# US 11,440,305 B2 · Embossed paper in combination with paper cushioning for shipping envelopes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,305 B2 - Document ID: US11440305B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/870,195 - Filed: 2020-05-08 - Published: 2020-08-27 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-26 - Applicants: David Paul Goodrich - Inventors: David Paul Goodrich - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440305B2 ## CPC - B32B 29/005: {next to another layer of paper or cardboard layer} - B26D 1/405: {for thin material, e.g. for sheets, strips or the like} - B31D 5/006: {including controlled deformation of flat material, e.g. pleating, corrugating or embossing (including crumpling flat material B31D5/0043)} - B31D 5/0065: {including slitting and expanding flat material} - B31F 1/07: Embossing {, i.e. producing impressions formed by locally deep-drawing, e.g. using rolls provided with complementary profiles}({B31F1/128 takes precedence;} corrugating B31F1/20; embossing in combination with printing B41F19/02, B41M1/24; typewriters for embossing B41J3/38; stamping in combination with deforming B41K3/36) - B32B 3/04: characterised by {at least one} layer folded at the edge, e.g. over another layer {; characterised by at least one layer enveloping or enclosing a material} - B32B 3/12: characterised by a layer of regularly- arranged cells, e.g. a honeycomb structure - B32B 3/266: {characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12} - B32B 3/28: characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet {, i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane}, e.g. corrugated, crumpled (B32B29/08 takes precedence) - B65D 81/03: Wrappers or envelopes with shock-absorbing properties, e.g. bubble films {(for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3888)} - B26D 1/0006: {Cutting members therefor} - B26D 1/40: and coacting with a rotary member - B26D 2001/0053: {having a special cutting edge section or blade section} - B31B 50/62: by adhesives - B31B 70/00: Making flexible containers, e.g. envelopes or bags - B31B 70/001: {Shaping, other than by folding, sheet material under pressure} - B31B 70/003: {Opening or distending bags} - B31B 70/008: {Stiffening or reinforcing (B31B70/876 takes precedence)} - B31B 70/10: Feeding or positioning webs - B31B 70/142: {using presses or dies} - B31B 70/261: {involving transversely folding, i.e. along a line perpendicular to the direction of movement} - B31B 70/62: by adhesives - B31B 70/88: Printing; Embossing - B31B 2155/002: {by joining superimposed webs, e.g. with separate bottom webs} - B31B 2160/102: {obtained from essentially rectangular sheets} - B31B 2170/20: having multi-layered walls, e.g. laminated or lined - B31B 2170/30: having corrugated or pleated walls - B31D 1/0031: {the articles being paper nettings, e.g. by slitting and expanding webs or sheets} - B31D 5/0069: {including forming or transforming three-dimensional material, e.g. corrugated webs or material of cellular structure (making articles of cellular structure B31D3/00, corrugating paper or cardboard B31F1/20)} - B31D 2205/0023: as web from a roll - B31D 2205/0047: Feeding, guiding or shaping the material - B32B 29/08: Corrugated paper or cardboard - B32B 2250/03: 3 layers - B32B 2250/04: 4 layers - B32B 2250/26: All layers being made of paper or paperboard - B32B 2250/40: Symmetrical or sandwich layers, e.g. ABA, ABCBA, ABCCBA - B32B 2307/50: having particular mechanical properties - B32B 2317/12: Paper, e.g. cardboard - B32B 2317/122: Kraft paper - B32B 2553/02: Shock absorbing - B65B 5/04: Packaging single articles - B65D 27/005: {Linings} - B65D 27/16: using pressure-sensitive adhesive - B65D 65/406: {with at least one layer provided with a relief other than corrugations} - B65D 65/44: {Applications of resilient shock-absorbing materials, e.g. foamed plastics material, honeycomb material} - B65D 2565/382: made of special paper - B65D 2565/386: packaging containers consisting of two or more parts made of the same material - Y02W 30/80: Packaging reuse or recycling, e.g. of multilayer packaging (bio-packaging Y02W90/10) - Y02W 90/10: Bio-packaging, e.g. packing containers made from renewable resources or bio-plastics - Y10T 428/24149: Honeycomb-like - Y10T 428/24281: Struck out portion type - Y10T 428/24306: Diamond or hexagonal - Y10T 428/24314: Slit or elongated - Y10T 428/24331: including nonapertured component - Y10T 428/24661: Forming, or cooperating to form cells - Y10T 428/24669: Aligned or parallel nonplanarities - Y10T 428/24678: Waffle-form - Y10T 428/24702: with locally deformed crests or intersecting series of corrugations - Y10T 428/24711: Plural corrugated components - Y10T 428/24752: Laterally noncoextensive components - Y10T 428/24777: Edge feature - Y10T 428/24793: Comprising discontinuous or differential impregnation or bond - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - B31D: MAKING ARTICLES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B31B OR B31C (manufacture by dry processes of articles made from particles or fibres consisting of wood or other lignocellulosic or like organic material B27N; making layered products not composed wholly of paper or cardboard B32B; making articles from cellulosic fibrous suspensions, e.g. wood pulp, D21J) - B31F: MECHANICAL WORKING OR DEFORMATION OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making layered products not composed wholly of paper or cardboard B32B) - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - B31B: MAKING CONTAINERS OF PAPER, CARDBOARD OR MATERIAL WORKED IN A MANNER ANALOGOUS TO PAPER (making wound articles, e.g. wound tubes, B31C; combined making and filling B65B) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract According to some illustrative embodiments, a protective product is provided that includes: at least one expandable slit paper sheet, said at least on expandable slit paper being expanded between opposing ends of said slit paper; a first embossed paper sheet facing said expanded slit paper sheet and a second paper sheet facing an opposite side of said at least one expanded slit paper sheet, at least one of said first embossed paper sheet and said second paper sheet being fixed to said expanded slit paper sheet at the opposing ends of said expanded slit paper sheet and thereby maintaining said expanded paper in its expanded state, said first embossed paper sheet having a plurality of embossings that increase the rigidity of said embossed paper sheet, whereby inhibiting deformation of said embossed paper sheet that is fixed to said expanded slit sheet paper. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A protective product, comprising: at least one expandable slit paper sheet having opposing ends and opposing lateral sides extending between said opposing ends, said at least one expandable slit paper sheet being expanded between said opposing ends of said at least one slit paper sheet; a first embossed paper sheet facing a surface of said at least one expanded slit paper sheet, said first embossed paper sheet having an embossment pattern comprising a two-dimensional array of substantially contiguous shapes; and a second paper sheet facing an opposite surface of said at least one expanded slit paper sheet, at least one of said first embossed paper sheet and said second paper sheet being fixed to said at least one expanded slit paper sheet at said opposing ends of said at least one expanded slit paper sheet forming opposing fixed ends, thereby maintaining said at least one expanded slit paper sheet in its expanded state, said embossment pattern extending alongside said at least one expanded slit paper sheet in a region of the at least one expanded slit paper sheet between said opposing fixed ends, wherein said region of the at least one expanded slit paper sheet, including said opposing lateral sides of said at least one expanded slit paper sheet within said region, may contact but is free of being fixed to said first embossed paper sheet and/or said second paper sheet, wherein said embossment pattern increases rigidity of said first embossed paper sheet and inhibits deformation of first embossed paper sheet due to contraction forces of said at least one expanded slit paper sheet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said two-dimensional array of substantially contiguous shapes comprises embossed geometric shapes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said two-dimensional array of substantially contiguous shapes comprises geometric shapes having embossed peripheral borderlines, forming embossed ribs. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said two-dimensional array of substantially contiguous shapes includes an array of embossed polygons that share sides with adjacent polygons. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The protective product according to claim 3, wherein said polygons include hexagons. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said embossment pattern includes embossments that are indented to extend inwardly from a plane toward said at least one expanded slit paper sheet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said embossment pattern extends from a plane of said first embossed a distance sufficient to provide said rigidity and less than 0.1 inches. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The protective product according to claim 7, wherein said distance is less than 0.05 inches. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The protective product according to claim 8, wherein said distance is less than 0.03 inches. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said second paper sheet is a second embossed paper sheet having a second embossment pattern, wherein the second embossment pattern is the same as or different from the first embossment pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The protective product according to claim 10, wherein said second embossment pattern comprises embossments varying between being recessed and being raised from a plane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said at least one expanded slit paper sheet is a plurality of expanded slit paper sheets in an expanded state layered alongside each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The protective product according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of expanded slit papers sheets comprises two expanded slit paper sheets, and said second paper sheet is a second embossed paper sheet having a second embossment pattern, wherein the second embossment pattern is the same as or different from the first embossment pattern. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said at least one expandable slit paper sheet is an extensible paper having an extensible range, measured in a pre-slit configuration, of 1 to 20% in a machine direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The protective product according to claim 14, wherein said extensible range is 3 to 20% in a machine direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The protective product according to claim 15, wherein said extensible range is 3 to 9% in a machine direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The protective product of claim 1, wherein said at least one expandable slit paper sheet is a paper having a weight in the range from about 30 to 50 pounds per 3000 sq. ft. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said protective product is a recyclable paper product. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The protective product according to claim 1, wherein said first embossed paper sheet, said at least one expanded slit paper sheet, and said second paper sheet are folded along a fold line disposed between said opposing fixed ends and fixed together forming a pouch region. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The protective product according to claim 19, wherein said protective product has a flap that is foldable to enclose said pouch region. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The protective product according to claim 20, wherein at one of said opposing fixed ends, said first embossed paper sheet, said at least one expanded slit paper sheet, and said second paper sheet are fixed together with an adhesive within a flap region, said flap being crushed at least in said flap region containing said adhesive. ### Claim 22 The protective product according to claimer 19, wherein a region containing said fold line is free of adhesive. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) A padded envelope comprising the protective product according to claim 1, the envelope comprising: said first embossed paper sheet, said at least one expanded slit paper sheet, and said second paper sheet being folded along a fold line disposed between said opposing fixed ends forming front and back walls of a pouch, and opposing sides of said first embossed paper sheet and/or opposing sides of said second paper sheet being fixed together to form sides of said pouch. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The padded envelope of claim 23, wherein said opposing sides of said first embossed paper sheet and/or said opposing sides of said second paper sheet are fixed together with an adhesive. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The padded envelope of claim 23, further including an address label fixed to said envelope. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The padded envelope of claim 23, wherein said first embossed paper sheet is an inner layer and said embossment pattern comprises embossments that are bulged outwardly from a plane, away from said at least one expanded slit paper sheet and facing an interior of said pouch of said envelope, whereby said embossments help limit friction applied to an item inserted into said pouch. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The padded envelope of claim 23, wherein said substantially contiguous shapes include embossed hexagons or hexagons having embossed peripheral borderlines. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) A protection method, comprising: providing the protective product of claim 19; and placing an item to be protected within said pouch region of said protective product. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) A mailing method, comprising: providing the padded envelope of claim 23; and placing an item to be protected within said envelope.