makes less noise during operation.
It is another objective of the present invention that the airbag can be mounted to the inflation system for inflating the airbag.
Yet it is another objective of the present invention that the inflation system is economical to manufacture and easy to use.
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to an inflation system for inflating packaging airbags. The inflation system comprises an air compressor housed in a compact housing. The air compressor fluidly connected to an air pressure regulator for controlling the air pressure within pre-determined limits. An air hose connects an outlet of the air regulator to a nozzle, where the nozzle can couple to an inflation port of the airbag for inflating the airbag.
In another aspect, the inflation system comprises a duckbill type clamp assembly, the clamp assembly comprises an upper clamp and a lower clamp positioned against each other. The upper clamp having a proximal end and a distal end, and the lower clamp having a proximal end and a distal end. The upper clamp is stationary, while the lower clamp is pivotally coupled near center of its length, resulting in the lower clamp to pivot around its pivot joint and relative to the first clamp. Each of the upper clamp and the lower clamp mounts an upper cushion and a lower cushion respectfully. The upper cushion and the lower cushion positioned near the proximal ends of the upper clamp and the lower clamp. The upper cushion and the lower cushion both having a longitudinal groove, which together forms a passageway for the air hose, the air hose connected to air pressure regulator at one end and to a nozzle at another end. Furthermore, the distal end of the lower clamp can be operably coupled to a pull type solenoid for pivoting the lower clamp relative to the upper clamp.
In one aspect, the upper cushion and the lower cushion can be positioned to face each other, such that the air hose can be positioned along the passageway, and wherein a portion of the nozzle can protrude outwards from the passageway. The solenoid is operable to pull the distal end of the lower clamp, resulting in the proximal end of the lower clamp to pivot upwards towards the upper cushion. To fill the airbag, an inflation port of the airbag can be sealably received into the inflation port, wherein a collar of the airbag adjacent to the inflation bag can lie between the upper cushion and the lower cushion. Turning ON the inflation system causes the lower clamp to pivot, wherein the lower cushion pushes the collar of the bag towards the upper cushion, thus retaining the collar of the bag while inflating the airbag. Turning the inflation system OFF, results in lowering of the lower clamp, releasing the collar of the airbag. The collar of the airbag herein refers to a portion of the airbag adjacent to the inflation port.
These and other objects and advantages of the embodiments herein will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
The accompanying figures, which are incorporated herein, form part of the specification and illustrate embodiments of the present invention. Together with the description, the figures further explain the principles of the present invention and to enable a person skilled in the relevant arts to make and use the invention.
Subject matter will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. Subject matter may, however, be embodied in a variety of different forms and, therefore, covered or claimed subject matter is intended to be construed as not being limited to any exemplary embodiments set forth herein; exemplary embodiments are provided merely to be illustrative. Likewise, the reasonably broad scope for claimed or covered subject matter is intended. Among other things, for example, the subject matter may be embodied as methods, devices, components, or systems. The following detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be taken in a limiting sense.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the term “embodiments of the present invention” does not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.
The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising,”, “includes” and/or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The following detailed description includes the best currently contemplated mode or modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely to illustrate the general principles of the invention since the scope of the invention will be best defined by the allowed claims of any resulting patent.
The present invention is directed to a novel inflation system for inflating packaging airbags.
The different components of the inflation system 10 can be seen in
The clamp assembly 18 can now be explained with the help of
The lower clamp is shown in
In one embodiment, an airbag having an inflation port can be filled with the inflation system 10. The inflation port of the airbag can be sealably received into the nozzle 20, wherein a collar of the airbag adjacent to the inflation port lies between the upper cushion 70 and the lower cushion 80. Thereafter the inflation system 10 can be turned ON, wherein the solenoid 32 operates to pull the distal end of the lower clamp 50, resulting in the proximal end of the lower clamp 50 to pivot towards the proximal end of the upper clamp 44. As a result, the lower cushion 80 can press against the upper cushion 70, wherein the collar of the air bag can be held between the upper cushion 70 and the lower cushion 80. In one case, the upper cushion and the lower cushion can be made of any soft material, such as rubber pads. The air compressor 28 operates to supply air under pressure to the airbag through the air pressure regulator. Once the airbag is inflated, the inflation unit 10 can be turned OFF, resulting in releasing of the lower clamp, and the airbag can then be removed from the nozzle 20.
The power supply to the inflation system 10 can be transmitted through a power cord, wherein the power interface 22 can receive the power cord. The power interface 22 can also be provided with a fuse to protect any damage from electricity. The power cable can be interrupted with a foot-pedal switch, such that the foot-pedal switch can be pressed to allow the power to transmit to the inflation system 10. Releasing the foot-pedal switch cut-off the power supply thereby turning the to the inflation system 10 OFF. It will be appreciated by a skilled person that any other mechanism to turn the inflation apparatus on and off is within the scope of the present invention.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above-described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.
This application claims priority to the U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/889,564 filed Aug. 21, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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