Abstract: A product-stacking structure that holds a plurality of products on a horizontal base and includes a plurality of side sections extending generally upright from the horizontal base section (e.g., walls). The walls are configured and dimensioned for retaining bottom features of the products within. The horizontal base includes a horizontal base surface and a void region creating a boundary that restricts movement of upper features of the products in at least one horizontal direction. The product-stacking structure also includes a supportive pad affixed to the first portion over the horizontal bottom section and within the plurality of side sections to cover the void region and configured for supporting products stacked thereon.

Abstract: A pallet structure having a deck having an upper surface that can hold or bear a load, a first runner core below the deck, and a shell of sheet material that can cover a portion of a surface of the first runner core or deck, wherein the shell comprises a material that provides a higher impact resistance than the material comprising the first runner core or deck covered by the shell.

Abstract: A pre-formed honeycomb protector for protecting the edges of articles during shipping is disclosed. The honeycomb protector of the present invention comprises a panel including a honeycomb core having a plurality of abutting cells defining a plurality of abutting top and bottom hollow cell faces respectively. A bottom face sheet is secured over and abutting the bottom hollow cell faces of the honeycomb core and a top face sheet is secured over and abutting the top hollow cell faces of the honeycomb core. The honeycomb panel is crushed or cut so as to be made foldable. Adhesive is then applied to the surfaces exposed by the crushing or cutting, and the resulting two folding panels separated by the crushed or cut area are folded inward to form an “L” shaped edge protector.

Abstract: A method for forming a honeycomb protector for protecting the corners, edges or other surfaces of articles during shipping of such articles comprising self-locking honeycomb panels. In one embodiment, the protector includes first and second unitary panels separated by a channel about which the panels are foldable. The first panel includes a lip which fits into a slit in the second panel to connect and lock the first and second panels in position.

Abstract: A resilient prestressed honeycomb structure comprises a honeycomb core having a plurality of abutting partition walls forming opposed hollow-cell faces defining planar surfaces and a face sheet secured to one of the planar surfaces. The partition walls or the face sheet is air-permeable, and at least one of the hollow-cell faces has been compressively deformed laterally along its planar surface to provide a substantially continuous cushioned face portion. The cushioned face portion is sufficiently resilient to cushion substantially all surfaces of a body in contact therewith. When one of the hollow-cell faces is compressively deformed, the air-permeable partition walls or the air-permeable face sheet allows air to flow therethrough.

Abstract: A honeycomb protector for protecting the corners and edges of articles during shipping comprising a honeycomb panel foldable between a flat position and a folded position. The panel includes a honeycomb core sandwiched between top and bottom face sheets. The top face sheet includes a slitted segment defining a hinge about which the panel can be folded. In the folded position, the panel includes an impact absorbing corner comprising a region of the panel where the partition walls of the honeycomb core converge towards the top face sheet and the hollow-cell faces of the core abutting the top face sheet are laterally flattened and compressed.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a resilient prestressed honeycomb structure from a honeycomb structure having opposed hollow-ell faces defining opposed planar surfaces. The apparatus comprises a conveyor for conveying the honeycomb structure and a compression apparatus for compressively deforming at least a portion of the honeycomb structure. When the honeycomb structure is conveyed past the compression apparatus, the compression apparatus compressively deforms one of the planar surfaces of the honeycomb structure to form a resilient prestressed cushioned face portion. The compression apparatus comprises a plurality of parallel and elongate compression rolls for compressively deforming the honeycomb structure to form the resilient prestressed cushioned face portion.

Abstract: A honeycomb protector for protecting the corners, edges or other surfaces of articles during shipping of such articles comprising self-locking honeycomb panels. In one embodiment, the protector includes first and second unitary panels separated by a channel about which the panels are foldable. The first panel includes a lip which fits into a slit in the second panel to connect and lock the first and second panels in position.

Abstract: A resilient prestressed honeycomb structure is disclosed in which at least one of its defined planar surfaces is cushioned along its lateral length by substantially continuously deforming it under compression to a preselected depth. Also disclosed is a one-step method for simultaneously cutting and forming a resilient prestressed paper honeycomb structure and apparatus therefor. One preferred embodiment of the resilient prestressed paper honeycomb structure is sufficiently strong and lightweight to use as an inner packaging for providing cushioning protection of articles having a fragility factor rating of less than about 85 G's against multiple impacts.