The present disclosure relates generally to tension-activated, expanding articles that include single slit patterns. In some embodiments, these articles are used as cushioning films and/or packaging materials. The present disclosure also relates to methods of making and using these tension-activated, expanding articles.

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, 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.

An expanding machine includes a chassis, a feeding roller carrying a honeycomb paper, a guiding roller, and an expansion roller assembly including an upper expansion roller, a lower expansion roller, and a passage gap. The upper expansion roller includes upper projection assemblies that are staggered with respect to each other. Each of the projecting assemblies includes upper projecting portions and upper supporting portions that are alternate with respect to each other. The lower expansion roller includes projecting portions and supporting portions corresponding to the upper expansion roller. When the expansion roller assembly is put into rotation, the upper projecting portions correspond to the lower supporting portion, and the lower projecting portions correspond to the upper supporting portions, so that the projections that are separately arranged may pull and expand the honeycomb paper, making it not readily compress down the honeycomb paper or generating apparent compressing marking.

An extensible slit sheet paper product is produced having an expandable slit pattern that forms open cells upon expansion of the paper product. The paper product is an extensible paper having an extensibility in the range from 1-9% in the machine direction and 1-5% in the cross direction. The expansion produces an array of hexagonal cells. The expanded extensible paper can be used to wrap an object for shipping by wrapping and cushioning the object in the expanded slit sheet material. The extensible, expandable slit sheet paper can be wrapped around itself to produce a void fill product.

An existing acoustic honeycomb panel having a radius of curvature is cut into segments that have longitudinal and lateral sides that extend between the edges of the honeycomb. The segments are bonded together along their longitudinal or lateral sides to form a segmented acoustic honeycomb in which the radius of curvature is different from the radius of curvature of the original acoustic honeycomb panel. The shape of the longitudinal or lateral sides of the segments and the thickness of the adhesive bond can be controlled to provide segmented acoustic honeycomb panels that are tightly curved and which are suitable for use in demanding noise damping applications, such as jet engine nacelles.

For forming a sound absorption/insulation honeycomb panel by stacking an air-permeable material, a honeycomb material filled with a sound absorption material and a reflector, and adhesively joining these materials, it is hard to join the honeycomb material and the air-permeable material adhesively due to a thin wall surface of the honeycomb material and a resultant line to surface adhesive joint therebetween, causing a problem of low adhesive strength. By using a water absorption honeycomb material, an adhesive joint is formed with an adhesive joint area increased by dipping an end of a wall surface of a cell forming the water absorption honeycomb material into a water-soluble adhesive, making the end flexible over a fixed period of time, and then pressing the end strongly against an air-permeable material as a counterpart of the adhesive joint to deform a tip into an inverted T-shape.

An improved expandable slit-sheet stock material is configured to aid in temporarily restricting opening of a plurality of slits of the slit-sheet stock material, such as during winding of the unexpanded stock material or during expansion of the stock material. Each slit of the plurality of slits includes one or more un-slit reinforcement portions, such as reinforcement ties, extending fully between opposite longitudinal sides of the slit, and disposed between opposed transverse endpoints of the slit. The reinforcement ties minimize or prevent tearing of the stock material during the winding or expansion. A dunnage conversion system for expanding the slit-sheet stock material includes an expander having a pair of opposed rollers. The rollers engage the stock material to effect breaking of the un-slit reinforcement portions and expansion of the slit-sheet stock material.

An extensible slit sheet paper product is produced having an expandable slit pattern that forms open cells upon expansion of the paper product. The paper product is an extensible paper having an extensibility in the range from 1-9% in the machine direction and 1-5% in the cross direction. The expansion produces an array of hexagonal cells. The expanded extensible paper can be used to wrap an object for shipping by wrapping and cushioning the object in the expanded slit sheet material. The extensible, expandable slit sheet paper can be wrapped around itself to produce a void fill 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.