The packaging material includes a packaging material body formed into a sheet shape as a whole by welding two film sheets having an upper sheet and a lower sheet together at appropriate points; an air introduction path having the packaging material body, one side thereof serving as an air introduction port and the other side sealed; a plurality of air bags having the packaging material body while being in communication with the air introduction path, and extending in a direction orthogonal to the air introduction path; and check valves provided to respective air inlets of the plurality of air bags and preventing escaping of air having been introduced through the air introduction port and introduced into the air bags through the air inlets. The packaging material body is bent and welded at appropriate points, whereby a packaging bag for storing a packaged object is provided.

A packing material including a strip of corrugated cellulosic material and a method of packing an object in a shipping box using the packing material. The strip of corrugated cellulosic material includes a plurality of macro flutes and is moveable between an expanded state and a compressed state. The strip of corrugated cellulosic material is in the compressed state when a compression force is applied to the strip of corrugated cellulosic material in the longitudinal direction and in the expanded state when the compression force is removed. The length of the strip of corrugated cellulosic material is longer in the expanded state than the compressed state.

A packing material including a strip of corrugated cellulosic material and a method of packing an object in a shipping box using the packing material. The strip of corrugated cellulosic material includes a plurality of macro flutes and is moveable between an expanded state and a compressed state. The strip of corrugated cellulosic material is in the compressed state when a compression force is applied to the strip of corrugated cellulosic material in the longitudinal direction and in the expanded state when the compression force is removed. The length of the strip of corrugated cellulosic material is longer in the expanded state than the compressed state.

A packaging material includes a web of pouches and an outer skin. One panel of the web has an inflation pattern that is not inflated. The web has a continuous inflation channel that is in fluid communication with the inflation pattern. Each of the pouches of the web can be inflated by inflating the inflation pattern while the outer skin already attached to the outside of the web. The outer skin is attached to the web only along edge lines of the pouches. The outer skin is detached from the web between the edge lines of the pouches. The outer skin is attached to the outside of the web such that the continuous inflation pattern extends above the outer skin.

A packaging material includes a web of pouches and an outer skin. One panel of the web has an inflation pattern that is not inflated. The web has a continuous inflation channel that is in fluid communication with the inflation pattern. Each of the pouches of the web can be inflated by inflating the inflation pattern while the outer skin already attached to the outside of the web. The outer skin is attached to the web only along edge lines of the pouches. The outer skin is detached from the web between the edge lines of the pouches. The outer skin is attached to the outside of the web such that the continuous inflation pattern extends above the outer skin.

Items may be packaged for shipping or storage using additive manufacturing techniques, also known as three dimensional (3-D) printing. Packages made by such processes may be referred to as 3-D printed packages and may include packing material printed at least partially around the item(s) and/or an outer cover printed about at least a portion of an exterior of the packing material and/or the item(s). A packaging system may include a 3-D printer and a computing device communicatively coupled to the 3-D printer. The computing device may obtain a packaging model describing a package for one or more items. A print module of the computing device may include instructions to print the package at least partially about the item(s) according to the packaging model.

A taco shell is produced by applying a plasticizing agent to a targeted region including a base or spine portion of a hard taco shell and lower sections of taco shell sidewalls, thereby softening the targeted region, preferably across a strip width between 16 mm-20 mm, and enabling the sidewalls of the hard taco shell to engage each other without cracking or otherwise breaking the taco shell. As a further result, when the taco shell is bitten, the softened targeted region has some hinging flexibility or pliability which reduces the potential for any crack propagation. Therefore, the structural integrity of the hard taco shell can be better maintained during packaging and while be eaten, resulting in retention of the fillings and less mess. If desired, an anti-migration agent can also be applied to assure containment of the plasticizing agent in the targeted region.

The invention relates to a method for cushioning objects in a container, said method comprising the following steps: a. detecting and/or determining a variable characterizing a residual empty volume of the container by means of at least one sensor, and b. automatically producing at least one cushioning means depending on the variable characterizing the residual empty volume of the container. According to the invention, a cushioning means is produced only when this results from a comparison of the variable characterizing the residual empty volume of the container with a limit value.

The invention relates to a method for cushioning objects in a container, said method comprising the following steps: a. detecting and/or determining a variable characterizing a residual empty volume of the container by means of at least one sensor, and b. automatically producing at least one cushioning means depending on the variable characterizing the residual empty volume of the container. According to the invention, a cushioning means is produced only when this results from a comparison of the variable characterizing the residual empty volume of the container with a limit value.

A recyclable, thermally insulated shipping container is entirely constructed from organic fiber materials in such a manner that the container is curbside recyclable without separation of component materials. The container includes a corrugated cardboard outer box having a bottom wall, a plurality of sidewalls and a top wall, a corrugated cardboard inner liner assembly comprising a corrugated cardboard inner box having a bottom wall and a plurality of sidewalls, and a corrugated cardboard lid assembly. The outer box, inner liner assembly and lid assembly cooperate to create a plurality of thermally insulated cavities which are sequentially filled and uniformly packed with pre-portioned, predetermined volumes of loose-fill cellulose (organic fiber) insulation to create a consistent insulating value throughout the container.