Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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IMPROVED EXPANDED SLIT SHEET CUSHIONING PRODUCTS
WITH NOVEL REDUCED-DIMENSION SLIT PATTERNS
BACKGROUND
Cross-References to Priority Applications
The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Serial No.
16/929,836,
filed July 15, 2020, which is a non-provisional of U.S. Provisional
Application No.
62/874,163, filed July 15, 2019, which U.S. Serial No. 16/929,836 is also a
continuation-
in-part of U.S. Application Serial No. 16/872,813, filed May 12, 2020, which
is a
continuation of U.S. Application Serial No. 16/018,702, filed June 26, 2020,
now U.S.
Patent No. 10,669,086, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application
No.
62/524,905, filed June 26, 2017. The entire disclosures of each of the above-
listed
priority applications are incorporated herein by references as though recited
herein in
full.
Cross-References to Patents and Patent Applications Incorporated By Reference
The entire disclosures of a) U.S. Patent No. 10,669,086, issued June 2, 2020,
b),
c) U.S. Patent No. 10,226,907, issued on March 12, 2019, d) U.S. Application
Serial No.
16/274,028, filed February 12, 2019, as a divisional of U.S. Patent No.
10,226,907, and
e) 16/870,195, filed 05/08/2020, entitled "Extensible Paper and its Use in the
Production
of Expanded Slit Packaging Wrap and Void Fill Products" are each incorporated
by
reference herein in their entireties, as though recited in full herein.
Field
This invention relates to the use of slit sheet material that is expanded to
provide
a cushioning product. In the preferred embodiments, the present invention
provides
substantially improved slit sheet cushioning products by advantageously
combining
novel paper properties with novel slit patterns for improved features and
characteristics.
In some illustrative and non-limiting example embodiments, cushioning products
of the
present invention can include, e.g., a novel slit sheet material in
combination with
extensible paper employed as, e.g., a cushioning pad or as cushioning within
an
envelope product, wherein the cushioning product can be substantially more
resilient,
but, yet, e.g., thinner for better utilization of space.
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Expanded Slit Sheet Paper Related Art Incorporated by Reference
Further information relating to the paper which can be used in the present
invention, slit patterns, and the expansion process is found in U.S. Patents
a)
5,538,778, b) 5,667,871, c) 5,688,578, d) 5,782,735, e) 3,908,071, f)
3,104,197, g)
3,220,116, h) 3,266,972, i) 3,269,393, j) 3,908,071, k) 6,024,832, I)
6,458,447 and m)
6,712,930, and in U.S. Application Serial No. 14/901,977, and in PCT
application No.
W01984002936A1, and in U.S. Published Patent Application Nos. US 2002/0060034,
US 2007/0240841, and the disclosures of which are all incorporated by
reference herein
in their entireties, as though recited in full herein.
In the preferred embodiments, the terminology "expandable" as applied to paper
sheets, means a paper having a slit pattern that enables expansion of the
paper, such
as, e.g., as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. (a) 5,538,778, (b) 5,667,871, (c)
5,688,578,
(d) 5,782,735 and (e) 10,226,907, and in PCT Application No.
PCT/US2014/054615, the
entire disclosures of which patents and PCT application are all incorporated
by
reference herein as though recited in full. In the preferred embodiments, a
slit pattern is
configured to enable the paper to be expanded lengthwise, with a related
decrease in
width. In some embodiments, the slit pattern produces a paper that increases
in length
due to the slit pattern when processed in an expander, such as, e.g., an
expander of the
type described in any of the following U.S. and PCT applications (a)
2017/0203866, (b)
2018/022266, (c) 2018/0127197, and (d) PCT/US2014/054615, incorporated herein
by
reference in their entireties.
U.S. Pat Nos. 5,667,871 and 5,688,578, slit Sheet Packing Material, teach the
use of a plurality of individual slits forming parallel spaced rows forming a
hexagonal
expanded sheet with and without a separator sheet. It requires machinery to
stretch the
paper into its three-dimensional shape at the customer's location such as
disclosed in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,778 which teaches the method and apparatus for producing
the
expansion of the slit sheet material performed at the packing site's location.
U.S. Pat.
No. 5,782,735 discloses an expander for expanding the slit sheet material of
U.S. Pat.
Nos. 5,667,871 and 5,688,578.
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For reference, FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B) correspond to FIGS. 1 and 3 of U.S.
5,667,871 (the '871 patent). These figures describe existing "slit sheet"
expandable
paper structure. As explained in the '871 patent:
"The slit paper, indicated generally as 10, is illustrated in FIG. [3(A)] as
it would
come off the slitting machine. The sheets can be formed on a flat-bed slitter
and
produced directly as rectangular sheets, as well as on a rotary slitter and
cut into
individual sheets or stored directly as a continuous sheet in roll form.
The flexible sheet 10 is preferably manufactured from exclusively recycled
paper with
the grain of the paper running in the direction of arrow A. The flexible sheet
10 is
provided with slits 14 and slits 16 are parallel to the edges 22 and 24 of the
flexible
sheet 12 and perpendicular to the paper grain. The slits 14 and slits 16 are
placed in
rows and separated from one another by land 20 and legs 21 [shown in FIG.
3(B)]. The
land 20 is a consistent size and provides the support required to prevent the
paper from
tearing into strips when opened. The cushioning effect is produced by the
flexing of the
lands and legs under a load. It is therefore necessary that the land 20 be of
sufficient
size to provide cushioning. The spacing between the rows of slits 14 and slits
16 must
also be of sufficient size to prevent the paper from tearing. The offset
positioning of the
rows of slits 14 and slits 16 gives the paper resiliency when opened and is
discussed in
detail further hereinafter. The existence of partial slits 14 and 16 at the
ends 25 and 18
of the flexible sheet 10 do not hinder the efficiency of the slit paper 10.
The flexible
sheet 10 when flat; lies in a first plane."
"When expanded, the expanded sheet, indicated generally as 12, is formed of
hexagonal cells 26, legs 21 and land 20 areas, as illustrated in FIG. [3(B)].
Preferably,
at least a majority of the land 20 areas lie in a plurality of parallel
planes. The planes of
the land 20 areas form an angle of at least about 45 degrees with the plane of
the sheet
in flat form."
"The slitting operation in which the slits are cut into the sheet material can
take
several forms. In one embodiment, rectangular sheets are provide with its
total number
of slits in one action. The term rectangular should be understood to include
rectangles
in which all four sides are equal, that is, square. Where the sheet material
is subjected
to rotary cutting or slitting, the pressure required for the cutting action is
significantly
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lower that which is required for the flat bed cut, since essentially only a
single row or a
few rows of slits are cut simultaneously. Unlike prior art structures and
systems,
expansion contemporaneous with slitting is not desirable. Therefore a critical
balance
must be struck between resistance to opening of the cells during the rewind
step and
ease of opening of cells during the expansion step. By achieving this critical
balance
and producing a flat, unexpanded sheet, the sheet material has an effective
thickness
which is as much as one twentieth of the thickness of a sheet of expanded
material. The
compact configuration provides for the optimization of shipping and storage."
In the preferred embodiments, the term "slit sheet" means an expandable paper
sheet having a slit pattern. The following are direct quotes of U.S. 5,667,871
(the '871
patent).
First, column 10, lines 13-48, of the '871 patent explains:
"The length of the slit and the ratio of the land intervals between slit
affects the
dimensions of the polygons which are formed during the expansion step. The
higher the
ratio of slit length to interval length the greater is the maximum angle which
can be
formed between the plane of the sheet and the planes of the land areas. The
greater
the uniformity of the shape and size of the formed polygonal shaped open areas
and the
angle to which the land areas incline relative to the flat sheet, the greater
is the degree
to which interlocking of land areas can be achieved. Interlocking of land
areas, that is,
the nesting of layers of sheets, reduces the effective thickness of the
sheets. However,
the net effect is still a dramatic increase in effective sheet thickness. For
example,
0.008 inch thick paper having a silt pattern of a 1/2" slit, 3/16" slit
spacing, and 1/8" row
spacing, produces a 1/4" by 3/16" land which can expand to under about one
quarter of
an inch thickness and will have a net effective thickness for two layers, when
nested, of
about 0.375 inches. It is noted that the land width is double the width of the
legs. The
net effect is a useful thickness expansion of roughly 20 times the unexpanded
thickness
of the paper."
"The longer the slit relative to the rigidity of the sheet material, the
weaker is the
interlocking effect and the cushioning effect due to the weakness of the
expanded
structure. If the slits are too small, expansion can be severely limited and
cushioning
can be excessively limited. This does not mean that the dimensions are
narrowly
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critical, but rather that the dimension must be selected relative to the
characteristics of
the paper, as for example the degree of rigidity, and the cushioning or energy
absorbing
effects which are required. The resistance to expansion increases relative to
the
increase in the size of the land areas. It should be understood that some
resistance to
opening is desired. The object rests on, or contacts the edge of the sheet
formed by the
incline of the land areas which turns the perimeter of the openings into upper
and lower
edges."
Second, column 10, lines 58-67 and column 11, lines 1-6, of the '871 patent
further explains:
"As heretofore mentioned, the slit dimensions can be varied to ease the
process
of opening. A 5/8" slit, 3/16" land by 3/16 row opens very easily since the
number of
hexagons is reduced. When the size of the hexagons are increased and the
numbers
decreased; the stretched thickness was increased, producing a very viable wrap
material. This sizing increases the yield of the paper and provides almost the
same
protection as the 1/2" slit. This sizing provides a less expensive product
utilizing a larger
content of post consumer waste while maintaining the integrity of the wrap
product. The
1/2" slit, 3/16" land by 1/8" row pattern produces a more protective wrap due
to the
greater number of wraps that can be made within the same volume. Thus, a 214
pound
vase dropped from a thirty inch height, with only 1/2" of cumulative sheet
thickness
around the vase, can be protected with the 1/2" slit, 1/4 by 3/16 inch land
pattern."
The present inventor's prior U.S. Patent No. 10,226,907 (the '907 patent)
shows
a background "Expandable Slit Sheet Packaging Material That Interlocks When
Layered
and Expanded." In the '907 patent, the product includes a plurality of layers,
with each
layer having a different slit pattern for the purposes of "interlocking"
between the plural
layers. As explained at column 2 of the '907 patent, "the differing slit
patterns produce
when expanded, inclined land area that have the same number of rows per inch,
but
different angles of inclination of the land areas, such that adjacent layers
can interlock."
While the '907 patent describes an example in which a slit length of 0.4
inches is
included for one of the layers, it is notable that 1) this 0.4 inch slit
length is only used in
conjunction with an adjacent layer having a larger slit length of 0.5 inches,
2) this
reduced slit length is not used along with a reduced distance between rows
(i.e., the
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distance between rows is required to be the same as that of the adjacent layer
with the
0.5 inch slit length). Thus, the '907 patent does not teach the improved slit
sheet
cushioning products of the present invention, nor the advantages therefrom.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention improve upon and overcome
various problems and limitations of the related art.
SUMMARY
The preferred embodiments overcome and improve upon the foregoing and/or
other related art. In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, the
use of a
slit pattern that creates more cells per square foot provides a greater crush
resistance
and resiliency for cushioning the items packed within as a wrap or when being
used as
a pad for an envelope (including, in some illustrative preferred envelope
embodiments,
wherein the envelope includes at least an inner or outer layer of indented
paper).
In the most preferred embodiments, an expanded paper cushioning product is
provided that employs an improved slit arrangement, and wherein the expanded
paper
is an extensible paper.
In some preferred embodiments of the invention, the present invention can
comprise features of one or more of the claims 1-81 set forth at the end of
this
application.
In some preferred embodiments, the slit paper pattern of slits
advantageously has slits in the range from 0.2 to 0.3 inches (i.e., in the
lengthwise dimension of the slits) and spaces between rows in the range from
0.06 to 0.7 inches (i.e., the distance between adjacent rows of slits).
Preferably,
the slit paper pattern of slits advantageously has slits of about 0.25 inches
(i.e.,
in the lengthwise dimension of the slits) and spaces between rows of about
0.06
to about 0.065 inches (i.e., the distance between adjacent rows of slits) and
most preferably spaces between rows of about 0.0625 inches.
Preferably the space between the slits of each row is in the range from
about 0.1 to about 0.09 inches and most preferably, the space between the
slits
of each row is about 0.094 inches.
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The foregoing dimensions produce a slit pattern that creates more cells per
square foot, provides crush resistance and resiliency for cushioning the items
packed within an envelope while providing a thin envelope. In some preferred
embodiments, the term "thin envelope" as employed herein refers to a distance
between the outermost layers of the envelope in the pouch area 704.
Advantageously, in the preferred embodiments, these embodiments are
made from an extensible paper.
In some preferred embodiments, the slit paper pattern of slits advantageously
has slits in the range from 0.30 to 0.45 inches (i.e., in the lengthwise
dimension of the
slits) and spaces between rows in the range from 0.1125 to 0.1688 inches
(i.e., the
distance between adjacent rows of slits). Most preferably, these latter
embodiments are
made from an extensible paper.
In some preferred embodiments, the slit paper has slits wherein the slit width
is
0.45 inches plus 5%, minus 33% (i.e., here the slit width refers to the
lengthwise
dimension of the slits). Most preferably, again, these latter embodiments are
made from
an extensible paper.
In some preferred embodiments, the slit pattern advantageously produces an
expandable slit paper having a number of legs per square foot that is at least
20%
greater than slit paper has slit (cut) widths of 0.5 inches.
In some preferred embodiments, an expanded slit paper cushioning product of
the present invention has a number of legs per square foot that is at least
15% greater
than slit paper that has slit (cut) widths of 0.5 inches. In some preferred
embodiments,
an expanded slit paper cushioning product of the present invention has such a
number
of legs per square foot that is in the range from 20% to 50% greater than that
of slit
paper having slit (cut) widths of 0.5 inches.
Additionally, while the present inventor has discovered novel means to improve
cushioning characteristics of expandable slit sheet paper, which involves
"reducing" the
slit pattern dimensions, it is notable that this reduction of slit pattern
dimensions is "not
only" unviable with prior expandable slit sheet paper (i.e., which could not
achieve such
small sizes), but is also "counter-intuitive" to the existing understanding of
cushioning
properties afforded by such explandable slit sheet papers. Notably, the
cushioning of
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expandable slit sheet papers is directly related to the "width" of the
expandable slit
sheet paper in an expanded state. Accordingly, for enhancing cushioning, those
in the
art have sought to actually "increase" this width of the expanded slit sheet
paper.
However, the present inventor discovered means by which smaller slit patterns
could be
achieved (e.g., via the use of the extensible paper) and that such smaller
slit patterns
with such extensible papers could, in fact, provide enhance cushioning despite
the
losses in cushioning due to the reduced "width" of the expandable slit sheet
paper.
Additionally, the present inventor also discovered other desirable
applications and uses
of such novel expandable slit sheet paper.
According to some preferred embodiments, a slit sheet paper cushioning product
is provided that includes: a slit sheet paper having a slit pattern including
a plurality of
slits extending in a cross direction that forms a plurality of open cells upon
expansion in
a machine direction, wherein the slit width is from 0.45 inches plus 5% to
0.45 inches
minus 33%, and said slit sheet paper being formed from an extensible paper
made to
be extensible in the machine direction and the cross direction without said
slit pattern,
said extensible paper having an extensibility within a range of 3 to 20% in
the machine
direction.
