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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. An expansible honeycomb-type element comprising a plurality of stacked
strips of readily foldable material secured to each other at a plurality
of spaced and staggered positions in an initially flat and compact
relationship, whereby the stacked strips can be expanded to define a slab
having a multiplicity of cells, including a supporting strip defining an
end member of said stack, said supporting strip being secured at a
plurality of positions to a next subjacent strip, and a suspension
structure overlying and secured to said supporting strip at a plurality of
positions spaced and offset from the positions at which the supporting
strip is secured to said subjacent strip, the portions of said supporting
strip between said positions at which it is secured to the suspension
structure and to the subjacent strip defining connection suspension walls,
characterized by extensible portions forming a part of at least certain of
said connecting suspension walls, said extensible portions being
extensible longitudinally of the strip, whereby the portions of the
supporting strip which are not secured to the suspension structure are
expansible away from the suspension structure to define cells between the
supporting strip and the suspension structure.
2. A honeycomb-type element as defined in claim 1 wherein when the stack is
unexpanded said certain of the walls are longer than the straight line
distance between the secured ends thereof and include folded portions
which define said extensible portions and which straighten when the stack
is expanded.
3. A honeycomb-type element as defined in claim 2 wherein said folded
portions are of generally flattened Z-form.
4. A honeycomb-type element as defined in claim 2 wherein the connecting
suspension walls comprise end portions of the supporting strip, said end
portions extending freely beyond and being hingable with respect to the
suspension structure.
5. A honeycomb-type element as defined in claim 4 wherein all of said
strips including the supporting strip are of substantially the same
length.
6. A honeycomb-type element as defined in claim 4 wherein all of said
strips including the supporting strip are of substantially the same length
and the end portions of the supporting strip are displaced inwardly toward
each other by said folded portions thereof, the end portions of said
subjacent strip being folded for connection to the end portions of the
supporting strip.
7. A honeycomb-type element as defined in claim 4 wherein the extremities
of said end portions of the supporting strip are secured to the
extremities of the subjacent strip, including additional folded portions
in the end portions of at least one of said two last-mentioned strips,
said additional folded portions shortening the initial length of said
supporting strip and of the subjacent strip.
8. An expansible honeycomb-type element comprising a plurality of stacked
strips of readily foldable material secured to each other at a plurality
of spaced and staggered positions in an initially flat and compact
relationship, whereby the stacked strips can be expanded to define a slab
having a multiplicity of cells, including a supporting strip defining an
end member of said stack, said supporting strip being secured at a
plurality of positions to a next subjacent strip, and a suspension
structure comprising a relatively stiff panel overlying and secured to
said supporting strip at a plurality of positions spaced and offset from
the positions at which the supporting strip is secured to said subjacent
strip, characterized by foldable pleat-like portions of said panel located
between the portions of said panel which are secured to said supporting
strip whereby the secured portions of said panel and supporting strip are
movable with relation to each other in a direction lengthwise of the
supporting strip whereby the portions of the supporting strip which are
not secured to the suspension structure are expansible away from the
suspension structure to define cells therebetween.
9. A honeycomb-type element as defined in claim 8 further characterized by
a plurality of suspension elements swingably attached to the panel on
opposite sides of said foldable pleat-like portions.
10. An expansible honeycomb-type element comprising a plurality of stacked
strips of readily foldable material of corresponding length, said strips
being secured together in pairs at their ends in an initially flat and
compact relationship, the strips of each pair also being secured together
at a plurality of spaced intermediate positions and each strip also being
secured to the adjacent strip of an adjacent pair at positions staggered
with respect to said previously mentioned positions, whereby the stacked
strips can be expanded to form a slab having a multiplicity of cells, the
distance between the secured ends of the strips and the secured positions
closest thereto being less than the distances between the staggered
positions at which the pairs and adjacent pairs are secured together,
whereby when the stack is expanded the portions of said strips between the
secured ends and the secured positions closest thereto move to a
positional relationship more nearly coplanar than do the portions of the
strips between the intermediate and staggered positions, to define
expansion limiting walls on both side boundaries of the expanded slab.
11. In combination with a honeycomb-type element as defined in claim 10,
support means including a hanger member from which the honeycomb-type
element is adapted to be supported in depending relation, said support
means being characterized by portions integrated with said hanger member
and attached to said expansion limiting walls.
