Cushioned mailer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12473134-B2
Application number	US-202318099502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2023
Priority date	Jul 30, 2020
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

A cushioned mailer includes a paper outer layer; a paper inner layer defining an inner cavity of the cushioned mailer, the inner cavity configured to receive contents therein, the inner cavity defining an opening at a top end of the cushioned mailer, the opening allowing access to the inner cavity; and an intermediate cushioning layer disposed between the paper outer layer and the paper inner layer, the intermediate cushioning layer comprising a plurality of cushioning inserts, each of the plurality of cushioning inserts being substantially uniform in size and shape.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . A cushioned mailer comprising:
a paper outer layer; a paper inner layer defining an inner cavity of the cushioned mailer, the inner cavity configured to receive contents therein, the inner cavity defining an opening at a top end of the cushioned mailer, the opening allowing access to the inner cavity; an intermediate cushioning layer disposed between the paper outer layer and the paper inner layer, the intermediate cushioning layer comprising a plurality of voids defined between the paper outer layer and the paper inner layer and a plurality of cushioning inserts, each of the plurality of cushioning inserts being substantially uniform in size and shape and received in a corresponding one of the plurality of voids, each void having a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the cushioning insert disposed therein so that each void is configured to allow unrestricted movement of the cushioning insert disposed therein about the corresponding void; and a closure flap extending from the top end of the cushioned mailer, the closure flap comprising an adhesive strip, the adhesive strip configured to seal the cushioned mailer in a closed orientation, the closure flap covering the opening in the closed orientation to retain the contents in the inner cavity, wherein the adhesive strip is removably covered by a peelable backing, the peelable backing is removable from the adhesive strip to expose the adhesive strip and seal the cushioned mailer in the closed orientation, and the peelable backing defines an overhanging tab at a first backing end of the peelable backing, the overhanging tab extending beyond a side edge of the closure flap.

2 . The cushioned mailer of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cushioning inserts are arranged in a single layer between the paper inner layer and the paper outer layer, the plurality of cushioning inserts defining a plurality of rows and columns of the cushioning inserts.

3 . The cushioned mailer of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cushioning inserts comprises a starch material, and wherein the starch material is repulpable.

4 . The cushioned mailer of claim 3 , each of the plurality of cushioning inserts is substantially spherical in shape.

5 . The cushioned mailer of claim 1 , wherein the closure flap further comprises a tear strip, the tear strip extending substantially along a width of the closure flap, the tear strip disposed between the adhesive strip and the top end of the cushioned mailer, wherein the tear strip is configured to be torn away from the closure flap to reconfigure the cushioned mailer from the closed orientation to an open orientation.

6 . The cushioned mailer of claim 5 , wherein:
the adhesive strip is a first adhesive strip and the peelable backing is a first peelable backing; the closure flap further comprises a second adhesive strip and a second peelable backing removably covering the second adhesive strip; and the tear strip is disposed between the first adhesive strip and the second adhesive strip.

7 . The cushioned mailer of claim 5 , wherein a hanging hole is defined through the tear strip, the hanging hole configured to receive a hanger device therethrough to suspend the cushioned mailer in an upright, vertical orientation.

8 . The cushioned mailer of claim 1 , wherein the cushioned mailer defines a first sealing end and a second sealing end, and wherein the first sealing end is folded over and sealed to the second sealing end to define a continuous mailer sidewall encompassing all sides of the inner cavity.

9 . The cushioned mailer of claim 8 , wherein:
the cushioned mailer defines a bottom end opposite the top end; a bottom sealing flap extends from the bottom end of the cushioned mailer; and the bottom sealing flap encloses the inner cavity at the bottom end.

10 . The cushioned mailer of claim 1 , wherein:
the cushioned mailer defines a front panel and a rear panel; the front panel is folded relative to the rear panel at a bottom fold line at a bottom end of the cushioned mailer; the cushioned mailer further defines a first sealing flap at a first side of the cushioned mailer and a second sealing flap at a second side of the cushioned mailer opposite the first side; the first sealing flap and the second sealing flap are folded at the bottom end; each of the first and second sealing flaps comprise a front flap portion adjacent to the front panel and a rear flap portion adjacent to the rear panel; the front flap portion of the first sealing flap is sealed to the rear flap portion of the first sealing flap; and the front flap portion of the second sealing flap is sealed to the rear flap portion of the second sealing flap.

11 . The cushioned mailer of claim 1 , wherein:
the cushioned mailer comprises a front panel, a rear panel, a first gusset disposed at a first side of the cushioned mailer, and a second gusset disposed at a second side of the cushioned mailer opposite the first side; each of the front panel and the rear panel extend between the first gusset and the second gusset; and each of the first gusset and the second gusset extend inward towards the inner cavity.

12 . The cushioned mailer of claim 11 , wherein each of the first gusset and the second gusset comprise a rear gusset flap connected to the rear panel at a rear flap bend line and a front gusset flap connected to the front panel at a front flap bend line, the rear gusset flap is connected to the front gusset flap at a side gusset bend line, and the rear gusset flap is folded towards the front gusset flap at the side gusset bend line to define a substantially V-shaped cross-section.

13 . A cushioned mailer comprising:
a paper outer layer; a paper inner layer defining an inner cavity of the cushioned mailer, the inner cavity configured to receive contents therein, the inner cavity defining an opening at a top end of the cushioned mailer, the opening allowing access to the inner cavity; an intermediate cushioning layer disposed between the paper outer layer and the paper inner layer, the intermediate cushioning layer comprising a plurality of voids defined between the paper outer layer and the paper inner layer and a plurality of cushioning inserts, each of the plurality of cushioning inserts being received in a corresponding one of the plurality of voids, each void having a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the cushioning insert disposed therein so that each void is configured to allow unrestricted movement of the cushioning insert disposed therein about the corresponding void; and a closure flap extending from the top end of the cushioned mailer, the closure flap comprising an adhesive strip, the adhesive strip configured to seal the cushioned mailer in a closed orientation, the closure flap covering the opening in the closed orientation to retain the contents in the inner cavity, wherein the adhesive strip is removably covered by a peelable backing, the peelable backing is removable from the adhesive strip to expose the adhesive strip and seal the cushioned mailer in the closed orientation, and the peelable backing defines an overhanging tab at a first backing end of the peelable backing, the overhanging tab extending beyond a side edge of the closure flap.

14 . The cushioned mailer of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of voids are arranged to define a plurality of rows of the voids and a plurality of columns of the voids.

15 . The cushioned mailer of claim 13 , wherein:
each of the plurality of voids is defined by a first socket defined by the paper outer layer and a second socket defined by

Assignees

• Pratt Corrugated Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Sollie Greg
• Stanton Christopher M

Classifications

• B65D75/323

  and forming several compartments · CPC title

• B65D2581/053

  Paper in general, e.g. paperboard, carton, molded paper · CPC title

• B65D2575/3227

  Cuts or weakening lines · CPC title

• B65D81/051 Primary

  using pillow-like elements filled with cushioning material, e.g. elastic foam, fabric · CPC title

• B65D81/03 Primary

  Wrappers or envelopes with shock-absorbing properties, e.g. bubble films {(for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3888)} · CPC title