PACKING MATERIAL AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE PACKING MATERIAL
A packing material including a plurality of discrete cushioning elements and methods for making the same. The discrete cushioning elements may be cellulosic cushioning elements. A flexible linkage may connect the plurality of discrete cushioning elements in the packing material. The packing material may also include a bottom cellulosic sheet connected to a top cellulosic sheet with the plurality of cellulosic cushioning elements positioned between the top cellulosic sheet and the bottom cellulosic sheet. The packing material may also be a molded packing material that includes bonds comprising adhesive and cellulosic fibers. The adhesive and cellulosic fibers of the bonds may be dispersed between the folds of each of the cellulosic cushioning elements.
1 . A packing material comprising:
a plurality of discrete cushioning elements, the plurality of discrete cushioning elements being arrayed in a first direction and having an order with each cushioning element of the plurality of discrete cushioning elements being adjacent to at least one other cushioning element of the plurality of discrete cushioning elements, the at least one other cushioning element of the plurality of discrete cushioning elements being a first adjacent cushioning element, and each cushioning element being spaced apart from a respective first adjacent cushioning element with a first gap formed between each cushioning element and the respective first adjacent cushioning element; and
a flexible linkage connecting the plurality of discrete cushioning elements, each cushioning element being connected to the respective first adjacent cushioning element by the flexible linkage, the flexible linkage spanning the first gap between each cushioning element and the respective first adjacent cushioning element.
2 . The packing material according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of discrete cushioning elements are arrayed in a second direction and having an order with each cushioning element of the plurality of discrete cushioning elements being adjacent to another cushioning element of the plurality of discrete cushioning elements, the other cushioning element being a second adjacent cushioning element, and each cushioning element being spaced apart from the respective second adjacent cushioning element with a second gap formed between each cushioning element and the respective second adjacent cushioning element, the second direction being a direction crossing the first direction, and
wherein the flexible linkage is a first flexible linkage and a second flexible linkage connecting each cushioning element with the respective second adjacent cushioning element in the second direction, the second linkage spanning the second gap between each cushioning element and the respective second adjacent cushioning element.
3 . The packing material according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of discrete cushioning elements is a foamed resin material where the resin is one of a polymer and a starch.
4 . The packing material according to claim 1 , wherein each discrete cushioning element of the plurality of discrete cushioning elements is one of (i) a crumpled cellulosic sheet and (ii) a cellulosic material formed into a geometric shape with at least one pocket of air formed therein.
5 . The packing material according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of discrete cushioning elements is a plurality of cushioning members.
6 . The packing material according to claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of cushioning members is a crumpled cellulosic sheet.
7 . The packing material according to claim 5 , wherein the cushioning members of the plurality of cushioning members are bonded together to form the discrete cushioning element.
8 . The packing material according to claim 1 , wherein the linkage is at least one of string and tape.
9 . The packing material according to claim 1 , wherein the linkage is formed from an upper tape and a lower tape, the upper tape and the lower tape being adhered to each other by an adhesive in the first gap.
10 . The packing material according to claim 9 , wherein each of the upper tape and the lower tape being adhered to the plurality of discrete cushioning elements by the adhesive.
11 - 27 . (canceled)