12. A combination as defined in claim 11 wherein said portions integrated
with the hanger member comprise an additional top strip which corresponds
in length to said aforementioned strips of the stack, the hanger member
being shorter than the strips, the additional top strip being secured to
the hanger member and having end portions projecting beyond the ends of
the hanger member and secured to the next subjacent strip.
13. A combination as defined in claim 12 wherein an intermediate portion of
said next subjacent strip is secured to said additional top strip for a
distance lengthwise of the strips which exceeds the length of the secured
portions of the strips at said intermediate positions.
14. In combination with a honeycomb-type element as defined in claim 10,
support means including a hanger member which is shorter in length than
the strips, characterized by an additional top strip secured to said
hanger member and having end portions secured to the uppermost strip of
said slab at the positions where said last mentioned strip is secured
together with the next subjacent strip in paired relationship.
15. A combination as defined in claim 14 further characterized by looped
portions integral with and depending from intermediate portions of said
top strip and secured to intermediate portions of said next subjacent
strip.
16. A combination as defined in claim 14 further characterized in that said
additional top strip is also secured to said expansion limiting walls.
17. An expansible honeycomb-type element comprising a plurality of
initially flat stacked strips of corrugated paperboard material, each
strip of such material consisting of a top sheet, a bottom sheet, and a
corrugated sheet therebetween, the strips being secured to each other by
hardened adhesive layers defining bonded areas, each bonded area extending
over a plurality of corrugations, said bonded areas being located at a
plurality of spaced and staggered positions, whereby the stacked strips
can be expanded to define a slab having a multiplicity of cells,
characterized in that all of the corrugations of the corrugated sheets, in
each of the bonded areas, are partially crushed to a reduced height.
18. The method of forming an expansible honeycomb-type element which
comprises bonding together at a plurality of spaced and staggered areas
and in an initially flat and compact relationship a plurality of strips of
corrugated paperboard, to form a stack, the bonded areas being in aligned
rows perpendicular to the strips and the amount of the compressing of the
stack being sufficient to compress the corrugations in said bonded areas
without substantially compressing the corrugations in other areas, the
strips being bonded by applying to the strips at said bonded areas a
separate, hardenable adhesive material in a quantity exceeding that which
will be absorbed into the strips, and permitting the adhesive to harden
before the stack is compressed, and then applying compressive force to the
entire stack, whereby the corrugations are crushed to a desired extent in
the bonded areas without unwanted crushing of the corrugations in other
areas.
19. An expansible honeycomb-type element comprising a plurality of stacked
strips of readily foldable material of corresponding length, said strips
being secured together in pairs at their ends in an initially flat and
compact relationship, the strips of each pair also being secured together
at a plurality of spaced intermediate positions and each strip also being
secured to the adjacent strip of an adjacent pair at positions staggered
with respect to said previously mentioned positions, whereby the stacked
strips can be expanded to form a slab having a multiplicity of cells,
suspension means connected to an upper strip of the stack for supporting
the expanded slab from the suspension means in depending relation thereto,
and adhesive connections defining said secured positions, characterized in
that in an upper portion of the slab the adhesive connections are wider,
in a direction lengthwise of the strips, than in a lower portion of the
slab.
20. An expansible honeycomb-type void filler formed of stacked strips
secured together at spaced and staggered positions to define cell walls
when the filler is expanded, suspension means for supporting the filler in
expanded condition, said suspension means consisting of a supporting end
strip and suspension structural portions secured to said end strip at
spaced positions, characterized by pleated hingable portions incorporated
in said suspension means permitting relative movement of parts of said
suspension means toward and from one another, in a direction lengthwise of
the strips, as the filler is expanded and recompressed, to permit opening
and closing of cell portions between the suspension structural portions
and the supporting end strip.
