Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Signode Industrial Group LLC

Shippers Paper Products Company

Shipper Paper Products Company

Thomas C Keenan

Rodney S Smith

Donald L Van Erden

Anthony K Beard

Thomas A Ketzer

James S Zielinski

Edward T Feldman

Terrence P Meier

Douglas A Goshorn

Gregory S King

John Joe Howlett, Jr

Philip B Lo Presti

Philip B LoPresti

Joseph E Tyer

Johnny Buchanan

Joel L Kennedy

Philip B Lo Prestl

Vincent B Raucoules

William J Farrell

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a pneumatic inflator for automatically inflating inflatable articles, such as dunnage bags, to a desired pressure. Generally, once activated, the pneumatic inflator of the present disclosure inflates an inflatable article via a compressed air source until the air pressure inside the inflatable article reaches an operator-selected desired pressure. Thereafter, the pneumatic inflator automatically stops inflating the inflatable article. In various embodiments, the pneumatic inflator also includes a manual shut-off that, when activated while the pneumatic inflator is inflating the inflatable article, causes the pneumatic inflator to stop inflating the inflatable article. The pneumatic inflator of the present disclosure thus enables automatic inflation of inflatable articles to particular, operated-selected desired pressures with limited operator input.

Pneumatic inflator for automatically inflating inflatable articles to a desired pressure

A deflector is configured for use with a cargo bag filling valve. The filling valve has an upstanding portion that extends a distance beyond a surface of the cargo bag. The valve has a diameter and has a compressed gas inlet configured for engagement with a compressed gas inflation nozzle. The deflector has an inclined wall defining a base and an upper portion. The base is defined by an outer periphery of the inclined wall. The inclined wall defines a height. A well is defined at an inner portion, radially inward of the base. The well has a depth that is less than or equal to the height defined by the inclined wall. The well has a bore therein about equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the valve. A flange is formed at an inner periphery of the well.

Cargo bag valve deflector

An inflatable cargo dunnage bag comprises an inflatable bladder, a first inner bag, and a second outer bag, wherein the inner and outer bags are fabricated from polywoven thermoplastic material so as to render the dunnage bag light in weight and moisture resistant whereby the dunnage bag can be used in the maritime industry. The first inner and second outer bags are also provided with exterior coating so as to enhance the impact resistance, perforation resistance, and abrasion resistance of the dunnage bag. The dunnage bag is also provided with handles which not only facilitate the manipulation and handling of the dunnage bag, but in addition, permits the dunnage bag to be suspendingly attached to cargo loads so as not to be displaced from the cargo loads.

Inflatable bag-in-bag cargo dunnage bag fabricated from polywoven material

An inflation/deflation assembly, which can be mounted upon the inflation valve assembly of an inflatable bag, so as to permit both the inflation and deflation of the inflatable as may be desired. The inflation/deflation assembly comprises an outer housing, and a control rod is rotatably disposed within the housing so as to be rotatably movable between two positions angularly spaced apart from each other. When the control rod is disposed, for example, at a first one of the two positions, the inflatable bag can be inflated, whereas, when the control rod is disposed at the second one of the two positions, the inflatable bag can be deflated.

Inflation/deflation adaptor assembly for inflating and deflating inflatable cargo dunnage bags

A cargo or dunnage air bag inflation and deflation system comprises an inflation-deflation valve member, a cap-type plug member, and an air gun implement having a fill nozzle and an exhaust nozzle mounted upon opposite ends thereof for respective connection to the valve member in order to perform inflation and deflation operations. The valve member comprises a flapper or check valve element pivotally mounted upon the valve member so as to permit inflation or deflation of the cargo or dunnage air bag when the flapper or check valve element is moved away from its valve seat, and to substantially maintain the cargo or dunnage air bag in its inflated state when the flappper or check valve element is effectively seated upon its valve seat. The cap-type plug member is removably mounted upon the inflation-deflation valve member so as to effectively close and seal the valve assembly when the cap-type plug member is mounted upon the valve member, and effectively uncovers the valve member when the cap-type plug member is dismounted from the valve member so as to permit the air gun implement to be operatively connected to the air valve member in order to perform an inflation or deflation operation.

Air bag inflation/ deflation system

A dunnage or cargo air bag has incorporated therein a pair of glue or adhesive bonding strips which are located within the immediate vicinity of the inflation valve assembly so as to operatively cooperate with a folded edge portion of the dunnage or cargo air bag and a stitched or sewn edge portion of the dunnage or cargo air bag and thereby effectively surround or circumscribe the inflation valve assembly. In this manner, the plurality of paper plies are able to be effectively secured in a substantially flattened state upon the four sides surrounding the inflation valve assembly whereby the portion of each one of the plurality of paper plies, which effectively forms or defines the inner, annular periphery or rim wall portion of each one of the apertures, holes, or openings through which, for example, the tubular body member of the inflation valve assembly projects outwardly, will not be disposed within the vicinity of the external thread portions of the tubular body member of the inflation valve assembly so as not to effectively interfere with the threaded engagement and secured mounting of the internally threaded closure cap upon the externally threaded tubular body member of the inflation valve assembly.

