Patent Publication Number: US-8978345-B2

Title: Machine for inflating and sealing an inflatable structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to inflatable structures, such as inflatable packaging, and further to improved machines and methods for inflating the same. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Inflatable structures constitute an important part of the packaging industry. Inflatable structures are commonly used as cushions to package items, either by wrapping the items in the inflatable structures and placing the wrapped items in a shipping carton, or by simply placing one or more inflatable structures inside of a shipping carton along with an item to be shipped. The cushions protect the packaged item by absorbing impacts that might otherwise be fully transmitted to the packaged item during transit, and also restrict movement of the packaged item within the carton to further reduce the likelihood of damage to the item. 
     Various machines for forming inflated cushions, pillows, or other inflated structures are known. Earlier machines for forming inflated cushions tended to be rather large, expensive and complex. More recently, smaller, less-expensive inflation machines have been developed, which employ inflatable structures having pre-formed inflatable chambers. Many such machines, however, produce excessive noise and require relatively high pressures for the fluid used to inflate the inflatable structures. 
     Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a low cost yet reliable machine for producing fluid-filled inflatable structures which operates relatively quietly and uses relatively low fluid pressure to fill the inflatable structures. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other advantages are provided by the herein presented machines for inflating an inflatable structure having a longitudinal edge, at least two sheets, and a series of inflatable chambers formed between the sheets, each of the inflatable chambers being capable of holding therein a quantity of a fluid and having an opening proximate the longitudinal edge for receiving the fluid during inflation. Such machines and associated methods may efficiently and quietly inflate inflatable structures. 
     In particular, the machines may include a drive for advancing the inflatable structure in a machine direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal edge, an inflation nozzle positioned to direct the fluid into the openings of the inflatable chambers as the inflatable structure is advanced in the machine direction to thereby inflate the inflatable chambers, a sealing device located proximate the inflation nozzle for sealing closed the openings of the inflatable chambers after they are inflated with the fluid, and a sheet engagement device configured to engage the sheets together along the longitudinal edge of the inflatable structure and adjacent to the inflation nozzle to facilitate inflation of the inflatable chambers prior to the inflatable chambers being sealed. The sheet engagement device may both aid in directing fluid into the inflatable chambers by preventing it from flowing out the longitudinal edge, and may further help keep the openings to the inflatable chambers open during inflation by contracting the length of the longitudinal edge. 
     The sheet engagement device may include a first belt and an opposing second belt, each defining a plurality of teeth which intermesh with the teeth of the other belt, causing a reduction in a dimension of the longitudinal edge in the machine direction. Such teeth may extend perpendicularly to the machine direction. In other embodiments the teeth may extend longitudinally, in which case they may engage one or more longitudinally extending grooves in the other belt. Alternatively, the first belt and/or the opposing second belt may be untoothed on their respective first external and second external surfaces. Additionally, the sheet engagement device may further comprise an engaging body and an opposing body, wherein the engaging body and the opposing body engage the first belt and the opposing second belt therebetween and wherein the engaging body, the opposing body, and the inflation nozzle overlap in the machine direction. 
     The machine may further include an engaging assembly and an opposing assembly with the drive advancing the inflatable structure therebetween. A release mechanism may be configured to displace at least a portion of the opposing assembly from the engaging assembly by a displacement distance and may also displace the inflation nozzle from the engaging assembly by an intermediate displacement distance which is less than the displacement distance of the engaging and opposing assemblies. Such displacements may make feeding an inflatable structure into the machine easier. 
     The drive may be rotationally coupled to the sheet engagement device such that the sheet engagement device operates simultaneously with the drive advancing the inflatable structure. Additionally, the sealing device may include a sealing element in the engaging assembly and at least one backing roller in the opposing assembly. The sealing element may comprise a resistive heating element which may be wrapped around a drive roller. 
     A method of inflating an inflatable structure is also provided. The method may comprise advancing the inflatable structure in a machine direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal edge of the inflatable structure, engaging the sheets together along the longitudinal edge, directing a flow of fluid from an inflation nozzle into openings in the inflatable structure, and sealing the openings. In such a method, the step of directing the flow may occur during the step of engaging the sheets. 