According to some embodiments of the invention, a slit sheet paper cushioning
product is provided that includes: a sheet paper having a slit pattern
including a plurality
of slits extending in a cross direction that forms a plurality of open cells
upon expansion
in a machine direction, wherein the slit width is at least 10% less than 0.5
inches, and
said slit sheet paper being formed from an extensible paper made to be
extensible in
the machine direction and the cross direction without said slit pattern, said
extensible
paper having an extensibility within a range of 3 to 20% in the machine
direction.
According to some preferred embodiments, a slit sheet paper cushioning product
is provided that includes: at least one slit sheet paper having a slit pattern
including a
plurality of slits extending in a cross direction that forms a plurality of
open cells upon
expansion in a machine direction, wherein the slit width is at least 10% less
than 0.5
inches, and said slit sheet paper being formed from an expandable paper that
expands
into an alternating row expansion pattern that includes alternating rows with
bottom-side
cell openings in bottom-side rows situated on a bottom side of the expanded
slit sheet
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paper and with top-side cell openings in top-side rows situated on a top side
of the
expanded slit sheet paper. According to some embodiments, the slit sheet paper
is
made with an extensible paper. According to some embodiments, the extensible
paper
is extensible in a machine direction in a range of at least 5%. According to
some
embodiments, the extensible paper is extensible in a cross direction in a
range of at
least 5%. According to some embodiments, the extensible paper is extensible in
the
machine direction and the cross direction without said slit pattern, said
extensible paper
having an extensibility within a range of 3 to 20% in the machine direction.
In some embodiments, the slit sheet includes spaces between rows of slits in
the
range of 0.1125 to 0.1688 inches. In some embodiments, the slit sheet includes
spaces
between rows of slits smaller than 0.125 inches. In some embodiments, the slit
sheet
includes spaces between rows of slits smaller than 0.1125 inches.
In some
embodiments, the slit sheet includes spaces between rows of slits smaller than
0.0875
inches. In some embodiments, the slit width is less than 0.40 inches. In some
embodiments, the slit width is less than 0.35 inches. In some embodiments, the
slit
width is less than 0.30 inches.
In some embodiments, the slit sheet paper is a roll of slit sheet paper. In
some
embodiments, the roll of slit sheet paper is supported on an expander device
adapted to
rotatably support the roll of slit sheet paper for manual removal and
expansion of said
slit sheet paper from said roll. According to some embodiments, a method of
using the
slit sheet paper cushioning product, includes manually wrapping the slit sheet
paper in
an expanded state around an item such as to create a plurality of layers of
the
expanded slit sheet paper surrounding the item for cushioning.
In some embodiments, the slit sheet paper is employed within a wall of an
envelope for cushioning of the envelope. In some embodiments, the envelope
includes
a single layer of said slit sheet paper within the wall of the envelope for
cushioning such
as to reduce thickness of the wall. In some embodiments, the wall of said
envelope
includes an outer paper layer located on a first side of said slit sheet paper
and an inner
paper layer at a second side of said slit sheet paper. In some embodiments,
the outer
paper layer and/or said inner paper layer includes embossments.
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In some embodiments, the slit sheet paper forms an alternating row expansion
pattern when expanded to form said plurality of open cells. In some
embodiments, the
slit sheet paper is in an expanded state with said plurality of open cells
forming an
alternating row expansion pattern.
In some embodiments, the alternating row
expansion pattern includes alternating rows with bottom-side cell openings in
bottom-
side rows situated on a bottom side of the expanded slit sheet paper and with
top-side
cell openings in top-side rows situated on a top side of the expanded slit
sheet paper.
In some embodiments, the number of supporting legs is at least 20% greater
than the number of supporting legs of a slit sheet paper having 0.5 inch
slits, whereby
the slit pattern generates upon expansion more cells per square foot and
provides a
greater crush resistance and resiliency for cushioning than is provided by a
slit sheet
paper having 0.5 inch slits.
According to some embodiments, the slit sheet paper cushioning product is an
envelope, including the at least one slit sheet paper in an expanded state; a
first paper
sheet facing a first face of said at least one slit sheet paper in said
expanded state
and fixed in relation to said at least one slit sheet paper along at least a
portion of a
periphery of said at least one expanded slit paper sheet; a second paper sheet
facing an opposite face of said at least one slit sheet paper in said expanded
state and
fixed in relation to said at least one slit sheet paper along at least a
portion of said
periphery of said at least one slit sheet paper. In some embodiments, either:
a) at
least one of said first paper sheet and said second paper sheet are embossed
sheets
having a plurality of embossments that inhibit deformation of said first and
second
paper sheets due to contraction forces of said at least one slit sheet paper
in said
expanded state; or b) said first paper sheet and said second paper sheet are
non-
embossed sheets having a heavier weight compared to a weight of said at least
one
slit sheet paper in said expanded state thereby inhibiting deformation of said
first and
second paper sheets due to contraction forces of said at slit sheet paper in
said
expanded state.
According to some other embodiments of the present invention, a slit sheet
paper
cushioning product is provided that includes: at least one slit sheet paper
having a slit
pattern including a plurality of slits extending in a cross direction that
forms a plurality of
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open cells upon expansion in a machine direction, said slit sheet paper being
formed
from an expandable paper that expands into an alternating row expansion
pattern that
includes alternating rows with bottom-side cell openings in bottom-side rows
situated on
a bottom side of the expanded slit sheet paper and with top-side cell openings
in top-
side rows situated on a top side of the expanded slit sheet paper. According
to some
embodiments, the slit sheet paper is made with an extensible paper. According
to some
embodiments, the extensible paper is extensible in a machine direction in a
range of at
least 5%. According to some embodiments, the extensible paper is extensible in
a
cross direction in a range of at least 5%. According to some embodiments, the
extensible paper is extensible in a machine direction in a range of at least
5% and in a
cross direction in a range of at least 5%. According to some embodiments, the
extensible paper is extensible in a machine direction in a range of at least
6% and in a
cross direction in a range of at least 6%. According to some embodiments, the
extensible paper is extensible in a machine direction in a range of at least
7% and in a
cross direction in a range of at least 7%. According to some, most preferred,
embodiments, the extensible paper is extensible in a machine direction in a
range of at
least 8% and in a cross direction in a range of at least 8%. According to some
embodiments, the extensible paper is extensible in a machine direction in a
range of
between 5% to 15% and in a cross direction in a range of between 5% to 15%.
According to some embodiments, the extensible paper is extensible in a machine
direction in a range of between 7% to 15% and in a cross direction in a range
of
between 7% to 15%. According to some embodiments, the plurality of slits each
have a
width of between 0.35 and 0.65 inches; according to some embodiments, the
plurality of
slits each have a width of between 0.45 and 0.55 inches. According to some
embodiments, the plurality of slits each have a width of about 0.5 inches.
According to
some embodiments, the plurality of slits each have a width of less than 0.5
inches.
According to some embodiments, the plurality of slits each have a width of
less than
0.45 inches. According to some embodiments, the plurality of slits each have a
width of
less than 0.4 inches.
The above and/or other aspects, features and/or advantages of various
embodiments will be further appreciated in view of the following description
in
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conjunction with the accompanying figures. Various embodiments can include
and/or
exclude different aspects, features and/or advantages where applicable. In
addition,
various embodiments can combine one or more aspect or feature of other
embodiments
where applicable. The descriptions of aspects, features and/or advantages of
particular
embodiments should not be construed as limiting other embodiments or the
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
This patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in
color.
Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s)
will be
provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee. The
preferred
embodiments of the present invention are shown by a way of example, and not
limitation, in the accompanying figures, in which:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory planar view showing two slit patterns and the
resulting
number of cells per square foot;
FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of the cell structure of the expanded slit
sheet
material depicting some embodiments of the present invention in comparison to
background art;
FIG. 3(A) is a plan view of an illustrative slit sheet paper according to the
background art in an unexpanded state, specifically corresponding to FIG. 1 of
U.S.
Patent No. 5,667,871, and FIG. 3(B) is a plan view of an illustrative slit
sheet paper
according to the background art in an expanded state, specifically
corresponding to FIG.
3 of U.S. Patent No. 5,667,871;
FIG. 4(A) shows a top plan view of a sample expanded slit sheet paper
employing Kraft paper, which opens in a manner substantially similar to that
shown in
FIG. 3(B);
FIG. 4(B) shows a top view of the same expanded slit sheet paper shown in FIG.
4(A) taken at an angle to the plane of the expanded paper, such as to look
directly into
the expanded cells of the paper;
FIG. 4(C) shows a top view of the same expanded slit sheet paper shown in
FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), but taken an angle to the plane of the expanded paper
opposite to
that of the angle shown in FIG. 4(B);
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FIG. 4(D), shows a top view of the same expanded slit sheet paper shown in
FIGS. 4(A)-4(C), but taken from an angle to the plane of the expanded paper
from a
position lower to the plane of the paper proximate the lower end of FIG. 4(0);
FIG. 5(A) shows a top plan view of a novel alternating row expansion pattern
of
an expanded slit sheet paper according to some preferred embodiments of the
present
invention;
FIG. 5(B) shows a top view of the expanded slit sheet paper shown in FIG. 5(A)
taken at an angle to the plane of the paper, such as to look at the expanded
slit sheet
paper from a top right side of the view in FIG. 5(A);
FIG. 5(C) shows a top view of the expanded slit sheet paper shown in FIG. 5(A)
taken at an angle to the plane of the paper, such as to look at the expanded
slit sheet
paper from a top left side of the view in FIG. 5(A) and at a lower angle than
that shown
in FIG. 5(B);
FIG. 5(D) shows a top view of the expanded slit sheet paper shown in FIG. 5(A)
taken at an angle to the plane of the paper, such as to look at the expanded
slit sheet
paper at an angle from a lower side of the view in FIG. 5(A);
FIG. 5(E) shows a rear plan view of the expanded slit sheet paper shown in
FIG.
5(A) from the opposite side of the expanded slit sheet paper (i.e., looking
upward
behind the expanded slit sheet paper in the view of FIG. 5(A);
FIG. 5(F) shows a rear view of the expanded slit sheet paper shown in FIG.
5(A)
from the opposite side of the expanded slit sheet paper (i.e., looking upward
behind the
expanded slit sheet paper in the view of FIG. 5(A)) and taken at an angle to
the plane of
the paper, such as to look at the expanded slit sheet paper from a bottom left
side of the
view in FIG. 5(E);
FIG. 5(G) shows a rear view of the expanded slit sheet paper shown in FIG.
5(A)
from a direction similar to that shown in FIG. 5(F) except at an angle closer
to the plane
of the expanded slit sheet paper such as to more clearly depict the
alternating row
pattern of the expanded slit sheet paper;
FIG. 5(H) shows a rear view of the expanded slit sheet paper shown in FIG.
5(A)
taken at an angle to the plane of the paper, such as to look at the expanded
slit sheet
paper at an angle from a top side of the view in FIG. 5(E);
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FIGS. 6(A) to 6(C) show the formation of the alternating row expansion pattern
according to the preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein FIG. 6(A)
shows an
illustrative slit pattern formed within a sheet of paper, FIG. 6(B) shows the
slit pattern of
FIG. 6(A) with regions of the paper prior to expansion highlighted for
reference, and
FIG. 6(C) is a photograph of an illustrative expanded slit sheet paper having
a slit
pattern similar to that shown in FIG. 6(B) in an expanded state;
FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B) are explanatory diagrams demonstrating increase cell
concentration with reduction in slit lengths according to some preferred
embodiments of
the invention;
FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) correspond to FIGS. 1 and 7, respectively, of U.S. Patent
Application Serial No. 16/531,017, wherein FIG. 8(A) shows a cross-sectional
side view
of an illustrative pad according to some preferred embodiments used for
forming an
envelope and FIG. 8(B) is a perspective view of an envelope formed with the
envelope
pad of FIG. 8(A) according to some illustrative embodiments;
FIG. 9 is an illustrative example that corresponds to FIG. 8(B) and shows
an envelope 600 in an sealed configuration, and in which the distance between
the outer surfaces 904 and 902 is indicated by double arrow 900; and
FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing showing an slit pattern according to some
preferred embodiments, with illustrative dimensions depicted on the figure
according to
some preferred embodiments.
In the attached drawings, FIGS. 4(A)-4(D), 5(A)-5(G) and 6(C) are photographs
of actual products. Accordingly, these photographs show illustrative examples,
to scale,
such that these figures show illustrative examples to scale and angles and
relative
dimensions shown in these figures are as shown in these figures in such
illustrative
examples. Thus, e.g., angles of lands, legs, and other portions of the
expanded slit
sheet paper can be, in some embodiments, as shown in such figures. Moreover,
in
some alternative embodiments, such shown angles and relative dimensions can be
varied slightly, such as, e.g., plus or minus 15% in some examples, or plus or
minus
10% in some other examples.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
While the present invention may be embodied in many different forms, the
illustrative embodiments are described herein with the understanding that the
present
disclosure is to be considered as providing examples of the principles of the
invention
and that such examples are not intended to limit the invention to preferred
embodiments
described herein and/or illustrated herein.
Introduction to the Preferred Embodiments
In the preferred embodiments, the present invention provides substantially
improved slit sheet cushioning products by advantageously combining novel
paper
properties with novel slit patterns for improved features and characteristics.
In some
illustrative and non-limiting example embodiments, cushioning products of the
present
invention can include, e.g., a novel slit sheet material in combination with
extensible
paper employed as, e.g., a cushioning pad or as cushioning within an envelope
product,
wherein the cushioning product can be substantially more resilient, but, yet,
e.g., thinner
for better utilization of space.
In the preferred embodiments, an expanded paper cushioning product is
provided that employs an improved slit arrangement that was unviable with
prior
expanded slit paper products, including a compacted slit pattern with, e.g.,
reduced slit
lengths and reduced row spacings, along with the use of a novel extensible
paper.
In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, a novel slit pattern is
capable of being created that provides more cells per square foot and achieves
a
greater crush resistance and resiliency for cushioning. For example, the
preferred
embodiments have substantial advantage for wrapping of items packed within a
container (e.g., use as a cushioning wrap) or as a pad for an envelope
(including, in
some illustrative preferred envelope embodiments, wherein the envelope
includes at
least an inner or outer layer of indented paper).
In some preferred embodiments, the slit paper pattern of slits advantageously
has slits in the range from 0_30 to 0_45 inches (i.e., in the lengthwise
dimension of the
slits) and spaces between rows in the range from 0.1125 to 0.1688 inches
(i.e., the
distance between adjacent rows of slits). Most preferably, these embodiments
are
made from an extensible paper.
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In some preferred embodiments, the slit paper has slits wherein the slit width
is
0.45 inches plus 5%, minus 33% (i.e., here the slit width refers to the
lengthwise
dimension of the slits). Most preferably, again, these embodiments are also
made from
an extensible paper.
In some preferred embodiments, the slit pattern advantageously produces an
expandable slit paper having a number of legs per square foot that is at least
20%
greater than slit paper has slit (cut) widths of 0.5 inches.
In some preferred embodiments, an expanded slit paper cushioning product of
the present invention has a number of legs per square foot that is at least
15% greater
than slit paper that has slit (cut) widths of 0.5 inches. In some preferred
embodiments,
an expanded slit paper cushioning product of the present invention has such a
number
of legs per square foot that is in the range from 20% to 50% greater than that
of slit
paper having slit (cut) widths of 0.5 inches.
With the present invention, expanded slit sheets can be created having greatly
improved cushioning characteristics. In some embodiments of the present
invention,
the improvement in cushioning characteristics can be achieved due to one or
more, or
all, of the following:
a) In the preferred embodiments, the use of an extensible paper enables an
"easier opening" structure, which enables the creation of smaller cells,
whereby the smaller cells advantageously lead to the formation of increased
cell density and, hence, improved cushioning characteristics.
b) In some preferred embodiments, the use of an extensible paper enables the
achievement of a novel "alternating row expansion pattern" which has
substantially improved cushioning characteristics over prior expansion
patterns (see discussion regarding novel alternating row expansion pattern
below in this document).
