阅读说明：本技术 一种环保悬挂翼片 (Environment-friendly suspension wing piece ) 是由 A·C·舍特勒 雍旺 于 2020-01-19 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于陈列消费品的装置,其在此被称为悬挂翼片(102)。更具体地,是指由可生物降解、可降解和/或可回收材料制成的可用于陈列消费品的环保悬挂翼片(102)。(A device for displaying consumer goods, referred to herein as a hanging flap (102). And more particularly to an environmentally friendly suspension flap (102) made of biodegradable, degradable and/or recyclable materials that can be used to display consumer goods.)

1. A suspension flap for supporting a package, comprising:

a hanging portion, the hanging portion comprising:

an opening formed therein; and

a central region at least partially surrounding the opening, wherein the central region comprises:

two or more first regions; and

a second region disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of said first regions, wherein at least one physical property of each of said first regions is different from a physical property of each of said second regions, wherein at least one different physical property is selected from the group consisting of thickness and mass density;

a support having a surface; and

a hinge portion extending in a first direction and disposed between the hanging portion and the supporting portion,

wherein the suspension flap comprises a fibrous material.

2. The suspension flap of claim 1, wherein

The fibrous material comprises wood pulp.

3. The suspension flap of claim 1, wherein

The hanging portion further includes an adhesive provided on a surface of the supporting portion.

4. The suspension flap of claim 1, wherein

The first regions each having a first thickness and a first mass density, the second regions each having a second thickness and a second mass density,

the first mass density is greater than the second mass density, and

the first thickness is less than the second thickness.

5. The suspension flap of claim 4, wherein

At least a portion of the hinge has a mass density greater than the second mass density.

6. The suspension flap of claim 4, wherein

The suspension portion includes:

an opening reinforcement formed on a periphery of the opening, the opening reinforcement having a third thickness and a third mass density; and

a circumferential reinforcement formed on a periphery of the hanging portion, the circumferential reinforcement having a fourth thickness and a fourth mass density.

7. The suspension flap of claim 1, wherein

Two or more of the first regions and the second region disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of the first regions extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

8. The suspension flap of claim 1, wherein

Two or more of the first regions and the second region disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of the first regions extend in a second direction that is at an acute angle to the first direction.

9. The suspension flap of claim 1, wherein

Two or more of the first regions and the second regions disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of the first regions are interleaved in a two-dimensional array in the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

10. A package, comprising:

one or more walls configured to at least partially surround a consumer product, wherein one or more of the walls has a first surface; and

a suspension flap, the suspension flap comprising:

a hanging portion, the hanging portion comprising:

an opening formed therein; and

a central region at least partially surrounding the opening, wherein the central region comprises:

two or more first regions; and

a second region disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of said first regions, wherein at least one physical property of each of said first regions is different from a physical property of each of said second regions, wherein at least one different physical property is selected from the group consisting of thickness and mass density;

a support having a support surface attached to the first surface of one or more of the walls; and

a hinge portion extending in a first direction and disposed between the hanging portion and the support portion,

wherein the suspension flap comprises a fibrous material.

11. The package of claim 10, wherein

The fibrous material comprises wood pulp.

12. The package of claim 10, wherein

The first surface is formed within an interior region of the package in which the consumer goods are disposed.

13. The package of claim 12, wherein

The hanging portion further includes an adhesive provided on a surface of the supporting portion.

14. The package of claim 10, wherein

The first regions each having a first thickness and a first mass density, the second regions each having a second thickness and a second mass density,

the first mass density is greater than the second mass density, and

the first thickness is less than the second thickness.

15. The package of claim 14, wherein

At least a portion of the hinge has a mass density greater than the second mass density.

16. The package of claim 14, wherein

The suspension portion includes:

an opening reinforcement formed on a periphery of the opening, the opening reinforcement having a third thickness and a third mass density; and

a circumferential reinforcement formed on a periphery of the hanging portion, the circumferential reinforcement having a fourth thickness and a fourth mass density.

