JP2587135B2 - Self-sealing blow tube with multiple side-by-side passages for airbags - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a self-sealing blow tube having a plurality of side-by-side passages provided through an inflatable air bag which is originally flat but can be blown with air. In particular, the present invention relates to a blow-in tube having an enhanced self-sealing function after blowing air.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a sheet mainly used as a cushioning material, etc., which is originally flat but can be inflated by blowing air, the present applicant has previously provided a large number of individual airbags vertically. Then, a cushioning material sheet provided with a common air blowing tube penetrating many of these flat airbags in the vertical direction was developed.
Alternatively, the application is filed as Japanese Patent Application No. 2-270115. The former (Japanese Patent Application No. 1-120288) has at least one slit-type valve provided at a position of each blowing tube in each airbag, and the latter (Japanese Patent Application No. 2-270115) A non-fused opening is provided in a part of the side edge to be fused when forming the blow-in tube, and this opening is used as a self-close valve.

[0003] The above-mentioned slit valve type air blowing tube or a self-closed valve type blowing tube provided with a non-fusion opening is used to inflate the airbag by blowing compressed air through the blowing tube, and then to perform the blowing pressure. When the airbag is stopped, the blowing tube is compressed and flattened by the air pressure filled in the airbag, the slit or the non-fused opening is automatically closed, and functions well as a self-sealing valve with a simple configuration.

[0004] However, from a practical point of view, there is a drawback that the air filled in the airbag leaks through the blowing tube, though in a trace amount, after a long time. In particular, if the air pressure initially filled in the airbag is not so high, or if the part of the blow tube that has the slit or non-fusion opening is bent or twisted in the airbag, the slit or non-fusion is required. It was found that the airtightness of the opening was not sufficient, and that the air in the airbag penetrated into the blow tube little by little and escaped to the outside world. In applications where the same inflation pressure has to be maintained for a long time, for example for several months, this is a problem that must be improved.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for inflating an airbag after inflating an airbag without changing the structure which is originally flat and the simple structure in which the film constituting the blowing tube itself is used as a self-sealing valve. An object of the present invention is to provide a self-sealing blow tube in which internal air pressure is prevented from leaking through the blow tube.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention provides a blow tube formed by heat-sealing both side edges from two heat-sealing airtight films, and a plurality of heat-sealing films along one side edge. A main passage for air blowing which is open from end to end through the airbag , and intermittently having at least one non-fused portion extending parallel to the main passage for each airbag, One or more,
Main passage preferably with two or more internal seals
And a side-by-side path that forms a meandering path with respect to the film. The blowing tube is constructed such that slots or slits formed in the surface open inside each airbag.

The main passage of the blow-in tube is open from end to end through a number of airbags connected in series.
At least one end protrudes from the end of the airbag at the extreme end to form an air blowing port. However, it is desirable that both ends of each of the parallel passages provided substantially parallel to the main passage be closed for each individual airbag. The closing of both ends is performed by inserting a blow tube previously formed as a main passage and a side-by-side passage opened from end to end between two continuous-length films for forming an airbag. When heat sealing at both vertical side edges and the predetermined crossing interval,
This can be performed by heat-sealing the inner surfaces of the blown tube together with the formation of the transverse seal.

After the air is blown into the airbag, the blow tube is entirely crushed flat by the air pressure in the airbag, and the main trunk passage, the side-by-side passage, and the opening into the airbag are all closed tightly. To form a self-sealing valve, with a meandering passage from the opening into the airbag to the main trunk passage.
Since the relatively long squashed sideways formed are interposed, the air in the airbag cannot escape to the outside through the blowing tube, and the self-sealing action of the blowing tube is the same as the conventional simple slit valve or non-fusion. It is much stronger than the type with only openings.

[0009]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing one of the inflated individual airbags 1, and each individual airbag is formed from two upper and lower films 2 and 3. The films 2 and 3 are selected from a heat-resistant or heat-resistant and air-tight and durable plastic film. For example, a laminated film of nylon and polyethylene can be used as a suitable one in terms of performance and cost. It is also possible to use other equivalent films. The two films 2 and 3 are heat-sealed at both vertical side edges to form vertical seal portions 4 and 4 ', and the vertical seals are sealed with a pair of horizontal seal portions 5 and 6 at appropriate intervals. Thus, a large number of individual airbags 1 are formed continuously in a vertical direction.

