According to GlobalData’s company profile on Ranpak, Smart factory applications was a key innovation area identified from patents. Ranpak's grant share as of September 2023 was 58%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.

Padded mailer with expandable liner to increase thickness

A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230294900A1) describes a new design for a padded mailer. The mailer consists of a pouch formed by front and rear sheets, with the sheets connected along the bottom and side edges to create an interior space. The top edges of the sheets are left unconnected, creating an opening into the interior space. Inside the mailer, there is a liner that includes at least one expandable sheet. The expandable sheet is secured at the bottom edge to one of the front or rear sheets, but the top and side edges are left unsecured, allowing the sheet to expand in the bottom-to-top direction. Pulling the top edge of the expandable sheet causes it to expand and increase the thickness of the liner.

The expandable sheet in the mailer is made of an expandable slit-sheet material, with rows formed by slits that extend transverse to the bottom-to-top direction. In its unexpanded state, the expandable sheet lies flat within a plane, but in its expanded state, the slits open to form apertures and portions of the slit-sheet material rotate out of the plane. This design allows for increased thickness and padding when needed.

The mailer may also include a separator sheet, which is secured to the front or rear sheets to provide additional protection and organization within the interior space. A pull-tab is provided to make it easier for the user to pull the top edge of the expandable sheet and cause expansion.

The front and rear sheets, as well as the expandable sheet and separator sheet, can be made of paper. The rear sheet of the pouch is longer in the bottom-to-top direction than the front sheet, creating a pouch flap that can be folded over the top edge of the front sheet to close the opening. Adhesive layers and removable release liners are used to secure the pouch flap and the front sheet.

The mailer can be closed using a mechanical fastener or a gum seal adjacent to the top edges of the front and rear sheets. It may also include gussets where the front and rear sheets are connected along the bottom and side edges.

The patent also describes methods of packing an article for shipment using the padded mailer and manufacturing the mailer itself. These methods involve inserting the article into the mailer, pulling the top edge of the expandable sheet to cause expansion, securing the top edge, and closing the opening of the pouch.

Overall, this patent introduces a new design for a padded mailer that allows for easy expansion and increased thickness of the liner, providing enhanced protection for shipped articles.

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