U.S. patent application number 10/444549 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-25 for stock material, protective packaging product and method.
Invention is credited to Deis, Paul, Slovencik, Jean-Marc.
Application Number | 20040231291 10/444549 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33450685 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040231291 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Slovencik, Jean-Marc ; et
al. |
November 25, 2004 |
Stock material, protective packaging product and method
Abstract
A protective packaging product comprises a paper tube and an
interconnected string of air filled pillows positioned within the
paper tube. The paper tube is preferably a Kraft paper tube, and
the air filled pillows are preferably plastic air filled pillows.
The paper tube and interconnected string of air filled pillows can
include perforations facilitating the tearing off of a selected
length of the protective packaging product. A method of providing a
protective packaging product comprises providing an elongated
plastic film tube; providing an elongated paper tube; positioning
the plastic film tube within the paper tube; inflating the plastic
film tube; and forming a series of transverse heat seals in the
plastic film tube to thereby form an interconnected string of air
filled pillows within a paper tube. The method can further comprise
providing perforations in the plastic film tube and the paper tube
facilitating the tearing off of a selected length of the protective
packaging product, or severing the plastic film tube and paper tube
to produce a selected length of the protective packaging
product.
Inventors: |
Slovencik, Jean-Marc;
(Uhrwiller, FR) ; Deis, Paul; (Hagenau,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOOD, HERRON & EVANS, LLP
2700 CAREW TOWER
441 VINE STREET
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
US
|
Family ID: |
33450685 |
Appl. No.: |
10/444549 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/403 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B31D 2205/0023 20130101;
B31D 2205/0047 20130101; B31D 5/0078 20130101; B31D 2205/0052
20130101; B31D 5/0073 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
053/403 |
International
Class: |
B65B 029/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A protective packaging product comprising: a paper tube; and an
interconnected string of air-filled pillows positioned within said
paper tube.
2. The protective packaging product of claim 1 wherein said paper
tube is a Kraft paper tube.
3. The protective packaging product of claim 1 wherein said air
filled pillows are plastic air filled pillows.
4. The protective packaging product of claim 1 wherein said paper
tube and interconnected string of air filled pillows include
perforations facilitating the tearing off of a selected length of
said protective packaging product.
5. A method of providing a protective packaging product comprising:
providing an elongated plastic film tube; providing a pair of
elongated paper sheets; sandwiching the plastic film tube between
the paper sheets; adhering the confronting lateral edges of the
pair of elongated paper sheets together; inflating the plastic film
tube; and forming a series of transverse heat seals in the plastic
film tube to thereby form an interconnected string of air filled
pillows within a paper tube.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising: providing perforations
in the plastic film tube and paper sheets facilitating the tearing
off of a selected length of the protective packaging product.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising: severing the plastic
film tube and paper sheets to produce a selected length of the
protective packaging product.
8. A method of providing a protective packaging product comprising:
providing an elongated plastic film tube; providing an elongated
paper tube; positioning the plastic film tube within the paper
tube; inflating the plastic film tube; and forming a series of
transverse heat seals in the plastic film tube to thereby form an
interconnected string of air filled pillows within a paper
tube.
9. The method of claim 8 further comprising: providing perforations
in the plastic film tube and paper tube facilitating the tearing
off of a selected length of the protective packaging product.
10. The method of claim 8 further comprising: severing the plastic
film tube and paper tube to produce a selected length of the
protective packaging product.
11. A method of forming a stock material from which to make a
protective packaging product comprising: providing an elongated
plastic film tube; providing a pair of elongated paper sheets;
sandwiching the plastic film tube between the paper sheets; and
adhering the confronting lateral edges of the pair of elongated
paper sheets together.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: providing
perforations in the plastic film tube and paper tube facilitating
the tearing off of a selected length of the protective packaging
product.
13. A method of forming a stock material from which to make a
protective packaging product comprising: providing an elongated
plastic film tube; providing an elongated paper tube; and
positioning the plastic film tube within the paper tube.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising: providing
perforations in the plastic film tube and paper tube facilitating
the tearing off of a selected length of the protective packaging
product.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to protective packaging
products, and more specifically to an improved protective packaging
product for use as bottom fill.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the process of shipping an item from one location to
another, a protective packaging product is typically placed in the
shipping carton or box, to fill any voids and/or to cushion the
item during the shipping process. Examples of protective packaging
products are foam "peanuts," air filled plastic "pillows," and
paper sheet "converted" into crumpled paper pads or "dunnage."
[0003] "Bottom fill" is the protective packaging product placed in
the bottom of a box. Bottom fill presents unique challenges. For
example, when crumpled paper pads are placed in the bottom of a box
as bottom fill, a relatively heavy item placed thereatop tends to
crush the paper pads. On the other hand, when air filled plastic
pillows are placed in the bottom of a box as bottom fill, a
relatively heavy item placed thereatop tends to burst the air
pillows.
[0004] It is desirable to provide an improved bottom fill
protective packaging product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention is a protective packaging product
comprising a paper tube and an interconnected string of air filled
pillows positioned within the paper tube. The paper tube is
preferably a Kraft paper tube, and the air filled pillows are
preferably plastic air filled pillows. The paper tube and
interconnected string of air filled pillows can include
perforations facilitating the tearing off of a selected length of
the protective packaging product.
[0006] In another aspect, the method of providing a protective
packaging product comprises providing an elongated plastic film
tube; providing a pair of elongated paper sheets; sandwiching the
plastic film tube between the paper sheets; adhering the
confronting lateral edges of the pair of elongated paper sheets
together; inflating the plastic film tube; and forming a series of
transverse heat seals in the plastic film tube to thereby form an
interconnected string of air filled pillows within a paper tube.