Prior to the formation of the vertical seals 4 and 4 'and the horizontal seals 5 and 6, the blowing tube 10 of the present invention is inserted into the interior of each airbag 1. Although not shown in the drawing, the blowing tube 10 is slightly longer than the entire length of each vertically continuous airbag, and the end of the blowing tube is protruded from the end of the airbag to form an air blowing port (not shown). ).

The blowing tube 10 is also made of two films 11, 1 of the same material as the films 2, 3 of the airbag 1.
2 according to the present invention. It is preferable that one side edge 13 of the blowing tube 10 formed in advance is sandwiched between the vertical sealing portions 4 of the airbag 1 as shown in FIG. The blow tube 10 of the present invention comprises a main passage 16 communicating end-to-end through all of the individual airbags, and preferably a main passage 16 through two or more non-fused sections or ports 17,20. An opening 22 is provided almost in parallel with the passage 16 and opens into the inside of the airbag 1 at the other side edge 14 through a side-by-side passage closed at both ends by horizontal seals 5 and 6.

The details of the structure of the blowing tube 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 peels off the film 2 above the airbag 1 as shown in FIG. 1 and peels off the film 12 above the blowing tube 10.
Only the lower films 3 and 11 are shown, and the vertical seals 4, 4 'and the horizontal seals 5, 6 are hatched (the fused portion of the blow-in tube 10 is not hatched). ). It is preferable that one side edge 13 of the blow-in tube be integrally fused to the vertical seal 4 of the airbag 1 as described above, but is shown slightly apart in FIG. 2 for clarity. Indeed, the side edges 13 can be fused or glued to the inner surface of one (for example 3 ) of the airbag film apart from the longitudinal seal 4.

The blow tube 10 has one side edge 13.
And the other side edge 14 is partially (opening 2
It is formed by fusing two films 11 and 12 by heat sealing or the like except for 2). Prior to this fusing, at least a non-heat fusing material such as a heat-resistant (not heat-adhesive) printing ink, varnish, paint or the like is formed with a predetermined width to form the main passage 16 along the side edge 13. It is applied to one film 11 by coating or other method. Nearly parallel to the main passage 16, a part of the non-fused part or the communication port 1
7 and another internal seal 18 having a non-fused part or connection 20 in part, thus providing a side-by-side passage 19 between the internal seals 15 and 18;
Another parallel path 21 is formed between the inner seal 18 and the other side edge seal 14. The juxtaposed passages 21 communicate with the interiors of the individual airbags 1 through the unfused openings 22 of the side edges 14.

In order to form the non-fusing connection port 17, the juxtaposed path 19, the non-fusing connection port 20 and the juxtaposed path 21, the non-fusible connection of heat-resistant ink or the like is performed similarly to the formation of the main passage 16. The adhesive material may be applied to one of the films (11) in a pattern necessary to form these non-fused portions, and then the two films 11, 12 may be combined and heated and pressed by a heat roller or the like. However, the heat-sealing mold is designed and used so as to form the inner seals 15 and 18 in addition to the side edge seals 13 and 14, and if necessary, the non-fused portions 17, 20, and 22 are attached to one of the films. There is also a method in which heat-resistant ink or the like is applied only to a portion corresponding to the above (not applied to the parallel passages 19 and 21), and the two films are heat-sealed together. This latter method is a preferred method, as will be apparent from the description below.

In any case, one side edge 13 is sealed over the entire length, and the other side edge 14 is sealed leaving at least one opening 22 per airbag, and is linearly inserted therein. Is a blow tube 10 formed with juxtaposed passages 19 and 21 that form a meandering passage with respect to the main passage 16 through the non-fused connection ports 17 and 20 that are not aligned.
Are sandwiched between the airbag films 2 and 3 to form the vertical seal portions 4 and 4 'and the horizontal seal portions 5 and 6 as described above. Due to the formation of the horizontal seal portions 5 and 6, the outer surfaces of the films 11 and 12 of the blow-in tube are fused to the inner surfaces of the films 2 and 3 of the airbag 1 to separate the individual airbags 1 and the inner surface of the blow-in tube 10 Also, as shown by hatching in FIG.
Closed with However, since the non-heat-fusible material is applied as described above, the inner surface of the main passage 16 remains open from end to end without being fused. The portions indicated by dashed lines 5 'and 6' in FIG. 2 indicate that the inner surfaces of the blown tubes are not fused to each other in this way, but are only fused to the film of the airbag on the outer surfaces.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, the operation from the air blowing of the airbag 1 having the blowing tube 10 of the present invention to the formation of a self-sealing valve will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an overall flat sheet-like state before air is blown. In fact, this cushioning material sheet is in close contact with the entire surface so that the entire cross section can be represented by one straight line before blowing, but in the figure, for convenience of explanation, both the airbag 1 and the blowing tube 10 are arranged vertically. The film is drawn slightly apart. In addition, the non-fused portion of the blow tube 10, that is, the communication ports 17 and 20 and the opening 22.
Should be formed at positions that are not linearly aligned as described above, but are illustrated as being aligned on the drawing for the sake of explanation.