21. An expansible honey-comb type element as defined in claim 12 wherein
the strips are pursable as the stack is expanded, including a supporting
strip defining an end member of said stack, said supporting strip being
bonded at a plurality of areas located at end and intermediate positions
to a next subjacent strip, and a suspension structure overlying and bonded
to said supporting strip at a plurality of areas spaced and offset from
positions at which the supporting strip is bonded to said subjacent strip,
said suspension structure including a relatively rigid central portion
which is shorter than the unpursed length of said strips, and extension
arm portions at each end of and hingedly connected to said central
portion, further characterized in that said extension arm portions are
bonded to end portions of the supporting strip in elongated bonded areas
which are longer in directions lengthwise of the strips than the areas in
which the supporting strip is bonded to the subjacent strip, whereby when
the stack is expanded the elongated bonded areas move inwardly to form a
part of said expansion limiting walls and cause cells to open between the
central portion and the supporting strip and between the supporting strip
and subjacent strip. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Expansible honeycomb-type void fillers made of a lightweight fibrous stock
such as corrugated paperboard have found wide acceptance because they
provide effective protection of cargo at low overall cost thereby
benefitting the ultimate consumer as well as all merchandising, shipping
and handling operations, back to and including the manufacturer.
In order to effectively fill void areas in cargo vehicles it is generally
desirable that honeycomb-type fillers, when expanded, assume a shape as
nearly rectangular as possible. A problem which has long been recognized
in this connection derives from the fact that when honeycomb fillers are
expanded beyond a predetermined length, the mid-portions of the sides tend
to pull inwardly, imparting a waist-like or hourglass configuration to the
expanded filler and creating unprotected areas. Overstretching by the
workman who installs the filler in the truck, rail car or other carrier,
or overstretching which occurs during use due to vibration and the effect
of gravity has in the past, by causing such hourglass-type distortion,
been the cause of cargo damage due to shifting and/or falling of
unprotected portions of the cargo. Considerable effort has been devoted to
overcoming the hourglass distortion problem. See for example Bramlett U.S.
Pat. No. 3,593,671, Sewell U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,309, Sewell et al, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,372,717, and the co-pending U.S. patent application of Paul A.
Wnuk et al, Ser. No. 393,662, filed June 30, 1982, belonging to the owner
of the present application.
Although the inventions disclosed in such previous patents and patent
application reduce the tendency to hourglass distortion, some of such
prior art solutions require introducing complication in the form of parts
which add to the direct cost of the fillers, while all of such prior art
stretch limiting techniques result in reducing the expanded length of the
filler thereby making it necessary to provide additional filler material
at the bottom, in order to achieve a properly rectangular configuration
which will effectively fill the void space.
An important object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an
improved void filler of the honeycomb type incorporating means for
increasing the effective expanded length of the filler without increasing
the tendency toward hourglass distortion. A related object is to provide
improved suspension means for supporting the filler in depending relation
to the suspension means.
Another object of the invention is to provide a honeycomb-type filler made
of corrugated paperboard having improved folding characteristics which
promote ease and speed of installation.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved void filler
of the honeycomb-type which incorporates side cell wall portions which
have the dual function of resisting hourglass distortion and of preventing
the fillers, when used side-by-side, from interfiting and reducing the
effective protected space in the lateral dimension.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon
consideration of the present disclosure in its entirety.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF DRAWING
FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view, partly broken away, illustrating a
typical use of the present invention, depicting two filler units in place
between boxed cargo;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a void filler unit incorporating the
principles of the present invention, showing the same expanded;
FIG. 3 is a gluing pattern diagram showing the method of securing together
the constituent strips of the filler shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevational view of the filler unit
of FIG. 2 in the collapsed condition, the suspension means being shown
prior to attachment;
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a somewhat modified
construction;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view of the portion within the
oval designated by the Roman numeral "VI" in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing portions of two
filler units similar to the unit illustrated in FIG. 2 as used
side-by-side;
FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing two similar side-by-side filler
portions of a prior art type, illustrating the manner in which, by
undesirable interfitting, the effective protected area is reduced as
compared to units incorporating the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the upper portion of a
