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US 5,688,578 AGranted
Composite packaging material having an expanded sheet with a separator sheet
OwnerDavid P. Goodrichinventor
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OwnerDavid P. Goodrichinventor
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a composite cushioning system for protecting articles, packaged within a box, from damage while being transported in the box. The composite structure includes an expansion sheet of expanded slit sheet, in combination with a separator sheet. The expanded sheet has a slit pattern which produces open cells, preferably of a hexagonal configuration. The separator sheet precludes the nesting of legs and lands of the slit sheet with other slit sheet of the same slit pattern. A variety of combinations of separator sheets and expansion sheets can be used, such as a pair of expansion sheets with a separator sheet between the pair of expansion sheets, or two such pairs of expansion sheets, with or without a separator sheet between the pairs. The separator sheet can be unslit, or tear-perforated or slit to accommodate expansion. Where the separator sheet is slit, the slits preferably produce the same amount of expansion as produced in the expansion sheets. The equipment for expanding the composite uses expansion rollers having Velcro type hooks in a spiral around the rollers such that discontinuation gripping of the expanded material is provided.
A paper cushion wrap comprising a combination of at least one sheet of slit expanded sheet material and a layer of substantially unexpanded sheet material, adjacent layers of expanded sheet material being separated by said substantially unexpanded sheet material, said expanded sheet having rows of cells with semi-rigid peaks, said semi-rigid peaks having an incline such that cells of adjacent layers can nest and interlock, said peaks being prevented from nesting in cells and interlocking with adjacent layers of expanded sheet material by said separator sheet.
A paper cushioning pad comprising a combination of two outer layers of unexpanded sheet material at least two inner layers of slit expanded sheet material, and a light weight separator sheet between two layers of expanded sheet material, said expanded sheet having cells with semi-rigid peaks, said semi-rigid peaks having an incline such that cells of adjacent layers can nest and interlock, said peaks being prevented from nesting in cells and interlocking with adjacent layers of expanded sheet material by said separator sheet at least said two outer layers of unexpanded sheet material being sealed to each other in a longitudinal line along two opposing edges, to form an integrated structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.