Inflatable dunnage bag with protected inflator valve

Abstract

A dunnage bag is fabricated of thermoplastic sheet material joined together to form an air cushion including being joined to form an inflation panel edge seam. An inflation opening to the air cushion is defined between two layers of thermoplastic sheet material adjacent a terminus of the panel edge seam. Two layers of the thermoplastic sheet material extend from the inflation panel edge seam and inflation opening, and the two layers are joined together by an inflation panel seam pattern to form an inflation panel. The inflation panel seam pattern further defines an inflation area communicating with the inflation opening and with an inflation valve sealed to the inflation panel in the inflation area, for supplying inflation air from the inflation valve through the inflation panel and into the air cushion. The inflation area is preferably an elongated sinuous tube. This configuration protects the inflation valve and contributes to the integrity of the dunnage bag. The thermoplastic sheet material is substantially transparent, so that cargo inspections may be made without removing the dunnage bags.