Inflatable insulating liners for shipping containers

Abstract

An inflatable insulating panel consisting of a plurality of sheet-form polyolefin layers, and its manner of fabrication, is provided. An outer peripheral seal forms an inflatable panel, with an intermediate interconnected web of layers formed out of an array of alternating seams of attachment between the outer and intermediate adjacent layers. Upon inflation of the panel, the interconnected web expands to form a plurality of individual baffle chambers.

1 . A sheetform insulating bag comprising: 
 a plurality of material layers, a pair of said plurality of material layers attached to one another along a substantial portion of an outer periphery of each of said pair of material layers in a manner forming an envelope having an opening and a fluid containment region and defining an outer material layer, a fluid containment material layer, and a plurality of inner material layers located therebetween; and    a plurality of inner seams selectively attaching specific adjacent inner material layers to one another and to the outer and the fluid containment material layers at predetermined locations throughout said plurality of material layers in a manner forming a plurality of individual baffle chambers within said plurality of material layers.    
     
     
         2 . An insulating bag according to  claim 1 , wherein said envelope is inflatable, and further comprising an inflation valve attached to said envelope and in selective fluid communication therewith.  
     
     
         3 . An insulating bag according to  claim 1 , wherein multiple ones of a plurality of surfaces of said plurality of material layers are metallized at selected locations.  
     
     
         4 . An inflatable insulating panel comprising: 
 a pair of sheetform outer layers attached to one another about their respective outer peripheries in a manner defining an inflatable bag;    a plurality of intermediate sheetform layers received within said inflatable bag and laterally extending between said pair of sheetform outer layers; and    an array of alternating seams of attachment joining adjacent sheetform outer and intermediate layers in a manner forming an interconnected web that upon inflation of said inflatable bag expands to form a plurality of individual baffle chambers.    
     
     
         5 . An insulating panel according to  claim 4 , and further comprising an inflation valve attached to said inflatable bag and in selective fluid communication with said interconnected web.  
     
     
         6 . A sheetform insulating bag comprising: 
 a plurality of material layers attached to one another along a substantial portion of an outer periphery of each of said material layers in a manner forming an envelope having an opening and a fluid containment region, and wherein multiple ones of a plurality of surfaces of said plurality of material layers are metallized at selected locations; and    a plurality of inner seams selectively attaching specific adjacent material layers to one another at predetermined locations throughout said plurality of material layers in a manner forming a plurality of individual baffle chambers within said plurality of material layers.