Opposing-foil panel having one or more zones with a distributed interconnecting structure

Abstract

An opposing-foil panel includes spaced apart planar foils, a first zone between the foils and defining a first zone length in a machine direction and a first zone width extending in a cross-machine direction, normal to the machine direction, across a first portion of the foil width, a plurality of elongated support members affixed to the foils in the first zone and extending along the first zone length and spaced apart along the first zone width, a second zone between the foils adjacent to the first zone and defining a second zone length and a second zone width extending across a second portion of the foil width, and a distributed interconnecting structure affixed to the foils in the second zone and distributed across the second zone width with greater density than the first plurality of elongated support members is distributed across the first zone width.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An opposing-foil panel, comprising:
 first and second planar foils each defining a foil height extending linearly along a machine direction between first and second foil ends, a foil width extending linearly along a cross-machine direction, normal to the machine direction, between first and second foil sides and an interior surface between the first and second foil ends and the first and second foil sides, the interior surface the first planar foil spaced apart from the interior surface of the second planar foil,   a first zone between the first and second planar foils, the first zone defining a first zone length extending along the machine direction and coextensive with the foil height and a first zone width parallel to and extending in the cross-machine direction across a first portion of the foil width,   a first plurality of elongated support members affixed to the interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils in the first zone, the first plurality of elongated support members extending along the first zone length in the machine direction and spaced apart along the first zone width in the cross-machine direction,   a second zone between the first and second planar foils adjacent to the first zone, the second zone defining a second zone length extending along the machine direction and coextensive with the foil height and a second zone width parallel to and extending in the cross-machine direction across a second portion of the foil width, and   a distributed interconnecting structure affixed to the interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils in the second zone and extending along the second zone length in the machine direction, the distributed interconnecting structure including a plurality of support members distributed across the second zone width with greater density than the first plurality of elongated support members is distributed across the first zone width.   
     
     
         2 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of support members comprises a second plurality of elongated support members each affixed to the interior surface of at least one of the first and second planar foils in the second zone, the second plurality of elongated support members extending along the second zone length in the machine direction and spaced apart along the second zone width in the cross-machine direction. 
     
     
         3 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of elongated support members defines a first distance along the first width of the first zone between each adjacent one of the first plurality of elongated support members,
 and wherein the second plurality of elongated support members defines a second distance along the second width of the second zone between each adjacent one of the second plurality of elongated support members,   and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.   
     
     
         4 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 2 , wherein the distributed interconnecting structure further comprises a first plurality of lateral support members affixed to and between adjacent ones of the second plurality of elongated support members and spaced apart from the interior surfaces of the first and second foils, each of the first plurality of lateral support members extending between adjacent ones of the first plurality of lateral support members in the cross-machine direction and extending along the second zone length in the machine direction. 
     
     
         5 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 4 , wherein the distributed interconnecting structure further comprises a second plurality of lateral support members affixed to and between the adjacent ones of the second plurality of elongated support members and spaced apart from the interior surfaces of the first and second foils and from the first plurality of lateral support members, each of the second plurality of lateral support members extending between the adjacent ones of the first plurality of lateral support members in the cross-machine direction and extending along the second zone length in the machine direction. 
     
     
         6 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of elongated support members comprises at least one of a plurality of linear or arcuate-shaped ribs. 
     
     
         7 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the second plurality of elongated support members extends diagonally from the interior surface of at least one of the first and second planar foils along the cross-machine direction. 
     
     
         8 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the second plurality of elongated support members defines a cylindrical or oval cross-section in the cross-machine direction. 
     
     
         9 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 2 , further comprising an intermediate planar foil disposed between the first and second planar foils, the intermediate planar foil defining a height extending linearly along the machine direction between the first and second foil ends of the first and second planar foils, a width extending linearly along the cross-machine direction between the first and second foil sides of the first and second planar foils, a first planar surface facing the interior surface of the first planar foil and a second planar surface, opposite the first planar surface, facing the interior surface of the second planar foil,
 wherein a first subset of the second plurality of elongated support members is affixed to and between the interior surface of the first planar foil and the first planar surface of the intermediate planar foil in the second zone, and a second subset of the second plurality of elongated support members is affixed to at least one of the interior surface of the second planar foil and the second planar surface of the intermediate planar foil in the second zone.   
     
     
         10 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 1 , wherein the second zone comprises a living hinge zone,
 and wherein the opposing-foil panel further comprises a living hinge formed along the length of the living hinge zone with the first and second planar foils and at least a portion of the distributed interconnecting structure.   
     
     
         11 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 1 , wherein the second zone comprises an end zone positioned between the first zone and the first or second sides of the first and second planar foils. 
     
     
         12 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 1 , wherein the second zone defines a zone of the panel in which the distributed interconnecting structure provides enhanced deformation resistance, as compared with the first zone, to compressive forces applied to an external surface of at least one of the first and second planar foils. 
     
     
         13 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 1 , wherein the first zone defines a first volume between the interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils, the first zone length and a portion of first zone width adjacent to the second zone, and the second zone defines a second volume between the interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils, the second zone length and the second zone width,
 and wherein the first plurality of elongated support members disposed within the first volume defines a first mass of material, and the distributed interconnecting structure disposed within the second volume defines a second mass of material,   and wherein the first volume is approximately equal to the second volume and the first mass of material is approximately equal to the second mass of material.   
     
