Packaging material

Abstract

A packaging material comprising a plurality of flexible strips of material intertwined with and bondably connected to one another so as to form a cohesive cushioning unit and method for forming same is provided. The strips of material have a bonding material disposed thereon for bondingly connecting the strips of material to one another and enabling the strips of material to be bondingly connected to a container and an article.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A packaging material, comprising: 
 a plurality of individual, narrow strips of flexible material; and    a bonding material disposed on each strip of material, 
 wherein the strips of material are amassed and bondingly interconnected to one another so as to form a cohesive, resilient tuft.  
   
     
     
         2 . The packaging material of  claim 1  wherein the bonding material is an adhesive.  
     
     
         3 . The packaging material of  claim 2  wherein the strips of material are spot coated with the adhesive.  
     
     
         4 . The packaging material of  claim 1  wherein the bonding material is a cohesive.  
     
     
         5 . The packaging material of  claim 4  wherein the strips of material are spot coated with the cohesive.  
     
     
         6 . A packaging material, comprising: 
 a mass of randomly arranged individual, thin, flexible strips of material intertwined to form a resilient tuft, the strips of material having a bonding material disposed thereon such that the strips of material are bondingly interconnected to the adjacently disposed strips of material.    
     
     
         7 . The packaging material of  claim 6  wherein the bonding material is an adhesive.  
     
     
         8 . The packaging material of  claim 7  wherein the strips of material are spot coated with the adhesive.  
     
     
         9 . The packaging material of  claim 6  wherein the bonding material is a cohesive.  
     
     
         10 . The packaging material of  claim 9  wherein the strips of material are spot coated with the cohesive.  
     
     
         11 . A package, comprising: 
 a container;    an article positioned within the container; and    a mass of randomly arranged individual, thin, flexible strips of material intertwined to form a resilient tuft, the strips of material having a bonding material disposed thereon such that the strips of material are bondingly interconnected to the adjacently disposed strips of material, the resilient tuft positioned in the container so as to substantially surround the article.    
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 11  wherein the resilient tuft is bondingly connected to the article.  
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 11  wherein the resilient tuft is bondingly connected to the container.  
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 11  wherein the resilient tuft is bondingly connected to the article and to the container.  
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 11  wherein the bonding material is an adhesive.  
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 15  wherein the strips of material are spot coated with the adhesive.  
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 11  wherein the bonding material is a cohesive.  
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 17  wherein the strips of material are spot coated with the cohesive.  
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 11  wherein the container is a basket.  
     
     
         20 . A method of making a packaging material, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a flexible sheet of material having a bonding material disposed thereon;    slitting the sheet of material to provide a sheet of material containing a plurality of strips having a predetermined width; and    cutting the slitted sheet of material to provide a plurality of individual, narrow strips of flexible material; and    randomly arranging the strips of material into a mass so as to intertwine and bondingly connect the strips of material to form a resilient, cohesive tuft.    
     
     
         21 . A method of making a packaging material, comprising the steps of: 
 slitting a flexible sheet of material to provide a sheet of material containing a plurality of strips having a predetermined width;    applying a bonding material to the slitted sheet of material;    cutting the slitted sheet of material to provide a plurality of individual, narrow strips of flexible material; and    randomly arranging the strips of material into a mass so as to intertwine and bondingly connect the strips of material to form a resilient, cohesive tuft.