17. The package of claim 10, wherein

Two or more of the first regions and the second region disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of the first regions extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

18. The package of claim 10, wherein

Two or more of the first regions and the second region disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of the first regions extend in a second direction that is at an acute angle to the first direction.

19. The package of claim 10, wherein

Two or more of the first regions, and the second regions disposed between each adjacent pair of the two or more of the first regions are interleaved in a two-dimensional array in the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

20. A method of forming a package comprising:

attaching a suspension flap to a first surface of a package configured to at least partially surround a consumer product, wherein

The package comprises one or more walls configured to surround the consumer goods, and the first surface is formed on one of the one or more walls; and

a suspension flap, the suspension flap comprising:

a hanging portion, the hanging portion comprising:

an opening formed therein; and

a central region at least partially surrounding the opening, wherein the central region comprises:

two or more first regions; and

a second region disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of said first regions, wherein at least one physical property of each of said first regions is different from a physical property of each of said second regions, wherein at least one different physical property is selected from the group consisting of thickness and mass density;

a support having a support surface attached to the first surface of one or more of the walls; and

a hinge portion extending in a first direction and disposed between the hanging portion and the support portion,

wherein the suspension flap comprises a fibrous material.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to a device for displaying consumer goods and, more particularly, to an environmentally friendly device for displaying consumer goods made of biodegradable, degradable or recyclable materials.

Background

In commercial retail stores, the packages are typically displayed for sale while mounted on a pole or display support element through the use of a hanging piece. Conventional hanging tabs, typically made of polyester or plastic, have a hanging portion that includes a hole or slot and a support portion that is attachable to the package to be displayed. The aperture or slot of the hanging tab is configured to receive and hang on a display support element attached to the display shelf. The support is attached to the package to be suspended to the display support element. Especially when the package or object is rectangular, it is desirable to fold the hanging portion up to reduce the space required for transport or storage.

In addition, many companies and manufacturers are constantly striving to reduce the amount of environmentally hazardous materials used in consumer product packaging. However, environmentally friendly materials made of biodegradable, degradable or recyclable materials have been avoided in configurations where these materials will be loaded during use. The use of environmentally friendly materials has been particularly avoided in situations where a load (e.g., force) is continuously applied to the material for an extended period of time, such as where the material is used to support the weight of a suspended consumer product while the consumer product is displayed for an extended period of time, such as days, weeks, or months. Typically, environmentally friendly materials, such as those containing vegetable pulp, have been found to tear and/or break easily, to be difficult to fold and unfold, and to have poor water absorption resistance.

Accordingly, there is a need for improved materials and structures for displaying consumer products that are environmentally friendly and durable, foldable and/or waterproof due to the choice of material and/or structural design.

Disclosure of Invention

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a suspension flap for supporting a package. The suspension flap includes a suspension portion, a support portion, and a hinge portion extending in a first direction and disposed between the suspension portion and the support portion. The suspension flap may be formed from a fibrous material, and the suspension portion includes an opening (e.g., slot) formed therein and a central region at least partially surrounding the opening. The central region may include two or more first regions, and a second region disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of the first regions, wherein at least one physical property of each first region is different from a physical property of each second region. In some cases, the at least one different physical property is selected from the group consisting of thickness and mass density.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may also include a package comprising one or more walls configured to at least partially enclose a consumer product and a hanging flap. The suspension flap includes a suspension portion, a support portion, and a hinge portion extending in a first direction and disposed between the suspension portion and the support portion. The suspension flap may be formed from a fibrous material and the suspension portion includes an opening formed therein and a central region at least partially surrounding the opening. The central region may include two or more first regions, and a second region disposed between each adjacent pair of two or more of the first regions, wherein at least one physical property of each first region is different from a physical property of each second region. In some cases, the at least one different physical property is selected from the group consisting of thickness and mass density.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may also provide a method of forming a package by attaching a suspension flap to a first surface of a package configured to at least partially enclose a consumer product, wherein the package comprises one or more walls configured to enclose the consumer product and the suspension flap, the first surface being formed on one of the one or more walls.

