The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 14, 1992
Filed:
Sep. 05, 1989
John R David, St. Paul, MN (US);
Joseph F Garvey, St. Paul, MN (US);
Curtis L Larson, Hudson, WI (US);
James M Peck, St. Paul, MN (US);
Norbert E Wrobel, Marine-on-the-St. Croix, MN (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A protective packaging container for encasing an article therein has air impermeable inner and outer walls. The inner wall defines a pouch for reception of the article, and the inner and outer walls are bonded together to define a hermetic chamber therebetween. Within the chamber, a mass of resilient compressible material is disposed, assuming a first compressed state when a reduced atmospheric pressure is maintained in the chamber. The resilient material assumes a second expanded state when the material is exposed to atmospheric pressure, when the chamber hermetic seal is breached. Upon expansion, the resilient material urges the inner wall about the article and provides an impact-absorbing cushion about the article. In one embodiment, a relatively inflexible protective panel member is provided on each side of the packaging container within the chamber between the resilient compressible material and the outer wall. Thus, expansion of the resilient material urges each protective panel outwardly against the outer wall to provide an impact resistant shield about the article.