Interlocking Corrugated Cushioning Structure for Impact Packaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cushioning materials lack sufficient cushioning performance to effectively protect objects from impacts.

Innovation Solution

A cushioning material composed of multiple sheets, such as corrugated cardboard, with extending portions and slits that engage with each other to form a stable structure, including protruding portions to enhance strength and recessed portions to accommodate corners, ensuring engagement with packaging box surfaces to prevent disassembly and distribute impact forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple sheets are assembled to improve cushioning performance, then the cushioning performance is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecushioning performanceVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cushioning material is divided into multiple sheets (first sheet, second sheet, third sheet) that can be assembled together. Each sheet contains extending portions with slits that engage with adjacent sheets, creating a segmented yet integrated structure that improves cushioning performance while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sheets are nested together through engagement of extending portions with slits. The first extending portion of one sheet fits into the slit of the extending portion of another sheet, creating a nested configuration where multiple layers work together to provide enhanced cushioning without requiring a completely new complex structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the cushioning material is made more stable to prevent disassembly, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoiddisassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The engagement structure between sheets allows for dynamic behavior - during normal conditions and assembly, the extending portions engage with slits to prevent disassembly. However, during impact events, the structure can dynamically deform and absorb energy, then return to its original state, maintaining both stability and operational flexibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Stability of the object's composition

If the outer edge contacts the packaging box to prevent disassembly, then the stability is improved, but the strength may be insufficient without additional protruding portions

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidstrength
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The outer edge of the first extending portion is designed with localized protruding portions at specific positions rather than along the entire edge. This creates local quality variations where protruding portions provide enhanced contact points and strength at critical locations, while other areas maintain stability through the basic extending portion structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4691944A1Buffer material and packaging material
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 BROTHER KOGYO KK
  • EP4691944A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4691944A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4691944A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A cushioning material and a packaging material capable of improving cushioning performance are provided. A cushioning material 100 includes sheets S11, S12, and S13, and is disposed between an object to be packaged and a packaging box for accommodating the object to be packaged. The sheets S11, S12, and S13 have a first extending portion 110 and a second extending portion 120. The first extending portion 110 has a first outer edge 111 that contacts the inner surface of the packaging box, a first inner edge 112, and an inner slit 113 extending from the first inner edge 112 in a flute direction of a corrugated cardboard sheet. The second extending portion 120 has a second outer edge 121 and an outer slit 123 extending from the second outer edge 121 in a cross direction of the corrugated cardboard sheet. In the cushioning material 100, the inner slit 113 of the sheet S11 and the outer slit 123 of the sheet S12 are engaged with each other, the inner slit 113 of the sheet S12 and the outer slit 123 of the sheet S13 are engaged with each other, and the inner slit 113 of the sheet S13 and the outer slit 123 of the sheet S11 are engaged with each other.