Abstract:
The present invention relates to an air-filled packaging product, and more particularly to an air-filled packaging product designed to facilitate air injection and to secure air-tightness once air is injected. To this end, there is provided an air-filled packaging product comprising: an air cell for providing a shock-absorbing effect against any external pressure; an air-injection passage via which outside air is injected; a communication passage for connecting between the air-injection passage and the air cell; and a sealing means for preventing a reserve flow of the filled air.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an air-filling type packaging material, and in particular, to an air-filling type packaging material that facilitates injection and sealing of air. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to an air-filling type packaging material, and in particular, to an air-filling type packaging material that facilitates injection and sealing of air. 
         [0003]    Generally, various kinds of package materials are applied to outer surfaces of products to minimize product damage during transportation and storage. 
         [0004]    Recently, in order to achieve the shock-absorbing property of package materials, air-filling type packaging materials with improved shock-absorbing property are well-known. In the air-filling type packaging materials, synthetic films are applied to the outer surface thereof, and a plurality of air-cells filled with air are provided therein to improve their shock-absorbing property. 
         [0005]    In such typical air-filling type packaging materials, although their performance is largely influenced by the degree of integrity of a check valve for air-injection and sealing of the plurality of air-cells, the integrity of the check valve is not readily achievable, and its fabrication process is relatively complicated. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Technical Problem Accordingly, the present invention provides an air-filling type packaging material that does not require a high-quality check value and can be fabricated through a simple process. 
       [0006]    The present invention also provides an air filling type packaging material that can retain its shock-absorbing function because even when a portion or part of air-cells is damaged, sealing of other air-cells is not affected. 
       Technical Solutions 
       [0007]    The air-filling type packaging material according to the present invention includes: a plurality of air-cells divided by adhesion of an upper sheet and a lower sheet and performing a shock-absorbing function; an air passage formed by adhesion of an upper sheet and a lower sheet such that external air flows into the air-cell; a communication passage formed by adhesion of the upper and lower sheets, and connected to the air passage at one side thereof and connected to the air-cell to discharge air at the other side thereof; and a sealing member, which is formed by folding a synthetic resin sheet in half, disposed in the communication passage between a portion thereof connected to an air passage and a portion thereof connected to the air-cell to prevent air filled in the air-cell from flowing backward. 
         [0008]    Preferably, each communication passage is provided in parallel with the air-cell bodies to each and every air-cell. Each of the communication passages has an air passage that injects air through an air injection path at an upper part thereof, and an air outlet, at the bottom of the communication passage, that supplies air to the air-cell body. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, various sealing means may be provided that prevents air from flowing back between the air passage and the air outlet after the air is injected to each of the air-cell. 
       Advantageous Effects 
       [0010]    In air-filling type packaging materials according to the present invention as described above, air can be quickly and easily filled in a plurality of air-cells through a communication passage via a single air passage. Also, since a sealing member can be formed simultaneously without a separate complicated process by adhering an upper sheet and a lower sheet to each other to form the air-cell. Accordingly, the air-filling type packaging materials are cost-effective and efficient compared with a typical packaging material. 
         [0011]    Also, since the sealing member maintains the sealing of the respective air-cells, even when a portion of air-cells are damaged, other air-cells are not affected in their sealing characteristics, retaining their shock-absorbing function. 
         [0012]    Furthermore, since the air-filling type packaging material can be used not in a simple flat shape but in a cube-shape, its usability can increase and the time taken for packaging can be shortened. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1  to illustrate an air-filling type packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     BEST MODES FOR PRACTICING INVENTION 
       [0020]    Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0021]    An air-filling type packaging material includes an upper sheet  10  and a lower sheet  20 . The upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20  may adhere to each other to form partitions such as air-cells, air passages, and communication passages. Hereinafter, components that are formed by the adhesion between the upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20  will be described in detail. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the air-filling type packaging material includes an air-cell  100 , an air passage  200 , and a communication passage  300 . 
         [0024]    The air-cell  100  may be divided by adhesion of the upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20  such that the air-cell  100  absorbs a shock from the outside. 
         [0025]    The air passage  200  may allow air from the outside to pass through. More specifically, the air passage  200  may serve as an external air passage that allows air to flow into the air-cell  100 . 
         [0026]    For this, the communication passage  300  is connected to the air passage  200  at one side thereof (hereinafter, referred to as a communication passage air inlet  310 ), and is connected to the air-cell  100  at the other side thereof (hereinafter, referred to as a communication passage air outlet  320 ). 
         [0027]    The communication passage  300  may be disposed in parallel along the edge of the air-cell  100 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the air-filling packaging material includes an upper sheet  10  and a lower sheet  20 , which adhere to each other to form an air-cell  10 . In the drawing, an air passage  200  may be disposed over an air-cell  100 . The air-cell  100  and the air passage  200  may be connected to each other through a communication passage  300 . 