Additionally, with the present invention, novel and previously-unviable
cushioning
products can be created, such as, for example:
a) In some preferred embodiments, a novel envelope structure can be achieved
having great advantages over existing envelope structures. For example, the
present invention enables a substantially thinner cushioning expanded slit
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sheet (e.g., with substantially smaller row spacings) and also provides
substantial cushioning with a single layer or with just a few layers.
Accordingly, an envelope with much narrower width can be achieved, and
with even just a single cushioning layer. Furthermore, the envelope can be
made with lighter weight paper, resulting in an easier to use product (e.g.,
less stiff) and a lighter product (e.g., reduced shipping costs). Notably, the
lighter product weight along with the narrower product width both
advantageously lead to reduced shipping costs.
b) In some preferred embodiments, a novel cushioning wrap can be achieved
having great advantages over existing cushioning wraps, such as, e.g.,
increased cushioning characteristics, enabling, e.g., reduction in layers of
cushioning required in some applications, reduction in amount of cushioning
required, and other advantages and benefits as described herein.
Extensible Paper Employed in Preferred Embodiments
In some most preferred embodiments, extensible papers as set forth in the
above-referenced U.S. Patent No. 10,669,086 are employed. Towards that end,
the
following paragraphs (in quotations) under this section are quoted from the
'086 patent
set forth details of extensible papers according to some preferred embodiments
that can
be employed in preferred embodiments of the present invention.
"For the purposes of the present invention, the term "extensible" as applied
to
paper sheets, means a paper sheet that is able to stretch in a longitudinal
direction of
the paper sheet upon applying a force in the longitudinal direction of the
paper sheet.
Illustrative extensible sheets are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,908,071,
U.S. Patent
Application No.14/901,977 (U.S. Patent No. 9,945,077), International
Application No.
WO 1984002936, U.S. Publication Nos. 2002/0060034, 2007/0240841 (US
7,918,966),
and U.S. Patent Nos. 3,104,197, 3,220,116, 3,266,972, 3,269,393, 3,908,071,
6,024,832, 6,458,447, and 6,712,930, the entire disclosures of which are
incorporated
by reference herein, as though recited in full. It should be understood that
the stretching
of an extensible paper must be measured in an unslit sheet of paper. As
disclosed in
U.S. 3,266,972, the test and characterization procedures employed in measuring
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elongation (extensibility) properties can be in accordance with standard TAPPI
test
Elongation T457. In addition, as disclosed in U.S. 3,266,972, the expression
"extensible
papers" means a paper having an increasable elongation in the machine
direction as
compared to standard, non-extensible Kraft paper."
"In some preferred embodiments, extensible paper can be produced by varying
the accumulation of paper fibers by essentially slowing the paper feeding
process
during the drying method to trap extra fibers that make the paper appear to
have
microscopically sized rows of paper that you would see if one were to pleat
the paper.
The difference is that extensible paper's microscopic rows are adhered to each
other
through the use of binders and other types of adhesives in conjunction with
the drying
process. Reference is made to patent U.S. Application No. 2007/0240841 (US
7,918,966) where the purpose is to create a non-creped extensible paper that
does not
easily disconnect from itself. In addition, the surface of the extensible
paper is still
fairly flat."
"In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the extensible paper
that
is employed has low extensible properties as compared to other types of
extensible
papers. In this regard, an optimal extensible paper enables a smooth
transition from an
unexpanded to the expanded slit sheet by providing a small amount of
stretching at the
very start of expansion of the extensible slit sheet paper material."
"In some exemplary constructions, during expansion of a slit sheet, the force
required to initiate expansion is substantially higher than the force required
to continue
expansion. For example, once the paper initially starts to bend at the slits,
the
expansion continues more easily during continued bending at the slits. The
force
required to continue the expansion of the slit sheet during this continued
bending is
dramatically reduced beyond the above-noted initial expansion. In some
preferred
embodiments, the extensible slit sheet paper substantially reduces the force
required to
initiate expansion. On the other hand, in some preferred embodiments, during
the
above-noted continued expansion, the extensible paper does not substantially
stretch
simultaneously with the process of expanding the slit sheet paper; otherwise,
the
expanded sheet might not optimally be made into a cushioning wrap."
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"It should be noted that in this application, all theories related to
functioning of the
invention are provided to facilitate appreciation of concepts of the
invention, rather than
by way of limitation. Extensible paper, as designed, stretches as part of an
increase in
paper strength. In some embodiments, the functioning of the invention involves
that the
extensible slit sheet paper substantially utilizes the extensible property to
ease the
rotating the cells into the stretched shape and to resist tearing of the slit
sheet during
the expansion step. This means that at the initial point at which the cell
rotates (i.e.,
initiating rotation between legs 38a and 38b on each side of the slit and land
20) the
extensible slit sheet paper is substantially enhanced by the extensible
paper's ability to
stretch. In some embodiments, the functioning of the invention, thus, involves
that
extensible papers' properties are substantially utilized at this initial point
and
substantially finished as soon as the cell begins to rotate into its three
dimensional
shape (i.e., after this initial point, the reliance on the extensible nature
of the paper may
be less substantial or even non-existant). After that initial point, the slit
pattern
properties, regardless of paper type, opens with greater ease to the point at
which it
forms a hexagon. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the extensible
property
substantially merely comes into play at the initial moment of expansion. In
some other
embodiments, while the extensible features of the paper comes into play most
substantially at this initial point of rotation, the extensible features of
the paper can have
some affect during further expansion of the paper, whereby the initial point
of expansion
can be substantially facilitated due to extensibility and further expansion
can also be, at
least, somewhat facilitated due to extensibility."
"In some of the preferred embodiments, preferable extensible papers that can
be
employed include extensible papers where the purpose of the extensible nature
is to
provide the type of stretching found for the use of multi-wall bags for heavy
weight items
like cement, or seed and the like. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0355985
(U.S.
Application No. 14/901,997) and U.S. Patent Nos. 3,104,197 and 3,266,972 teach
the
manufacture and properties of this form of extensible paper. Further teachings
can be
found in "Understanding sheet extensibility", R.S. Seth, Pulp & Paper Canada
T31,
106:2 (2005) III, pages 33-40 (T31-T38). The disclosures of the foregoing
patents,
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patent publication, and printed publication are incorporated herein by
reference, as
though recited in full."
"The prior expanded slit sheet art (See, e.g., U.S. Patent Nos. 5,538,778,
5,667,871, 5,688,578, and 5,782,735) focused on paper strength to inhibit
tearing
during the expansion process and Kraft paper was satisfactory because the
strength required coincided with the thickness required to make a satisfactory
wrapping product. The increased strength of an expandable sheet does not
contribute to or increase the value/performance of the expansion of the slit
sheet
material. It has now been found by the present inventor that an expandable
slit sheet
paper can be substantially improved by the use of an extensible sheet. In the
preferred
embodiments, this use of an extensible slit sheet paper advantageously
provides a
reduction in force required to open the slit sheet and therefore provides a
faster and
easier expanding process for the user of the expanded slit sheet. The
unexpected
benefit resulting from the reduction in force at the very start of the
expansion of the slit
sheet provides an unexpected improvement to the slit sheet packaging product
and
renders the employment of the extensible paper highly unique. Notably, the
prior
expanded slit sheet paper persisted in and was widely used in the marketplace
for
decades without the contemplation of the present invention or the potential
advantages
therefrom."
"As set forth in this application, the present inventor has discovered that
the force
needed to expand an expandable slit sheet paper is far greater than the force
required
to expand an extensible slit sheet paper. By way of example, a 50 pound Kraft
paper
expandable slit sheet that is 15" wide prior to expansion requires
approximately 4-6
pounds or 0.4 pounds per inch, whereas the force required to expand an
extensible
slit sheet of the same paper weight is O. 15 - 0.22 pounds per inch. This is a
marked
difference between the papers. Kraft paper has the strength to provide an
acceptable
expandable slit sheet. However, unexpectedly, the extensible slit sheet
imparts an ease
of expansion that greatly reduces the force required to expand the slit sheet,
not
based on the main purpose for extensible paper which is to increase its
tensile
strength but, rather, its capability to stretch. Since extensible paper is
higher in cost
and Kraft paper was strong enough, it was not previously known that extensible
paper
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could be of benefit for making slit paper sheets of the types found in, e.g.,
U.S. Patent
Nos. 5,538,778, 5,667,871, 5,688,578, and 5,782,735, and U.S. Non-Provisional
Application No. 15/428,144. For example, it was not appreciated that an
extensible slit
sheet could have provided an equivalent strength to light weight, thin papers
that
previously had no applicability as a wrapping product. Light weight Kraft
paper tears
more easily than heavier weights of Kraft paper. It has now been found that
the
extensible paper enables the use of the lighter weight expanded slit-sheet
papers that
also advantageously provide gentler cushioning required by fragile items when
a slit
sheet is expanded, in contrast to the more rigid cushioning provided by
heavier weight
expanded slit-sheet papers."
"Reference is particularly made to the graph of Table 1 on page 5 of U . S.
Patent Publication No. 2016/0355985 (now U.S. Patent No. 9,945,077) as if
recited in
full, that describes paper strength based on certain manufacturing techniques.
Within
the graph is a column describing elongation at the point of paper break (or
tearing of
fibers) separated into two sub columns of the machine direction (MD) and cross
direction (CD), also referred to as transverse direction. The elongation
percentage of
Table 1 ranges from 5.3% to 7.1% in the cross direction (CD) and 3.3% to 10.6%
in
the machine direction (MD)."
"Reference is also made to U. S. Patent 3,266,972 within Table Ill of column 5
which references elongation in the percentage range from 3.7% to 4.6% in the
CD or
cross direction and 9.7% to 11.1% in the machine direction."
"In both '985 and '972, the variations are based on the manufacturing process
that places an emphasis on tensile strength and stretch in either the cross
direction or
machine direction accordingly."
"The present inventor has discovered that for the purposes of expanding an
extensible slit sheet paper for use as a packaging wrap and/or void fill,
machine
direction extensible ranges from 1%-9% provide an adequate extensibility, with
1% to
6% preferred, and 1% to 4% most highly preferred. The lower the extensibility
coincides with lower costs of the paper per square foot. As indicated above,
it should
be understood that extensibility is measured on unslit paper."
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"In some alternative embodiments, machine direction extensibility ranges of
the
extendible slit sheet paper can have ranges of:
a) from 1.5%-9%, or more preferably from 1.5% to 6% preferred, or even more
preferably from 1.5% to 4%; or
b) from 2%-9%, or more preferably from 2% to 6% preferred, or even more
preferably from 2% to 4%; or
c) from 3%-9%, or more preferably from 3% to 6% preferred, or even more
preferably from 3% to 4%."
"For the purposes of expanding the slit sheet paper for use as a packaging
wrap and/or void fill, it has been found that cross direction extensible
ranges from 1%-
5% provides an adequate extensibility with 1% to 4% preferred, and 1% to 3%
most
highly preferred."
"In some alternative embodiments, cross direction extensibility ranges of the
extendible slit sheet paper can have ranges of: a) from 1.5%-5%, or more
preferably from 1.5% to 4%, or even more preferably from 1.5% to 3%; or b)
from
2%-5%, or more preferably from 2% to 4%, or even more preferably from 2%
to 3%."
"In combination with the extensible paper, a smaller, lighter weight, and
recyclable version of an expander can be employed (such as, e.g., made
entirely or
substantially entirely with recyclable cardboard in some illustrative
embodiments). This
expands the market to customers that use a very small amount of wrap as
compared
to the industrial market. It also provides for a less expensive expansion
device to be
employed for expanding the slit paper. Additionally, it enhances the ease of
use by
the packer by providing for less ripping during the wrapping process that
occurs
when the tension is not properly set. This occurs as the roll, during its
continued use,
becomes smaller and lighter in weight. As the roll of expanded slit sheet
becomes
lighter the tension required increases. Thus, there need for a varying
tensioning
method. With the use of the extensible paper, the tension required is
significantly
decreased and the strength of the paper is increased. Both benefit the person
wrapping by making the tensioning required much less precise to the point at
which,
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a single tension setting can be used with little or no adjustment. If the
tension is set
higher than necessary, the increase in strength from the extensible paper
keeps the
product from tearing and therefore makes it easier for the packer to use.
Therefore,
the packer can make fewer adjustments as the slit sheet roll becomes smaller
and
smaller."
"The reduction in the force required to expand the slit paper enables a new
product to be created using lighter weight papers. In the past, expanded slit
sheet
paper is primarily used as a wrapping product whereas its use as a void fill
would be in
limited circumstances due to void fill being typically the cheapest, that is,
the lowest
cost of all packaging products. The increased strength of the extensible sheet
enables the use of a thinner and lighter weight slit sheet paper as a void
fill product. If
the expanded slit sheet is not being used as a wrap, then the thicker 0.005",
50 pounds
per 3,000 square feet paper and above is not required and a lighter weight
0.003-
0.0045" thick, 30-40 pounds per 3,000 square feet paper can be used as void
fill. It can
also be used to provide cushioning that other paper void fill products have
not been able
to provide. It has now been found that even though the extensible paper has a
10%
higher price, the use of a thinner paper provides much more square footage per
ton
and more than compensates for the increased cost of the extensible paper as
compared to Kraft paper."
"Detailed Descriptions of Technologies Employed in the Present Invention
Quoted from Disclosures that are Incorporated by Reference"
"The Following are Citations from Clupak's paper patent (U.S. Patent No.
9,945,077):"
"Example 1:
Heavy-duty Clupak paper having a basis weight of 84.9 g/m2 was made using a
gap-former paper-making machine equipped with a Clupak system, at a paper-
making
speed of 480 m/min and using, as material, 100% unbleached softwood Kraft pulp
that
had been beaten at high concentration of 28%. The negative draw on the Clupak
was
set to -4.5%."
"Example 2:
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Heavy-duty Clupak paper was made in the same manner as in Example 1,
except that the paper had a basis weight of 76.1 g/m2 and the negative draw on
the
Clupak was set to -6.0%."
"Example 3:
Heavy-duty Clupak paper was made in the same manner as in Example 1,
except that the paper had a basis weight of 73.4 g/m2 and the negative draw on
the
Clupak was set to -4.0%."
"Example 4:
Heavy-duty Clupak paper was made in the same manner as in Example 1,
except that the paper had a basis weight of 85.0 g/m2, the negative draw on
the Clupak
was set to -4.0%, and the pulp blend consisted of 90% unbleached softwood
Kraft pulp
and 10% unbleached hardwood Kraft pulp."
"Comparative Example 1:
Heavy-duty Clupak paper was made in the same manner as in Example 1,
except that the paper had a basis weight of 71.9 g/m2 and the negative draw on
the
Clupak was set to -10.0%."
"Comparative Example 2:
Heavy-duty Clupak paper was made in the same manner as in Example 1,
except that the paper had a basis weight of 85.4 g/m2 and the negative draw on
the
Clupak was set to -1.0%."
"Comparative Example 3:
Heavy-duty Kraft paper was made in the same manner as in Example 1, except
that the paper had a basis weight of 76.0 g/m2 and the Clupak process was not
performed."
