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US 10,457,090 B2Granted
Expandable package filler or ornament
OwnerTed Tepe, Liang Rong Lininventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An expandable package filler or ornament includes a stack of sheets, such as tissue paper, foil, etc. The stack is bound together, such as by a fastener. A generally spiral cut extends from a peripheral edge of the stack toward the center of the each sheet. The cut forms each sheet into a generally spiral strip ending in a peninsula portion. Grasping the peninsula portion, lifting and shaking the stack causes the strips to fall and entangle with each other. The resulting structure is decorative and may be used to stuff a gift box, bag or basket.
Claims22
An expandable filler, comprising:
- a stack of about 30 to about 60 parallel sheets, each sheet comprising a flexible material having a respective thickness less than about 2 mil and defining at least one cut through the thickness of the sheet, the at least one cut extending from a peripheral edge of the sheet to a location radially inward of the peripheral edge of the sheet, the at least one cut defining a peninsula portion of the sheet proximate the location radially inward of the peripheral edge of the sheet and a generally spiral shaped strip extending continuously from the peninsula portion to a peripheral end portion located along the peripheral edge of the sheet, wherein the generally spiral shaped strips of the respective sheets are coextensive with each other and, in an initial configuration, collectively occupy a first volume, the generally spiral shaped strips being configured to entangle with at least some of each other in response to shaking to form, in an expanded configuration, a cushioning packing material having a volume greater than the first volume, and wherein the generally spiral shaped strips are fastened together in intimate contact at only the peripheral end portion of each of the generally spiral shaped strips.
An expandable filler, comprising:
- a stack of about 30 to about 60 parallel sheets, each sheet comprising a flexible material having a respective thickness less than about 2 mil and defining at least one cut through the thickness of the sheet, the at least one cut extending from a peripheral edge of the sheet to a location radially inward of the peripheral edge of the sheet, the at least one cut defining a peninsula portion of the sheet proximate the location radially inward of the peripheral edge of the sheet and a generally spiral shaped strip extending continuously from the peninsula portion to a peripheral end portion located along the peripheral edge of the sheet, wherein the generally spiral shaped strips of the respective sheets are coextensive with each other and, in an initial configuration, collectively occupy a first volume, the generally spiral shaped strips being configured to entangle with at least some of each other in response to shaking to form, in an expanded configuration, a cushioning packing material having a volume greater than the first volume, and wherein the generally spiral shaped strips are fastened together in intimate contact at only the peninsula portion of each of the generally spiral shaped strips.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.