Inflatable mailer, apparatus, and method for making the same
The presently disclosed subject matter relates generally to mailers for shipping objects, and more particularly to mailers comprising an outer pouch and an inner inflatable liner and an inflation pathway through which a portion of gas can be introduced into said inflatable liner.
1. An inflatable mailer comprising:
a. a pouch comprising front and rear sheets that are oriented in face-to-face relation, wherein each sheet comprises:
i. a top edge, a bottom edge, and two opposite side edges, wherein the sheets are connected along the bottom edge and along opposite side edges to define an interior space, and wherein the top edges of the sheets are unconnected to form an opening into said interior space; and
ii. at least one pouch inflation port positioned at the top or bottom edge of at least one sheet;
b. a completely inflatable liner disposed in said interior space in an uninflated state, said inflatable liner comprising front and rear webs oriented in face-to-face relation, wherein each web comprises:
i. a top edge, a bottom edge, and opposite side edges, wherein the side edges of the front and rear webs are interconnected and at least one of the top or bottom edges are at least partially connected;
ii. two sheets having inner surfaces sealed to each other in a pattern defining a series of inflatable chambers and at least one common channel in fluid communication with said series of inflatable chambers, wherein said pattern includes uninflated continuous planar regions between the inflatable chambers to define the inflatable channels;
iii. a liner inflation port disposed on at least one of the two sheets in at least one of the two webs,
wherein said liner inflation ports are aligned with said pouch inflation ports, and whereby an inflation pathway is created through which a portion of gas can be introduced into said liner; and
wherein said liner inflation port is a hole or a slit on at least one of the two sheets in at least one of the two webs.
2. The inflatable mailer of claim 1 , wherein each sheet of said pouch comprises a heat-sealable thermoplastic polymer on its inner surface.
3. The inflatable mailer of claim 1 , wherein a portion of said rear sheet extends beyond said opening to define a flap, said flap comprising a sealing agent and a release liner covering said sealing agent.
4. The inflatable mailer of claim 1 , wherein said common channel is connected to each inflatable channel by at least one neck.
5. The inflatable mailer of claim 1 , wherein said liner comprises at least one gusset fold.
6. The inflatable mailer of claim 1 , wherein said liner comprises at least one arrow fold.
7. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein said liner inflation ports span all sheets of the inflatable liner.
8. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein said liner inflation ports span one sheet of both webs.
9. The mailer of claim 1 , further comprising an article positioned between the two webs.
10. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein the pouch inflation ports are aligned with each other.
11. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein said at least one pouch inflation port is positioned in close proximity to the pouch bottom edge and approximately equidistant from the pouch side edges.
12. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein said pouch is constructed from thermoplastic material, cardboard, paperboard, paper, foil, canvas, cloth, foamed film, and combinations thereof.
13. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein the outer pouch surface has writing capabilities, printing capabilities, adheres to gum and water-based adhesives, or combinations thereof.
14. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein the pouch, liner, or both comprises at least one barrier layer.
15. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein the pouch, liner, or both comprises one or more antistatic film materials.
16. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein said liner inflation ports are positioned in close proximity to the pouch bottom edge and approximately equidistant from the pouch side edges.
17. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein each inflatable chamber is of substantially the same length.
18. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein said channels comprise successive non-linear and linear inflatable narrow channels having no change in width along their length.
19. The mailer of claim 1 , wherein said channels are non-linear and oscillate with respect to the liner edges with a bubble disposed at the apex and valley of each oscillation.
20. The mailer of claim 1 , further comprising at least one spot seal positioned between the front and rear webs.