Drawings

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1A is a front view of a suspension flap according to one or more embodiments.

Fig. 1B and 1C are side views of a suspension flap according to one or more embodiments.

Fig. 2A, 2B, and 2C are schematic views of an opening formed in a suspension flap according to one or more embodiments.

Fig. 3A and 3B are front and side cross-sectional views of a suspension flap when attached to a package and unfolded according to one or more embodiments.

Fig. 3C and 3D are front and side cross-sectional views of a suspension flap when folded according to one or more embodiments.

Fig. 4A and 4B are front and side cross-sectional views of a suspension flap when attached to a package and unfolded according to one or more embodiments.

Fig. 4C and 4D are front and side cross-sectional views of a suspension flap when folded according to one or more embodiments.

Fig. 5A-5E illustrate patterns of structural elements on the suspension portion of a suspension flap according to one or more embodiments.

FIG. 6 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a method of making a suspension flap in accordance with one or more embodiments.

Fig. 7A and 7B are side views of a bottom mold and a top mold according to one or more embodiments.

Fig. 8A is a side view of the bottom and top molds of fig. 7A including a layer of uncompressed pulp material in accordance with one or more embodiments.

Fig. 8B is a side view of the bottom and top molds of fig. 8A after the layer of pulp material has been compressed by the bottom and top molds to form hanging flaps in accordance with one or more embodiments.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. In the drawings and the following description, an orthogonal coordinate system including an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis is used. For convenience, the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure is assumed to be a positive direction. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in some embodiments may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation.

Detailed Description

Embodiments described herein relate generally to devices for displaying consumer goods, which are referred to herein as hanging flaps. And more particularly to environmentally friendly suspension flaps made of biodegradable, degradable and/or recyclable materials that can be used to display consumer products. In some embodiments, the displayed consumer goods are disposed within a package for supporting and holding the consumer goods during shipping, storage, and display. According to one embodiment, the package may comprise one or more walls configured to surround the consumer goods and have a hanging flap attached thereto. A suspension flap configured to support at least a portion of the weight of the package may include a hanging portion having an opening, also referred to herein as a slot, formed therein to receive a display support element, a support portion having a surface that may be attached to the package, and a hinge disposed between the hanging portion and the support portion.

The suspension flap described herein is generally made from biodegradable, degradable, and/or recyclable materials, such as materials made from materials including plant-based materials (e.g., wood pulp). The suspension flap described herein is desirably foldable/expandable, resistant to stresses applied to portions of the suspension flap during folding/expansion, and resistant to damage and/or physical failure due to applied loads during normal use. In some cases, it is also desirable that the material from which the suspension flap is made is usable after transport, storage and/or display in a humid and/or uncontrolled ambient environment. In some cases, the materials from which the suspension flaps are made are coated or treated with a material such that they do not absorb significant water, which is referred to herein as being waterproof.

FIG. 1A is a front view of a suspension flap 100 according to one or more embodiments. FIGS. 1B and 1C are side views of suspension tab 100 formed along section lines "1B-1B" and "1C-1C", respectively. The suspension flap 100 includes a suspension portion 102, a support portion 104 and a hinge 106 extending along the X-axis and separating the suspension portion 102 from the support portion 104. The hinge portion 106 protrudes from the hanging portion 102 and the support portion 104 in the Y direction, forming a U shape as shown in fig. 1B and 1C. As shown in FIG. 1A, the hanging portion 102 and the support portion 104 of the hanging flap 100 can be formed such that their major surfaces are parallel to a plane (e.g., the X-Z plane) when they are removed and/or not in use.

