Container for fragile articles

The total container comprises inner and outer container bodies, each closed at the bottom and sides and open at the top. The side margins of the inner container body are sealingly connected to the side margins of the outer container body, and the bottom margin of the container body is sealingly connected to at least one wall of the outer container body. The bottom of the compartment within the inner container body is a substantial distance above the bottom of the outer container body. The upper margins of the inner container body are sealingly connected to upper portions of the walls of the outer container body, so that the inner container body serves as a partition between first and second inflation chambers having valved air flow ports. The upper end of the outer container body may be wrapped up into a spiral formation to seal the compartment and the container as a whole. An article is placed in the compartment, the open end is sealed, and the chambers are inflated, forcing excess air out of the compartment through an outlet port. The stored article is suspended within the compartment, gripped by its walls and spaced from all of the outer parts of the container, which protects it from mechanical shock and moisture. The sealing of the container may be improved by including a resiliently yieldable filler strip within the spiral formation to increase its bulk and hence the sealing pressure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention lies in the field of protective enclosures for fragile or 
delicate articles and relates to enclosures which protect such articles 
from mechanical shock and from moisture. More particularly it relates to 
means forming an air cushion around the article which absorbs shocks, 
excludes moisture, and serves as a safety float in case the article is 
dropped in water. 
Many devices have been made and used in the past using inflatable 
compartments for flotation, insulation, protection against shock or heat 
loss, and the like. They have included pneumatic jackets to surround 
heated or cooled liquids for heat insulation, inflatable packaging units 
having recesses to receive stored articles, inflatable liners for boxes, 
and other arrangements. Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 2,729,259 to Abrams, No. 3,366,231 to Trakas, and No. 3,587,794 to 
Mattel. All of these schemes work reasonably well for their intended 
purposes but have limited utility and do not have the capability of 
holding articles of varying sizes and shapes to protect them against 
injury. Some are designed to hold only articles of a specific size and 
shape, others merely provide a space surrounded to some extent by inflated 
cushioning material in which articles are free to fall from one position 
to another and be damaged, while others provide cushioning material only 
in certain locations with no protection in other locations. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The device of the present invention overcomes the difficulties and 
disadvantages mentioned above and provides a construction which is simple 
and easy to use, is durable, takes up very little space when not in use, 
and grips a stored article firmly within a protective cushion of air 
surrounding the article on all sides. It minimizes temperature changes and 
serves as a float in the event that the device and stored article are 
dropped in water. 
Generally stated, in its presently preferred form, the container includes 
an outer container body of flexible material having forward and rear walls 
which comprise the outer walls of the total container. The walls are 
closed at the side margins and at the bottom and are open at the top. An 
inner container body is provided which is also provided with forward and 
rear walls whose side margins and bottom are closed and whose upper 
margins are open to provide a storage compartment within it for reception 
of articles to be protected. The side margins of the inner container body 
are sealingly connected to the side margins of the outer container body 
and the upper margins of the inner container body are sealingly connected 
to the upper portions of the forward and rear walls of the outer container 
body. The line of attachment may be at the upper end of the outer 
container body but preferably is some distance down. 
The bottom margin of the inner container body is sealingly connected to at 
least one of the outer walls of the total container. It is desirable that 
the bottom of the storage compartment be some distance above the bottom of 
the outer container body so that a stored article will be protected from 
shock if the container is set down abruptly in its upright position. To 
achieve this result, in the presently preferred form the bottom margin of 
the inner container body is connected to one outer wall of the container 
at a substantial distance above the bottom of the container. As an 
alternative, the compartment portion may be sealed off a substantial 
distance above the bottom of the inner container body to define a 
vertically extensive margin which is then sealingly attached at its bottom 
edge to the bottom margin of the container. 
With the construction just described, the two container bodies cooperate to 
define a first inflation chamber between the inner container body and a 
first wall of the outer container body and a second inflation chamber 
between the inner container body and the second wall of the outer 
container body, with the inner container body serving as a partition 
between the two chambers. 
A valved air flow port is provided in each wall of the outer container body 
for independent inflation of the chambers. Fastener means are provided at 
the upper portions of the walls of the outer container to hold it closed 
and maintain a uniform shape when the chambers are expanded and prevent a 
stored article from being expelled accidentally. As the chambers expand, 
they compress the inner container body and force most of the air out of 
its through the open end and cause its walls to conform to and grip a 
stored article. 