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TABLE 1
repsiw
Brcakitig
C:Inpak Paper Air Tensile Elongation TEA stiffness Tear
after.
negative Basis thick- Den, resis- index at break index index
index processsed
draw weight ness sitar tancv Nmip, % j/g kNmfg
mN = 1/12!,c; Forma .into &win'
% g/m2
11[11 gicfri; see MD CD MD CD MD CD MD CD MD CD ticqi duty SaCk
Examples 1 -4.5 84.9
121 0.70 14 88.1 31.3 7.0 7.1 3.55 1.53 5.62 3.64 12.8 28.9 CI Ci
2. -60 76,1 118 AO 11
69.5 33k &I 5.8 3.22 1.47 4.18 3.07 19.7 5.8
-4Ø 734: 3:1.0 '0,67 1 p.5, :304 0,0
ob. ..?..06 1.17 4,95 3.43 14,9 201 0'
4 -4,0 85.0 129 0.66 13
'83.3 '39.4 7.4 6,3 '3,47 1,51 ,5,31: 3.44 j3.1 25.5
coinpara- 1 --:100 719
;112 0.'.64 11 52..0 28.0 10.6 .5,3 1.47 1102 309 3.14 19.7 27.1 (,)
X:
Z -10 85.4 130 0.66
15.: :85,0 32,1 3:7: 6.7 1.99 1.49 7.12 330 16.3 20.4 0 X
Examples 3: Not 76.0 :119 0:64 18
35:5 3.3 5.4 .1,89 1.49 8.92 3.85 :19.1 24.9' C.)
Lind
"Evaluation Methods:
(Measurement of Tensile Energy Absorption Index)
Measured by the method specified in JIS P8113: 2006.
(Measurement of Breaking Elongation)
Measured by the method specified in JIS P8113: 2006.
(Measurement of Tear Index)
Measured by the method specified in JIS P8116: 2000.
(Measurement of Burst Index)
Measured by the method specified in JIS P8112: 2008.
(Measurement of Tensile Stiffness Index)
Measured by the method specified in ISO/DIS 1924-3.
(Measurement of Freeness after Disintegration)
Measured by the method specified in JIS P8220: 1998 and JIS P8121: 1995."
"Looking at the properties of the Clupak papers in Examples 1 to 4 and
Comparative Examples 1 and 2 as well as those of the Kraft paper in
Comparative
Example 3, as shown in Table 1, the Clupak papers described in Examples 1 to 4
exhibit a good balance of various strengths and elongation and have excellent
strength
overall; on the other hand, the Clupak papers described in Comparative
Examples 1
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and 2 and Kraft paper described in Comparative Example 3 exhibit a poor
balance of
various strengths and elongation and cannot be said to have excellent strength
overall."
"The following are Citations from "Understanding Sheet Extensibility", R.S.
Seth,
(Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada 3800 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver,
BC, Canada V6S 2L9) Pulp & Paper Canada T31, 106:2 (2005)111, pages 33-40 (T31-
T38):
Tensile strength and extensibility or stretch are two important failure
properties of
paper. They are defined by the end-point of the sheet's load-elongation curve
(Fig. 1).
Individually and together, they are important for many product performance
properties.
For example, TEA, the tensile energy absorbed by the sheet before failure is
proportional to the area under the load-elongation curve. Thus, it depends on
both the
tensile strength and extensibility of the sheet. A high TEA is desired in sack
papers [1].
The bursting strength of paper has been shown to be proportional to the
product of
tensile strength and the square-root of stretch [2]. The fracture toughness of
paper has
been found to depend strongly on the sheet's tensile strength and stretch [3,
4]. Sheet
stretch has also been regarded as important for paper runnability both at the
paper
machine's dry-end and in the pressroom [5-8]. Papers with high stretch also
seem to
have a somewhat higher tearing resistance [9], and folding endurance; they are
found to
be more dimensionally unstable as well [10]. The factors that control sheet
tensile
strength are fairly well understood [4]. The tensile strength is high if
fibres are strong,
long, fine and thin-walled. The fibres should be conformable and have a high
fibre-fibre
bond strength. The sheet tensile strength is also high if fibres are straight,
free from
deformations and the sheets are well formed. Otherwise, the stress is unevenly
distributed when the sheet is strained, leading to premature failure."
"This report deals with the factors that control sheet stretch."
"Factors that Control Sheet Stretch:
A specimen under tensile load extends more, the longer it is. Therefore,
extensibility or stretch or strain at failure as a material property, is
expressed as a
percentage of the original specimen length (Fig. 1)."
"Role of bonding:
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Regardless of how bonding between the fibres is increased -- by wet pressing,
beating or refining, or additives, the sheet stretch of a furnish generally
increases with
increased fibre-fibre bonding. This is observed for almost all papermaking
fibres --
chemical, mechanical, wood, non-wood, or recycled. The reasons are as follows.
Fibres
have a certain "stretch-potential". However, this potential is realized in
paper only when
fibres form a bonded network. If the bonding is weak, the network fails before
the
stretch-potential is realized; the sheet stretch is low. As bonding in the
network is
increased, the stretch-potential of fibres is increasingly realized, the sheet
stretch
increases. Since increased inter-fibre bonding also increases sheet tensile
strength, an
increase in stretch with tensile strength is often observed for handsheets
(Figure 2). The
stronger the sheet, the more the fibres' stretch-potential is utilized.
Because of this
relationship between tensile strength and stretch, factors such as sheet
grammage or
formation that tend to affect tensile strength also affect sheet stretch [11].
A comparison
of handsheet stretch values at similar tensile strengths provides a meaningful
comparison of the stretch-potential of various furnishes."
"The Following are Citations from Trani et al.'s Extensible Paper Patent
(U.S. Patent No. 7,918,966):"
"Extensible paper is a known paper which, because of special treatment during
its production, presents considerable extensibility both in the longitudinal
direction (i.e.
in the direction of its advancement along the production line) and in the
transverse
direction (i.e. in the direction perpendicular to the preceding). This
treatment consists
essentially of passing the paper web not yet formed and presenting a moisture
content
of about 35%145% between two rollers rotating at different speeds. One of
these
rollers, generally the lower roller, is made of rubber and is rotated at lower
speed, while
the upper roller is made of steel and comprises in its cylindrical surface a
continuous
spiral-shaped groove. The different material nature and the different speed of
the two
rollers results in a sort of longitudinal accumulation of the paper forming
material and
prepares it for longitudinal extensibility, by an amount which can reach 15-
20%.At the
same time, the spiral groove performs a double function: on the one hand it
causes a
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sort of transverse accumulation of the material forming the paper to prepare
it for
transverse extensibility. By an amount which can reach 10-15%. On the other
band the
spiral groove contributes to maintaining longitudinal advancement of the
processed
paper web along the machine."
"The Following are Citations from CabeII et al.'s Extensible Paper Web Patent
(U.S. Patent No. 6,458,447):"
"Tensile and Percent Stretch Test:
The tensile test is used for measuring force versus percent elongation
properties.
The tests are performed on a Thwing Albert Intellect II-STD Model No. 1451-
24PGB,
available from the Thwing-Albert Co. of Philadelphia, Pa."
"The samples used for this test are 1" wide x 6" long with the long axis of
the
sample cut parallel to the direction of maximum extensibility of the sample.
The sample
should be cut With a sharp Exacto knife or some suitably sharp cutting device
design to
cut a precise 1" wide sample. (If there is more than one direction of
extensibility of the
material, samples should be taken parallel to representative direction of
elongation).
The sample should be cut so that an area representative of the symmetry of the
overall
pattern of the deformed region is represented. There will be cases (due to
variations in
either the size of the deformed portion or the relative geometries of regions
1 and 2) in
which it will be necessary to cut either larger or smaller samples than is
suggested
herein. In this case, it is very important to note (along with any data
reported) the size of
the sample, which area of the deformed region it was taken from and preferably
include
a schematic of the representative area used for the sample. Three samples of a
given
material are tested."
"The Following are Citations from Cramer et al.'s Extensible Paper Patent
(U.S. Patent No. 3,266,972):"
"Test and Characterization Procedures:
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The test and characterization procedures employed in measuring various
properties reported herein are listed in Table 1 below. Unless otherwise
indicated the
code letter numerals indicate standard TAPP! tests."
"Elongation T457:
By the expression "extensible papers" is meant a paper having an increased
elongation (generally a minimum of about 6%) in the machine direction.
In runs IA and IB of this example, rosin size (0.3% by weight based on the
weight of pl up) is added at the beater and the pH is adjusted to 4.5 with
alum. The
stock, having a consistency of 3.6% is dropped to the beater chest and is then
pumped
to a second chest, passed through a Jordan and continuously diluted with
"white water"
at the Fourdrinier headbox to a consistency of 0.3%. Properties measured on
the
various papers is reported in Table III. Each paper has a basis weight of from
49.4 to
50.3 pounds per ream."
TABLE III:
Property IA 1B IC ID
Tensile (lbs/in.) ------------------ MD 15.6 16.0 18.2 22.4
CD 12.6 13.0 14.3 15.4
Elongation (percent) --------------- MD 10.1 11.2 9.9 9.7
CD 3.7 4.3 4.4 4.6
Work-to-break (in.-lbs./in.2) ------ MD 1.01 1.05 1.14 1.34
CD 0.34 0.41 0.47 0.50
MIT Fold --------------------------- MD 380 398 496 1,021
CD 106 94 132 167
CSI Abrasion (cycles) --------------- MD 14 20 25
CD 7 37 64
"The Following are Citations from Trani et al.'s Multilayer Paper Material
Patent
(U.S. Patent No. 8,518,522):"
"These and other objects which will be apparent from the ensuing description
are
attained according to the invention by a multilayer papery material comprising
at least
one first three dimensional structure sheet exhibiting reliefs having maximum
sizes
which are lower than the width of the original sheet, said reliefs being
obtained through
localized stretching of said first sheet which has an original degree of
extensibility of not
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less than 5% in all the directions, and at least one second sheet made of
papery
material coupled to said first structure sheet and defining empty spaces with
the reliefs
thereof."
"As it can be seen from the figures, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the
multilayer material of the invention consists of two layers 2, 4 of paper
presenting
extensibility characteristics of not less than 5% both in a longitudinal and
in a transverse
direction, and preferably not less than 15%."
"The Following are Citations from Trani et al.'s Extensible Paper Material
Application (U.S. Application No. 2007/0240841):"
"Extensible paper is a known paper which, because of special treatment during
its production, presents considerable extensibility both in the longitudinal
direction (i.e.
in the direction of its advancement along the production line) and in the
transverse
direction (i.e. in the direction perpendicular to the preceding). This
treatment consists
essentially of passing the paper Web, not yet formed and presenting a moisture
content
of about 35%145%, between two rollers rotating at different speeds. One of
these
rollers, generally the lower roller, is made of rubber and is rotated at lower
speed, While
the upper roller is made of steel and comprises in its cylindrical surface a
continuous
spiral-shaped groove. The different material nature and the different speed of
the two
rollers results in a sort of longitudinal accumulation of the paper forming
material and
prepares it for longitudinal extensibility, by an amount which can reach 15-
20%. At the
same time, the spiral groove performs a double function: on the one hand it
causes a
sort of transverse accumulation of the material forming the paper, to prepare
it for
transverse extensibility, by an amount which can reach 10-15%. On the other
hand the
spiral groove contributes to maintaining longitudinal advancement of the
processed
paper web along the machine."
Further details related to extensible papers that can be employed in some
preferred embodiments are also quoted in the '086 patent as follows.
"The following is a direct quote of the paragraph on column 1, lines 4-19, of
U.S
Patent No. 3,908,071 incorporated by reference in the preceding paragraph:
"Extensible
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(compacted) paper produced, for example, in accordance with the apparatus and
process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,245 has certain well recognized
advantages
and commercial uses. Such paper is subjected, while in a partially moistened
condition,
to compressive compaction in the direction of web movement (machine direction
or MD)
between a pressure nip, thus compacting and forcing the fibers together to
produce an
inherent stretchability without creping. Compacted paper has improved tensile
energy
absorption (TEA) burst and tear characteristics which are highly desirable for
such end
uses as the manufacture of paper sacks." In addition, the following is a
direct quote of
the Abstract of U.S. Patent No. 6,024,832 incorporated by reference in the
preceding
paragraph: "A method for producing extensible paper, comprising the following
stages:
feeding a mix of vegetable fibres to a kneader member, mixing the mix with
water in the
kneader, beating the fibres to obtain a pulp, transferring the beaten pulp
into a flow
chest, feeding the beaten pulp from the flow chest onto a paper web formation
cloth with
consequent reduction of the water percentage by gravity and vacuum, pressing
the
web, with consequent further reduction of its water content, initial drying of
the paper
web to a substantially constant moisture content of between 15% and 65%,
compacting,
final drying to a moisture content of between 15% and 4%, preferably 10%-8%,
glazing,
wherein: the beating stage is carried out by rubbing the fibres in a
multistage unit to
obtain a pulp having a degree of beating of at least 30° SR, the
compacting
stage is carried out between at least a pair of rollers of which one is of
hard material
comprising circumferential surface ribs and driven at greater speed, and the
other is of
soft material with a smooth surface and driven at lesser speed." In addition,
the
following is a direct quote of the 2nd paragraph of the Background section of
U.S. Patent
No. 9,945,077 incorporated by reference in the preceding paragraph: "On the
other
hand, Clupak refers to equipment that inserts a paper web between a roll and
an
endless rubber blanket to compress the paper web with a nip bar and the rubber
blanket, while at the same time the pre-stretched blanket shrinks to cause the
paper
web to also shrink and thereby increase its breaking elongation, and this
equipment is
used to provide increased breaking elongation to kraft paper used in heavy
packaging
applications as mentioned above." In addition, the following is a direct quote
of the
paragraph on column 2, lines 41-56 of U.S. Patent No. 3,104,197 incorporated
by
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reference in the preceding paragraph: "The use of rubber or rubberous material
in
conjunction with a hard surface in the manner described is known in the
treatment of
paper as well as fabrics but only in a general way and the present invention
includes the
use of rubber considerably softer and more elastic than previously used. Also
of great
importance in the production of an extensible paper by creping it in this
manner is the
differential in speeds at which the rolls are driven. If the proper
combination of hard and
soft surfaces is provided, a semi-dry paper web passing through the nip of the
rolls will
be carried by the contracting rubber against the direction of web travel
toward the nip
and over the surface of the hard roll. This creates a uniformly compressed
crepe in the
paper web giving toughness, pliability and extensibility."
"The following are direct quotes of paragraphs [0003] and [0028] of U.S.
Patent
Publication No. 2016/0355985 incorporated by reference in the preceding
paragraph:
(1) "[0003] On the other hand, Clupak refers to equipment that inserts a paper
web
between a roll and an endless rubber blanket to compress the paper web with a
nip bar
and the rubber blanket, while at the same time the pre-stretched blanket
shrinks to
cause the paper web to also shrink and thereby increase its breaking
elongation, and
this equipment is used to provide increased breaking elongation to kraft paper
used in
heavy packaging applications as mentioned above;" and 10028] The manufacturing
method using this Clupak system is such that a paper web is inserted between a
roll
and an endless rubber blanket to compress the paper web with a nip bar and the
rubber
blanket, while at the same time the pre-stretched blanket shrinks to cause the
paper
web to also shrink and thereby increase its breaking elongation. The Clupak
system
allows for adjustment of the breaking elongation of kraft paper in the
longitudinal
direction according to the ratio of the manufacturing speed on the inlet side
of the
Clupak system and manufacturing speed on the outlet side of the Clupak system,
and
also according to the pressurization force applied by the nip bar."
In some embodiments, extensible paper employed can involve one or more of
the following features, as set forth in the '086 patent.
