Valveless self sealing fluid or gas container

Abstract

The invention is an inflatable self sealing valveless fluid or gas container useable for a wide variety of applications including cushioning, package filler, mattresses, rafts and the like. The container is formed from one or more inflatable self sealing elements, each inflatable element being formed from a pair of inflatable cells. Each cell is formed from an inner and outer sheet of thermoplastic or other impermeable material, the sheets being sealed together at boundaries which define the inflatable cell. The inner sheets of each cell in the pair are sealed together such that the boundaries of the seal define a fill channel through which fluid or gas may pass between the cells. Apertures in the inner sheets of both cells within the fill channel allow fluid or gas to pass from the fill channel into both cells to cause inflation. Upon the cells being inflated to capacity, internal gas pressure and lateral stretching forces cause the inner sheets of the cells to come into contact, which causes the fill channel to close, thereby isolating the apertures from the external environment and effectuating the self sealing action of the container. The container may further be created using arrays of such self sealing elements that can be individually inflated or inflated from a single source feeding a common manifold.