EXPANDABLE PADDED MAILER

Abstract

A padded mailer includes a pouch formed by front and rear sheets, each including a bottom edge, a top edge, and opposing side edges. The sheets are connected along their bottom edges and each of their side edges to define an interior space. The top edges of the sheets are unconnected to form an opening into the interior space. The padded mailer also includes a liner disposed in the interior space, including an expandable sheet having a bottom edge, a top edge, and opposing side edges. The bottom edge of the expandable sheet is secured adjacent the bottom edges of the front and rear sheets, and the top edge and the side edges of the expandable sheet are unsecured to the front and rear sheets. Pulling the top edge of the expandable sheet relative to the pouch causes the expandable sheet to expand and increase the thickness of the liner.

Description

Claims

1. A padded mailer, comprising: a pouch formed by front and rear sheets, wherein each sheet includes a bottom edge, a top edge, and opposing side edges, wherein the sheets are connected along their respective bottom edges and along each of their respective opposing side edges to define an interior space, wherein a direction from the bottom edges to the top edges is a bottom-to-top direction, and wherein the top edges of the sheets are unconnected to form an opening into the interior space; anda liner disposed in the interior space, the liner including at least one expandable sheet that includes a bottom edge, a top edge, and opposing side edges, wherein the bottom edge of the expandable sheet is secured to at least one of the front and rear sheets adjacent their respective bottom edges, and the top edge and the opposing side edges of the expandable sheet are unsecured to the front and rear sheets such that the expandable sheet is free to expand in the bottom-to-top direction relative to the pouch;wherein pulling the top edge of the expandable sheet in the bottom-to-top direction relative to the pouch causes the expandable sheet to expand and increase the thickness of the liner.

2. The padded mailer of claim 1, wherein the expandable sheet includes an expandable slit-sheet material having a plurality of rows formed by a plurality of slits, wherein each of the plurality of rows extends transverse the bottom-to-top direction; wherein the plurality of slits that form the rows extend transverse the bottom-to-top direction.

3. The padded mailer of claim 2, wherein the expandable sheet has a relatively flat unexpanded state in which the expandable sheet lies flat within a plane, and an expanded state in which the slits are opened to form apertures and portions of the slit-sheet material between the slits are rotated out of the plane.

4. The padded mailer of claim 1, further comprising a separator sheet disposed in the interior space, the separator sheet including a top edge, a bottom edge, and opposing side edges, wherein at least one of the bottom edge and the opposing side edges of the separator sheet is secured to at least one of the front and rear sheets adjacent their respective edges.

5. The padded mailer of claim 1, further comprising a pull-tab extending from the top edge of the at least one expandable sheet and extending out from the opening to make it easier for the user to pull the top edge of the expandable sheet in the bottom-to-top direction relative to the pouch to cause expansion.

6. The padded mailer of claim 5, wherein the pull-tab includes a pull-tab adhesive layer covered by a pull-tab removable release liner.

7. The padded mailer of claim 1, wherein the front and rear sheets are made of paper.

8. The padded mailer of claim 1, wherein the expandable sheet is made of paper.

9. The padded mailer of claim 1, wherein the separator sheet is made of paper.

10. The padded mailer of claim 1, wherein the rear sheet of the pouch has a greater length in the bottom-to-top direction than the front sheet such that when the bottom edges of the front and rear sheets are aligned, the top edge of the rear sheet extends beyond the top edge of the front sheet in the bottom-to-top direction to form a pouch flap.

11. The padded mailer of claim 10, wherein the rear sheet includes a fold line adjacent the top edge of the front sheet to facilitate folding the pouch flap over the top edge of the front sheet to close the opening.

12. The padded mailer of claim 10, wherein the pouch flap includes a pouch flap adhesive layer adjacent the top edge of the rear sheet on an inner surface of the rear sheet, the inner surface of the rear sheet facing the interior space of the pouch.

13. The padded mailer of claim 12, wherein the pouch flap adhesive layer is covered by a pouch flap removable release liner.

14. The padded mailer of claim 1, wherein the front sheet includes a front sheet adhesive layer adjacent the top edge of the front sheet on an outer surface of the front sheet, the outer surface of the front sheet facing an exterior of the pouch.

15. The padded mailer of claim 14, wherein the front sheet adhesive layer is covered by a front sheet removable release liner.

16. The padded mailer of claim 1, wherein the pouch includes a mechanical fastener adjacent the respective top edges of the front and rear sheets for closing the opening of the pouch.

17. The padded mailer of claim 1, wherein the pouch includes a gum seal adjacent the respective top edges of the front and rear sheets for closing the opening of the pouch.

18. The padded mailer of claim 1, wherein the pouch includes at least one gusset where the front sheet is connected to the rear sheet along their respective bottom edges and each of their respective opposing side edges.

19. A method of packing an article for shipment using the padded mailer of claim 1, comprising the steps of: providing the padded mailer;inserting the article into the interior space of the pouch;pulling the top edge of the expandable sheet to cause the expandable sheet to expand and increase the thickness of the liner;securing the top edge of the expandable sheet to the pouch after the pulling step; andclosing the opening of the pouch.

20. A method of manufacturing the padded mailer of claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: providing the front and rear sheets oriented in face-to-face relation, each sheet including their respective bottom edge, their respective top edge, and their opposing side edges;connecting the front and rear sheets along their respective bottom edges and along each of their respective opposing side edges to define the interior space, wherein the top edges of the sheets remain unconnected to form the opening into the interior space;placing the liner in the interior space, the liner including the at least one expandable sheet including the bottom edge, the top edge, and the opposing side edges of the at least one expandable sheet;securing the bottom edge of the expandable sheet to the pouch adjacent the bottom edges of the front and rear sheets, wherein the top edge and the opposing side edges of the expandable sheet are free to move relative to the front and rear sheets of the pouch;wherein pulling the top edge of the expandable sheet in the bottom-to-top direction relative to the pouch causes the expandable sheet to expand and increase the thickness of the liner.