Example 1: An extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product, comprising: a
roll of slit sheet paper having a slit pattern including a plurality of slits
extending in a
cross direction that forms a plurality of open cells upon expansion in a
machine
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direction, said roll resisting pulling of a length of slit sheet paper along
the machine
direction to enable expansion of the length of slit sheet paper in the machine
direction,
said slit sheet paper being formed from a paper that is extensible in the
machine
direction and the cross direction prior to providing said slit pattern, said
extensible
paper having an extensible range of 3 to 20% in the machine direction prior to
providing
said slit pattern.
Example 2: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said extensible range is not less than 5% in both the machine
direction and
cross direction.
Example 3: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said extensible range is 3-15% in the machine direction.
Example 4: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said slit sheet paper is configured such that expansion is performed
by applying
an expansion force of 0.15 to 0.22 pounds per inch to form said open cells.
Example 5: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 2,
wherein said slit sheet paper is configured such that expansion is performed
by applying
an expansion force of 0.15 to 0.22 pounds per inch to form said open cells.
Example 6: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 5,
wherein said slit sheet paper has a weight, prior to expansion, from about 30
to 50
pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
Example 7: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said slit sheet paper has a weight, prior to expansion, from about 30
to 50
pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
Example 8: A shipping package comprising: a wrapped object, said wrapped
object being wrapped in at least two layers of an expanded slit sheet paper
wrap having
interlocking hexagonal cells, said slit sheet paper having a slit pattern
including a
plurality of slits extending in a cross direction that forms a plurality of
hexagonal cells
upon expansion in a machine direction and being expanded by applying an
expansion
force and wrapped to form said at least two layers of expanded slit sheet
paper wrap
having interlocking hexagonal cells, said slit sheet paper being formed from a
paper
that is extensible in the machine direction and the cross direction prior to
providing said
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slit pattern, said extensible paper having an extensible range of 3 to 20% in
the machine
direction prior to providing said slit pattern.
Example 9: The shipping package of example 8, wherein said extensible range
is not less than 5% in both the machine direction and cross direction.
Example 10: The shipping package of claim 8, wherein said extensible range is
3-15% in the machine direction.
Example 11: The shipping package of example 8, wherein said slit sheet paper
is configured such that expansion is performed by applying an expansion force
of 0.15
to 0.22 pounds per inch to form said hexagonal cells.
Example 12: The shipping package of example 11, wherein said slit sheet paper
has a weight, prior to expansion, from about 30 to 50 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
Example 13: The shipping package of example 8, wherein said slit sheet paper
has a weight, prior to expansion, from about 30 to 50 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
Example 14: A method of expanding and wrapping a slit sheet paper that upon
expansion and wrapping forms two or more layers of interlocking hexagonal
cells,
comprising the steps of: providing said slit sheet paper having a slit pattern
including a
plurality of slits extending in a cross direction that forms a plurality of
hexagonal cells
upon expansion in a machine direction, wherein said slit sheet paper being
formed from
a paper that is extensible in the machine direction and the cross direction
prior to
providing said slit pattern, said extensible paper having an extensible range
of 3 to 20%
in the machine direction prior to providing said slit pattern,
expanding said slit sheet
paper, and wrapping said expanded slit sheet paper to form adjacent layers,
said
adjacent layers being in interlocking contact, whereby expanded layers resist
contraction and tearing.
Example 15: The method of example 14, wherein said extensible range is not
less than 5% in both the machine direction and cross direction.
Example 16: The method of example 14, wherein said extensible range is 3-15%
in the machine direction.
Example 17: The method of example 14, wherein said step of expanding
comprises applying an expansion force of 0.15 to 0.22 pounds per inch to form
said
hexagonal cells.
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Example 18: The method of example 17, wherein said slit sheet paper has a
weight, prior to expansion, from about 30 to 50 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
Example 19: The method of example 14, wherein said slit sheet paper has a
weight, prior to expansion, from about 30 to 50 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
Example 20: The method of example 14, wherein the step of wrapping said slit
sheet paper to form said adjacent layers, comprises: wrapping the expanded
slit sheet
paper around an object and forming said two or more layers of overlying
interlocking
hexagonal cells around said object, said overlying interlocking hexagonal
cells being in
direct contact substantially across the width of the layers.
Example 21: The method of example 20, wherein said extensible range is 3-15%
in the machine direction and not less than 5% in the cross direction.
Example 22: The method of example 20, wherein said extensible range is 3-9%
in the machine direction and not less than 5% in the cross direction.
Example 23: The method of example 20, wherein said step of expanding
comprises applying an expansion force of 0.15 to 0.22 pounds per inch to form
said
hexagonal cells.
Example 24: The method of example 21, wherein said step of expanding
comprises applying an expansion force of 0.15 to 0.22 pounds per inch to form
said
hexagonal cells.
Example 25: A method of protecting an object for shipping by wrapping and
cushioning said object in an expanded slit sheet material, comprising the
steps of: a)
providing a roll with a sheet of expandable sheet material wound therearound,
said
sheet of expandable sheet material being flexible, non-woven fibrous material,
and
having a plurality of spaced parallel rows of individual slits extending in a
cross
direction, said flexible, non-woven fibrous material being a paper that is
extensible in the
machine direction and the cross direction prior to providing said slits, said
extensible
paper having an extensible range of 3 to 20% in the machine direction prior to
providing
said slits; b) expanding a length of said expandable sheet material unrolled
from said
roll by applying an expansion force to form at least one expanded slit sheet
material
having an array of openings; c) wrapping said at least one expanded slit sheet
material
around an object; and d) placing the wrapped object in a package.
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Example 26: The method of example 25, wherein said extensible range is 3-15%
in the machine direction and not less than 5% in the cross direction.
Example 27: The method of example 25, wherein said extensible range is 3-9%
in the machine direction and not less than 5% in the cross direction.
Example 28: The method of example 25, wherein said step of expanding a
length of said expandable sheet material comprises applying an expansion force
of 0.15
to 0.22 pounds per inch.
Example 29: The method of example 26, wherein said step of expanding a
length of said expandable sheet material comprises applying an expansion force
of 0.15
to 0.22 pounds per inch.
Example 30: The method of example 25, wherein the slit extensible paper has a
weight, prior to expansion, from about 30 to 50 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
Example 31: The method of example 28, wherein the slit extensible paper has a
weight, prior to expansion, from about 30 to 50 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
Example 32: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said extensible range is 3-11.1% in the machine direction.
Example 33: The shipping package of example 8, wherein said extensible range
is 3-11.1% in the machine direction.
Example 34: The method of example 14, wherein said extensible range is 3-
11.1% in the machine direction.
Example: 35: The method of example 25, wherein said extensible range is 3-
11.1% in the machine direction.
Example 36: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said extensible range is 3.3-10.6% in the machine direction.
Example 37: The shipping package of example 8, wherein said extensible range
is 3.3-10.6% in the machine direction.
Example 38: The method of example 14, wherein said extensible range is 3.3-
10.6% in the machine direction.
Example 39: The method of example 25, wherein said extensible range is 3.3-
10.6% in the machine direction.
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Example 40: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said extensible range is 9.7-11.1% in the machine direction.
Example 41: The shipping package of example 8, wherein said extensible range
is 9.7-11.1% in the machine direction.
Example 42: The method of example 14, wherein said extensible range is 9.7-
11.1% in the machine direction.
Example 43: The method of example 25, wherein said extensible range is 9.7-
11.1% in the machine direction.
Example 44: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said extensible paper is formed by imparting a treatment prior to
providing the
slit pattern comprising inserting said paper between a roll and an endless pre-
stretched
blanket to compress the paper with a nip bar and the blanket (or otherwise
compressing
the paper between two different (e.g., differently moving) surfaces, such as
between two
different rollers).
Example 45: The shipping package of example 8, wherein said extensible paper
is formed by imparting a treatment prior to providing the slit pattern
comprising inserting
said paper between a roll and an endless pre-stretched blanket to compress the
paper
with a nip bar and the blanket (or otherwise compressing the paper between two
different (e.g., differently moving) surfaces, such as between two different
rollers).
Example 46: The method of example 14, wherein said extensible paper is formed
by imparting a treatment prior to providing the slit pattern comprising
inserting said
paper between a roll and an endless pre-stretched blanket to compress the
paper with a
nip bar and the blanket (or otherwise compressing the paper between two
different
(e.g., differently moving) surfaces, such as between two different rollers).
Example 47: The method of example 25, wherein said extensible paper is formed
by imparting a treatment prior to providing the slits comprising inserting
said paper
between a roll and an endless pre-stretched blanket to compress the paper with
a nip
bar and the blanket (or otherwise compressing the paper between two different
(e.g.,
differently moving) surfaces, such as between two different rollers).
Example 48: The method of example 14, wherein said step of expanding
includes a user manually expanding said slit sheet material.
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Example 49: The method of example 48, wherein said user manually expanding
said slit sheet material includes the user manually grasping said slit sheet
material and
drawing and unrolling the slit sheet material from a roll against resistance
from the roll.
Example 50: The method of example 25, wherein said user manually expanding
a length of said expandable sheet material unrolled from the roll includes the
user
manually grasping the expandable sheet material and drawing and unrolling the
expandable sheet material from the roll against resistance from the roll.
Example 51: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said extensible paper is a nonwoven fibrous material with fibre-to-
fibre bonding
that resists tearing upon 3-15% expansion in the machine direction as measured
prior to
providing the slit pattern.
Example 52: The shipping package of example 8, wherein said extensible paper
is a nonwoven fibrous material with fibre-to-fibre bonding that resists
tearing upon 3-
15% expansion in the machine direction as measured prior to providing the slit
pattern.
Example 53: The method of example 14, wherein said extensible paper is a
nonwoven fibrous material with fibre-to-fibre bonding that resists tearing
upon 3-15%
expansion in the machine direction as measured prior to providing the slit
pattern.
Example 54: The method of example 25, wherein said nonwoven fibrous
material comprises fibre-to-fibre bonding that resists tearing upon 3-15%
expansion in
the machine direction as measured prior to providing the slits.
Example 55: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said roll of slit sheet paper is wound on a cylindrical core, and said
length of slit
sheet paper extends from said roll of slit sheet paper.
Example 56: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said extensible range is 5-15% in a cross-direction.
Example 57: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said extensible range is 7.1-15% in a cross-direction.
Example 58: An extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product, comprising: a
length of slit sheet paper having a slit pattern including a plurality of
slits extending in a
cross direction that forms a plurality of open cells upon expansion in a
machine
direction, said slit sheet paper being formed from a paper that is extensible
in the
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machine direction and the cross direction prior to providing the slit pattern,
said
extensible paper having an extensible range of 3 to 20% in the machine
direction prior
to providing the slit pattern.
Example 59: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 58,
further including a resister that resists pulling of the length of slit sheet
paper along the
machine direction to enable expansion of the length of slit sheet paper in the
machine
direction.
Example 60: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 59,
wherein said resister is a roll of slit sheet paper from which said length of
slit sheet
paper extends.
Example 61: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 58,
wherein said extensible range is not less than 5% in both the machine
direction and
cross direction.
Example 62: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 58,
wherein said extensible range is 3-15% in the machine direction.
Example 63: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 58,
wherein said slit sheet paper is configured such that expansion is performed
by applying
an expansion force of 0.15 to 0.22 pounds per inch to form said open cells.
Example 64: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 58,
wherein said slit sheet paper has a weight, prior to expansion, from about 30
to 50
pounds per 3,000 sq. ft.
Example 65: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 58,
wherein said extensible sleet sheet paper cushioning product is a shipping
package.
Example 66: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 65,
wherein said slit sheet paper is arranged to protect an object placed inside
said shipping
package.
Example 67: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 66,
wherein said slit sheet paper is arranged to extend around the object placed
inside said
shipping package.
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Example 68: A method of using the extensible slit sheet paper cushioning
product of example 66, comprising shipping the shipping package with an object
protected by said extensible paper inside said shipping package.
Example 69: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 1,
wherein said a slit pattern is configured to form a plurality of hexagonal
cells upon
expansion in a machine direction.
Example 70: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 69,
wherein said hexagonal cells are three-dimensional hexagonal cells with
substantially
rectangular land portions situated at an inclined angle transverse to an
original plane of
the slit sheet paper, and leg portions connecting the land portions.
Example 71: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 58,
wherein said a slit pattern is configured to form a plurality of hexagonal
cells upon
expansion in a machine direction.
Example 72: The extensible slit sheet paper cushioning product of example 71,
wherein said hexagonal cells are three-dimensional hexagonal cells with
substantially
rectangular land portions situated at an inclined angle transverse to an
original plane of
the slit sheet paper, and leg portions connecting the land portions.
Envelope Products in Some Preferred Embodiments
According to some preferred embodiments of the invention, novel extensible
sleet sheet paper cushioning product according preferred embodiments of the
present
invention can be employed in the manufacture of envelopes. In some preferred
embodiments, the envelopes can be of the type disclosed in applicant's pending
U.S.
Application Serial No. 16/531,017 (the '017 application), filed May 6, 2020,
and also
filed as PCT/US2019/045027 (published February 13, 2020 as W02020/033275), the
entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference, as though recited
in full
herein.
By way of illustration, FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) correspond to FIGS. 1 and 7,
respectively, from the '017 application. As shown in this exemplary
embodiment, the
example employs expanded slit sheet material in combination with an exterior
layer of embossed paper to produce a padded envelope with cushioning
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properties. Although an embossed outer paper is shown, in some embodiments,
embossing can be eliminated.
As shown in FIG. 8(A), this illustrative embodiment has a four-layer
composite pad 100 is formed having a first layer of embossed paper 104, two
layers of expanded slit paper sheets 102, 103, and a fourth top-layer of
embossed paper 101. In formation of the envelope, this composite is folded
over and sealed along the edges to form an envelope pouch. In the preferred
embodiments, this produces a paper pad that is completely recyclable and
made mostly of recycled paper. In order to form the envelope 600 from the pad
shown in FIG. 8(A), first, the pad is folded over such as to create a pouch
area
704 as shown in FIG. 8(B), and the sides 703 are crushing and glued. Then, a
double-
sided adhesive strip 502 is attached to a lip portion as shown in FIG. 8(B),
along
with a release liner 701 which is removed to expose the adhesive and fold over
the lip portion 702 that extends past the pouch 704 adhere the lip portion 702
to
the front of the pouch to close and seal the envelope.
In some preferred embodiments, the slit paper pattern of slits
advantageously has slits in the range from 0.2 to 0.3 inches (i.e., in the
lengthwise dimension of the slits) and spaces between rows in the range from
0.06 to 0.7 inches (i.e., the distance between adjacent rows of slits).
Preferably,
the slit paper pattern of slits advantageously has slits of about 0.25 inches
(i.e.,
in the lengthwise dimension of the slits) and spaces between rows of about
0.06
to about 0.065 inches (i.e., the distance between adjacent rows of slits) and
most preferably spaces between rows of about 0.0625 inches.
Preferably the space between the slits of each row is in the range from
about 0.1 to about 0.09 inches and most preferably, the space between the
slits
of each row is about 0.094 inches.
The foregoing dimensions produce a slit pattern that creates more cells per
square foot, provides crush resistance and resiliency for cushioning the items
packed within an envelope while providing a thin envelope. In some example, a
"thin envelope" is provided that has a distance between the outermost layers
904
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and 902 of the envelope (see, e.g., Fig. 9) that employs a slit paper pattern
of slits
in the range from 0.2 to 0.3 inches (i.e., in the lengthwise dimension of the
slits) and
spaces between rows in the range from 0.06 to 0.7 inches (i.e., the distance
between adjacent rows of slits).
