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: 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 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.