Pressurized air blowing means such as an air compressor is connected to a blowing port (not shown) of the blowing tube 10 protruding from the end of the airbag as described above to blow air into the main passage 16. As shown in FIG. 4, the main passage 16 is inflated through all of the airbags, the communication port 17 is opened in each airbag 1 to inflate the parallel path 19, and the communication port 20 is opened to open the outer parallel path 21. Pressurized air A flows into the airbag 1 from the opening 22 to inflate the airbag. When the blow tube 10 is viewed in a plan view, as shown in FIG.
On the other hand, the side-by-side path 19 forms a meandering path through the communication port 17.
Adult City, also through the parallel設路21 connecting port 20 trunk passage 1
6, a further meandering passage is formed, and the opening 22 is also located at a position where a meandering passage is formed with respect to the communication port 20,
If a sufficiently high blowing pressure is supplied to the main passage 16, the parallel passages 19 and 21 are sufficiently inflated almost simultaneously, and the air A can be sent into the airbag almost instantaneously.

When the individual airbags 1 are inflated to the required degree, the blowing pressure is stopped. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the air pressure a filled in the airbag 1 acts on the entire surface of the blow-in tube 10 and flattens it, so that not only the opening 22 is closed but also the parallel passage 21 and the communication port 20 are closed. Parallel road 19
The communication port 17, the main passage 16 and the main passage 16 are all closed flat and tightly so that the blow tube 10 itself constitutes a self-sealing valve.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, since one side edge 13 of the blow tube is sandwiched and integrated with the vertical seal portion 4 of the airbag as described above, a large number of inflated and continuous Even if one of the airbags is bent at the joint portion 7 (see FIG. 1), the blow tube does not bend in the airbag, but even if it is bent, According to the present invention, between the opening 22 of the blowing tube and the main passage 16, there are juxtaposed passages which form a meandering passage with respect to the main passage 16 , and these juxtaposed passages are crushed by a strong pressure a. Since it is closed, it is impossible for the air pressure in the airbag 1 to leak outside through the blow tube 10. Thus, according to the blowing tube of the present invention, each airbag can be inflated to a higher pressure as compared with the conventional type, and an excellent self-sealing action capable of maintaining the inflated state for a longer time can be obtained. It is done.

FIG. 6 is a partial plan view showing another embodiment of the blowing tube of the present invention. The blowing tube 30 has both side edges 33 and 34 sealed over its entire length, and instead has an oval slot 32 formed in one of the films in the side-by-side channel 21 as an opening into the interior of the airbag. It is the same as the previous example except for the point described above. That is, the main passage 16 is opened through all the airbags, the inner seal 15 divides the side-by-side passage 19 through the partial non-fused portion 17, and the other inner seal 1
Reference numeral 8 similarly defines a juxtaposed path 21 via the non-fused portion 20. Both ends of the juxtaposed paths 19 and 21 are closed by horizontal seal portions 5 and 6 that define individual airbags.

In this regard, it is preferable that both ends of the parallel passages 19 and 21 are closed in both embodiments in order to improve the efficiency of blowing air into the airbag. If the parallel paths 19 and 21 communicate with the adjacent airbags, the independence of the individual airbags may be impaired. That is, when air is blown, air flows between adjacent airbags, and if one of the airbags is leaking due to damage or the like, the inflating operation is hindered. In order to close both ends of the side-by-side path with the horizontal seal portions 5 and 6 of the airbag as described above, it is necessary to form the main passage 16 when forming the blow tube as described above.
, A non-heat-fusible ink or the like is applied over the entire length, but both ends of the juxtaposed paths 19 and 21 must be left as heat-fusible. However, since the individual airbags are formed so that, for example, ten or more airbags are connected in series, the pattern of the parallel passages 19 and 21 intermittently formed on the blowing tube is left correspondingly. Drawing accurately with non-fusible materials is a rather cumbersome and time-consuming task. Then, the inner seal 15 is added to the heat sealing mold.
It is more efficient and preferable to design the joining portions forming the first and second portions in an intermittent manner while leaving the non-fused portions 17 and 20. Similarly, it is needless to say that the side edge 14 should be formed with a notch so that at least one opening 22 is formed for each airbag.