Although this example includes two internal expanded slit paper sheets
102, 103, in some preferred embodiments, which employ the novel slit sheet
paper of the present invention, a single layer of expanded slit sheet paper
can
be employed. For example, the layers 104 and 101 can, in some embodiments
of the present invention, be located on opposite sides of a single layer of
expanded slit sheet paper. Moreover, as indicated above, although FIG. 8(A)
shows layer 101 with embossments, in some embodiments, the layer 101 can
be free of embossments. Similarly, as indicated above, although FIG. 8(A)
shows layer 104 with embossments, in some embodiments, the layer 104 can
be free of embossments. Moreover, in some embodiments, both layers 101 and
104 can be free of embossments.
Embossed Paper Employed in Some Preferred Embodiments
According to some preferred embodiments of the invention, novel extensible
sleet sheet paper cushioning product according preferred embodiments of the
present
invention can be employed in the manufacture of products (such as, for
example,
envelopes or various other products) include embossed paper. In some preferred
embodiments, products employing such embossed paper can be of the type
disclosed
in applicant's pending U.S. Application Serial No. 16/870,195, filed May 8,
2020, and
also filed as PCT/US2020/32146, as well as in the above-noted '017
application, the
entire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference, as though recited
in full
herein.
In the preferred embodiments, the term "embossed" means to raise and/or to
lower a region of a sheet of paper. Most preferably, embossments involve
raised and/or
lowered regions of a sheet of paper which are raised and/or lowered by the
application
of a force such as to press the paper to assume an embossed shape in which the
pressure causes deformation in the sheet of paper such as to have a shape
including
such raised and/or lowered regions. In some preferred embodiments, the sheet
of
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paper is initially substantially planar and without the raised and/or lowered
regions of the
embossments in an initial state, and, then, the sheet of paper is pressed to
cause
deformation in the sheet of paper including raised and/or lowered regions.
These raised
and/or lowered regions from the original plane of the original planar sheet of
paper are
referred to, in the most preferred embodiments, as "embossed" regions or
"embossments." By way of example, in the most preferred embodiments,
embossments
are created by pressing an initial sheet (e.g., a planar or substantially
planar sheet)
between opposing pressing surfaces, such as, e.g., (1) between die plates that
are
reciprocated relative to one another to press the surface of the planar sheet,
wherein
the die plates have a pattern of raised and lowered regions (e.g., male and
female
regions) that create a cross pressure on the face of the planar sheet to cause
the sheet
to deform and form embossments and/or (2) between two rollers wherein the
rollers
have a pattern of raised and lowered regions (e.g., male and female regions)
that create
a cross pressure on the face of the planar sheet to cause the sheet to deform
and form
embossments. In some embodiments, embossments can involve pressure applied by
a single reciprocated die plate that has a raised/lowered embossment pattern
that
presses against a first surface of the paper, while an opposite side of the
paper is
pressed or supported by a resilient (e.g., rubber) member that flexibly
receives the
raised and/or lowered portions to cooperative cause embossments in the paper
sheet.
Similarly, in some embodiments, embossments can involve pressure applied by a
single
roll die that has a raised/lowered embossment pattern that presses against a
first
surface of the paper, while an opposite side of the paper is pressed or
supported by a
resilient (e.g., rubber) roll member, or other surface member, such as a
conveyor or
other member, that flexibly receives the raised and/or lowered portions to
cooperative
cause embossments in the paper sheet
In some preferred embodiments, embossments are formed in a repeating pattern
along a conveyed sheet of paper that is conveyed from an initial roll. In some
preferred
embodiments, the embossments define discrete shapes that are displaced from
the
original plane of the paper (e.g., raised and/or lowered) within separated
regions along
the face of the sheet of paper. In some preferred embodiments, these discrete
regions
can have an irregular shape, while in some embodiments these discrete regions
can
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have a circular shape, elliptical shape, oval shape, polygonal shape,
triangular shape,
square shape, pentagonal shape, hexagonal shape, octagonal shape and/or other
shapes. In the most preferred embodiments, the embossments have a hexagonal
shape. Here, the terminology "shape" of the embossments in the above paragraph
refers to the shape of the embossments as viewed downwardly towards a face of
the
paper sheet. It should be understood that, as seen in a side view, such
embossments
have a different shape.
Novel Expansion Pattern
For reference, FIG. 4(A) shows a top plan view of a sample expanded slit sheet
paper employing Kraft paper, which opens in a manner substantially similar to
that
shown in FIG. 3(B), discussed above.
In particular, this paper includes, in an
unexpanded state, an array of rows similar to that shown in FIG. 3(A), and,
when
expanded, the paper assumes the expansion pattern as shown in FIG. 4(A). As
shown
in FIG. 4(A), the expansion pattern includes the formation of substantially
flat land
portions 20 which tilted at an angle, and which extend across a width of the
expanded
sheet, along with leg portions 21, with each land portion having four
respective leg
portions 21 extending therefrom.
For further reference, FIG. 4(B) shows a top view of the same expanded slit
sheet paper shown in FIG. 4(A) taken at an angle to the plane of the expanded
paper,
such as to look directly into the expanded cells of the paper (i.e., taken at
an angle
substantially parallel to the angle of tilt of the land portions 20. As shown,
at this angle,
the expansion pattern forms substantially hexagonal cells. For further
reference FIG.
4(C) shows a top view of the same expanded slit sheet paper shown in FIGS.
4(A) and
4(B), but taken an angle to the plane of the expanded paper opposite to that
of the
angle shown in FIG. 4(B), such that the cell openings are obstructed from view
by the
broad sides of the land portions 20 and the leg portions 21.
For even further reference, FIG. 4(D), shows a top view of the same expanded
slit sheet paper shown in FIGS. 4(A)-4(C), but taken from an angle to the
plane of the
expanded paper from a position lower to the plane of the paper proximate the
lower end
of FIG. 4(D). This view helps to demonstrate how the land portions 20 extend
at a
consistent angle, with the left edge of each land portion being at a lowest
position and
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the right edge of each land portion being at a highest position, such as to
extend
upward at an inclination from left to right sides of the land portion as shown
in FIG. 4(D).
As shown in FIG. 4(0), this expansion pattern creates an array of open cell
openings
26, each having a high side HS at a left side of the open cell and a low side
LS at a right
of the open cell as shown in FIG. 4(D).
In some embodiments of the present invention which employ a novel slit pattern
as described herein, an expansion pattern similar to that shown in FIGS. 4(A)-
4(D) can
be employed. For example, in some embodiments with smaller slit lengths, such
as,
e.g., with some implementations of the embodiments of Examples A to Example I
in
Table A below, the slit sheet paper can be configured to assume an expansion
pattern
similar to that shown in FIGS. 4(A)-4(D), referred to herein as a "normal
expansion
pattern."
However, in some embodiments of the present invention, an expansion pattern
similar to that shown in FIG. 5(A) can be employed. FIG. 5(A) shows a novel
expansion
pattern according to some preferred embodiments of the present invention,
referred to
herein as an "alternating row expansion pattern." Although some of the
preferred
embodiments of the present invention will include such a novel "alternating
row
expansion pattern," this type of expansion pattern is not required to be
employed in all
embodiments of the invention.
Moreover, while the alternating row expansion pattern can be employed in some
preferred embodiments of the invention that include novel reduced-sized slit
patterns
described herein, this alternating row expansion pattern provides a new and
advantageous inventive feature that can be implemented in the context of any
desired
slit size patterns, such as, e.g., slit size patterns with 0.5 inch slit
lengths or even larger
in some preferred embodiments.
Notably, this type of alternating row expansion pattern can be achieved by
employing an extensible slit sheet paper from an extensible paper that has
sufficient
extensibility characteristics. Towards that end, the extensibility preferably
is adjusted to
have sufficient extensibility in both the machine direction and the cross
direction to
achieve such an alternating row expansion pattern. For example, with a slit
sheet paper
having 0.5 inch slit lengths, 0.1875 land lengths (between slits within the
same row),
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and row spacing of 0.125 inches, this type of alternating row expansion
pattern has
been achieved by employing extensible paper having an extensibility of both i)
8.8 in the
machine direction and ii) 8.8 in the cross direction. In some examples, this
expansion
pattern can be achieved employing 30#, 40# or 50# extensible paper sheets
having
such a slit arrangement.
In some other embodiments, with such a slit sheet paper having these 0.5 inch
slit lengths, extensibility of at least about 6% in both the machine direction
and the cross
direction can advantageously achieve such an alternating row expansion
pattern.
In some preferred embodiments, such an alternating row expansion pattern can
be achieved with slit patterns employing extensible paper that is extensible
in a machine
direction in a range of at least 5% and in a cross direction in a range of at
least 5%, or,
in some more preferred embodiments, that is extensible in a machine direction
in a
range of at least 6% and in a cross direction in a range of at least 6%, or,
in some more
preferred embodiments, that is extensible in a machine direction in a range of
at least
7% and in a cross direction in a range of at least 7%, or, in some more
preferred
embodiments, that is extensible in a machine direction in a range of at least
8% and in a
cross direction in a range of at least 8%.
Notably, the present inventor discovered that this novel alternating row
expansion pattern could be created by implementation of extensible paper even
with the
same original slit pattern of an unexpanded sheet. In particular, even when
the same
slit pattern arrangement is provided on an unexpanded paper (including slit
lengths,
spacing between slits in the same rows of slits, and spacings between adjacent
rows of
slits), the present inventor discovered that the expansion pattern could be
adjusted so
as to achieve an alternating row expansion pattern by, e.g., modifying the
paper to
comprising an extensible paper.
As illustrated in FIG. 5(A), the alternating row expansion pattern includes
alternating rows (rows R-a and rows R-b) with bottom-side cell openings a26
and top-
side cell openings b26. In particular, as shown, the cell openings a26 in the
rows R-a
are situated on the bottom side of the expanded paper sheet (i.e., on opposite
side or
far side from the point of view of FIG. 5(A), or, downward into the page
view), and the
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cell openings b26 in the rows R-b are situated on the top side of the expanded
paper
sheet (i.e., on the near or close side to the point of view of FIG. 5(A)).
As also illustrated in FIG. 5(A), the land portions that are formed at the
regions
between the ends of the slits in the same row of slits are formed differently
than the land
portions 20 of the embodiment describe in relation to, e.g., FIG. 4(A).
Notably, rather
than assuming an angle that extends consistently upward or downward like the
lands 20
of FIG. 4(A), the land portions of FIG. 5(A) include upward and downward
facing
portions. That is, each land portion includes a portion that extends upward,
and a
portion that extends downward. Moreover, each land portion in FIG. 5(A)
includes a
creased or angled portion aligned in between adjacent slits within the same
row of slits
around which the angles of incline between the two portions of the land
portion
changes. For example, as shown in FIG. 5(A), the land portions in rows R-a
include a
first portion 20a1 that extends from an edge of an open cell a26 at a left
side of the land
portion upwardly to the creased or angled portion at the center of the land
portion, and a
second portion 20a2 that extends from the creased or angled portion at the
center of the
land portion downwardly to an edge of an open cell a26 at a right side of the
land
portion. As shown in FIG. 5(A), all of the land portions within the row R-a
include a
similar up-and-down configuration as shown in the figure, in which the creased
or angle
portion at the center of the land portion forms an apex or top ridge of the
land portion
that is at a highest point of the land portion in a direction towards the top
side of the
expanded paper sheet (i.e., closest to the close side to the point of view of
FIG. 5(A)).
Similarly, as also shown in FIG. 5(A), all of the land portions within the row
R-b
include an opposite "down-and-up" configuration as shown in the figure, in
which a
creased or angle portion at the center of the land portion forms a bottom
ridge of the
land portion that is at a lowest point of the land portion in a direction
towards the bottom
side of the expanded paper sheet (i.e., farthest from the close side to the
point of view
of FIG. 5(A)). In particular, as shown in FIG. 5(A), the land portions in rows
R-b include
a first portion 20b1 that extends from an edge of an open cell b26 at a left
side of the
land portion downwardly to the creased or angled portion at the center of the
land
portion, and a second portion 20b2 that extends from the creased or angled
portion at
the center of the land portion upwardly to an edge of an open cell b26 at a
right side of
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the land portion. As shown in FIG. 5(A), all of the land portions within the
row R-b
include a similar down-and-up configuration as shown in the figure.
Furthermore, in the expansion pattern of FIG. 4(A), the leg portions extending
from a first side of the land portion extend in different directions. In
particular, this
includes first legs extending from a top edge of the land portion extending
upwards
towards a close side of the expanded paper (e.g., in a direction towards the
top left of
FIG. 4(A), and second legs extending from that top edge of the land portion
extending
downwards towards a far side of the expanded paper (e.g., in a direction
towards the
top right of FIG. 4(A)). In addition, this also includes third legs extending
from a bottom
edge of the land portion extending upwards towards a close side of the
expanded paper
(e.g., in a direction towards the bottom left of FIG. 4(A), and forth legs
extending from
that bottom edge of the land portion extending downwards towards a far side of
the
expanded paper (e.g., in a direction towards the lower right of FIG. 4(A)).
However, in contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4(A), in the alternating
row expansion pattern shown in FIG. 5(A), the leg portions extending from a
first side of
the land portion extend in similar directions. In particular, the leg portions
extend in a
manner to create the alternating rows R-a and R-b, wherein these alternating
rows R-a
and R-b are located at opposing sides of the expanded slit sheet in a width
direction of
the sheet ¨ that is, with the rows R-a being at a far side of the expanded
slit sheet in the
width direction as viewed in FIG. 5(A) and with the rows R-b being at a close
side of the
expanded slit sheet in the width direction of the sheet.
In particular, as shown in FIG. 5(A), the legs include: a) first legs 21a
extending
from a top edge of a land portion 20b2 downwardly to a land portion 20a1; b)
second
legs 20b extending from a top edge of a land portion 20b1 downwardly to a land
portion
20a2; c) third legs 21c extending from a bottom edge of a land portion 20b2
downwardly
to another land portion 20a1; and d) fourth legs 20d extending from a bottom
edge of a
land portion 20b1 downwardly to another land portion 20a2.
The present inventor has also discovered that this alternating row expansion
pattern has a number of substantial advantages and benefits over the expansion
pattern
shown in FIG. 4(A). First, the alternating row expansion pattern has
substantial
aesthetic benefits and is more aesthetically appealing and interesting.
Second, the
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alternating row expansion pattern creates an expansion pattern that is more
visually
obstructive at a variety of angles. Second, the alternating row expansion
pattern
creates an expansion pattern that has improved cushioning and operational
characteristics.
While the open cells 26 of the example shown in FIG. 4(A) creates cells having
a
high side HS at a close side of the expanded paper and a low side LS at a far
side of
the expanded paper (as shown in FIG. 4(A)), the open cells a26 and b26 shown
in FIG.
5(A) create cells having both sides at similar heights (i.e., either at a high
side such as,
e.g., cells b26 or at a low side such as, e.g., cells a26). Among other
things, forces
applied to the periphery of the open cells a26 and b26 are, thus, generally
applied more
evenly on opposite sides of the open cells, rather than being applied at a
single side of
the open cells of the opens cells 26 shown in FIG. 4(A).
For further reference, FIGS. 6(A) to 6(C) provide an explanatory diagram
demonstrating the formation of the alternating row expansion pattern according
to the
preferred embodiments of the invention. First, FIG. 6(A) shows an illustrative
slit pattern
formed within a sheet of paper. In some embodiments, the slit pattern is
generally
similar to that shown in FIG. 3(A), discussed above. However, as discussed
below, in
the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, the slit pattern has
novel and
advantageous slit and slit pattern dimensions and relationships as discussed
further
below.
