Water degradable packaging

Abstract

A water degradable packing for articles to be shipped which comprises a die cut foam slab made from a water degradable starch based foam having an area of square or rectangular fingers cut into said foam slab and attached to said slab by the uncut portion of said fingers, and an second area without fingers whereby said second area provides cavities suitable to hold the articles. There is also disclosed a process for packaging articles which includes the steps of preparing a water degradable starch based foam base slab of a suitable size, die cutting said slab to form a plurality of fingers attached said base only on the bottom of said fingers, removing a sufficient number of fingers to provide cavities to hold said articles, repeating the above steps to provide a top slab, and securing the articles and slabs inside a suitable container for shipment.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A degradable packing unit for articles to be shipped which comprises a die cut foam slab made from a water degradable starch based foam having 
 a) an area of fingers cut into said foam slab and attached to said slab by the uncut portion of said fingers, and    b) an area without fingers whereby said area provides suitable cavities to hold said articles,    
     
     
         2  The packing unit of  claim 1  wherein the area of cut fingers and the area without fingers are enclosed by an uncut foam border.  
     
     
         3 . The packing unit of  claim 1  wherein said fingers are square or rectangular in cross-section.  
     
     
         4 . The packing unit of  claim 2  wherein said fingers are square or rectangular in cross-section.  
     
     
         5 . A process for the packaging of articles using a water degradable starch based foam to protect and cushion said articles which comprises the steps of 
 a) preparing a water degradable starch based foam base slab of a suitable size,    b) die cutting said slab to form a plurality of fingers attached to said slab only on the bottom of said fingers,    c) removing a sufficient number of fingers to provide cavities for said articles,    d) repeating steps a, b, and c, to provide a top slab, and    e) securing the articles and slabs inside a suitable container for shipment.    
     
     
         6 . The process as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said fingers are cut into a square configuration.  
     
     
         7 . The process as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said fingers are cut into a rectangular configuration.  
     
     
         8 . In a process for the packaging of articles for shipment which comprises the steps of preparing one or two foam base slabs, die cutting said foam slabs to form a plurality of fingers having a square or rectangular cross section and attached to said slabs only on the bottom of the fingers, removing a sufficient number of fingers to provide cavities for said articles, securing the articles with the slabs inside a suitable container, the improvement which comprises using a water degradable starch based foam as said foam slabs.