To provide only flotation and shock protection, any suitable closure may be 
used for the open end of the container, such as a zipper or grommets and 
catches. However, since it is intended primarily for total protection of 
fragile or delicate articles such as cameras, electronic equipment, and 
the like it is also necessary to prevent entry of moisture, dirt, or other 
foreign matter. For this purpose the upper portions of the walls of the 
container are formed to engage each other in facewise sealing relation and 
adapted to be wrapped up into a spiral formation about an axis extending 
laterally of the container body to press the walls in sealing relation. 
Fastener means are provided in the form of a first portion extending 
laterally across and secured to one exterior face of the upper portion of 
the container and a second portion extending laterally across and secured 
to the other exterior face of the upper portion of the container. Their 
lines of attachment are well below the top of the container so as to be 
below the portion which forms the spiral configuration. At least one of 
the portions is in the form of a vertically extensive elongate lateral 
strip secured only along its lower marginal edge to the container so that 
its upper portion will overlie the spiral formation. Cooperating connector 
means on the two portions serve to lock them together and maintain the 
spiral formation in tightly wrapped condition. Since the top of the 
container is sealed before inflation, a valved air flow port passes 
through the walls of both containers to the compartment to release trapped 
air in response to expansion of the inflation chambers.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The general arrangement of a construction which incorporates various 
features of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, in which the 
total container 10 includes an outer container body 12 and an inner 
container body 14, both formed of flexible material such as 20 mil vinyl 
sheet. Although the container may have various planforms for special 
purposes, it is most practical for it to be flat when deflated and 
generally rectangular in planform. 
The outer body 12 has first and second, forward and rear, walls 16 and 18 
which comprise the outer walls of the total container. The walls are 
closed at the bottom 20 and at the side margins 22 and 24 and open at the 
upper margins 26. The inner body 14 is similar but of less height, and has 
first and second, forward and rear, walls 28 and 30 which are closed at 
the bottom 32 and at the side margins 34 and 36 and open at the upper 
margins 38. The side margins 34 and 36 of body 14 are sealingly connected 
to side margins 22 and 24, and upper margins 38 are sealingly connected to 
the upper portions of body 12 as seen in FIG. 7, the lines of attachment 
being well below the upper margins 26 of body 12. The sealed connections 
may be made by electronic welding or any other suitable type of permanent 
bonding. The bottom 32 of body 14 is also sealingly connected to wall 16. 
It will be apparent that since walls 28 and 30 and bottom 32 of body 14 are 
sealingly connected to body 12 all around the perimeter of the body 14 the 
two bodies cooperate to define a first inflation chamber 40 between body 
14 and wall 16 and a second inflation chamber 42 between body 14 and wall 
18. Thus, body 14 serves as a partition to prevent flow of air between the 
two chambers. It will also be apparent in FIG. 4 that chamber 42 extends 
across the bottom and some distance up along wall 16 to define a cushion 
below body 14. Inflation ports 44 having check valves 46 and plug caps 48 
extend through each of walls 16 and 18 and are bonded in place to provide 
for supplying air to the inflation chambers. The chambers may be readily 
and rapidly filled by mouth to the form shown in FIG. 4. 
As the chambers are inflated, they force the major portion of the air out 
of the storage compartment 50 within the container body 14 and cause it to 
assume the general shape shown in FIG. 4 with the major area of walls 28 
and 30 in facewise contact with each other and with a central portion 
conforming to and gripping a stored article 52, such as a camera. It is 
apparent that the stored article is completely suspended in a cushion of 
air so that it is protected against shock, and the chambers furnish 
adequate flotation in case the container falls into a body of water. 
If it is desired to provide only shock protection and possibly flotation 
against an accidental fall into water, any suitable closure means may be 
used for the open end of the container, such as a zipper or grommets and 
turn-button catches, which will maintain the basic shape of the container 
and guard against the stored article being accidentally expelled. Such a 
closure would allow outflow of air from the storage compartment as 
chambers 40 and 42 are expanded. 