The suspension portion 102 of the suspension flap 100 generally comprises a slot 108, a slot reinforcement 110 surrounding the slot 108, a central region 115 and a circumferential reinforcement 116. In some configurations, as shown in fig. 1A, the slot reinforcement 110 is surrounded by a central region 115, and the central region 115 is surrounded on at least three edges by a circumferential reinforcement 116, and on one edge by the hinge 106.

The slot 108 of the hanging portion 102 is configured to receive a display support element, such as a line stand or support hook (e.g., a hanger plate hook, a wall-mounted hook, etc.), for example, when a package or object to which the hanging flap 100 is to be attached is hung on a display support element of a retail store for display. In some embodiments, the slots 108 are so-called "Euro style" slots as shown in fig. 1A. The slots 108 may be "delta style" slots as shown in fig. 2A, circular slots as shown in fig. 2B, "heavy duty" slots as shown in fig. 2C, or openings having any other desired shape (e.g., circular, oval, triangular).

The slot reinforcement 110 formed around the perimeter of the slot 108 is configured to prevent the hanging portion 102 from tearing or ripping due to the weight of the packaging or object to which it is to be attached when it is hung on the display support element.

The circumferential reinforcement 116 formed on the perimeter of the hanging portion 102 is configured to further prevent the hanging portion 102 from tearing due to loads provided via the display support elements and/or from structural degradation (e.g., wear) due to contact with other external components during transport or storage. In some configurations, the hanging portion 102 may have a rounded apex 114.

In some embodiments, the hanging portion 102 has a length L in the X direction between 40mm to 60mm_HAnd a width W in the Y direction of between 15mm and 35mm_HThe support part 104 has a length L in the X direction of between 40mm and 110mm_SAnd a width W in the Y direction of between 6mm and 50mm_SAnd the hinge 106 has a length L in the X direction between 30mm to 50mm_GAnd a width W in the Y direction of between 2mm and 6mm_G. The slot 108 has a length L in the X direction of between 20mm and 45mm_SLOT. The channel reinforcement 110 has a width W between 2mm and 3mm_SRAnd a thickness T between 1mm and 1.5mm_SR. The circumferential reinforcement 116 has a width W between 2mm and 3mm_CRAnd a thickness T between 1mm and 1.5mm_CR. The hanging portion 102 may have a circle with a fillet radius between 3mm and 6mmThe apex angle 114 is formed.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 3A-3D and 4A-4D, the hanging flap 100 is attached to a surface of the packaging 302, 402 to be hung to the display support element. Generally, the package 302, 402 may include one or more walls that enclose the consumer goods. In some embodiments, the consumer goods are disposed within an interior region of the package 302, 402, the package 302, 402 having cylindrical, rectangular, or other useful exterior configured walls formed from various conventional environmentally friendly and/or non-environmentally friendly materials. Typical consumer products may include, but are not limited to, durable and non-durable goods, which may include, for example, consumer electronics (e.g., wireless speakers, mice, keyboards, cameras, headphones), commercial products, or other commercially useful products.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 3A-3D, the hanging flap 100 is attached to the inside top surface of a package 302 to be hung to a display support element. Fig. 3A and 3B are front and side cross-sectional views of the suspension flap 100 when the suspension flap 100 is attached to the package 302 and unfolded. Fig. 3C and 3D are front and side cross-sectional views of the hanging flap 100 when the hanging flap 100 is folded for transportation or storage. In fig. 3A-3D, the support 104 is inserted through the slit 304 inside the package 302 and optionally adhered to the inner top surface 306 of the package 302 by one or more adhesives 112 disposed on the attachment area 113 of the support 104. The adhesive 112 may comprise a glue, cement, glue, or paste that allows the attachment region 113 to be permanently or semi-permanently affixed to another outer body, and may comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive, a contact adhesive, a solvent-based adhesive, a polymer dispersed adhesive, a hot melt adhesive, an anaerobic adhesive, a single or multi-component adhesive, or other useful material that may be used to adhere the attachment region 113 to another outer body.