The method can further comprise providing perforations in the
plastic film tube and paper sheets facilitating the tearing off of
a selected length of the protective packaging product, or severing
the plastic film tube and paper sheets to produce a selected length
of the protective packaging product.
[0007] In yet another aspect, a method of providing a protective
packaging product comprises providing an elongated plastic film
tube; providing an elongated paper tube; positioning the plastic
film tube within the paper tube; inflating the plastic film tube;
and forming a series of transverse heat seals in the plastic film
tube to thereby form an interconnected string of air filled pillows
within a paper tube. The method can further comprise providing
perforations in the plastic film tube and the paper tube
facilitating the tearing off of a selected length of the protective
packaging product, or severing the plastic film tube and paper tube
to produce a selected length of the protective packaging
product.
[0008] In yet another aspect, a method of forming a stock material
from which to make a protective packaging product comprises
providing an elongated plastic film tube; providing a pair of
elongated paper sheets; sandwiching the plastic film tube between
the paper sheets; and adhering the confronting lateral edges of the
pair of elongated paper sheets together. The method can further
comprise providing perforations in the plastic film tube and paper
sheets facilitating the tearing off of a selected length of the
protective packaging product.
[0009] In yet another aspect, a method of forming a stock material
from which to make a protective packaging product comprises
providing an elongated plastic film tube; providing an elongated
paper tube; and positioning the plastic film tube within the paper
tube. The method can further comprise providing perforations in the
plastic film tube and the paper tube facilitating the tearing off
of a selected length of the protective packaging product.
[0010] By combining the paper tube with the interconnected string
of air filled pillows a protective packaging product is produced
which is able to function effectively as bottom fill for heavier
items without bursting the air filled pillows.
[0011] These and other features and advantages of the present
invention will become more readily apparent during the following
detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings herein,
in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine for producing the
protective packaging product of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a side view thereof;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a front view thereof;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side view of one technique for forming the stock
material for feeding into the machines of FIGS. 1-3 for forming the
protective packaging product of the present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 5 is a top view of the stock material of FIG. 4 and/or
a top view of the protective packaging product made from same.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Referring first to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a machine 10
for producing the protective packaging product 12 of the present
invention. Machine 10 can be, for example, an Airplus.RTM. machine
commercially available from the Assignee of the present invention,
heretofore used to make strings of interconnected air filled
plastic pillows.
[0018] Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, machine 10 can include a machine
frame 14, a stock supply roll 16, a separator 18, a pair of drive
rollers 20, 20, a pair of transverse perforating/heat seal bars 22,
22 and an inflation needle 24 connected to a source of compressed
air (not shown). As the stock material 26 (described in more detail
below) is fed off of the roll 16 by drive rollers 20, 20, separator
18 separates the plies of the stock material. Inflation needle 24
periodically pierces one ply of the stock material 26 and inflates
the stock material. Transverse perforating/heat seal bars 22, 22
periodically form a pair of transverse heat seals across the width
of the stock material 26, sealing over the inflation holes formed
in the material 26 by the needle 24, as well as a line of
perforations across the width of the stock material 26 and between
the pair of transverse heat seals, thereby forming the protective
packaging product 12.
[0019] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a roll 16 of the stock
material 26 according to the present invention is shown being
manufactured. An elongated plastic film tube 30 is sandwiched
between a pair of elongated paper sheets 32, 32. Plastic film tube
30 is preferably primarily low density polyethylene about 0.0021
inches thick. Paper sheets 32 are preferably about 30-60 pounds
basis weight. The confronting lateral edges of the pair of
elongated paper sheets 32, 32 are adhered together as with glue 34
to thereby form a paper tube. Stock material 26 can then be rolled
into stock supply roll 16 for feeding into machine 10 to produce
the protective packaging product 12 of the present invention.
[0020] Alternatively, the paper tube could be formed from a single
sheet of elongated paper whose lateral edges are overlapped
slightly and adhered together. In that case, the elongated plastic
film tube and the elongated paper tube could be formed in separate
steps. The plastic film tube could then be positioned within the
paper tube to form the stock material 26, which could then be
rolled into stock supply roll 16 for feeding into the machine
10.
[0021] Referring now to FIG. 5, and as discussed above, machine 10
includes perforating/heat sealing bars 20, 20. These bars 20, 20
simultaneously form a pair of transverse heat seals 28, 28 in the
plastic film tube 30, a line of perforations 36 in the plastic film
tube 30 and a line of perforations 38 in the paper tube formed from
the glued together paper sheets 32, 32. The perforations facilitate
the tearing off of a selected length of the protective packaging
material 12. Rather than the machine 10 including a perforating
mechanism to perforate the material 26, plastic film tube 30 and/or
paper tube 32 could be pre-provided with the perforations 36, 38,
respectively. Alternatively, machine 10 can include a severing
device (not shown) for severing a selected length of the protective
packaging product 12.
[0022] Those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous
adaptations and modifications which can be made to the present
invention which will result in an improved packaging product and
method, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of
the present invention as defined in the following claims. For
example, while separate plastic film and paper tubes have been
shown and described, the invention could as well be practiced with
a composite plastic film and paper tube formed by a process wherein
an elongated plastic film sheet is first laminated to an elongated
paper sheet, and then the laminated plastic and paper material is
formed into an elongated tube, either by adhesively securing
overlapping lateral edges of the laminated plastic and paper
material or by heat sealing overlapping lateral edges of the
laminated plastic and paper material. Accordingly, the invention is
to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their
equivalents.
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