Dunnage air bag with improved adhesive bonding of paper plies within the vicinity of the inflation valve

An inflation valve assembly, for a dunnage or cargo air bag, comprises an annular flange member which is adapted to be heat-sealed to an interior surface portion of one of the plies of the inflatable bladder of the air bag, and an externally threaded nipple portion for fluidic connection to a source of pressurized fluid for inflating the bladder of the dunnage or cargo air bag. A flapper valve member, having a substantially circular configuration, has an end portion which is adapted to be fixedly secured upon an arcuate portion of the upper surface portion of the annular flange member by a fixation bar which extends along a chordal extent of the annular flange member. Opposite end portions of the fixation bar project radially inwardly toward each other so as to effectively define a pair of oppositely disposed detents for maintaining the flapper valve member in its OPENED state.

Inflation valve assembly for a dunnage or cargo air bag

An airbag inflation nozzle assembly for fluidic mating with an inflation valve assembly, including an inflation valve stem, upon an inflatable cargo airbag comprises a housing, and an inflation nozzle member, having an inflation nozzle tip, pivotally mounted within the housing between a first position at which the inflation nozzle tip is fluidically disengaged from the inflation valve assembly, and a second position at which the inflation nozzle tip is fluidically engaged with the inflation valve assembly. A transversely oriented camming button is movably mounted upon the housing between an UNLOCKED position so as to permit the inflation nozzle member to be moved to the first fluidically disengaged position with respect to the valve assembly, and a LOCKED position which forces the inflation nozzle member to be moved to the second fluidically engaged position with respect to the valve assembly. The housing further comprises a pair of oppositely disposed side rails upon which a valve body portion of the valve assembly can be slidably supported as the housing of the inflation nozzle assembly is being operatively mated with the valve assembly, and an end wall flange portion for engaging a valve body member of the valve assembly during operative mounting of the housing upon the valve assembly so as to ensure coaxial alignment of the inflation nozzle tip with the inflation valve stem.

Airbag inflation nozzle assembly

A cargo load bracing bar comprises first, outer and second, inner telescoping tubular members, a housing attached to the outer tubular member, a pinion gear and actuating ratchet handle, having a spring-biased ratchet member mounted thereon, respectively rotatably and pivotally mounted upon the housing, and a gear rack attached at one end thereof to the inner tubular member while the opposite end of the gear rack is slidably disposed upon the outer tubular member. An angle bracket is mounted upon the housing, and a spring-biased pawl member is slidably disposed upon the gear rack and operatively associated with the angle bracket. The pawl member and the ratchet member are normally engaged with the pinion gear so as to achieve the ratcheting extension of the gear rack and the inner tubular member with respect to the outer tubular member. However, the ratchet member may be disengaged from the pinion gear so as to permit the ratchet handle to be moved to a collapsed position substantially parallel to the outer tubular member, and both the ratchet member and the pawl member may be disengaged from the pinion gear so as to permit the pinion gear to freely rotate, and the gear rack and inner tubular member to undergo free longitudinal movement, so as to permit the cargo load bracing bar to be rapidly extended or contracted.

Ratcheting cargo load bracing bar

The present invention presents an air bag, and a method of using the same, which has at least one indicator line marking thereon for providing a visual indication of when the air bag is in a properly inflated condition for filling a void between loads, such as cargo or the like, in a truck, airplane, train or the like. Each indicator line includes a center portion which is of a first design, such as being blue-colored, and having easily identifiable ends. Preferably, each indicator line has end portions of a second design, such as being red-colored, which are on opposite sides of the center portion of the line and which are visually distinct from the first design. The center portion of the indicator line has a length which is substantially equal to the maximum thickness of the air bag. The air bag is properly inflated when the end portions of the line are not visible, or the center portion of the line marking is completely visible between the loads and the junctions between the center portion and the end portions of the line marking are just visible between the loads. When inflated to the latter, the air bag is also inflated to its maximum pressure. In a second embodiment, the indicator lines extend vertically from the top seam to the bottom seam of the air bag. The air bag is properly inflated when the inner edges of the lines are visible between the loads.

Air bag having inflation indicator and method of determining proper

A collapsible and expandable void filler for separating cargo during transit in trucks, railroad cars, airplanes and the like includes an outer tubular housing having a diamond-shaped tubular core. The housing and core are collapsible into a generally flat configuration along score indentations. In one embodiment, the void filler is held in an expanded configuration by a plurality of collapsible wall portions along the outer housing that collapse inwardly from the periphery of the housing and engage the core. In other embodiments, the void filler is held in an expanded configuration by a cord or elastomeric bands which are tightly stretched around the periphery of the housing and is held in a series of aligned notches.

Collapsible and expandable void filler

An airbag for use in a cargo bay of a transport vehicle for buffering and stabilizing a load, usually large paper rolls or drums, is provided with two inflatable, gas-tight bladders surrounded by a multi-ply paper container. The bladders are situated in an overlapping relationship with respect to each other. This enables the load to be buffered and stabilized while minimizing the need for additional materials.

Growing community of inventors

Brentwood, TN, United States of America

Thomas C Keenan