When the package 302 is hung to a display support element, the hanging flap 100 is unfolded such that the hanging portion 102 is oriented in an upright position to receive the display support element. The suspension portion 102 and the support portion 104 form a non-zero angle. That is, in fig. 3A, the hanging portion 102 is at or near a right angle, e.g., an angle of about 90 °, to the support portion 104. In this configuration, the hanging flap 100 is configured to fold along the hinge 106 such that the hanging portion 102 faces the support portion 104, for example, during transport or storage. That is, when the suspension flap 100 is attached to the package 302, the suspension portion 102 is held against the package 302, and thus, the space required for transportation or storage of the package 302 is reduced. When the suspension flap 100 is folded, the suspension flap 100 is bent approximately 90 ° from the unfolded position in fig. 3B along the hinge 106. As shown in fig. 1B and 1C, the hinge 106 is U-shaped such that the suspension flap 100 can be bent approximately 90 ° from the unfolded position.

In some embodiments, the hanging flap 100 is attached to an inside surface of the packaging 402 of the object to be hung to the display support element. Fig. 4A and 4B are front and side cross-sectional views of the suspension flap 100 when the suspension flap 100 is attached to the package 402 and unfolded. Fig. 4C and 4D are front and side cross-sectional views of the suspension flap 100 when the suspension flap 100 is folded. In fig. 4A-4D, the support 104 is inserted through the slit 404 inside the package 402 and optionally adhered to the inside surface 406 of the package 402 by one or more adhesives 112 disposed on the attachment area 113 of the support 104.

When the package 402 is suspended to the support element, the suspension flap 100 unfolds such that the suspension portion 102 and the support portion 104 form an obtuse angle, e.g. an angle greater than 90 ° and less than or equal to about 180 °. In this configuration, the hanging flap 100 is configured to fold along the hinge 106 such that the hanging portion 102 faces the support portion 104, for example, during transport or storage. That is, when the suspension flap 100 is attached to the package 402, the suspension portion 102 is held against the packages 302, 402, thus reducing the space required for transport or storage of the package 402. When the suspension flap 100 is folded, the suspension flap 100 is bent approximately 180 ° from the unfolded position in fig. 4B along the hinge 106. As shown in fig. 1B and 1C, the hinge 106 is U-shaped such that the suspension flap 100 can be bent approximately 180 ° from the unfolded position.

It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are only some of the possible examples of packages to which the suspension flaps according to the present disclosure may be attached, and do not limit the possible configurations of the suspension flaps or packages of the present disclosure. For example, the shape and location of the package to which the suspension flap may be attached is not limited to the specific examples described above. For example, the suspension flap 100 may be attached to any shape of package or object. In another example, the hanging flap 100 may be attached to an outer surface of a package or object.

When the package or object to which the hanging flap 100 is attached is hung from the display support element, as shown in FIG. 1A, a force F is applied to the hanging flap 100 due to the weight of the package or object supported by the hanging flap 100, which may cause the hanging flap 100 to tear or rip from the slot 108. The force F shown in FIG. 1A is shown as a single point load, aligned in the Z-direction to represent the reaction force applied by the display support element to a portion of the slot 108 of the suspension flap 100. However, the illustration of the force F applied to the suspension flap 100 is not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure provided herein, as more than one display support element may be inserted into the slot 108 to support the suspension flap 100, and thus more than one single point load may be applied to the suspension flap 100. The load applied to the suspension flap 100 by the display support element may comprise a bearing type load that is distributed over a limited length of the slot reinforcement 110 due to contact between the display support element and a portion of the slot reinforcement 110 as compared to the schematically illustrated single contact point load. Furthermore, due to the applied force F, the suspension flap 100 tears or tears from the slot 108, possibly spreading to the edge of the suspension portion 102 and causing a break of the suspension portion 102. Structural degradation (e.g., wear) due to contact with other external components may cause the hanging portion 102 to break off from the edge during normal use, transportation, or storage. Repeated folding and unfolding of the hinge 106 may also cause the hinge 106 to break.