     With regard to the step of engaging the sheets, this step may comprise contracting the length of the longitudinal edge of the inflatable structure. Additionally, the step of contracting the length may comprise engaging the longitudinal edge between a first belt and an opposing second belt each defining a plurality of teeth. The step of contracting the length may further comprise embossing the longitudinal edge. Also, the method may additionally comprise separating a first sheet of the inflatable structure from a second sheet of the inflatable structure such that the step of advancing the inflatable structure comprises advancing the first sheet and the second sheet on opposite sides of the inflation nozzle. 
     Further, an inflated structure is provided. The inflated structure may comprise at least two sheets, an embossed longitudinal edge, and a series of inflated chambers formed between the sheets, each of the inflated chambers holding therein a quantity of a fluid and having a sealed opening proximate the embossed longitudinal edge. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a machine for inflating and sealing an inflatable structure comprising an engaging assembly and an opposing assembly with first and second release mechanisms and a first belt and an opposing second belt having pluralities of teeth. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the embodiment of the machine of  FIG. 1  in operation. 
         FIG. 3  is a frontal view of an embodiment of a machine for inflating and sealing an inflatable structure comprising an engaging assembly and an opposing assembly with a single release mechanism and a first belt and an opposing second belt having pluralities of teeth, wherein the engaging assembly and the opposing assembly are in an operational position. 
         FIG. 4  is the embodiment of a machine of  FIG. 3  wherein the engaging assembly and the opposing assembly are in a position facilitating insertion of an inflatable structure therebetween. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of an embodiment of an inflated structure having an embossed longitudinal edge, such as may be produced by the embodiments of machines for inflating and sealing an inflatable structure of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a machine  10  for inflating and sealing an inflatable structure  26  in accordance with the present invention. Machine  10  generally comprises a drive  12 , an inflation nozzle  22 , a sealing device  16 , and a sheet engagement device  18 . The drive  12  may comprise a drive roller  80  and a backing roller  82  which may be positioned such that a nip, i.e., an area of tangential contact, is formed therebetween when the drive roller and the backing roller contact. At least one of the rollers, such as the drive roller  80 , may be linked to a motor to form the drive  12  such that, when power is supplied to the motor, the drive roller rotates. When the drive roller  80  is in contact with the backing roller  82 , the backing roller may also rotate. As will be described in detail below, this may advance the inflatable structure  26 . The outer surface  92  of the drive roller  80  may be roughened or knurled to facilitate traction with the inflatable structure  26  to minimize slippage as the drive roller rotates against the inflatable structure to advance the inflatable structure in a machine direction  40 . To further facilitate advancing of the inflatable structure  26 , the backing roller  82  may be formed from a pliant material, such as, e.g., rubber or RTV silicone. Other materials, e.g., metal with a knurled surface, may also be used for the backing roller  82  as desired, particularly when the backing roller is mounted to the machine  10  using a suspension system which ensures that the backing roller properly contacts the drive roller  80  and the sealing device  16  during operation. 
     The sheet engagement device  18  may be configured to engage a first sheet  36   a  and a second sheet  36   b  forming the inflatable structure  26  together along a longitudinal edge  30  of the inflatable structure. For example, the sheet engagement device  18  may comprise a first belt  52  defining a plurality of teeth  54 , and an opposing second belt  62  defining a plurality of teeth  64 . The first belt  52  may extend around the drive roller  80 , and may additionally extend around an engaging roller  56 . The opposing second belt  62  may extend around the backing roller  82 , and may also extend around an opposing roller  66 . Further, the plurality of teeth  54 ,  64  of the first belt  52  and the opposing second belt  62  may be oriented such that they face outwardly from a first external surface of the first belt and a second external surface of the opposing second belt such that they do not touch the respective rollers  80 ,  56 ,  82 ,  66  that they extend around. Instead, the plurality of teeth  54  from the first belt  52  may engage the plurality of teeth  64  from the opposing second belt  62  in an intermeshing manner. The sheet engagement device  18  may be rotationally coupled to the drive  12 , such that when the motor rotates the drive, including the drive roller  80 , the sheet engagement device also rotates, as will be described below. In alternate embodiments, instead of using a driver roller, the sheet engagement device may serve as the drive for the inflatable structure, with the two belts advancing the inflatable structure in the machine direction. In such embodiments, a non-rotary sealing device, such as a flat sealing bar and other similar known sealing devices may be used to seal the inflatable structure. 
