Prestressed honeycomb, method and apparatus therefor
AssigneeHexacomb Corporation
InventorsRobert E. Jaegers, Reuben C. Carder, William B. Woodward, Jr.
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Abstract
A resilient prestressed honeycomb structure is disclosed in which at least one of its defined planar surfaces is cushioned along its lateral length by substantially continuously deforming it under compression to a preselected depth. Also disclosed is a one-step method for simultaneously cutting and forming a resilient prestressed paper honeycomb structure and apparatus therefor. One preferred embodiment of the resilient prestressed paper honeycomb structure is sufficiently strong and lightweight to use as an inner packaging for providing cushioning protection of articles having a fragility factor rating of less than about 85 G's against multiple impacts.
Claims11
A method of simultaneously forming and shaping a resilient prestressed paper honeycomb structure having a substantially continuous resilient cushioned face portion, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) exposing a paper honeycomb structure of preselected thickness and length to a conditioning environment where the ambient air temperature and relative humidity are controlled to dry or humidify the paper honeycomb structure;
- b) maintaining said honeycomb structure in the conditioning environment for a period sufficient to dry or humidify the paper honeycomb structure to a moisture level of about 4 percent by weight to less than about 8 percent by weight;
- c) thereafter cutting the conditioned honeycomb structure to a predetermined size and shape while simultaneously deforming the conditioned honeycomb structure laterally substantially continuously along one planar surface by compressing it to a predetermined depth to provide a honeycomb structure having a substantially continuous resilient prestressed cushioned face portion with substantially no loss of structural rigidity and strength;
- and
- d) releasing the compression and removing the resulting resilient prestressed honeycomb structure.
A method of forming a honeycomb structure comprising the steps of cutting honeycomb which has been exposed to a conditioning environment where the ambient air temperature and relative humidity are controlled to dry or humidify the honeycomb to a moisture level of about 4 percent by weight to less than about 8 percent by weight and having hollow-face cells defining opposed planar surfaces to a predetermined size and shape while simultaneously compressively deforming the honeycomb which has been conditioned laterally substantially continuously along one of the planar surfaces to a predetermined depth to provide a resilient prestressed cushioned face portion with substantially no loss of structural rigidity and strength.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.