As shown in FIG. 6(A), the slits include a plurality of rows of slits
extending
substantially horizontally across the page of view of the figure. Although
only 7 slits S
are depicted (for explanatory purposes), it should be appreciated that the
product would
include rows of slits extending entirely across the paper sheet. As shown, the
slits
preferably have a common slit length SL (i.e., all slits preferably have a
like slit length),
a common slit spacing SS between ends of the slits in the same row of slits
(i.e., all slit
spacings preferably have a like length), and a common row spacing RS between
adjacent rows of slits (i.e., all spacings between rows preferably have a like
distance).
Additionally, as also shown, the extent of overlap between slits of adjacent
rows
preferably includes equal sized spacings OL1 and 0L2 (i.e_, the slits in
adjacent rows
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are preferably symmetrically aligned such as to create symmetrical cells upon
expansion).
FIG. 6(B) shows the slit pattern of FIG. 6(A) with regions of the paper prior
to
expansion highlighted for reference. Towards that end, the regions Al, A2, Bl,
B2, Cl,
C2, D1 and D2 are shaded in the figure to facilitate reference. However, it
should be
appreciated that in this unexpanded state shown in FIG. 6(B), these regions
are all flat
or planar regions along the plane of the original unexpanded sheet of paper.
As shown in FIG. 6(C), upon expansion, the regions slits S are caused to open
and create open cells a26 and b26. Additionally, as depicted in FIG. 6(C), the
regions
Al are caused to assume the orientations of legs 21a discussed above, the
regions A2
are caused to assume the orientations of legs 21b discussed above, the regions
B1 are
caused to assume the orientations of legs 21c discussed above, the regions B2
are
caused to assume the orientations of claim 21d discussed above, the regions Cl
are
caused to assume the orientations of land portions 20a1 discussed above, the
regions
C2 are caused to assume the orientations of land portions 20a2 discussed
above, the
regions D1 are caused to assume the orientations of land portions 20b2
discussed
above, and the regions D2 are caused to assume the orientations of land
portions 20b1
discussed above.
In the embodiment shown in, e.g., FIG. 5(A) employing an alternating row
expansion pattern, the open cells a26 and b26, form hexagonal peripheries that
are
"bent" at a central region such as to not form an regular hexagon (i.e., both
equilateral
and equiangular), but, rather, to form a hexagonal shape in which the opposing
land
portions 20b2 and 20b1 are closer to one another. In contrast, as best shown
in, e.g.,
FIG. 4(B), the prior expansion patter leads to substantially regular hexagons.
Notably,
the hexagonal open cells a26 and b26 include a first half that extends along
substantially a first plane with edges along one of the land portions and two
of the leg
portions and a second half that extends along substantially a second plane
with edges
along another of the land portions and two of the leg portions. For example,
an open
cell b26 includes a first half along a first plane delineated by an edge of
the leg 21c, an
edge of the land portion 20b2, and an edge of the leg 21a, and a second half
along a
second plane delineated by an edge of the leg 21d, an edge of the land portion
20b1,
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and an edge of the leg 21b. In this application, such a hexagon that is bent
between
two planes referred to as a "bent hexagon." With reference to FIGS. 5(A) and
6(C), the
bent hexagons of the cells b26 are formed so as to open upwardly (i.e., such
that the
angle between both of the planes opens upwardly) while the bent hexagons of
the cells
a26 are formed so as to open downwardly (i.e., such that the angle between
both of the
planes opens downwardly and oppositely to that of the angle of the bent
hexagons of
the cells b26).
Further Discussion of Preferred Embodiments
FIG. 1 is an explanatory planar view showing two slit patterns and the
resulting
number of cells per square foot. Towards that end, FIG. 1 is an explanatory
plan view
of the layout between the standard 0.5" wide cut 100 (i.e., a standard
expandable slit
sheet with 0.5 long slits) and an embodiment of the present application having
a 0.45"
wide cut 101 (i.e., an expandable slit sheet according to some embodiments
herein
having 0.45 long slits). In this illustrative figure, the square lines 102 and
103 are the
outline of an illustrative 12" x 12" box depicting 1 square foot of expanded
slit sheet
material. As illustrated by this exemplary explanatory view, the reduction of
slit length
from 0.5" to 0.45" results in a 23.7% greater number of legs in the 0.45" slit
length
example 101.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view depicting a cell structure of the expanded
slit
sheet material of the background art 204 and two varying cell sizes according
to some
embodiments of the present invention, 205 and 206, that result in varied
heights of the
expanded slit sheet material. Reference lines 200, 201, and 203 show the
varying
heights of the cell structures with line 207 the base line. In this
illustrative explanatory
figure, the expanded slit sheet 204 has a standard 0.5" slit and novel
expanded slit
sheet 205 according to a first embodiment is 10% smaller and the expanded slit
sheet
206 is 10% smaller as compared to 204.
In order to expand an expandable slit sheet paper, an expansion force is
required
to pull the paper to cause the paper to expand and to open the cells. Existing
expandable slit sheet paper can be somewhat difficult to expand and requires a
substantially higher force for expansion. Additionally, existing expandable
slit sheet
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paper requires a larger slit length in order to enable opening of the cells.
Varying slit
patterns with expanded slit sheet material require varying force to stretch.
The present
slit pattern used in the market requires approximately 6 pounds of pulling
force for slit
material that is 15 inches wide utilizing 50# Kraft paper. However, the
present inventor
has discovered that extensible paper reduces the force required for the same
slit pattern
and paper weight to, e.g., 2 pounds.
The present inventor has also discovered that this decrease enables further
slit
pattern opportunities that can provide greater resiliency and a reduced
thickness is
desired where, in the past, they would be too difficult to stretch manually
and provide a
burden to the automated expanding equipment. In general terms, the present
inventor
has discovered that a 10% reduction in slit, land, and row size increases the
number of
supporting legs by 23.7% - a more than doubling of the strength of the
material. This
provides cushioning solutions where greater resiliency of the same or smaller
leg height
can be accomplished.
Additionally, and well known in paper die cutting art, leg height impacts
stiffness.
As the leg height is reduced, the leg becomes stiffer. This is due to the
fiber length that
becomes more difficult to bow or flex as the height becomes shorter. According
to
preferred embodiments of the present invention, the leg height, the number of
legs per
square foot, and the paper weight is balanced to provide optimal cushioning
while
providing the least amount of pulling strength to open.
The automated equipment is also impacted with a heavy pulling strength as it
requires more maintenance changes to the hook rollers due to them wearing out
proportionally to the pulling force required. With the advent of the present
inventor's
discovery of the unique and unexpected advantages of extensible paper employed
in
expandable slit sheet products, these limitations based on pulling force are
greatly
diminished and enable greater market opportunities where greater strength is
required.
Presently there is a move towards environmentally friendly packaging products
that includes the use of non-powered equipment eliminating the need for
electricity.
The use of a manual system to dispense rolls of expanded slit material that
can
have varying properties of cushioning and provides greater flexibility for
wrapping a
wider variety of weights and densities of fragile items. As an example, with
the prior art
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slit sheet material, the number of wraps on a bottle of wine is too great for
a cost
advantage over bubble. However, with the present inventor's implementation of
an
extensible-based wrap having a greater number of legs per square foot (e.g.,
according
to embodiments of the present invention), fewer wraps are required to obtain
the same
level of cushioning. Accordingly, very substantial benefits and advancements
are
achieved.
In some illustrative applications, the preferred embodiments of the present
invention can be employed in the creation of substantially improved, novel and
advantageous envelopes. Towards that end, in some embodiments, a padded
envelope can be created employing aspects of the present invention, providing
a
reduced thickness, but increased resilience and improved crush resistance of
the
envelope (or pouch or bag), along with greater efficiencies of storage and
freight while
providing increased resiliency, and while maintaining production speed and
less
downtime with the use of the reduced stretching force required due to the
novel use of
extensible paper.
Presently, the crush strength for the current commercial pattern using a 0.5"
slit
is 2.2 pounds per square inch of strength.
According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, a preferred
reduced slit pattern utilizing 50# Kraft paper with a slit pattern of 0.45"
slit (i.e., length of
slit), 0.1688" land (i.e., distance between adjacent slits in a lengthwise
direction of the
slits), 0.1125" row width (i.e., distance between adjacent rows of slits) is
provided. In
some embodiments, such a configuration yields 2.72-2.92 pounds of per inch of
crush
strength, which yields a 27% increase in strength with a 10% decrease in
thickness
from 0.1875" to 0.16875". In the most preferred implementations of this slit
pattern, the
paper employed is an extensible paper.
According to some other embodiments of the present invention, another
preferred slit pattern is 0.40" slit, 0.15" land, 0.1125" row width. In some
embodiments,
this latter configuration yields 3.1-3.3 pounds per inch crush strength, which
yields a
40% increase in crush strength with a 10% decrease in thickness from 0.1875"
to
0.16875." In the most preferred implementations of this slit pattern, the
paper employed
is an extensible paper.
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According to the preferred embodiments, this increase in strength can
advantageously be used to allow for a reduced thickness of the expanded slit
sheet
paper, which can, thus, provide, e.g., an equivalent crush strength while
providing for a
reduction in overall height. For example, in the above illustrative
embodiments
employing a 50# paper, the use of 40# paper would reduce the leg stiffness,
but would
reduce the cost of the paper.
According to some other preferred embodiments, an expandable slit paper sheet
includes a pattern of slits having slit lengths in the range from 0.30 to 0.45
inches and
spaces between rows of slits in the range from 0.1125 to 0.1688. In the most
preferred
implementations of this slit pattern, the paper employed is an extensible
paper.
According to some other preferred embodiments, an expandable slit paper sheet
includes a pattern of slits having slit lengths in the range of 0.45 inches
plus 5% (e.g.,
0.4725 inches) to 0.45 inches minus 33% (e.g., 0.30 inches). In the most
preferred
implementations of this slit pattern, the paper employed is an extensible
paper.
According to some other preferred embodiments, an expandable slit paper sheet
includes a pattern of slits that upon expansion produces an expandable slit
paper
having a number of legs per square foot that is at least 20% greater than a
slit paper
sheet with slit lengths of 0.5 inches which is configured to create hexagonal
cells (e.g.,
with equilateral hexagons).
According to some other preferred embodiments, an expandable slit paper sheet
includes a pattern of slits that upon expansion produces an expandable slit
paper
having a number of legs per square foot that is at least 15% greater than a
slit paper
sheet with slit lengths of 0.5 inches which is configured to create hexagonal
cells (e.g.,
with equilateral hexagons), and, more preferably, in the range from 20% to 50%
greater
than such slit paper with slit lengths of 0.5 inches which is configured to
create
hexagonal cells (e.g., with equilateral hexagons)
In the most preferred embodiments, the paper employed is an extensible paper
as described herein-above. The use of such extensible paper highly
advantageously
enables a reduced slit pattern size in comparison to prior slit patterns.
Notably, non-
extensible paper has limitations in relation to the viable sizes and
dimensions of the
slits, and such non-extensible paper does not enable reduction in sizes to
that of
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preferred embodiments described herein because such prior papers would be
inoperable and would not adequately expand if such small sizes were attempted
to be
employed.
Additionally, while the present inventor has discovered novel means to improve
cushioning characteristics of expandable slit sheet paper, which involves
"reducing" the
slit pattern dimensions, it is notable that this reduction of slit pattern
dimensions is "not
only" unviable with prior expandable slit sheet paper (i.e., which could not
achieve such
small sizes), but is also "counter-intuitive" to the existing understanding of
cushioning
properties afforded by such explandable slit sheet papers. Notably, the
cushioning of
expandable slit sheet papers is directly related to the "width" of the
expandable slit
sheet paper in an expanded state. Accordingly, for enhancing cushioning, those
in the
art have sought to actually "increase" this width of the expanded slit sheet
paper.
However, the present inventor discovered means by which smaller slit patterns
could be
achieved (e.g., via the use of the extensible paper) and that such smaller
slit patterns
with such extensible papers could, in fact, provide enhance cushioning despite
the
losses in cushioning due to the reduced "width" of the expandable slit sheet
paper.
Additionally, the present inventor also discovered other desirable
applications and uses
of such novel expandable slit sheet paper.
Notably, non-extensible expanded slit paper sheets do not operate
appropriately
with slit lengths of less than about 0.5 inches. Accordingly, for expandable
slit paper
sheets of smaller slit sizes according to the present invention, an extensible
paper
according to the present invention is advantageously employed.
According to some more preferred embodiments of the invention, a slit pattern
is
provided which includes slit lengths of 0.35" slits (i.e., the lengths of the
slits), 0.13125"
lands (i.e., the distances between adjacent slits in the same row of slits in
a lengthwise
direction of the slits), and 0.0875" row width (i.e., the distances between
adjacent rows
of slits). In this regard, such a slit pattern is preferably implemented
within a pattern of
slits similar to that shown in, e.g., FIG. 6(A), in which all of the slits of
the expandalbe
slit sheet have the same lengths, the distances between adjacent rows is
consistently
the same, in which the distance between slits in the same row is consistently
the same,
and in which the locations of the slits in adjacent rows is arranged with
equal overlap to
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form symmetrical cells. For these embodiments, an extensible slit sheet paper
is
preferably employed; notably, a non-extensible paper cannot be used to viably
operationally function with such a slit pattern.
While, preferably, all of the expanded slit sheet paper would include a same
slit
pattern throughout the sheet, in some embodiments such a pattern could be
employed
within a portion or region of the paper and/or some regions of the paper may
potentially
include some differences in the pattern. Additionally, although the slit
lengths and
dimensions are preferably consistently the same as indicated above, in some
embodiments, there could be some variations in sizes, positions of the slits
as long as
operation of the product is not impeded.
In some embodiments, a slit pattern having 0.35" slits, 0.13125" lands, and
0.0875" row width can yield 3.52-3.82 pounds per inch crush strength which
yields a
60% increase in crush strength with a 30% decrease in thickness from 0.1875"
to
0.1125."
In some preferred implementations of all of the embodiments of the invention
described above, the lands distance (i.e., the distance SS shown in FIG. 6(A)
between
the slits) is approximately 1/3 the length of the slits (i.e., the distance SL
shown in FIG.
6(A)). When the distance SS is about 1/3 the length of the slits, the lengths
of the
perimeter sides of the created cell openings a26 and b26 are equal. However,
in some
preferred embodiments, the distance of the lands (i.e., SS) is preferably
slightly greater
than 1/3 the length of the slits. For example, in the lattermost embodiments
above
employing a 0.35" slit length, with 0.13125" land length, the ratio is
approximately 0.375.
Accordingly, in this example, the length of the lands are approximate 12.5%
larger than
1/3 the length of the slits.
In some preferred embodiments, the lengths of the lands would be about 1/3 the
length of the slits plus or minus about 25%. In some other preferred
embodiments, the
lengths of the lands would be about 1/3 the length of the slits plus or minus
about 20%.
In some preferred embodiments, the lengths of the lands would be about 1/3 the
length
of the slits plus or minus about 15%. In some other preferred embodiments, the
lengths
of the lands would be about 1/3 the length of the slits plus or minus about
10%.
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In some other preferred embodiments, the lengths of the lands would be between
about 1/3 the length of the slits to 25% greater than 1/3 the length of the
slits. In some
other preferred embodiments, the lengths of the lands would be between about
1/3 the
length of the slits to 20% greater than 1/3 the length of the slits. In some
other preferred
embodiments, the lengths of the lands would be between about 1/3 the length of
the
slits to 15% greater than 1/3 the length of the slits.