filler unit provided with suspension means constructed in accordance with
a prior art practice;
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary enlarged view of a front edge portion
corresponding to the part within the circle designated X in FIG. 5;
FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the same after the performance
of a compression step which is used in the manufacture of one form of the
invention;
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary enlarged view of a glued position at which two of
the strips are connected, illustrating the bent condition of strips at the
ends of the glued position, the strips being conventional uncompressed
paperboard stock;
FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 but showing the condition in a similar
glued area of strips formed of corrugated paperboard stock which has been
partially compressed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a somewhat diagrammatic fragmentary view illustrating a pressing
step employed in performing a modified method of compression;
FIG. 15 is a view of strip portions corresponding to those illustrated in
FIG. 14, showing the relationship the strips assume after removal from the
press;
FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 15 showing a glue-treated portion of the
stacked strips prior to compression;
FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 14, showing a somewhat modified
compression technique;
FIG. 18 is a view of the upper portion of a filler unit incorporating a
modified form of my improved suspension means, showing the filler
partially expanded;
FIG. 19 is a view corresponding to FIG. 18, showing the same fully
expanded;
FIGS. 20 to 23 inclusive are views similar to FIG. 19 showing improved
hanger means constructed in accordance with the present invention applied
to filler units having different cell configurations;
FIGS. 24, 25 and 26 are fragmentary isometric perspective views of the
upper portions of expanded filler units showing further modification of my
improved suspension means, and
FIGS. 27 and 28 are front elevational views of the upper portions of void
fillers having suspension means of further modified constructions, and
FIGS. 29 and 30 are diagrammatic views similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, showing
the collapsed relationship of the plies of the embodiments of FIGS. 27 and
28, respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED FORM OF THE INVENTION
Referring now in FIG. 1, which illustrates typical cargo, shown as two
groups, 30 and 31 of boxed cargo, stacked as it might be when positioned
in a freight conveyance such as a railcar, truck or trailer. The boxes 30
are shown as spaced from the boxes 31 by the void area designated 32, as
might be the case, for example, if the two groups of boxes, when placed
against opposite walls of the carrier, failed to fill the conveyance. In
order to occupy the full width of the space 32, two fillers are shown
therein, generally designated 33 and 34. Each filler consists of an
expanded honeycomb slab, generally designated 35, which is suspended from
a suspension structure consisting of a relatively stiff top hanger panel
36, which is typically of corrugated paper stock with the corrugations
extending transversely of the space 32, to bridge the same, and by a
supporting strip 38 (FIG. 2) secured to the panel 36. Strip 38 comprises
the top strip of the honeycomb slab or stack 35.
It will be recognized that the size of the filler units, the number of
strips employed, the character and strength of the material used, and
other such engineering details may vary widely in accordance with required
conditions of use. For purposes of illustration a construction is
illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 inclusive consisting of sixteen strips of
corrugated paperboard which are stacked and glued together in the manner
best disclosed in FIG. 3.
In FIG. 3, the dimensions at the bottom show, in inches, the distances
between the centers of the glued positions in such a filler of a typical
size. The glued positions are of course glue lines, which run transversely
of the strips, but the "spotting" or positioning of such glue lines is
considered herein from the standpoint of their location and their
dimension lengthwise of the strips, since such locations and dimensions
control the configuration of the cells and of the stack. The strips are
glued together in pairs at their ends, as indicated at 40, and as
indicated also by the two outermost vertical rows of the letters G in FIG.
3. The glued positions of the upper nine strips which are spaced inwardly
from such outer rows are wider than the glued connections in the outer
rows, and also wider than those between the lower eight strips, so that
all of the cells bounded by the nine upper strips are somewhat smaller
than the lower cells, thereby providing increased strength in the upper
areas. Strength is also increased by the wider glued areas.
The distance between the glued positions 40 of the outer rows and the glued
positions closest thereto is less than the distances between all of the
internal glued positions. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the distance between
the end glued positions 40 of the upper seven strips and the next
innermost glued position, designated 41, is 6.5", thereby defining
shortened, stretch-limiting unglued diagonal cell wall portions 44 which
are 5.5" long. The length of the other diagonal cell walls of the upper
seven strips is determined by the distance between the inner glued
positions, and is shown as eight inches. The distance between the end
glued positions 40 of the six next lower strips and the closest inner
glued positions, 42, is seven inches. The corresponding spacing of the two
outermost glued positions of the bottom three strips is eight inches, both
to improve the opening effect and because less strength is required.