     Although the pluralities of teeth  54 ,  64  are shown as being oriented generally perpendicular to the machine direction  40 , the pluralities of teeth may be oriented in other directions, for example longitudinally, such that they generally align with the machine direction. In such a configuration, when one of the first belt  52  or the opposing second belt  62  has longitudinally oriented teeth, the other of the first belt and the second belt may comprise one or more longitudinally extending grooves. In such an embodiment the longitudinally extending teeth may engage the one or more longitudinally extending grooves. In alternate embodiments, one or both of the first external surface of the first belt  52  and the second external surface of the opposing second belt  62  may be untoothed. 
     The machine  10  may further include an inflation nozzle  22  for inflating the inflatable structure  26  with a fluid  46 . The inflation nozzle  22  may be positioned such that the sheet engagement device  18  is adjacent to the inflation nozzle, which aids in inflation of the inflatable structure  26  as will be described below. The inflation nozzle  22  may take many different forms, with the location of the outlet(s)  20  of the inflation nozzle being an important design consideration. As described above, the inflation nozzle  22  may be adjacent to the sheet engagement device  18 , such as with the first belt  52  and the second belt  62  positioned between the nozzle  22  and the remainder of the machine  10 . The machine may further comprise a plow  68 , which separates the first sheet  36   a  of the inflatable structure  26  from the second sheet  36   b  of the inflatable structure. Such a plow  68  may comprise an integral portion of the nozzle  22 , as illustrated in the machine  10  of  FIG. 1 , or alternatively, the plow may comprise a separate component of the machine. Alternatively, the nozzle  22  may comprise a tubular structure which separates the first sheet  36   a  and the second sheet  36   b.    
     The machine  10  may further define an engaging assembly  70  and an opposing assembly  72 . The engaging assembly  70  may comprise the drive roller  80 , the sealing device  16 , the engaging roller  56 , and the first belt  52 . The opposing assembly  72  may comprise the backing roller  82 , the opposing roller  66 , and the second belt  62 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the machine  10  may further include one or more release mechanisms  74 ,  76  to which all or a portion of the opposing assembly  72  and/or the engaging assembly  70  is mounted. The release mechanisms  74 ,  76  allow the opposing assembly  72  to be moved relatively toward and away from the engaging assembly  70 . For instance, a first release mechanism  74  may displace the backing roller  82  from the drive roller  80  and sealing device  16 , and conversely back into contact with the drive roller and sealing device. Similarly, a second release mechanism  76  may move the opposing roller  66  away from the engaging roller  56 , and conversely back into contact with the engaging roller. The advantages resulting from the ability to relatively move the opposing assembly  72  away form the engaging assembly  70  will be described below. 
     The sealing device  16  may be integral with the drive roller  80 , or comprise a separate roller, as shown. Further, the sealing device  16  may comprise a sealing element  84 . The sealing element  84  may be a resistive element, which produces heat when electricity is supplied thereto, and can have any desired shape or configuration. As shown, the sealing element  84  is in the form of a wire. Thus, the sealing device  16  may be formed from any material that is capable of withstanding the temperatures generated by the sealing element  84 , such as metal, e.g., electrically insulated aluminum; high-temperature-resistant polymers, e.g., polyimide; ceramics; etc. A groove  93  may be provided in the sealing device  16  to accommodate the sealing element  84  and keep it in proper position to seal the inflatable structure  26 . An engaging assembly  70  having a sealing device  16  with a sealing element  84  may therefore engage the backing roller  82  from the opposing assembly  72  to seal the inflatable structure  26  which travels therebetween, as will be described in greater detail below. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of the machine  10  of  FIG. 1  being used to inflate and seal an inflatable structure  26 . The inflatable structure  26  may, in general, comprise any flexible film material that can be manipulated by the machine  10  to enclose a fluid  46  as herein described, including various thermoplastic materials, e.g., polyethylene homopolymer or copolymer, polypropylene homopolymer or copolymer, etc. Non-limiting examples of suitable thermoplastic polymers include polyethylene homopolymers, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE), and polyethylene copolymers such as, e.g., ionomers, EVA, EMA, heterogeneous (Zeigler-Natta catalyzed) ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers, and homogeneous (metallocene, single-cite catalyzed) ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers. Ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymers are copolymers of ethylene with one or more comonomers selected from C3 to C20 alpha-olefins, including linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), linear medium density polyethylene (LMDPE), very low density polyethylene (VLDPE), and ultra-low density polyethylene (ULDPE). Various other polymeric materials may also be used such as, e.g., polypropylene homopolymer or polypropylene copolymer (e.g., propylene/ethylene copolymer), polyesters, polystyrenes, polyamides, polycarbonates, etc. The film may be monolayer or multilayer and can be made by any known extrusion process by melting the component polymer(s) and extruding, coextruding, or extrusion-coating them through one or more flat or annular dies. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the inflatable structure  26  has a longitudinal edge  30  and includes a series of pre-formed inflatable chambers  32  formed between the first sheet  36   a  and the second sheet  36   b  (see  FIG. 1 ). Each of the inflatable chambers  32  is capable of holding therein a quantity of fluid  46 , e.g., air, and each has an opening  34  at the longitudinal edge  30  for receiving such fluid. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the inflatable chambers  32  may be defined between transverse seals  38 . The openings  34  of the inflatable chambers  32  are formed near the longitudinal edge  30  of the inflatable structure  26  at the ends  42  of the transverse seals  38 . The ends  42  of the transverse seals  38  are spaced from the longitudinal edge  30 , in order to accommodate the inflation nozzle  22  within the inflatable structure  26 , i.e., between the sheets  36   a ,  36   b  (see  FIG. 1 ), while the other ends of the transverse seals terminate at a closed edge. The closed edge could be either a fold forming the first sheet  36   a  and the second sheet  36   b , such as when a single piece of film forms the inflatable structure  26 , or the closed edge could comprise a seal between a separate first sheet and second sheet which have been joined together. 
     To begin operation, an inflatable structure  26  is fed between the engaging assembly  70  and the opposing assembly  72  (see  FIG. 1 ) from, for example, a roll of the inflatable structure stored on a spool. In some embodiments, one or more of the spool, engaging assembly  70 , and opposing assembly  72  may form an angle with respect to horizontal such that the closed edge of the inflatable structure  26  sits at a higher elevation than the longitudinal edge  30  of the inflatable structure as the inflatable structure is advanced through the machine  10 . In such embodiments the alignment of the longitudinal edge  30  with the machine direction  40  may be improved. 
     The feeding of the inflatable structure  26  between the engaging assembly  70  and the opposing assembly  72  may also be facilitated by using the release mechanisms  74 ,  76 . As described above, the second release mechanism  76  may move the opposing roller  66  downwardly away from the engaging roller  56 , and the first release mechanism  74  may move the backing roller  82  downwardly away from the drive roller  80  by a user grasping and moving a second handle member  88  and a first handle member  86 , respectively (see  FIG. 1 ). Thus, the first release mechanism  74  and the second release mechanism  76  may facilitate the feeding of an inflatable structure  26  between the engaging assembly  70  and the opposing assembly  72 , e.g., upon replacement of the roll of the inflatable structure on the spool and subsequent threading of the new inflatable structure through the above-described components of the machine  10  in the machine direction  40 . Once the threading is complete, the first handle member  86  and the second handle member  88  are moved back to their operating positions as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , so that the engaging assembly  70  and the opposing assembly  72  are in compressive contact with opposing sides of the inflatable structure  26  and ready to begin withdrawing the inflatable structure from the roll and advancing the inflatable structure in the machine direction  40 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , before the inflatable structure  26  travels between the engaging assembly  70  and the opposing assembly  72 , the longitudinal edge  30  of the inflatable structure  26  is open, i.e., unsealed. This enables the first sheet  36   a  and the second sheet  36   b  to separate to locations on opposite sides of the plow  68  and around the nozzle  22  as the inflatable structure  26  is advanced in the machine direction  40 . However, the first layer  36   a  and the second layer  36   b  are engaged together by the sheet engagement device  18  along the longitudinal edge  30  of the inflatable structure  26 . This occurs as the drive roller  80  rotates and hence advances the inflatable structure  26  between the engaging assembly  70  and the opposing assembly  72  in the machine direction  40 , with the inflatable structure being oriented such that the longitudinal edge  30  is adjacent to the machine  10 . 
