Protection device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a protection device. The protection device comprises: a sheet; and a plurality of longitudinally extending sealing strips provided on the sheet. The opposed sides of each strip are provided with a sealing surface that is complimentary to the other sealing surface of the strip, such that one side of a strip can sealingly engage with the other to form a seal when the protection device is rolled up into a spiral. The plurality of strips are transversely spaced on the sheet such that when the protection device is rolled up, the strips seal against themselves to form a pocket within the rolled sheet that is bound along longitudinal edges by a pair of transversely spaced seals.

1 . A protection device, the protection device comprising:
 a sheet; and   a plurality of longitudinally extending sealing strips provided on the sheet,   wherein opposed sides of each sealing strip are provided with a sealing surface that is complementary to the other sealing surface of the sealing strip, such that one side of a sealing strip can sealingly engage with the other to form a seal when the protection device is rolled up into a spiral, and   wherein the plurality of sealing strips are transversely spaced on the sheet such that when the protection device is rolled up, the sealing strips each seal against themselves to form a pocket within the rolled sheet that is bound along longitudinal edges by a pair of transversely spaced seals.   
     
     
         2 . A protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the protection device has been rolled up into a spiral such that that a portion of the opposed complementary sealing surfaces of each sealing strip engage to form a seal therebetween and to form a coiled pocket with the rolled sheet that is bound along longitudinal edges by the pair of transversely spaced seals. 
     
     
         3 . A protection device according to  claim 2 , wherein the each sealing strip engages with itself to form a coiled side plate for providing protection to the edges of the product to be protected by the protection device. 
     
     
         4 . A protection device according to  claim 2 , wherein each sealing strip overlaps itself by at least 360 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . A protection device according to  claim 2 , wherein the pocket is bound on first and second surfaces by portions of the sheet. 
     
     
         6 . A protection device according to  claim 5 , wherein the transverse edge of the sheet which is at the innermost part of the spiral is attached to a portion of the cover so as to provide a seal along the innermost transverse edge of the pocket. 
     
     
         7 . A protection device according to  claim 5 , wherein the outermost transverse edge of the sheet is attached to a portion of the cover so as to provide a seal along the outermost transverse edge of the pocket. 
     
     
         8 . A protection device according to  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the sheet provides a boundary between two portions of the pocket. 
     
     
         9 . A protection according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is an elongate length of flexible material. 
     
     
         10 . A protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the seal formed by two complementary sealing surfaces of the sealing strip is approximately the same as the thickness of the product to be protected by the device. 
     
     
         11 . A protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the sheet and/or sealing strips comprise one or more chemical to help protect the product which is to be protected by the protection device. 
     
     
         12 . A protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the two complementary sealing surfaces of each sealing strip are a female sealing surface and a male sealing surface. 
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 12 , wherein the female sealing surface comprises a plurality of troughs and the male sealing surface comprises a plurality of corresponding peaks. 
     
     
         14 . A protection device according to  claim 1 , wherein each sealing strip is an extrusion as one part with a flat base and a plurality of serrations or undulations, and wherein the each sealing strip has been formed by folding and securing the extrusion around the longitudinal sides of the sheet so that the flat base is in contact with both surfaces of the sheet. 
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein each sealing strip comprises a locking means. 
     
     
         16 . A protection assembly, the protection assembly comprising:
 a protection device according to  claim 1 ; and   a product,   wherein the product and protection device are rolled up together into a spiral such that the sealing strips each seal against themselves and form the pocket in which the rolled product is located.   
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a protection device, the method comprising:
 providing a sheet, the sheet having a plurality of longitudinally extending sealing strips thereon which are transversely spaced from each other on the sheet, wherein opposed sides of each sealing strip are provided with a sealing surface that is complementary to the other sealing surface of the strip, such that one side of a strip can sealingly engage with the other to form a seal when the protection device is rolled up into a spiral; and   rolling the sheet into a spiral such that the sealing strips each seal against themselves to form a pocket within the sheet that is bound along longitudinal edges by a pair of transversely spaced seals.   
     
     
         18 . A method of protecting a product with a protection device, the method comprising:
 providing a sheet, the sheet having a plurality of longitudinally extending sealing strips thereon which are transfersely spaced from each other on the sheet, wherein opposed sides of each sealing strip are provided with a sealing surface that is complementary to the other sealing surface of the strip, such that one side of a strip can sealingly engage with the other to form a seal when the protection device is rolled up into a spiral;   providing the product on a surface of the sheet between two of the longitudinally extending sealing strips; and   rolling up the sheet and the product into a spiral such that the sealing strips seal against themselves to form a pocket within the sheet that is bound along longitudinal edges by a pair of transversely spaced seals and in which the product is located.