Because of the shortened length (5.5" in the representative unit
illustrated) of the outer unglued side wall portions 44 formed by the end
portions of the upper seven strips and the similar shortened six inch
outer side walls 45 formed by the end portions of the next six subjacent
strips, and the similar 7" walls 46 of the bottom three strips, such
walls, which are shorter than all of the internal diagonal walls, tend to
stretch out to relatively straight lines, while the free diagonal walls of
the other cells remain at substantial angles to the vertical and provide
more nearly hexagonal cells.
In FIG. 2 the numerals lower than 10 indicate dimensions of the adjacent
cell portions produced by the gluing pattern indicated in FIG. 3. Each
glue line is proportioned to spread laterally (lengthwise of the strips)
to approximately one inch. The relatively straight side walls 44, 45, 46
of the expanded slab not only provide a positive limit to the downward
expansion of the slab, thereby preventing the central portion from pulling
in to the hourglass shape, but in addition, as shown in FIG. 7, when two
fillers as 33 and 34 are used side-by-side, the filler cannot interfit and
reduce the filled space, as is possible with prior art constructions, in
the manner illustrated at 39 in FIG. 8.
In order to suspend the slab from a panel-type suspension structure such as
panel 36 (or from other types of supporting means extending lengthwise of
the strips) it has been customary, in the past, as shown in FIG. 9, to
glue the support, typified by the panel 36, to the uppermost strip as 38,
for the full length of the panel or support, and to glue the second strip
39 to the strip 38 at the ends and at positions corresponding to the tops
of the cells 50 and 51 located between second strip 39 and third strip 52,
as also shown in FIG. 9. It will be seen that with such prior art
constructions it is not possible for any cell opening to occur between
panel 36 and the top strip 38 and that little or no cell opening can occur
in the region designated 55 between the central portions of the top strip
38 and second strip 39.
In contrast to such prior art constructions, the top strip 38, in
accordance with the present invention, serves not only as a part of the
suspension means, but also to provide additional cells at the upper end of
the slab, and the second strip 39 also opens fully, thereby increasing the
overall length of the filler. This effect is achieved by providing, in the
suspension means, either in the upper supporting strip 38 or in the panel
or top member of the suspension means (36 in FIGS. 2 and 4), portions
which can move laterally, that is, lengthwise of the strips, in such
manner as to permit the parts of the strip 38 which are not glued to the
panel to separate from the panel or upper suspension member, thereby
defining additional cells 70,71. This principle is shown in FIG. 4 applied
by means of the provision of folded tucks or pleats 62 and 64 in the upper
supporting strip 38. The stiff panel 36 is glued to the strip 38 at three
positions, designated 57, 58 and 59 in FIG. 2, which correspond to the
positions which the vertical rows 60, 61 and 63 of glue positions (FIG. 3)
will assume when the unit is fully expanded.
In order to permit the top supporting strip 38 to lie flat against the
panel 36, when the filler is collapsed, the folded tucks or pleats or
folds, 62 and 64 are preferably provided in the portions of strip 38
which, when the slab is expanded, form the walls 65 and 66. The portions
of strip 38 between the glued positions 57, 58, 59 move downwardly when
the filler is expanded, straightening the folded portions 62,64 and
providing half cells 70,71 between the suspension panel 36 and strip 38.
As shown in FIG. 4, a similar fold is provided at 72 and 73 in the walls
74 and 75 of the next subjacent strip 39, to permit outer end portions of
strip 38 to be moved inwardly to the outer glued positions 57 and 59 which
connect strip 38 to panel 36. Strip 39 also opens fully, providing a full
central top cell 55' rather than the narrow unopened space 55 as shown in
FIG. 9.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, it is also possible to provide the properly
positioned indrawn glued positions 57 and 59 by folding the ends of the
subjacent strip portions 74', 75' which correspond to walls 74, 75 in FIG.
2, over the outer ends of top strip 38' which corresponds to strip 38, and
gluing it thereto, as indicated at 77 in FIG. 10. It will be seen that the
folded portions 62, 64, 72, 73, 62', 64', etc. can be flattened to permit
the collapsed units to be compactly stacked and secured together and/or
palletized for shipment of the fillers to the point of use.
