Bubble wrap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bubble wrap is a pliable transparent plastic material commonly used for packing fragile items. Regularly spaced, protruding air-filled hemispheres ("bubbles") provide cushioning for precious or breakable items. Bubble wrap was created by two engineers, Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, in 1957. Like many innovations, it was accidental: The two were trying to create a textured plastic wallpaper with paper backing that could be easily cleaned. The term is a trademark of the Sealed Air Corporation which was founded in 1960 by those inventors, and should theoretically only be used for products of that company; the generic term for material of this type is air cellular cushioning material, although bubble wrap is rapidly becoming a genericized trademark.
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[edit] Types
The bubbles which provide the cushioning for fragile or sensitive objects are generally available in different sizes, depending on the size of the object being packed, as well as the level of cushioning protection that is needed. They can be as small as 1/4 inch in diameter, to as large as an inch or more, to provide added levels of shock absorption during transit. In addition to the degree of protection available from the size of the air bubbles in the plastic, the plastic material itself can offer some forms of protection for the object in question. For example, when shipping sensitive electronic parts and components, a type of bubble wrap is used that employs an anti-static plastic that dissipates static charges, thereby protecting the sensitive electronic chips from static which can damage them.
[edit] Other uses
Image:Bubble wrap play.jpg Bubble wrap is used by some as a distracting amusement or stress relieving activity. These people enjoy popping the plastic bubbles and listening to the sound that it makes. This practice has even spawned a website in which one can move the mouse cursor over "virtual bubble wrap" and hear it pop.
[edit] References
- Bubble Wrap is a Trademark of Sealed Air. Sealed Air Corporation. Retrieved on April 3, 2006.
- Company History. Sealed Air Corporation. Retrieved on April 3, 2006.
- European Sealed Air Master Distributer. Postal Supplies Direct. Retrieved on May 25, 2006.
- Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. Fast-Pack.com. Retrieved on April 3, 2006.
- Bubble Wrap products. Polybags.co.uk (2006). Retrieved on April 14, 2006.
- Bubble Wrap products in the UK. buyboxes.co.uk (2006). Retrieved on May 16, 2006.
- Bubble Wrap humour. bubblewrap.tv (2006). Retrieved on June 26, 2006.
[edit] Further reading
- How To Package Your Product For Shipping. PackagingPrice.com. Retrieved on 2006-04-30. — A guide detailing how best to package items that need to be shipped. Includes technical information about using bubble wrap and bubble mailers.de:Sichtverpackung
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