However, the container in its most useful form is intended to provide total 
protection for delicate or fragile articles such as cameras, electronic 
equipment, and the like by preventing entry into the storage compartment 
of moisture, dirt, or other foreign matter. It is particularly useful for 
carrying cameras in kayaks, canoes, and boats, where the articles would 
constantly be exposed to water for long periods of time. For this purpose 
the upper portions 54 of the walls of the container are formed to engage 
each other in facewise sealing relation and are adapted to be wrapped up 
into a spiral formation 56 about an axis extending laterally of the 
container body to press the walls tightly in sealing relation as indicated 
in FIG. 4. 
Fastener means are provided in the form of a first portion 58 and a second 
portion 60. The first portion comprises a vertically extensive elongate 
lateral strip which extends laterally across wall 18 and is secured only 
along its lower marginal edge 62 to the wall so that its upper portion 64 
may overlie the spiral formation. The second portion comprises a series of 
fastener members 66 extending laterally across and secured to wall 16. 
Members 66 may be secured independently and directly to wall 16 or they 
may be secured to a mounting strip which in turn is secured to the wall. 
Their lines of attachment are well below the top of the container so as to 
be below the portion which forms the spiral formation 56. Grommets 68 are 
mounted near the free edge of portion 64, and fastener member 66 are 
provided with turn-button catches 70 to lock the two fastener portions 
together. 
To make use of the container in the form just described it is laid flat on 
a horizontal support. The mouth is opened and the article to be stored is 
inserted and located generally centrally as indicated in FIG. 4. The upper 
portion 54 is then wrapped up tightly to form the spiral formation 56, and 
portion 64 of the fastener means is laid over the spiral formation, 
fastener members 66 are engaged in grommets 68, and catches 70 are turned 
to lock the portions together and maintain the spiral formation in tightly 
wrapped condition to provide an air tight seal for compartment 50. 
Chambers 40 and 42 are then inflated to compress the inner container body 
14 and grip the article 52. Since the compartment 50 is sealed off before 
inflation, means must be provided to release trapped air from the 
compartment. An air flow port 72 provided with a push-in plug valve 74 
passes through wall 18 and 30 into the storage compartment in the inner 
container body 14 and is left in the open position until chambers 40 and 
42 are fully inflated and all excess air has left the compartment. Valve 
74 is then closed and the compartment is completely sealed against the 
entry of dirt and moisture. 
A further feature of the invention is that the lines of attachment of the 
upper margins 38 of the inner container body to the outer container body 
are spaced above the lines of attachment of the fastener means portions to 
the container and hence they will be located in the spiral formation. When 
chambers 40 and 42 are inflated, pressurized air will be forced up into 
the spiral wrap as shown in FIG. 4 at 76 and 78, adding to the tightness 
and security of the seal. 
Additional tightening of the seal may be obtained by providing at least one 
long narrow resiliently yieldable filler strip such as strip 80, shown in 
FIGS. 6 to 8, which extends laterally across and is secured to the upper 
portion 54 of at least one wall of the outer container body 12 well above 
the line of attachment of the fastener means 58, 60. It is wrapped into 
the spiral formation as shown in FIG. 8 and its resilience and bulk 
increase the pressure and sealing effect. The strip may be mounted on the 
exterior surface but it is preferably mounted on the interior surface as 
shown, for protection from damage. A similar strip may be mounted on the 
opposite wall to engage the first strip and further increase the sealing 
effect. The strips comprise lengths of soft resilient plastic foam, such 
as vinyl foam, and are covered with lengths of flexible protective 
material which may be provided with a tacky surface for contact with the 
opposing strips to further increase the sealing effect. 
A modified type of filler strip is illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11. 
Strip 82 is of the same material and nature as the strip previously 
described but is considerably broader and is divided by one or more 
longitudinally extending recesses 84 into a plurality of narrow sub-strips 
86. The two main strips 82 are brought into contact with each other and 
then wrapped up into the spiral formation shown in FIG. 11. The strips are 
subdivided so that they flex more readily into the spiral. This type is 
particularly suitable for use with a container which does not have an 
inner container body and thus does not have assistance from the air in the 
inflation chambers. However it is suitable for use in the chamber type 
container and strip 80 may be used in the single container.