         [0030]    Thus, external air received through the air passage  200  may flow into the communication passage  300  through a communication passage air inlet  310  of the communication passage  300 . External air flowing into the communication passage  300  is discharged into the air-cell  100  through a communication passage air outlet  320  of the communication passage  300  connected to the air-cell  100 , filling the air-cell  100  with air. 
         [0031]    The air-filling type packaging material includes a sealing member  400 . 
         [0032]    Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the sealing member  400  of the air-filling type packaging material may facilitate air flow into the air-cell  100  and prevent air from leaking from the air-cell  100  to the outside. 
         [0033]    More specifically, in the air-filling type packaging material, external air may flow into the air-cell  100  through the communication passage  300 . In this case, the sealing member  400  may be formed inside the communication passage  300  such that air filled in the air-cell  100  does not leak. 
         [0034]    For this, the sealing member  400  may be disposed between the communication passage air inlet  310  formed at one side of the communication passage  300  and the communication passage air outlet  320  formed at the other side of the communication passage  300 . 
         [0035]    The sealing member  400  may be formed of a synthetic resin sheet, and may be formed inside the communication passage  300 . The sealing member  400  may include a V-shaped sheet  410 , whose sharp tip faces the air passage  200 , and whose both ends face the air-cell  100 . The V-shaped sheet  410  may be disposed between the upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20 , and may be adhered to the upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20  when the upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20  are adhered to each other. 
         [0036]    Accordingly, the sealing member  400  may be formed between the upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20  through a single adhesion process without a separate thermal adhesion process. 
         [0037]    Hereinafter, an operation of the sealing member  400  including the V-shaped sheet  410  will be described in detail. 
         [0038]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 1  to illustrate an air-filling type packaging material according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , external air flowing through the air passage  200  may flow into the communication passage  300  through the communication passage air inlet  310  of the communication passage  300 , and then may flow into the communication passage air outlet  320  of the communication passage  300  connected to the air-cell  10  by the V-shaped sheet  410 . More specifically, external air flowing into the communication passage  300  may easily flow between the V-shaped sheet  410  and the inner sidewall of the communication passage  300  by the shape of the sheet  410   
         [0040]    External air flowing into the communication passage air outlet  320  may flow into the air-cell  100  to fill the air-cell  100 . When the air-cell  100  is completely filled with air, air may flow backward into the V-shaped sheet  410  of the sealing member  400 . Accordingly, both surfaces of the V-shaped sheet  410  facing the air-cell  100  may become more distant from each other, and may adhere to the inner sidewalls (i.e., the upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20  that form the communication passage  300 ) of the communication passage  300 , respectively, preventing air from flowing backward to the outside. 
         [0041]    Due to the movement of the sealing member  400 , the air-filling type packaging material may not require a separate operation that prevents air filled in the air-cell  100  from leaking to the outside. In order words, the sealing member  400  may serve as a check valve. 
         [0042]    Since the sealing member  400  serves as a check valve, the air-filling type packaging material may have a shock-absorbing function without a separate operation for retaining air filled therein. 
         [0043]    In one embodiment, the air-filling type packaging material may further include an embossed sheet  500 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the embossed sheet  500  may assist the sealing member  400  to effectively perform its function. 
         [0045]    More specifically, the embossed sheet  500  may be disposed in the V-shaped sheet  410  of the sealing member  400 , and may assist the V-shaped sheet  410  to easily adhere to the upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20  when air flows backward. In other words, since the embossed sheet  500  is disposed in the V-shaped sheet  410 , air flowing backward may allow the V-shaped sheet  410  to smoothly adhere to the upper sheet  10  and the lower sheet  20 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the air-filling type packaging material may have a communication passage  300  connected to an air-cell  100 . The communication passage  300  may have a narrow width and a bent structure that consider a difference between the pressure of air flowing from the outside and air flow backward from the air-cell  100 . Thus, air filled in the air-cell  100  may be prevented from flowing backward. 
         [0048]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0049]    When a communication passage is linearly disposed along air-cells, and the air-cells are completely filled with air, the communication passage may be blocked. In order to overcome such a limitation, the air-cells  100  and the communication passages  300  may be formed in a bent pattern, not in a linear pattern. In this case, even when the air-cells are filled with air, the air-filling type packaging material may maintain its straight and flat shape. 
         [0050]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view illustrating an air-filling type packaging material according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the air-filling type packaging material may have a structure in which an upper sheet  10  and a lower sheet  20  thereof may be partially adhered to each other to block air flow. The air-filling type packaging material may be formed to have a flat shape, which has a shock-absorbing effect when applied to the respective surfaces of a cube. 
         [0052]    However, the air-filling type packaging material may be used while being folded in a cube-shape. Since it is not easy to fold a portion of the air-cell filled with air, other portions thereof that can be easily folded or bent may be adhered to the upper and lower sheets such that air is not filled therein. 
         [0053]    Thus, when air is filled in the air-cell  100 , the air-cell  100  may be easily folded at the portion W of the air-cell  100 . Accordingly, the air-filling type packaging material can be utilized in various shapes such as box. 
         [0054]    The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.