     The inflation nozzle  22  is positioned to direct fluid  46  into the openings  34  of the inflatable chambers  32  as the inflatable structure  26  is advanced in the machine direction  40 , substantially parallel to the longitudinal edge  30 , thereby inflating the inflatable chambers. By engaging the first sheet  36   a  and the second sheet  36   b  of the inflatable structure  26  together, the inflation of the inflatable chambers  32  may be facilitated as compared to an open edge. For instance, with an open edge, fluid which is directed toward openings in the inflatable structure may partially escape out through the open edge. Further, as the fluid is discharged from the nozzle  22 , and also as the escaping fluid passes out through the open edge, the fluid may cause the sheets forming the edge to vibrate as a result of the “reed effect,” which may result in undesirable noise production. Also, due to the vibrations, the openings to the inflatable chambers may not remain fully open during inflation. Thus, as a result of both the openings not being fully open and the ability of some of the fluid to escape out of the inflatable structure, a higher fluid pressure may be required to inflate the inflatable chambers. However, the use of a higher fluid pressure is also undesirable in that it may require more complex or expensive components to create the fluid pressure, and further, the increased fluid pressure may exacerbate the noise problem by increasing the vibrations. 
     Accordingly, the machine  10  herein described can facilitate more efficient inflation and/or reduce noise production by engaging the first sheet  36   a  and the second sheet  36   b  together along the longitudinal edge  30 . This reduces the ability of the fluid  46  to escape through the longitudinal edge  30  and may further reduce any vibrations of the sheets  36   a ,  36   b  along the longitudinal edge. Thereby the openings  34  of the inflatable chambers  32  may remain more fully open, more fluid  46  may be directed toward the openings, and less noise may be produced. Further, as more fluid  46  travels through the openings  34  into the inflatable chambers  32  more easily, it may be possible to use a lower fluid pressure to inflate the inflatable chambers as compared to prior art. 
     Various embodiments of a sheet engagement device  18  may be used, such as embodiments using toothed or untoothed belts, as described above. When toothed belts are used, such as the first belt  52  and opposing second belt  62  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the intermeshing of the pluralities of teeth  54 ,  64  may reduce a dimension of the longitudinal edge  30  of the inflatable structure  26  in the machine direction  40 . The sheet engagement device  18  may also emboss the inflatable structure  26  along the longitudinal edge  30  with a plurality of protrusions  94  and indentions  96  corresponding to the intermeshing pluralities of teeth  54 ,  64 . The contracting of the length of the longitudinal edge  30  in the machine direction  40  provides additional benefits because the rest of the inflatable structure  26  may also tend to shrink in length in the machine direction when the inflatable chambers  32  are filled, which can otherwise distort the openings  34  of the inflatable chambers such that they do not remain fully open. Thus, by contracting the length of the longitudinal edge  30 , the openings  34  may remain more fully open, which further facilitates inflation of the inflatable chambers  32 , as described above. In particular, by contracting the length of the longitudinal edge  30  by an amount roughly equivalent to the amount of shortening of length of the inflatable portion of the inflatable structure  26  in the machine direction  40 , distortion of the openings  34  may be avoided. Additionally, embossing the longitudinal edge  30  further resists noise produced by the “reed effect” by eliminating the planar nature of the longitudinal edge as the longitudinal edge contracts in the machine direction  40 . 
     In alternate embodiments, two belts with untoothed respective first and second external surfaces may be used. In such embodiments, the length of the longitudinal edge  30  of the inflatable structure  26  may not be affected. Additionally, such an embodiment may not emboss the inflatable structure  26 , depending on the pressure applied by the belts to the inflatable structure. However, even when the inflatable structure  26  is not embossed, this embodiment may provide beneficial results. For example, the sheet engagement device  18  may extend in the machine direction  40  in such a manner that the untoothed first external surface of the first belt  52  and the untoothed second external surface of the opposing second belt  62  engage the inflatable structure  26  therebetween from a location prior to the point at which the inflatable chambers  32  pass the nozzle  22  until a point at which the inflatable chambers are sealed by the sealing device  16 , as will be described below. In such an embodiment, the first sheet  36   a  and the second sheet  36   b  may remain separated at the longitudinal edge  30  when they exit the machine  10  and may not have embossing thereon. 
