Non-contact protective packaging for surface-sensitive articles

摘要

Disclosed herein is a non-contact package useful when an article to be stored or shipped in the package includes a sensitive surface, the performance of which will be detrimentally affected if the sensitive surface is contacted with a nominal amount of mechanical force. A fluid environment which does not produce sufficient mechanical force to detrimentally affect the sensitive surface may be used in contact with the sensitive surface to prevent an undesirable chemical reaction on the sensitive surface. A fluid environment may also be used inside the package to support surrounding walls of the package so that such walls do not contact the sensitive surface and/or to dissipate force applied to the exterior of the package so that the sensitive surface will not be damaged. The more advantageous embodiments of the non-contact packaging not only protect sensitive surfaces of articles within the packaging during storage and shipping of the package, but also reduce the possibility that sensitive surfaces of the article will be damaged by contact with the packaging material during removal of the article from the package.