Corrugated paperboard-type material typically consists of top and bottom
sheets as 80, 81 and a wavularly corrugated inner sheet 82 bonded to both
(FIG. 6). As indicated above, this material is commonly used in the
construction of expansible honeycomb-type fillers because of its high
resistance to compression in directions lengthwise of the corrugations in
proportion to its weight, and its low cost. One difficulty with such
corrugated material has been that it also presents considerable resistance
to bending around axes parallel to the corrugations. The hinging action
which must occur as the stack is opened to form the expanded filler slab
is, with some such materials, so stiff that time and effort are required
in order to pull down the suspended stack to its open condition. I have
found that it is possible to substantially improve such hinging and
openability of fillers formed of such material, without greatly weakening
their strength in the protective direction parallel to the corrugations,
by partially crushing the corrugations by means of pressure applied to the
top and bottom, which may be done after the strips are stacked and glued.
In manufacturing the improved fillers glue is applied to the glued
positions in a quantity exceeding that which is absorbed by the strips,
leaving a layer as 84 of glue, between the strips, and the glue is
permitted to harden and bond the strips before the compression is exerted.
The glue positions, as brought out in FIGS. 4, 5 and 16 are aligned in
vertical rows. Compression is exerted by means of a press sufficiently to
partially flatten the corrugations, as shown in FIG. 11. As also brought
out in that view, the corrugations which overlie and underlie the layers
of hardened glue in the glued areas are distorted more than the remainder
of the corrugations. This improves the hinging action which occurs at the
ends of the glued positions, without unduly weakening the remaining
corrugations. FIG. 13 shows the hinging action of the partially crushed
cells as compared with the hinging action of uncompressed corrugations as
shown in FIG. 12. By virtue of the improved hinging, when the stacked
fillers are suspended in a void area in a cargo transport, the stack tends
to fall open to from the fully expanded slab by gravity without requiring
the expenditure of time and effort necessary to expand fillers formed with
uncrushed corrugated material. The crushing is an inexpensive step.
Moreover, since the collapsed and compressed unexpanded fillers are of
reduced thickness, there is a substantial saving in the cost of shipping
the fillers to the user.
As indicated, some reduction in strength is caused by compressing the
stacked strips in the manner described. It is possible to improve the
hinging action and ease of opening of the filler by localizing the
crushing action so that it occurs only in the glued positions. The
partially crushed cells at the extremities of the glued positions then
permit the cell walls to hinge in the same manner as if the strips were
compressed throughout their full length as in the method previously
described.
FIG. 14 shows a portion of the platen 90 of a press having a rib portion 91
on its surface which is positioned in alignment with one of the glued
positions. It will of course be understood that one of such ribs,
extending the full thickness of the stack, is provided at each glued
position. The head 92 of the press is preferably only moved downwardly to
an extent which exerts compression in the glued regions only, without
compressing the remaining portions of the strips sufficiently to distort
the corrugations. Thereafter, when the press is opened, the stack
partially reexpands, as shown in FIG. 15, leaving the glued regions
partially compressed to improve hinging at their ends.
FIG. 17 shows a modification in which a similar compression at the glued
positions is effected by cylindrical bars 91' which are placed in the
press in alignment with the glued positions. By reason of their rounded
contour, the bars effectively improve the hinging action, and necessity
for modification of the press is eliminated.
FIGS. 18 to 23 inclusive show modified constructions for permitting the
opening of partial cells between the top strip of the stack, corresponding
to strip 38 previously described, and the uppermost suspension element,
corresponding to suspension panel 36, as well as full opening between the
top strip and second strip. These views also illustrate the applicability
of the invention to honeycomb fillers having different cell
configurations.
FIG. 18 shows a filler stack of a form similar to the stack shown in FIGS.
1-5 except that the top strip 38 of the stack does not differ from the
other strips of the stack, no folds such as parts 62, 64, etc. of FIGS.
1-5 being required in the top strip. The suspension panel 36.sup.2 is
provided with pleat-like folding portions 101, 102 which are substantially
flat when the stack is collapsed but which fold upwardly to inverted
V-form and become progressively narrower, permitting the outer portions of
the panel to move inwardly as the stack is opened, as indicated in FIGS.
18 and 19, thereby permitting the unglued portions of the top strip
38.sup.2 to move downwardly, to form half-cells 70.sup.2, 71.sup.2 between
panel 36.sup.2 and strip 38.sup.2 and the second strip to open to form
cell 55.sup.2.