In some embodiments, the suspension flap 100 includes a suspension flap body that includes a material that includes a fibrous material, such as a lignocellulosic fibrous material, formed into a desired structural shape. The suspension flap body generally includes all of the physical elements of the suspension portion 102, the support portion 104, and the hinge 106. Examples of useful fibrous materials include materials formed from pulp prepared by chemical and/or mechanical processes. Useful fibrous materials include, but are not limited to, materials formed from various types of plant materials, such as wood, straw, bamboo, bagasse, kenaf, flax, hemp, cotton, or the like. Wood currently provides the raw material for most pulp production and comprises one or more major components: cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and extractives. Depending on the content, wood can be classified into one of two broad categories: hardwoods (also referred to as "short fiber pulp" or "short fiber pulp") and softwoods (also referred to as "long fiber pulp" or "long fiber pulp"). In general, hardwood contains more cellulose and extractives, and less lignin than softwood. In the case of pulp, the length of softwood fibers is on average more than three times the length of the fibers contained in hardwood. Since increasing fiber length generally means more interfiber bonding, softwood pulp imparts greater strength to the product it produces than does hardwood pulp produced by the same process. In one example, the hanging fin body is formed from long fiber pulp to improve its ability to support loads over time. For example, in the consumer product industry, it is desirable for a single suspension flap 100 to support a package having a mass of between about 0.01 kilograms (kg) and about 5 kilograms (kg).

In some embodiments, various physical attributes found within different portions of the hanging flap 100 can be adjusted to provide the necessary structural support to allow the packaged consumer goods to be displayed using the hanging flap 100. As discussed herein, different physical properties within the suspension flap 100 may include the physical shape (e.g., thickness, overall structural shape formed on an X-Y, X-Z or Y-Z isoplane, etc.) of different portions of the suspension flap 100, the materials used in different portions of the suspension flap, and different material properties (e.g., mass density, porosity) used in different portions of the suspension flap. In some embodiments, the slot reinforcement 110, the circumferential reinforcement 116, and the hinge 106 have different material properties or material compositions than other portions of the suspension flap 100. In some embodiments, the material within the slot reinforcement 110, the circumferential reinforcement 116, and the hinge 106 has a higher material density (e.g., mass per unit volume) than the fibrous material of other areas of the suspension flap body. In some embodiments, the difference in density is created by compressing different initial volumes of material during the formation of the suspension flap 100, making the denser areas more durable to tearing, or breaking. To further provide tear resistance, structure and material within the suspension tab 100 may be machined (e.g., embossed, machined, etc.) to form structural elements within different areas of the suspension tab 100.

Fig. 5A-5E schematically illustrate various types of structural elements that may be formed in the central region 115 of the suspension portion 102 of the suspension flap 100. It is believed that various failure mechanisms common when using display support elements comprising environmentally friendly materials to support packaging may be reduced by forming various structural elements or textured patterns in the central region 115 of the suspension flap 100. The various structural elements typically include structural shapes formed by some manufacturing process and are created to provide tear resistance to prevent failure of the suspension tab 100 during use. In some embodiments, the structural elements comprise a one-dimensional (1D) pattern 502 of alternating ridge regions 504 and channel regions 506 within the central region 115, having different thicknesses in the Y-direction, and extending in the Z-direction, as shown in fig. 5A. Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional view of a 1D pattern 502 of alternating ridge regions 504 and channel regions 506 cut along section line "5B-5B". In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 5B, the ridge region 504 is generally thinner than the channel region 506, and at least a portion of the material within the ridge region 504 has a higher mass density than the channel region 506. The ridge region 504 has a thickness of between 1mm and 1.3 mm. The channel region 506 has a thickness of between 1.2mm and 1.5 mm. In some embodiments, the ridge regions 504 each have a width W of between 1mm and 2mm_FLATAnd the channel regions 506 each have a width W of between 2mm and 4mm_RIB。

