主权项 |
1. A protective liner for use in the shipping of articles, the liner comprising layers of synthetic plastics material welded together to provide a plurality of panels each of which is constituted by a plurality of inflatable tubes, there being a manifold to which all the tubes connect and which has an air inlet valve to enable the manifold to communicate with a source of air under pressure for the purpose of inflating the tubes, the liner comprising a first group of panels for protecting a first article to be shipped, the first group of panels consisting of a rectangular first panel which constitutes, in use, a side wall panel, a second panel protruding in one direction from one edge of the first panel and which, in use, constitutes a base panel, a third panel protruding from the opposed edge of the first panel in the opposite direction to the second panel and which, in use, constitutes a top panel, and further panels protruding from both the remaining edges of the first panel and which, in use, constitute side panels of the liner, and a second group of panels which is joined to the first group of panels and is for protecting a second article to be shipped and which is adjacent the first article, the second group of panels comprising first panels for protecting the sides of the second article, a second panel for protecting the top of the second article and a third panel for protecting the bottom of the second article, one panel being, in use, between the articles being shipped, characterised by a double height panel on each side of said rectangular first panel, the lower part of each double height panel being joined to said rectangular first panel and constituting shipped one of said further panels of the first group, and the upper parts each constituting one of said first panels of the second group. |