     
         14 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a third zone defined between the first and second planar foils, the third zone defining a third zone length extending along the machine direction and coextensive with the foil height and a third zone width parallel to and extending in the cross-machine direction across a third portion of the foil width, the third zone adjacent to the second zone with the second zone disposed between and contiguous with each of the first and third zones, and   a third plurality of elongated support members affixed to and between the interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils in the third zone, the third plurality of elongated support members extending along the third zone length in the machine direction and spaced apart along the third zone width in the cross-machine direction,   wherein the third zone defines a third volume between the interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils, the third zone length and a portion of the third zone width adjacent to the second zone,   and wherein the third plurality of elongated support members disposed within the third volume defines a third mass of material,   and wherein the third volume is approximately equal to each of the first and second volumes and the third mass of material is approximately equal to each of the first and second masses of material.   
     
     
         15 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 1 , wherein the first planar foil, the second planar foil, the first plurality of elongated support members and the distributed interconnecting structure are all of unitary construction. 
     
     
         16 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 1 , further comprising a lateral hinge extending in the cross-machine direction between the first and second foil ends along at least a portion of the first zone, the lateral hinge having a first end extending from the at least a portion of the first zone into the second zone and a second end opposite the first end,
 wherein the opposing-foil panel is separated along a first path extending in the machine direction through the second zone from the first foil end to the first end of the lateral hinge,   and wherein the opposing-foil panel is separated along a second path extending in the machine direction from the first foil end to the second end of the lateral hinge to define a pivoting panel between the lateral hinge and the first and second paths.   
     
     
         17 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a third zone between the first and second planar foils adjacent to a second side of the at least a portion of the first zone opposite the first side, the third zone defining a third zone length extending along the machine direction and coextensive with the foil height and a third zone width parallel to and extending in the cross-machine direction across a third portion of the foil width, and   a second distributed interconnecting structure affixed to the interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils in the third zone and extending along the third zone length in the machine direction, the second distributed interconnecting structure including a plurality of support members distributed across the third zone width with greater density than the first plurality of elongated support members is distributed across the first zone width,   wherein the second path extends in the machine direction through the third zone from the first foil end to the second end of the lateral hinge.   
     
     
         18 . An opposing-foil panel, comprising:
 first and second planar foils each defining a foil height extending linearly along a machine direction between first and second foil ends, a foil width extending linearly along a cross-machine direction, normal to the machine direction, between first and second foil sides and an interior surface between the first and second foil ends and the first and second foil sides, the interior surface the first planar foil spaced apart from the interior surface of the second planar foil,   a plurality of panel zones between the first and second planar foils each defining a panel zone length extending along the machine direction and coextensive with the foil height and a panel zone width parallel to and extending in the cross-machine direction across a different portion of the foil width, each of the plurality of panel zones including therein multiple elongated support members affixed to the interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils with each of the multiple elongated support members extending along the panel zone length of the corresponding panel zone in the machine direction and spaced apart along the panel zone width of the corresponding panel zone in the cross-machine direction,   a plurality of living hinge zones defined between the first and second planar foils and spaced apart along the foil width, each of the plurality of living hinge zones defining a living hinge zone length extending along the machine direction and coextensive with the foil height and a living hinge zone width parallel to and extending in the cross-machine direction across a different portion of the foil width between and adjacent to different ones of the plurality of panel zones, each of the plurality of living hinge zones including therein a distributed interconnecting structure affixed to the interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils and extending along the corresponding living hinge zone length in the machine direction and distributed across the corresponding zone width with greater density than the multiple elongated support members are distributed across the panel widths of each of the plurality of panel zones, and   a plurality of living hinges each formed along the length of a different one of the plurality of living hinge zones with the first and second planar foils and at least a portion of the corresponding distributed interconnecting structure.   
     
     
         19 . An opposing-foil panel for a collapsible container sleeve, comprising:
 a first planar foil having a foil height extending and a foil width,   a second planar foil also having the foil height and the foil width and spaced apart from the first planar foil, the foil height defining a machine direction parallel therewith and the foil width defining a cross-machine direction parallel therewith, the cross-machine direction normal to the machine direction, the foil width terminating at each of first and second opposite sides of the first and second planar foils to define respective first and second panel sides,   a first panel zone defined between the first and second planar foils and having a length extending across the foil height and a width extending along a first portion of the foil width,   a first plurality of elongated support members affixed to the opposed interior surfaces of the first and second planar panel members in the first panel zone, each of the first plurality of elongated support members extending across the length of the first panel zone and spaced apart along the width of the first panel zone,   a panel end zone defined between the first and second planar foils and having a length extending across the foil length and a width extending along a second portion of the foil width with one side thereof adjacent to the first panel zone and an opposite side thereof terminating at the first panel side, and   a distributed interconnecting structure affixed to the opposed interior surfaces of the first and second planar foils along the length of the panel end zone and distributed across the width of the panel end zone with greater density than the first plurality of elongated support members is distributed across the width of the first panel zone, the first panel side being joinable with one of the second panel side and a panel side of another panel to form the collapsible container sleeve.   
     
     
         20 . The opposing-foil panel of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of spaced apart living hinges each extending along the panel in the machine direction.