Although the slot 32 is shown as an elliptical opening in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a linear slit may be cut in one side of the film of the blow-in tube to form a self-sealing opening. .

[0023]

As described above, the blowing tube of the present invention is provided with a main trunk passage for air blowing which is open from one end to the other along one side edge of the two films whose side edges are sealed. pair to the trunk channel in the air bag
Since a parallel passage forming a meandering passage was provided in the blowing tube, and the parallel passage was communicated with the opening for blowing into the airbag provided on or near the other side edge,
When the air blowing is stopped after each airbag is inflated, the area of the blowing tube which is closed by being crushed by the filled air pressure in the airbag has increased, and the stroke from the opening for blowing into the airbag to the main trunk passage has increased. Due to its meandering shape and its length, the entire blow-in tube has a strong self-sealing effect, increasing the ability to maintain expansion without increasing the number of constituent materials and complicating the valve structure. An enormous effect that can realize a cushioning airbag is achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an illustration of one of the inflated individual airbags of the present invention pierced through a blow tube having a plurality of side-by-side passages.
It is a perspective view which shows an individual.

FIG. 2 shows the details of the structure of the blow-in tube shown in FIG. 1 in order to show the details of one of the films in which the fusion portion between the two films of the airbag and the blow-in tube is peeled off. It is a peeling plan view.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a flat state of a blowing tube of the present invention and an airbag containing the blowing tube.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing a state in which air is being blown into the airbag of FIG. 3 through a blowing tube.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the air pressure shown in FIG. 4 is sufficiently inflated and then the blowing pressure to the blowing tube is stopped.

FIG. 6 is a partial plan view showing another embodiment of the blowing tube of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Individual airbag 2,3 Airbag film 4,4 'Vertical seal part 5,6 Horizontal seal part 10 Blowing tube 11,12 Blowing tube film 13,33 One side edge 14,34 The other Side edges 15, 18 Internal seal 16 Main trunk passage 17, 20 Non-fused part or communication port 19, 21 Parallel path 22 Non-fused opening 32 Opening (slot)

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. A heat-sealing and air-tight film is penetrated from one end to the other through a plurality of airbags along one side inside a blow tube formed by heat-sealing both side edges of the film. Main passage for blowing air, and each airbag is parallel to the main passage.
It extends, and provided with parallel設路to form a tortuous path for the trunk channel through one or more internal seals intermittently provided a non-fused portion or the communication port of at least one place A self-sealing blow tube having a plurality of side-by-side passages for airbags, wherein the side-by-side passages are open into individual airbags at or near the other side edge of the film. 2. The internal seal is provided substantially in parallel with a side edge of the film, and each internal seal has a non-fused portion or a communication port formed at a position shifted in a longitudinal direction. and, thereby form a tortuous passage to main trunk passage
Two parallel設路that formed is provided in blowing tube,
The side-by-side path close to the other side edge is displaced in the length direction from the non-fused portion or the one closest to the communication port in the length direction, and the individual airbag is passed through the non-fused opening formed in the other side edge. 2. The self-sealing blow tube according to claim 1, which is open inside. 3. The internal seal is provided substantially in parallel with a side edge of the film, and each internal seal has a non-fused portion or a communication port formed at a position shifted in the longitudinal direction. and, thereby form a tortuous passage to main trunk passage
Two parallel設路that formed is provided in blowing tube,
The side-by-side path close to the other side edge is displaced in the length direction from the non-fused portion or the one near the communication port in the length direction, and through an opening formed in the surface of the film near the other side edge. The self-sealing blow tube according to claim 1, which is open inside the airbag. 4. The self-sealing blow tube according to claim 2, wherein each of the juxtaposed passages is closed at both ends by a lateral seal portion that separates the individual airbags. 5. The self-sealing blow tube according to claim 4, wherein said one side edge of the blow tube is integrally fixed to a vertical seal portion forming one side edge of the airbag. 6. The self-sealing type according to claim 4, wherein said one side edge of the blow-in tube is fixed to the inner surface of the film of the airbag away from a vertical seal portion forming one side edge of the airbag. Blow tube. 7. The self-sealing blow tube according to claim 1, wherein the film is a laminated film of nylon and polyethylene.