US 6,981,354 B2
Apparatus for inflating and sealing air-filled packing cushions
Andrew Perkins, Berkeley, Calif. (US); Oliver M. Reyes, Berkeley, Calif. (US); Philipp Borchard, San Francisco, Calif. (US); and Nicholas P. De Luca, San Francisco, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Free-Flow Packaging International Inc., Redwood City, Calif. (US)
Filed on Dec. 09, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/732,437.
Application 10/732437 is a division of application No. 10/366812, filed on Feb. 13, 2003.
Application 10/366812 is a continuation of application No. 09/638843, filed on Aug. 14, 2000, granted, now 6,659,150.
Prior Publication US 2004/0134164 A1, Jul. 15, 2004
Int. Cl. B65B 31/06 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 53—79 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A machine for inflating and sealing a preconfigured film material having inflatable chambers in communication with an inflation channel to make air-filled packing cushions, comprising: a support wall, a spindle extending from the support wall for rotatively supporting a roll of the film material on one side of the wall, a feed mechanism on the same side of the well as the spindle for drawing the film material from the roll and advancing it along a substantially vertical path past the wall, an air injector for injecting air into and thereby inflating the chambers as the material advances along the path, a heating element for sealing the inflated chambers in the advancing material, and a knife blade positioned near the wall for slitting the film material along the inflation channel as the material advances along the path.