CPC B65D 81/03 (2013.01) [B31D 5/0065 (2013.01); B32B 5/04 (2013.01); B65B 11/004 (2013.01); B65D 81/05 (2013.01); B31D 3/0207 (2013.01); B31D 2205/0058 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. An expanding material having a pretensioned state defining a pretensioned plane, comprising:
a material including a plurality of slits that form a multi-slit pattern wherein the plurality of slits are arranged in rows, wherein the material defines a tension axis;
wherein each slit includes two parallel axial portions that each have first axial endpoints terminating at opposite ends of a transverse portion, wherein each axial portion also has a second axial endpoint that terminates at an imaginary line;
wherein slits in a first row are inverse to slits in an adjacent second row such that the second axial endpoint of each axial portion in both rows terminates at a different point along the imaginary line that runs between the two rows and is parallel to the transverse portion of each slit in both rows; and
wherein the material is substantially in a plane in the pretensioned state but wherein the multi-slit pattern enables at least portions of the material to rotate 45 degrees or greater from the plane of the pretensioned state when tension is applied along the tension axis.
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