Cushioned mailer

Abstract

A cushioned mailer includes a paper outer layer comprising a tissue-grade paper material; a paper inner layer comprising a tissue-grade paper material and defining an inner cavity of the cushioned mailer, the inner cavity configured to receive contents therein, the inner cavity defining an opening at a top end of the cushioned mailer, the opening allowing access to the inner cavity; and an intermediate cushioning layer disposed between the paper outer layer and the paper inner layer, the intermediate cushioning layer comprising a plurality of cushioning inserts, each of the plurality of cushioning inserts being substantially uniform in size and shape.

1 . A cushioned mailer comprising:
 a paper outer layer comprising a tissue-grade paper material;   a paper inner layer comprising a tissue-grade paper material and defining an inner cavity of the cushioned mailer, the inner cavity configured to receive contents therein, the inner cavity defining an opening at a top end of the cushioned mailer, the opening allowing access to the inner cavity; and   an intermediate cushioning layer disposed between the paper outer layer and the paper inner layer, the intermediate cushioning layer comprising a plurality of cushioning inserts, each of the plurality of cushioning inserts being substantially uniform in size and shape.   
     
     
         2 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cushioning inserts are arranged in a single layer between the paper inner layer and the paper outer layer, the plurality of cushioning inserts defining a plurality of rows and columns of the cushioning inserts. 
     
     
         3 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 1 , each of the plurality of cushioning inserts is substantially spherical in shape. 
     
     
         4 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 1 , further comprises a closure flap extending from the top end of the cushioned mailer, the closure flap comprising an adhesive strip, the adhesive strip configured to seal the cushioned mailer in a closed orientation, the closure flap covering the opening in the closed orientation to retain the contents in the inner cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 4 , wherein the closure flap further comprises a tear strip, the tear strip extending substantially along a width of the closure flap, the tear strip disposed between the adhesive strip and the top end of the cushioned mailer, wherein the tear strip is configured to be torn away from the closure flap to reconfigure the cushioned mailer from the closed orientation to an open orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 1 , wherein the cushioned mailer defines a first sealing end and a second sealing end, and wherein the first sealing end is folded over and sealed to the second sealing end to define a continuous mailer sidewall encompassing all sides of the inner cavity. 
     
     
         7 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the cushioned mailer defines a bottom end opposite the top end;   a bottom sealing flap extends from the bottom end of the cushioned mailer; and   the bottom sealing flap encloses the inner cavity at the bottom end.   
     
     
         8 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cushioned mailer defines a front panel and a rear panel;   the front panel is folded relative to the rear panel at a bottom fold line at a bottom end of the cushioned mailer;   the cushioned mailer further defines a first sealing flap at a first side of the cushioned mailer and a second sealing flap at a second side of the cushioned mailer opposite the first side;   the first sealing flap and the second sealing flap are folded at the bottom end;   each of the first and second sealing flaps comprise a front flap portion adjacent to the front panel and a rear flap portion adjacent to the rear panel;   the front flap portion of the first sealing flap is sealed to the rear flap portion of the first sealing flap; and   the front flap portion of the second sealing flap is sealed to the rear flap portion of the second sealing flap.   
     
     
         9 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cushioned mailer comprises a front panel, a rear panel, a first gusset disposed at a first side of the cushioned mailer, and a second gusset disposed at a second side of the cushioned mailer opposite the first side;   each of the front panel and the rear panel extend between the first gusset and the second gusset; and   each of the first gusset and the second gusset extend inward towards the inner cavity.   
     
     
         10 . A cushioned mailer comprising:
 a paper outer layer comprising a tissue-grade paper material;   a paper inner layer comprising a tissue-grade paper material and defining an inner cavity of the cushioned mailer, the inner cavity configured to receive contents therein, the inner cavity defining an opening at a top end of the cushioned mailer, the opening allowing access to the inner cavity; and   an intermediate cushioning layer disposed between the paper outer layer and the paper inner layer, the intermediate cushioning layer comprising a textured paper sheet defining a plurality of cushioning sockets.   
     
     
         11 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of cushioning sockets defines a substantially domed socket end, and wherein each of the substantially domed sockets ends extends towards one of the paper outer layer and the paper inner layer. 
     
     
         12 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of cushioning sockets are arranged to define a plurality of rows of the cushioning sockets and a plurality of columns of the cushioning sockets. 
     
     
         13 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 11 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of cushioning sockets extends from a substantially planar sheet base of the textured paper sheet; and   each of the plurality of cushioning sockets further defines a substantially cylindrical socket sidewall disposed between the substantially planar sheet base and the substantially domed socket end.   
     
     
         14 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 10 , further comprises a closure flap extending from the top end of the cushioned mailer, the closure flap comprising an adhesive strip, the adhesive strip configured to seal the cushioned mailer in a closed orientation, the closure flap covering the opening in the closed orientation to retain the contents in the inner cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 14 , wherein the closure flap further comprises a tear strip, the tear strip extending substantially along a width of the closure flap, the tear strip disposed between the adhesive strip and the top end of the cushioned mailer, wherein the tear strip is configured to be torn away from the closure flap to reconfigure the cushioned mailer from the closed orientation to an open orientation. 
     
     
         16 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 15 , wherein a hanging hole is defined through the tear strip, the hanging hole configured to receive a hanger device therethrough to suspend the cushioned mailer in an upright, vertical orientation. 
     
     
         17 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 10 , wherein the cushioned mailer defines a first sealing end and a second sealing end, and wherein the first sealing end is folded over and sealed to the second sealing end to define a continuous mailer sidewall encompassing all sides of the inner cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the cushioned mailer defines a front panel and a rear panel;   the front panel is folded relative to the rear panel at a bottom fold line at a bottom end of the cushioned mailer;   the cushioned mailer further defines a first sealing flap at a first side of the cushioned mailer and a second sealing flap at a second side of the cushioned mailer opposite the first side;   the first sealing flap and the second sealing flap are folded at the bottom end;   each of the first and second sealing flaps comprise a front flap portion adjacent to the front panel and a rear flap portion adjacent to the rear panel;   the front flap portion of the first sealing flap is sealed to the rear flap portion of the first sealing flap; and   the front flap portion of the second sealing flap is sealed to the rear flap portion of the second sealing flap.   
     
     
         19 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the cushioned mailer comprises a front panel, a rear panel, a first gusset disposed at a first side of the cushioned mailer, and a second gusset disposed at a second side of the cushioned mailer opposite the first side;   each of the front panel and the rear panel extend between the first gusset and the second gusset; and   each of the first gusset and the second gusset extend inward towards the inner cavity.   
     
     
         20 . The cushioned mailer of  claim 19 , wherein each of the first gusset and the second gusset comprise a rear gusset flap connected to the rear panel at a rear flap bend line and a front gusset flap connected to the front panel at a front flap bend line, the rear gusset flap is connected to the front gusset flap at a side gusset bend line, and the rear gusset flap is folded towards the front gusset flap at the side gusset bend line to define a substantially V-shaped cross-section.