     As also shown in  FIG. 2 , the sealing device  16  may be positioned just after the inflation nozzle  22  in the machine direction  40  so that it substantially contemporaneously seals closed the openings  34  of the inflatable chambers  32  as they are being inflated. Thus, when heated, the rotational contact between the sealing element  84  and the inflatable structure  26  as the drive roller  80  and the backing roller  82  counter-rotate against the inflatable structure  26  forms a longitudinal seal  48  as the inflatable structure is advanced in the machine direction  40 . Thereby the sealing device  16  may seal closed the openings  34  by producing a longitudinal seal  48  between the first sheet  36   a  and the second sheet  36   b  (see  FIG. 1 ), which also intersects the transverse seals  38  near the ends  42  thereof to enclose the fluid  46  within the inflatable chambers  32 . In this manner, the inflatable chambers  32  of the inflatable structure  26  are converted into inflated inflatable chambers  50 . The longitudinal seal  48  may be a continuous seal, i.e., a substantially linear, unbroken seal, which is interrupted only when the sealing device  16  is caused to stop making the seal, or it may form a discontinuous seal. The shape and pattern of the longitudinal seal  48  will depend on the shape and pattern of the sealing element  84 , and thus various different seals may be produced as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate another embodiment of a machine  110  for inflating and sealing an inflatable structure. The machine  110  of  FIGS. 3 and 4  is similar to the machine  10  of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . However, there are three main differences. The first such difference is that the machine  110  of  FIGS. 3 and 4  additionally comprises an engaging body  157  and an opposing body  167 . The engaging body  157  and the opposing body  167  may be part of the engaging assembly  170  and the opposing assembly  172 , respectively. Further, the engaging body  157  and the opposing body  167  may be configured to engage the first belt  152  and the opposing second belt  162  therebetween. Additionally, the engaging body  157  and the opposing body  167  may engage the first belt  152  and the opposing second belt  162  at a position such that the engaging body, the opposing body, and the inflation nozzle  122  overlap in the machine direction  140 . Such positioning assists in the engagement of a first sheet together with a second sheet along the longitudinal edge of an inflatable structure, which can further facilitate the inflation of inflatable chambers by further resisting fluid flow out the longitudinal edge. While the engaging body and the opposing body are illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  as fixed structures that do not rotate, in other embodiments either or both of the engaging body and the opposing body may comprise a roller or other rotary structure. Additionally, either or both of the engaging body and the opposing body may be spring loaded such that the opposing body and the engaging body compress the belts and sheets therebetween under the resulting spring force during operation. 
     The second main difference from the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  is that there is a single release mechanism  175  which relatively displaces the opposing assembly  172 , including the backing roller  182 , the opposing body  167 , and the opposing roller  166  from the engaging assembly  170 . A third main difference is that the single release mechanism  175  also displaces the inflation nozzle  122  from the engaging assembly  170 . In particular, as seen in  FIG. 4 , the opposing assembly  172  may be displaced from the engaging assembly  170  by a displacement distance  198 , and the inflation nozzle  122  may be displaced from the engaging assembly by an intermediate displacement distance  199  which is less than the displacement distance. In such an embodiment, feeding of a first sheet and a second sheet of an inflatable structure on opposing sides of the nozzle  122  may be facilitated. For instance, when the intermediate displacement distance  199  is set to be half of the displacement distance  198 , the inflation nozzle  122  may be positioned half way between the engaging assembly  170  and the opposing assembly  172 . Thus, the first sheet and the second sheet of an inflatable structure may be more easily fed over the inflation nozzle  122  and between the engaging assembly  170  and the opposing assembly  172 . At this point the single release mechanism  175  may then be used to move the inflation nozzle  122  and opposing assembly  172  to the normal operating position, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     As the result of passing through a machine for inflating an inflatable structure, such as the machine  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and the machine  110  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an inflated structure may be produced. As may be seen in  FIG. 5  the inflated structure  200  may comprise a first sheet and a second sheet (see, e.g.  FIG. 1 ), an embossed longitudinal edge  230 , and a series of inflated chambers  250  formed between the sheets, each of the inflated chambers holding therein a quantity of a fluid and having a sealed opening  234  proximate the embossed longitudinal edge. As may be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art, the inflatable structure  200  may comprise more than two sheets in other embodiments, and the sheets may also comprise separate layers of a single piece of flexible material. Further, although the embossed longitudinal edge  230  is shown  5  as comprising protrusions  294  and indentions  296  which are perpendicular to the longitudinal edge  230 , the protrusions and/or indentations may be oriented in any other direction, as previously described. 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.