WEB FOR MAKING FLUID FILLED UNITS

1 . A web for forming sealed air filled pouches, comprising:

a first elongated layer;

a second elongated layer superposed over the first elongated layer, the first and second layers connected together at an inflation edge and an opposite edge;

a plurality of transverse seals extending from the opposite edge to a seal termination point that is a distance from the inflation edge, wherein said inflation edge, said opposite edge, and said transverse seals form a plurality of inflatable pouches; and

a plurality of fold seals sealing the first and second elongated layers together along a fold area defining first and second chambers, the fold seals creating a cushioned area along the fold area when the first chamber is folded over the second chamber.

2 . The web for forming sealed air filled pouches as set forth in claim 1 , further including:

a plurality of unsealed portions, around the respective fold seals, providing fluid communication between the first and second chambers.

3 . The web for forming sealed air filled pouches as set forth in claim 1 , wherein:

the fold seals are arranged in a staggered pattern.

4 . The web for forming sealed air filled pouches as set forth in claim 3 , wherein:

the staggered pattern of the fold seals creates extensions protruding into the respective chambers.

5 . The web for forming sealed air filled pouches as set forth in claim 4 , wherein:

the extensions overlap when the first chamber is folded over the second chamber to create the cushioned area.

6 . A web for forming sealed air filled pouches, comprising:

a first elongated layer;

a second elongated layer superposed over the first elongated layer, the first and second layers connected together at an inflation edge and an opposite edge; and

a plurality of transverse seals extending from the opposite edge to a seal termination point that is a distance from the inflation edge, wherein said inflation edge, said opposite edge, and said transverse seals form a plurality of inflatable pouches;

wherein the opposite edge is curved away from the inflation edge.

7 . The web for forming sealed air filled pouches as set forth in claim 6 , wherein:

an absolute value of a difference between a radius from a point along a central axis to an inside center of the curved opposite edge and a radius from the point to an intersection of the curved opposite edge and a transverse edge is less than a predetermined threshold.

8 . The web for forming sealed air filled pouches as set forth in claim 6 , wherein:

the transverse seals are substantially parallel when the inflatable pouches are inflated.

9 . A device for separating pouches defined by lines of perforations in a web, the device comprising:

a first stage including a first belt operating at a first speed;

a second stage including a second belt operating at a second speed, the web passing through the first stage before passing through the second stage, a pouch being separated from the web at the lines of perforations when a relative speed of the first belt is slower than a speed of the second belt.

10 . The device for separating pouches defined by lines of perforations in a web as set forth in claim 9 , wherein:

the first belt is stopped while the second belt continues to move for separating the pouch from the web.

11 . The device for separating pouches defined by lines of perforations in a web as set forth in claim 9 , wherein:

the pouch is not separated from the web when the first and second belts move at a substantially same speed.

12 . The device for separating pouches defined by lines of perforations in a web as set forth in claim 9 , further including:

a controller for selectively controlling speeds of the first and second belts;

wherein the controller selectively slows the speed of the first belt relative to the speed of the second belt by the predetermined threshold to separate the pouch; and

wherein the controller selectively sets the speed of the first belt to a substantially same speed of the second belt after the pouch is separated.

13 . A method for separating pouches connected by lines of perforations in a string of inflated pouches, the method comprising:

selecting a number of inflated pouches;

counting inflated pouches from an end of the string of inflated pouches until the number of pouches is reached;

moving a set of inflated pouches having the selected number of inflated pouches to a separation location;

holding a remainder of the string of inflated pouches in a fixed position while advancing the set of inflated pouches, thereby separating the set of inflated pouches from the remainder of the string at the separation location.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

waiting for a new number;

repeating the counting, moving and holding steps with the new number.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein an optical sensor and a controller are used to count the pouches from the end of the string of inflated pouches.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein a first stage of belts is used to hold the string of inflated pouches in a fixed position while a second stage of belts is used to advance the set of pouches.

17 . A method for dispensing pouches connected by lines of perforations in a string of inflated pouches, the method comprising:

selecting a number of inflated pouches;

counting inflated pouches from an end of the string of inflated pouches until the number of pouches is reached;

moving a set of inflated pouches having the selected number of inflated pouches to a separation location;

holding a remainder of the string of inflated pouches in a fixed position at the separation location;

manually separating the set of inflated pouches from the remainder of the string of inflated pouches at the separation location;

detecting that the set of pouches has been separated from the remainder of the string of inflated pouches;

repeating the counting, moving, and holding steps.

18 . The method of claim 17 ,

wherein an optical sensor and a controller are used to count the pouches from the end of the string of inflated pouches;

wherein a motion sensor and a controller are used to detect that the set of pouches has been separated from the remainder of the string of inflated pouches.