Abstract:
An inflatable cushion for surrounding a product to be shipped. The cushion is of a raft-like design having individual compartments adopted to be inflated. Provision is made to fold the cushion to provide upright sides and a top portion so that the cushion will conveniently surround the product on all surfaces.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to inflatable cushion packaging material. 
     In the normal mailing or other transportation items are customarily packaged in an outer container leaving voids between the product and its container which must be filled to protect the product during shipment. One manner of filling these voids is by inflatable cushions. An example of such inflatable devices is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,157. As seen in that patent the inflatable cushions can take various forms for surrounding portions of the product being shipped. 
     The inflatable cushions of the prior art have the disadvantage of being of elaborate designs often requiring openings passing through the cushion and generally being of custom design for a particular product. The present invention on the other hand is of a simple design that is readily and conveniently manufactured and may be utilized for a large variety of shapes and sizes of products being packaged. 
     An important feature of an inflatable cushion is that it not rupture upon impact. Rupture would of course result in deflation and loss of the cushioning effect. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The inflatable cushion of the present invention is in the configuration of a flat raft-like design having individual compartments. Most of the compartments are joined by air passages so that a single valve would serve to inflate the cushion. Provision is made to conveniently fold the cushion to provide upright sides and a top member so that the cushion will conveniently surround the product being shipped on various surfaces of the product. 
     The invention contemplates inflatable compartments protecting all sides of a product for complete protection. In addition the top and bottom cushions each have a portion that is noninflatable that provides improved cushioning and resistance to rupture in the event of impact. 
     Accordingly it is an object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable cushion that may be folded or configured to surround all sides of a product for shipment. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a flat inflatable cushion that may be readily folded to surround a product for packaging and shipment. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an inflatable cushion in which selected surfaces have both inflated and non-inflated portions for improved cushioning. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an inflatable cushion having six sides with inflatable compartments in which two opposite sides have noninflatable portions for improved cushioning. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing and still other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed explanation of the preferred embodiments of the invention considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of the packaging cushion of the present invention in its unfolded condition; 
     FIG. 2 is a cut away side view of the packaging cushion of FIG. 1 used to surround a product; 
     FIG. 3 is a modification of the embodiment of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, numeral  10  designates the inflatable cushion of the present invention which is formed of two sheets of material in the form of a square or rectangle. The sheets may be of any plastic or other suitable material that is flexible, pliable, and impervious to air. The two sheets are fused together along their four outer edges  12 ,  14 ,  16  and  18  in order to form an air impermeable envelope. The sheets are also fused in a pattern at spots and segmented seams which form the sides of various compartments as hereinafter described. 
     The cushion is designed to conveniently fold around a product  20  as seen in FIG.  2 . This is accomplished by providing the cushion  10  with a certain unique design of deflated areas shown by the cross hatching in FIG.  1  and inflated areas. These areas are effected by various seams and spots at which the two sheets are fused. 
     A first portion  22  of the cushion has deflated ends  24 ,  26  partially formed by fused seams  28 ,  30 . A deflated central rectangular area  32  is provided in cushion portions  22  by a fused edge  34 . 
     An second portion  36  of the cushion is provided to protect the end of product  20  and in the embodiment shown the cushion portion  36  protects the left end of the encircled product as seen in FIG.  2 . 
     The extreme areas of second portion  36  are deflated as at  38 ,  40  by seams  42 ,  44  which are extentions of seams  28 ,  30  respectfully. It is seen then that extreme areas  38 ,  40  of portion  36  are joined to deflated ends  22 ,  26  of the first portion  22 . The second portion  36  is completed by seams  46 ,  48  terminating in spots  50 . Seam  46  is aligned with extention seams  52 ,  54  terminating in spots  56 ,  58  extending from deflated areas  38 ,  40  respectively. Similarly, seam  48  is aligned with extension seams  60 ,  62  terminating in spots  64 ,  66  which also extend from deflated areas  38 ,  40  respectfully. The inflated area  68  between seams  46 ,  48  as seen in FIG. 2 provides cushioned protection for the left end of the product  20  being shipped. 
     A third portion  70  of cushion  10  has inflated ends  72 ,  74  and a deflated center  76  formed by fused seam  78 . The ends  72 ,  74  are defined by portions of the fused seams  14 ,  18  and the parallel seams  76 ,  78  that terminate in fused spots  80 . As seen in FIG. 2, the portion  70  of cushion  10  is positioned on the top of product  20  to protect it by the cushioning effect. 
     A fourth portion  82  of cushion  10  has two deflated extreme ends  84 ,  86  and an inflated area  88  between them. The inflated area is defined by a portion of seam  16  and seam  90  terminating in fused spots  92 . Each of the deflated ends  84 ,  86  have deflated tabs  94  extending diagonally inward as seen in FIG.  1  and each said tab has two extending seams  96 ,  98  extending therefrom terminating in spots  100 ,  102 . As seen in FIG. 2, the cushion portion  82  protects the right end of product  20 . Thus the product is fully protected within its shipping container  104  being secured in place by cushion  10  on the four sides of the product as above described. The additional two sides of the product which may be designated the front and back in the FIG. 2 orientation are protected by inflated ends  72 ,  74  of the described thrid portion  70  of cushion  10 . These inflated ends are not shown in the section view of FIG.  2 . 
     The cushion is inflated by air under pressure injected through valve  106  which connects to all of the inflated areas of the cushion. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown a modification of the embodiment of FIG.  1 . Here again there are two sheets fused along the edges at  12 A,  14 A,  16 A and  18 A to form an air impermeable envelope or cushion  10 A. The cushion has deflated areas and inflated areas somewhat similar to FIG.  1 . However the central rectangular deflated areas  32 A and  76 A of first cushion portion  22 A and third cushion portion  70 A are oriented in a direction 90 degree from that of the corresponding areas  32  and  76  of FIG.  1 . Thus the seams  46  and  48  of FIG. 1 defining the sides of the second cushion portion  36  are eliminated in the FIG. 3 embodiment. Serving in their place are the end seams  46 A,  48 A of areas  32 A and  76 A. 
     The cushion  10 A is inflated through a valve  106 A and encircles a product in a manner similar to cushion  10  in FIG.  2 . Thus the four portions of cushion  10 A designated  22 A,  36 A,  70 A and  82 A would protect the top, bottom and ends of a product and inflated areas  72 A and  74 A of area  70 A would cushion the front and back of the product. 
     Having thus described the invention with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.