In some embodiments, the central region 115 of the suspension flap 100 includes a 1D pattern 502 having alternating ridge regions 504 and channel regions 506 extending along the X-axis as shown in fig. 5C, or in a direction at an acute angle to the Z-axis (e.g., the direction of the applied force F (fig. 1A)) as shown in fig. 5D. In some embodiments, the 1D pattern 502 with alternating ridge regions 504 and channel regions 506 extends along a direction that forms an acute angle with the axis of the hinge 106 (i.e., the X-direction in fig. 1A). In some embodiments, the structural elements formed include a two-dimensional (2D) array of alternating ridge regions 504 and channel regions 506 as shown in fig. 5E. It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are only some possible examples of the pattern of structural elements on the hanging portion 102 of the present invention, and do not limit the possible configurations, specifications, etc. of the hanging flap or package according to the present disclosure. For example, the number of ridge regions and the number of channel regions may be different from those shown in fig. 5A-5E.

In some embodiments, the ridge region 504, the channel region 506, the channel reinforcement 110, and the circumferential reinforcement 116 all have at least one different physical property, such as, but not limited to, a different thickness, mass density, material composition, or width in the X-Y plane. In one embodiment, the groove reinforcement 110 and the circumferential reinforcement 116 have the same thickness, mass density, material composition, and width in the X-Y plane, and the ridge region 504 and the channel region 506 have at least one different physical property than the groove reinforcement 110 and the circumferential reinforcement 116.

FIG. 6 depicts a flow chart illustrating a method 600 of making the suspension flap 100 according to one embodiment. In the pulping process (block 602), the raw material is mixed in an aqueous solution of chemical agents at a temperature between 145 ℃ and 150 ℃ and converted into pulp. The chemical agents include basic hydrogen peroxide, such as sodium hydroxide in the form of lye or caustic soda, which removes lignin bound to the fibers, as well as oxygen which decomposes the chemical structure of the lignin. The chemical agents also include chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide for bleaching pulp. In some embodiments, the feedstock is long fiber wood pulp containing 99% cellulose and the aqueous solution comprises 0.4% sodium hydroxide, 0.4% chlorine dioxide, 0.4% hydrogen peroxide, and 0.1% oxygen. The concentration ratio of the feedstock to the aqueous solution is between about 7:3 to about 6:4, for example about 6: 4.

In the forming process (block 604), the pulp is dredged or separated from the aqueous solution by delivering the mixture through a wire mesh. The metal mesh may be made of stainless steel and have a mesh size of 80/1.2 (e.g., 80 openings in 1.2 inches). The pulp is further exposed to the space on one side of the wire mesh toThe fibers are bonded within the pulp for a duration of between about 5 seconds and about 10 seconds, for example about 10 seconds. The dredged pulp is then placed in the bottom mold 702. Referring to fig. 7A and 7B, side views of the vicinity of the recess 704 (extending in the X direction) of the base mold 702 forming the hinge portion 106 of the hanging flap 100 along lines a-a 'and B-B', respectively, are shown. In some embodiments, the recess 704 has a depth of between 2.5mm and 3.5mm and a width of between 2mm and 6 mm. The bottom die 702 also includes a protrusion 706 forming the slot 108, a raised portion 708 surrounding the protrusion 706 forming the slot reinforcement 110, and a raised portion 710 forming the circumferential reinforcement 116. In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 8A, dredged pulp (or uncompressed pulp material) is placed into recess 704 of bottom mold 702 to form material layer 800, which material layer 800 has a thickness T in a first region₁A layer thickness 802 of between about 2.5mm and 3.5mm, and a thickness T in the second region₂A layer thickness 804 of between about 2mm and 3 mm. In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 8A, one or more regions of the material layer 800 disposed over the bottom die have a thickness T greater than₂Thickness T of₁. In one example, the thickness T₁Is a thickness T₂Is about 1.1 to about 1.5 times larger, for example, 2.5 to 1.5 times larger.

