1. A process of forming dunnage elements comprising:
a) feeding a chain of interconnected plastic pouches each having a width along a path of travel to an inflation station;
b) sequentially opening each of a plurality of pouches as each such pouch is at the inflation station by directing a flow of air from a first nozzle along a face of such pouch at the inflation station through a small fill opening substantially transversely centered in the face of each pouch, the fill opening no more than 25 percent of the width of the pouch, the opening step being performed as to each pouch as it is positioned in the inflation station, thereby separating the face from the back of each such puch;
c) directing a steady flow of air from a second nozzle through each such fill opening of each opened pouch to substantially completely inflate each opened pouch; and
d) sealing each such inflated pouch to close each such fill opening and thereby create hermetically closed and inflated dunnage units.
2. A process of creating dunnage elements comprising:
a) feeding a chain of interconnected pouches along a path of travel through a machine;
b) each of the pouches having a width and a relatively small fill opening near the top of a pouch face and being hermetically closed at least along spaced sides and a bottom, each fill opening having a transverse dimension of approximately one fourth the width of the bag or less;
c) sequentially sensing each of a series of spaced registration indicia to stop the feeding of the chain and thereby sequentially register each of the pouches at a fill station;
d) opening each such registered pouch by directing a flow of air from a first nozzle along the face of the registered pouch and through the fill opening of the registered pouch to separate a face and a back of the registered pouch;
e) inflating and filling each open pouch with air by directing a steady flow of air from a second nozzle through the fill opening of the open pouch into a fill space;
f) sealing the face to the back of each inflated pouch to close off the fill opening of the inflated pouch and complete an hermetic closure around the fill space and thereby produce an inflated dunnage unit; and,
g) preventing over inflation by controlling the volume of the inflation of each pouch prior to the sealing step.
3. A process of making dunnage units comprising
a) feeding a chain of interconnected plastic pouches along a path of travel to sequentially position the pouches at a fill station;
b) directing a flow of gas through a fill opening of each positioned pouch to inflate positioned pouch;
c) controlling the volume of gas in each such inflated pouch by compressing a face and a back of the inflated pouch toward one another with compressor elements to prevent the pouch from rupturing during a subsequent sealing step; and,
d) thereafter sealing the pouch with sealer elements spaced from the compressor elements to form an inflated dunnage unit.
4. The process of claim 3 whereinhe volume control step is effected by coaction of the compressor elements as they are moved toward one another.
5. The process of claim 4 wherein a prime mover is interposed between one of the compressor elements and a body of a machine used in performing the process of claim 4.
6. The process of claim 5 wherein the one element is a seal bar element.
7. A process of forming dunnage elements comprising:
a) feeding a chain of interconnected plastic pouches each having a width along a path of travel to an inflation station;
b) sequentially opening each of a plurality of pouches as each such pouch is at the inflation station by directing a flow of air along a face of such pouch at the inflation station through a small fill opening substantially transversely centered in a face of each pouch, the fill opening having a cross-sectional area and a width no more than 25 percent of the width of the pouch;
c) the flow of air being from an outlet having a cross-sectional area of approximately \u2154 of the cross-sectional area of the fill opening;
d) the opening step being performed as to each pouch as it is positioned in the inflation station, thereby separating the face from the back of each such pouch;
e) directing a steady flow of air from an outlet through each such fill opening of each opened pouch to substantially completely inflate each opened pouch;
f) sealing each such inflated pouch to close each such fill opening and thereby create hermetically closed and inflated dunnage units; and
g) an imaginary extension of an axis of the outlet being in a common imaginary plane with an axis of the fill opening of a pouch being inflated, the outlet axis is being at an obtuse angle relative to a face of a pouch being filled during the inflation step.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A modular connection system for use with a wall of a structure, said modular connection system comprising:
an insert defining a first cavity having a generally circular inner surface including a first threaded region, said insert further including an outer, exterior surface adapted to be secured within an aperture disposed within said wall of said structure.
2. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first threaded region includes substantially only a single thread.
3. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first threaded region includes a single thread extending approximately 350 degrees about said generally circular inner surface of said cavity.
4. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said exterior surface of said insert includes at least one protrusion.
5. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said at least one protrusion includes at least one dove-tail.
6. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said exterior surface of said insert includes at least one indentation.
7. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 further including an adapter having an exterior surface including a second threaded region disposed proximate a first end sized and shaped to releaseably engage with said first threaded of said insert, said adapter including a second cavity having a diameter at least as large as an internal diameter of a first pipe end.
8. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 7 wherein an interior surface of said cavity of said adapter includes at least one notch, said at least one notch adapted to engage an internal wrench.
9. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said adapter includes a circumferential protrusion extending generally outward from a second, generally opposite end of said adapter and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said adapter.
10. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 9 further including a gasket sized and shaped to fit between said circumferential protrusion of said adapter and said wall of said structure.
11. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 10 further including a generally circular shaped cap for sealing said second cavity, said cap including a circumferential lip extending generally inward from an outer lip region of said cap and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said cap, wherein at least a portion of said circumferential lip is sized and shaped to fit between said circumferential protrusion of said adapter and an exterior surface of said wall of said support.
12. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said cap further includes a central tab region adapted to form an opening sized and shaped to frictionally engage an outer surface of said first pipe end.
13. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 7 further including at least one grommet circumferentially disposed along said second cavity, said at least one grommet sized and shaped to frictionally engage an outer surface of said first pipe end.
14. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 7 further including a boot having a first end adapted to be secured to said first pipe end and a second end having means for connecting said second end of said boot to a second end of said adapter.
15. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means for connecting said second end of said boot to said adapter includes at least one protrusion disposed about said outer, exterior surface proximate said second end of said adapter and at least one indentation disposed on an inner surface proximate said second end of said boot, wherein said at least one protrusion and said at least one indentation are adapted to matedly engage with each other when said second end of said boot is arranged about said second end of said adapter.
16. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 15 further including an adhesive disposed between said at least one protrusion and said at least one indentation when said at least one protrusion and said at least one indentation are connected.
17. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means for connecting said second end of said boot to said adapter includes at least one indentation disposed about said outer, exterior surface proximate said second end of said adapter and at least one protrusion disposed on an inner surface proximate said second end of said boot, wherein said at least one protrusion and said at least one indentation are adapted to matedly engage with each other when said second end of said boot is arranged about said second end of said adapter.
18. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 17 further including at least one press fit band sized and shaped to fit about an exterior surface of said boot proximate said at least one protrusion and said at least one indentation, wherein said at least one press fit band biases said boot against exterior surface of said adapter.
19. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means for connecting said second end of said boot to said adapter includes a circumferential protrusion extending generally outward from a second end of said adapter and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said adapter and a circumferential lip extending generally inward from a second end of said boot and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said boot, wherein at least a portion of said circumferential lip is sized and shaped to fit between said circumferential protrusion of said adapter and an exterior surface of said wall of said support.
20. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 19 further including a circumferential indentation disposed within said exterior surface of said wall of said support proximate said aperture, wherein said circumferential lip and said circumferential protrusion are sized and shaped to at least partially fit within said circumferential indentation.
21. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 further including a knockout, said knockout including a body having a generally circular outer surface sized and shaped to fit within said cavity of said insert, said body including an internal knockout membrane region and an exterior knockout membrane region having a protrusion extending generally outwardly beyond said internal knockout membrane region along a longitudinal axis of knockout.
22. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 21 wherein said knockout further includes means for engaging said cavity of said insert.
23. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 22 wherein said means for engaging said cavity of said insert includes at least one thread, said at least one thread engaging said at least one thread of said insert.
24. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 22 wherein said means for engaging said cavity of said insert includes a snap-fit connection.
25. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 22 wherein said means for engaging said cavity of said insert includes a friction-fit connection.
26. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 21 further including a mandrel, said mandrel including a threaded central region for mating with a concrete form and a shoulder region over which said insert is placed to form a snap-fit connection.
27. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 26 wherein said mandrel includes a slightly a slightly non-90 degree region that creates a corresponding slanted recess in said wall of said structure.
28. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 further including a mandrel and a knockout, said mandrel including a threaded central region for mating with a concrete form and a shoulder region over which said insert is placed to form a snap-fit connection, said knockout including at least one snap-fit finger having a protrusion disposed proximate a distal end, said at least one snap-fit finger arranged to extend through said first cavity of said insert and mate with an interior surface of said mandrel.
29. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 further including a knockout, said knockout including a membrane region sized and shaped to fit within said cavity of said insert proximate said first threaded region.
30. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 29 wherein said knockout further includes a generally circumferential notch disposed proximate an outer perimeter of said membrane region.
31. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 further including a generally cylindrical skirt extending along a longitudinal axis of said insert generally to said an outer, exterior surface of said wall of said structure, said skirt defining a third cavity having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of said first cavity.
32. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said insert includes a generally soft plastic and wherein said outer, exterior surface of said insert includes at least one protrusion extending generally radially outwardly, said at least one protrusion having a generally \u201cT\u201d shape cross-section.
33. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 further including a ring adapted to be secured to a first end of said insert, said ring defining a fourth cavity having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of said first cavity and including a generally cylindrical skirt extending along a longitudinal axis of said insert and said ring generally to said an outer, exterior surface of said wall of said structure.
34. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 33 further including a knockout, said knockout including a membrane region sized and shaped to fit within said fourth cavity of said ring.
35. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 34 wherein said knockout further includes a generally circumferential notch disposed proximate an outer perimeter of said membrane region.
36. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 35 wherein said ring further includes at least one protrusion extending generally radially outwardly, said at least one protrusion having a generally \u201cT\u201d shape cross-section.
37. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said insert includes a generally soft plastic, wherein said outer, exterior surface includes a region having a contour generally inversely corresponding to said first threaded region.
38. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 37 wherein said first cavity of said insert includes a generally conical inner surface.
39. The modular connection system as claimed in claim 38 wherein said outer, exterior surface of said insert includes a generally conical shape.
40. A modular connection kit for use with a wall of a structure, said modular connection kit comprising:
an insert having an outer, exterior surface adapted to be secured within an aperture disposed within said wall of said support, said insert forming a first cavity having a first threaded region; and
an adapter including a first end region having a second threaded region sized and shaped to engage with said first threaded region, a second end region having means for engaging with a first pipe end, and a second cavity having a diameter at least as large as a diameter of said first cavity.
41. The modular connection kit as claimed in claim 40 further including a boot, wherein said means for engaging with said first pipe end includes a circumferential shoulder region extending generally outward from a second end of said adapter and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said adapter and a circumferential lip extending generally inward from a second end of said boot and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said boot, wherein at least a portion of said circumferential lip is sized and shaped to fit between said circumferential shoulder region of said adapter and an exterior surface of said wall of said support.
42. The modular connection kit as claimed in claim 41 further including a circumferential indentation disposed within said exterior surface of said wall of said support proximate said aperture, wherein said circumferential lip and said circumferential shoulder region are sized and shaped to at least partially fit within said circumferential indentation.
43. The modular connection kit as claimed in claim 40 further including a knockout, said knockout, said knockout including a body having a generally circular outer surface sized and shaped to fit within said cavity of said insert and including means for engaging with said cavity, said body including an internal knockout membrane region and an exterior knockout membrane region having a protrusion extending generally outwardly beyond said internal knockout membrane region along a longitudinal axis of knockout.
44. The modular connection kit as claimed in claim 40 wherein said means for engaging with said first pipe end includes a circumferential grommet disposed within said second cavity of said adapter, said circumferential grommet adapted to frictionally engage with said first pipe end.
45. A modular connection kit for use with a wall of a structure, said modular connection kit comprising:
a generally tubular shaped insert, said insert including means for securing said insert within an aperture disposed within said wall of said support and defining a first cavity; and
a generally tubular shaped adapter including a second cavity, means for securing a first end region said adapter to a first end of said insert, and means for engaging with a first pipe end, whereby when connected said insert and said adapter form a passageway having a diameter at least as large as a diameter of said first cavity.
46. The modular connection kit as claimed in claim 45 wherein said means for securing said first end region said adapter to said first end of said insert includes a first and a second threaded region disposed proximate said first end region said adapter and said first end of said insert, respectively.
47. The modular connection kit as claimed in claim 46 wherein said first threaded region includes substantially only a single thread extending approximately 350 degrees.
48. The modular connection kit as claimed in claim 45 wherein said means for engaging with said first pipe end includes a boot adapted to be secured to a second end region of said adapter.
49. The modular connection kit as claimed in claim 48 further including a circumferential shoulder region extending generally outward from a second end of said adapter and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said adapter and a circumferential lip extending generally inward from a second end of said boot and generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said boot, wherein at least a portion of said circumferential lip is sized and shaped to fit between said circumferential shoulder region of said adapter and an exterior surface of said wall of said support.
50. The modular connection kit as claimed in claim 45 further including a knockout, said knockout including a body having a generally circular outer surface sized and shaped to fit within said first cavity, said body including an internal knockout membrane region and an exterior knockout membrane region having a protrusion extending generally outwardly beyond said internal knockout membrane region along a longitudinal axis of knockout.