FIG. 20 shows a similar principle applied to a honeycomb structure of a
different cell configuration in which shortened extension-limiting walls
105, 106 are positioned inwardly from the sides of the stack. Half cells
70.sup.3, 71.sup.3, which are accordingly of a different shape, are
permitted to open by pleat-type fold portions 101.sup.3, 102.sup.2 which
similarly move up and toward closed relation as the stack is opened.
FIG. 21 shows this principle applied to another cell construction wherein
the top strip 38.sup.4 moves away from the suspension panel 36.sup.4 in
the central region only. Provision of the large half-cell 70.sup.4
requires only a single fold 101.sup.4. In this construction also, the
shortened stretch-limiting walls 105.sup.4 and 106.sup.4 are spaced
inwardly from the sides of the unit.
FIG. 22 shows a further modified construction in which only a single
centrally located stretch or extension limiting wall is formed by
shortened cell walls 105.sup.5. Partial cells 70.sup.5, 71.sup.5 on either
side of wall portions 105.sup.5 at the upper end of the unit, between the
top strip 38.sup.5 and suspension panel 36.sup.5, are permitted to open as
the unit is expanded downwardly by the fold portions 101.sup.5, 102.sup.5
which move up and partially close to permit the cells 70.sup.5, 71.sup.5
to open.
The further construction shown in FIG. 23 incorporates another cell
configuration including three rows of shortened extension-limiting cell
walls located inwardly from the sides of the unit and designated
105.sup.6, 106.sup.6 and 107.sup.6. It will be appreciated that in the
case of all of the fold or pleat portions designated 101 and 102 (and
designated similarly with different exponents), the panel material may be
scored so that it will readily fold in the manner indicated, as is well
known in the art.
Panel 36.sup.6 in FIG. 23 is shown as provided with somewhat different
folding portions. In the area between the partial cells 70.sup.6, 71.sup.6
which open as the unit is expanded, panel 36.sup.6 is scored to provide
foldable portions 101.sup.6, 102.sup.6 which fold to flat Z-form as the
unit is opened.
It is also possible to permit the lateral inward movement of the outer
portions of the suspension means necessary to the formation of the partial
and expanded top cells without using special folds or other flexible
connecting portions. This principle is brought out in FIG. 24. Three
separate suspension panels 110, 111, 112 are provided to support the
stack, which is shown as having a cell configuration corresponding to that
of FIGS. 1-4, 7, 18 and 19. Each of the panels 110, 111 and 112 is glued
only to the top of a single one of the full cells at the sides and middle.
Thus when the stack opens, the filler slab gains an additionally
lengthened effect, analogously to that achieved by the previously
described embodiments, by forming what may be referred to as open-topped
half cells at the positions designated 70.sup.7 and 71.sup.7 in FIG. 24,
and a full top center cell 55.sup.7.
If it is desired to provide a very stiff suspension structure, as may be
required with heavier filler units, or where desired by the customer in
order to improve the strength and re-usability of the fillers, a stack
having foldable portions in the top supporting strip 38, corresponding to
those illustrated at 62, 64 in FIGS. 4 and 5, may be secured to a top
panel as 115 of corrugated paperboard which is narrower than the stacked
strips, and not designed to overlie the cargo in order to support the
unit. As shown in FIG. 25, which shows strip 38 and its folds expanded as
in use, panel 115 is secured by gluing to the tops of the three full
cells, and a wood reinforcing strip 116 is attached to panel 115.
Swingable arms 120, 121 are pivotally attached to strip 116 and can be
swung to the transverse position shown, to overlie the cargo, but are
indrawn and substantially parallel to the strip when the filler is
collapsed for storage and shipment. Such swingable supporting arms are
disclosed in the prior U.S. Patent to Hees, No. 3,618,535. As is also
known in the art, other types of supports and/or suspension means may be
used, and may be attached to stiffened members such as 116 to support the
filler.
FIG. 26 shows suspension means including wire hangers 124, 125 analogous to
the hangers illustrated in Farley U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,675, but attached to
divided stiffening strips, 126, 127, which are longitudinally spaced from
each other and attached to a top panel 128 to which the subjacent strips
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