In the molding process (block 606), the layer of material placed between the bottom mold 702 and the top mold 712 during block 604 is compressed by applying between about 10 kilograms and about 15 kilograms of force, such as about 15 kilograms of force, for a duration of between about 5 seconds and about 120 seconds, such as 120 seconds. The bottom mold 702 and the top mold 712 may be made of a metal alloy and heated to a temperature between about 120 ℃ and about 150 ℃, for example about 150 ℃, during the compression step.

In utilizing the mold design shown in fig. 7B, the top mold 712 has a protrusion 714, the protrusion 714 mating with the recess 704 of the bottom mold 702 and together forming the hinge 106 of the hanging flap 100. The top mold 712 also includes a protrusion 716 that mates with the protrusion 706 of the bottom mold 702 and together forms the trough 108 (i.e., the pulp placed on the protrusion 706 is removed), a lowered portion 718 that mates with the raised portion 708 of the bottom mold 702 and together forms the trough reinforcement 110, and a lowered portion that mates with the raised portion 710 and together forms the circumferential reinforcement 116. Thus, the mold structure shown in fig. 7B may be used to form a suspension flap 100 comprising a support portion 104, a hinge portion 106 and a suspension portion 102 of the suspension flap 100, wherein the suspension portion 102 comprises a slot 108, a slot reinforcement 110, a central region 115 and a circumferential reinforcement 116.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 8A-8B, in the process performed during block 606, using a simpler mold configuration as shown in fig. 7A, for purposes of discussion only, the pulp layer located in recess 704 is compressed from an original thickness T1 to a thickness T3 (fig. 8B) of between 1mm and 1.4mm, and pulp layer 804 located on the remainder of base mold 702 is compressed from thickness T2 to the same thickness T3 (fig. 8B) of between 1mm and 1.4mm, and thus hinge 106 (formed by the pulp layer in recess 704) has a higher material density than the remainder of overhang 102. The increased density of the hinge 106 relative to other areas of the suspension flap 100 results from the increased volume change created during compression. In some embodiments, the density of the first region of the material layer 800 changes from an initial density of 30% -40% of the theoretical maximum density to a compressed density of 95% -100% of the theoretical maximum density, and the density of the second region of the material layer 800 changes from an initial density of 30% -40% of the theoretical maximum density to a compressed density of 75% -85% of the theoretical maximum density. In other embodiments, the density of the first region of the material layer 800 changes from an initial density of 30% -35% of the theoretical maximum density to a compressed density of 95% -100% of the theoretical maximum density, and the density of the second region of the material layer 800 changes from an initial density of 35% -40% of the theoretical maximum density to a compressed density of 75% -85% of the theoretical maximum density.

In the trimming process (block 608), the protruding edges of the formed pulp produced during block 606 are trimmed to form hanging flaps 100. Typically, all of the trimmed waste is returned to the aqueous solution and reused.

In an optional painting process (block 610), the resulting suspension flap 100 is coated with a material that may incorporate a fibrous material and/or prevent water absorption when the suspension flap 100 needs to be waterproof or water resistant. In some embodiments, the coating is configured to cover and seal the exposed surface of the suspension flap 100 from the external ambient environment. In some embodiments, the coating may comprise a hydrophobic polymeric coating.

In the exemplary embodiments described above, environmentally friendly suspension flaps and methods of environmentally friendly suspension flaps made from biodegradable, degradable or recyclable materials, such as wood pulp, have been demonstrated. The environmentally friendly suspension flap is reinforced, can be folded and unfolded without breaking, and can be used for suspending a package without tearing.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the novel embodiments described herein may be embodied in many other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.