In some other preferred
embodiments, the lengths of the lands would be between about 1/3 the length of
the
slits to 10% greater than 1/3 the length of the slits.
In some other preferred embodiments, the lengths of the lands would be between
about 5% greater than 1/3 the length of the slits to about 25% greater than
1/3 the
length of the slits. In some other preferred embodiments, the lengths of the
lands would
be between about 10% greater than 1/3 the length of the slits to about 20%
greater than
1/3 the length of the slits. In some other preferred embodiments, the lengths
of the
lands would be between about 10% greater than 1/3 the length of the slits to
about 15%
greater than 1/3 the length of the slits. In some other preferred embodiments,
the
lengths of the lands are such that the slit length SL is approximately set in
relation to the
split spacing SS as follows: SL = 2.6667 x SS.
In some preferred embodiments, the dimensions of the expandable slit sheet
paper are proportionally reduced from an expandable slit sheet paper having a
0.5" slit
length, a 1/8" (0.125 inch) spacing between rows, and a spacing between slits
within the
same row (i.e., land length) of 3/16" (0.1875 inch) as follows: a) the row
spacing is
proportionally reduced by a ratio SL(new)/0.5 and b) the slit spacing is set
at SL(new)
divided by 2.6667. For example, some preferred embodiments include dimensions
as
set forth below Table A:
Slit Length (SL) Slit Spacing (SS) Row
Spacing (RS)
Example A 0.45 inches 0.1687 inches 0.1125
inches
Example B 0.425 inches 0.1594 inches 0.1063
inches
Example C 0.40 inches 0.1500 inches 0.1000
inches
Example D 0.375 inches 0.1406 inches 0.09375
inches
Example E 0.35 inches 0.13125 inches 0.0875
inches
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Example F 0.325 inches 0.1219 inches 0.0813
inches
Example G 0.30 inches 0.1125 inches 0.0750
inches
Example H 0.275 inches 0.1031 inches 0.0688
inches
Example I 0.25 inches 0.09375 inches 0.0625
inches
Example J 0.225 inches 0.08438 inches 0.0563
inches
Example K 0.20 inches 0.07500 inches 0.05 inches
Example L 0.175 inches 0.06562 inches 0.4375
inches
With reference to FIG. 10, FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing showing a slit
pattern
along the lines of Example I, highlighted above, according to some preferred
embodiments, with illustrative dimensions depicted on the figure according to
some
preferred embodiments. According to some highly advantageous implementations,
the
embodiment shown in FIG. 10 can be employed within envelopes (such as, e.g.,
any of
the envelopes described the present application). In some preferred
embodiments, the
embodiment shown in FIG. 10 can be employed as a single cushioning layer
within an
envelope, such that the envelope has a single cushioning layer formed by this
Example
I in an expanded state within both inner and outer walls of the envelope.
Among other
things, this embodiment shown in FIG. 10 provides substantial cushioning an
reduced
width in a highly optimized fashion. In the preferred embodiments, the slit
sheet paper
shown in FIG. 10 would be an extensible paper as described in various
extensible
embodiments herein.
In some preferred embodiments, the corresponding row spacings of the
Examples A to L in the above Table A are substantially as shown in Table A. In
some
preferred embodiments, the row spacings of Examples A to L can be
substantially as
shown in Table A plus or minus 20%, or, more preferably, substantially as
shown in
Table A plus or minus 15%, or, more preferably, substantially as shown in
Table A plus
or minus 10%, or, more preferably, substantially as shown in Table A plus or
minus 5%.
Furthermore, in some preferred embodiments, the corresponding row spacings of
the Examples A to L in the above Table A are, more preferably, within a range
that is
the same or lower than the row spacings shown in Table A for the respective
slit
lengths; notably, with reduced slit length, there can be increased difficulty
to open the
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cells, which difficulty is increased with larger row spacings. Accordingly, as
the slit
lengths are decreased, in some preferred embodiments, the row spacing
decreases an
extent that is proportionally the same or more than the proportional decrease
in the slit
length. Notably, while the present inventor discovered that slit lengths could
be viably
decreased by the use of extensible papers as described herein, the present
inventor
also noted that even with extensible papers reduction in slit lengths can
increase
difficulty to open cells in the event that row spacings are proportionally too
large.
Although the preceding Table A shows row spacings that are substantially
reduced well below the 1/8" (0.125 inch) row spacing of the background art, in
some
alternative embodiments, the row spacings for various embodiments of the
invention
(including that of, e.g., Examples A to L in the preceding Table) can still be
larger. That
is, while the present invention very advantageously enables such a reduced row
spacing due to the greatly improved cushioning characteristics that enable the
row
spacing to be reduced (e.g., the reduction in cushioning resultant from
reduced row
spacing can be offset by the improved cushioning characteristics of the
present
invention), such a substantial reduction is not necessarily required, as long
as the cell
structure can be opened for expansion.
For example, in some alternative embodiments, any of the embodiments of the
invention having slit lengths within a range of 0.40 to 0.25 can employ row
spacings that
are less than that of the existing art, such as, e.g., less than 0.125 inches,
or, more
preferably, less than 0.12 inches, or, more preferably, less than 0.115
inches, or, more
preferably, less than 0.1125 inches, or, more preferably, less than 0.0875
inches, or, in
some embodiments more preferably, less than 0.08 inches.
In some other alternative embodiments, the various embodiments of the
invention shown in the preceding Table A can be modified such that:
a) the slit spacing (which is shown in Table A as approximately based on the
formula SL = 2.6667 x SS), can be adapted to be based on the formula SL =
K x SS, where K is a value between 2.4 and 3.3, or, more preferably, where K
is a value between 2.5 and 3, or, more preferably, where K is a value
between 2.6 and 2.8); and/or
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b) the row spacing (which is shown in Table A as approximately based on the
row spacing being proportionally reduced by a ratio SL(new)/0.5, such as to
be based on the formula RS(new) = 0.125/0.5 x SL(new) or RS(new) = 0.25 x
SL(new)), can be adapted to be based on the formula RS(new) = Y x
SL(new), where Y is a value between 0.2 to 0.4, or, more preferably, where Y
is a value between 0.22 and 0.3, or, more preferably, where Y is a value
between 0.23 and 0.27.
In some preferred embodiments, the slit paper pattern of slits
advantageously has slits in the range from 0.2 to 0.3 inches (i.e., in the
lengthwise dimension of the slits) and spaces between rows in the range from
0.06 to 0.7 inches (i.e., the distance between adjacent rows of slits).
Preferably,
the slit paper pattern of slits advantageously has slits of about 0.25 inches
(i.e.,
in the lengthwise dimension of the slits) and spaces between rows of about
0.06
to about 0.065 inches (i.e., the distance between adjacent rows of slits) and
most preferably spaces between rows of about 0.0625 inches.
In some preferred embodiments, the space between the slits of each row
is preferably in the range from about 0.1 to about 0.09 inches and most
preferably, the space between the slits of each row is about 0.094 inches.
In some embodiments, the foregoing dimensions can produce a slit pattern that
creates more cells per square foot, provides crush resistance and resiliency
for
cushioning the items packed within an envelope while providing a thin
envelope. In
some example, a "thin envelope" is provided that has a distance between the
outermost layers 904 and 902 of the envelope (see, e.g., Fig. 9) that employs
a slit
paper pattern of slits in the range from 0.2 to 0.3 inches (i.e., in the
lengthwise
dimension of the slits) and spaces between rows in the range from 0.06 to 0.7
inches (i.e., the distance between adjacent rows of slits).
In all of the embodiments of the present invention, the paper is, most
preferably,
an extensible paper. In various embodiments, the extensible paper is an
extensible
paper according to any of the embodiments or examples of extensible paper
disclosed
herein.
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In various embodiments, the extendable paper can employ extensibility
according to any of the embodiments described herein, including, e.g., any of
the
Example 1 to Example 72 described above. Moreover, the extendable paper can
include features of any of the extensible papers described herein in relation
to, e.g.,
opening forces required, paper weight or type, etc. However, as described
herein, in
embodiments that are to employ an alternating row expansion pattern, it is
noted that
the extensibility is adapted to achieve the alternating row expansion pattern
as
described herein.
In some illustrative examples, in some embodiments, an extensible paper is
employed having an extensible range of 3 to 20% in the machine direction. In
some
illustrative examples, in some embodiments, an extensible paper is employed
having an
extensible range of 3 to 20% in the cross direction. In some illustrative
examples, in
some embodiments, an extensible paper is employed having an extensible range
of 3 to
15% in the machine direction. In some illustrative examples, in some
embodiments, an
extensible paper is employed having an extensible range of 3 to 15% in the
cross
direction. In some illustrative examples, in some embodiments, an extensible
paper is
employed having an extensible range of 7 to 15% in the machine direction. In
some
illustrative examples, in some embodiments, an extensible paper is employed
having an
extensible range of 7 to 15% in the cross direction. In some illustrative
examples, the
extensible range is not less than 5% in both the machine direction and cross
direction.
Moreover, in some illustrative examples, the slit sheet paper is an extensible
slit
sheet configured such that expansion is performed by applying an expansion
force of
0.15 to 0.22 pounds per inch to form said open cells.
Moreover, in some illustrative examples, the slit sheet paper is an extensible
slit
sheet, wherein said slit sheet paper has a weight, prior to expansion, from
about 30 to
50 pounds per 3,000 sq. ft. Notably, all of the embodiments of the invention
described
herein (e.g., the various slit patterns, including slit lengths, slit
spacings, row spacings,
etc.) can be employed in various implementations of papers with weights within
this
range in some embodiments, such as, e.g., on 30# paper, 40# paper, 50# paper,
and
on any papers within this range. Moreover, in other embodiments, papers can be
employed lower than this range of 30# to 50#, such as, e.g., 20# or less, or
larger than
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this range, such as, e.g., 60# or more. However, in preferred embodiments, due
to
enhanced cushioning characteristics achieved, papers with lower weights can be
employed while obtaining the same or even greater cushioning characteristics
than prior
expandable slit sheet papers.
As indicated above, with the present invention, expanded slit sheets can be
created having greatly improved cushioning characteristics. The improvement in
cushioning characteristics can be achieved due to one or more, or all of the
following:
a) In the preferred embodiments, the use of an extensible paper enables an
"easier opening" structure, which enables the creation of smaller cells,
whereby the smaller cells advantageously lead to the formation of increased
cell density and, hence, improved cushioning characteristics.
b) In some of the preferred embodiments, the use of an extensible paper
enables the achievement of a novel "alternating row expansion pattern" which
has substantially improved cushioning characteristics over prior expansion
patterns.
As indicated above, with the present invention, novel and previously-unviable
cushioning products can be created, such as, for example:
a) In some preferred embodiments, a novel envelope structure can be achieved
having great advantages over existing envelope structures. For example, the
present invention enables a substantially thinner cushioning expanded slit
sheet (e.g., with substantially smaller row spacings) and also provides
substantial cushioning with a single layer or with just a few layers.
Accordingly, an envelope with much narrower width can be achieved, and
with even just a single cushioning layer. Furthermore, the envelope can be
made with lighter weight paper, resulting in an easier to use product (e.g.,
less stiff) and a lighter product (e.g., reduced shipping costs). Notably, the
lighter product weight along with the narrower product width both
advantageously lead to reduced shipping costs.
b) In some preferred embodiments, a novel cushioning wrap can be achieved
having great advantages over existing cushioning wraps, such as, e.g.,
increased cushioning characteristics, enabling, e.g., reduction in layers of
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cushioning required in some applications, reduction in amount of cushioning
required, and other advantages and benefits as described herein.
Broad Scope of the Invention
While illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described herein,
the
present invention is not limited to the various preferred embodiments
described herein,
but includes any and all embodiments having equivalent elements,
modifications,
omissions, combinations (e.g., of aspects across various embodiments),
adaptations
and/or alterations as would be appreciated by those in the art based on the
present
disclosure. The limitations in the claims are to be interpreted broadly based
on the
language employed in the claims and not limited to examples described in the
present
specification or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are
to be
construed as non-exclusive.
For example, in the present disclosure, the term
"preferably" is non-exclusive and means "preferably, but not limited to.
In this
disclosure and during the prosecution of this application, means-plus-function
or step-
plus-function limitations will only be employed where for a specific claim
limitation all of
the following conditions are present in that limitation: a) "means for" or
"step for" is
expressly recited; b) a corresponding function is expressly recited; and c)
structure,
material or acts that support that structure are not recited. In this
disclosure and during
the prosecution of this application, the terminology "present invention" or
"invention"
may be used as a reference to one or more aspect within the present
disclosure. The
language present invention or invention should not be improperly interpreted
as an
identification of criticality, should not be improperly interpreted as
applying across all
aspects or embodiments (i.e., it should be understood that the present
invention has a
number of aspects and embodiments), and should not be improperly interpreted
as
limiting the scope of the application or claims. In this disclosure and during
the
prosecution of this application, the terminology "embodiment" can be used to
describe
any aspect, feature, process or step, any combination thereof, and/or any
portion
thereof, etc. In some examples, various embodiments may include overlapping
features. In this disclosure, the following abbreviated terminology may be
employed:
"e.g." which means "for example."
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The use of individual numerical values is stated as approximations as though
the
values were preceded by the word "about", "substantially", or "approximately."
Similarly,
the numerical values in the various ranges specified in this application,
unless expressly
indicated otherwise, are stated as approximations as though the minimum and
maximum values within the stated ranges were both preceded by the word
"about",
"substantially", or "approximately." In this manner, variations above and
below the
stated ranges can be used to achieve substantially the same results as values
within
the ranges. As used herein, the terms "about", "substantially", and
"approximately" when
referring to a numerical value shall have their plain and ordinary meanings to
a person
of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosed subject matter is most
closely related or
the art relevant to the range or element at issue. The amount of broadening
from the
strict numerical boundary depends upon many factors. For example, some of the
factors
which may be considered include the criticality of the element and/or the
effect a given
amount of variation will have on the performance of the claimed subject
matter, as well
as other considerations known to those of skill in the art. As used herein,
the use of
differing amounts of significant digits for different numerical values is not
meant to limit
how the use of the words "about", "substantially", or "approximately" will
serve to
broaden a particular numerical value or range. Thus, as a general matter,
"about",
"substantially", or "approximately" broaden the numerical value. Also, the
disclosure of
ranges is intended as a continuous range including every value between the
minimum
and maximum values plus the broadening of the range afforded by the use of the
term
"about", "substantially", or "approximately". Thus, recitation of ranges of
values herein
are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually
to each
separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein,
and each
separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were
individually recited
herein. To the extent that determining a given amount of variation of some the
factors
such as the criticality of the slit patterns, paper width differential pre-
and post-
expansion, paper weights and type, as well as other considerations known to
those of
skill in the art to which the disclosed subject matter is most closely related
or the art
relevant to the range or element at issue will have on the performance of the
claimed
subject matter, is not considered to be within the ability of one of ordinary
skill in the art,
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or is not explicitly stated in the claims, then the terms "about",
"substantially", and
"approximately" should be understood to mean the numerical value, plus or
minus 15%.
It is to be understood that any ranges, ratios and ranges of ratios that can
be
formed by, or derived from, any of the data disclosed herein represent further
embodiments of the present disclosure and are included as part of the
disclosure as
though they were explicitly set forth. This includes ranges that can be formed
that do or
do not include a finite upper and/or lower boundary. Accordingly, a person of
ordinary
skill in the art most closely related to a particular range, ratio or range of
ratios will
appreciate that such values are unambiguously derivable from the data
presented
herein.
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