Bubble Wrap
Encyclopedia
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
material commonly used for packing fragile items. Regularly spaced, protruding air-filled hemispheres (bubbles) provide cushioning for fragile items.
The term is also a brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
of Sealed Air Corporation (US)
Sealed Air
Sealed Air Corporation is a company that makes a variety of packaging materials, systems and equipment. Its brands include Bubble Wrap, Cryovac, Instapak, Shanklin.They have recently moved headquarters to Elmwood Park, New Jersey....
. In 1957 two inventors named Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes were attempting to create a 3-dimensional plastic wallpaper. Although the idea was a failure, they found that it did make for great packing material. Sealed Air Corp. was co-founded by Alfred Fielding in 1960.
Some people use the name generically for similar products, often termed air bubble packing or bubble wrapping; Sealed Air denotes its product as a brand of "cushioning material".
Design
The bubbles that provide the cushioningCushioning
Package cushioning is used to help protect fragile items during shipment. It is common for a transport package to be dropped, kicked, and impacted: These events may produce potentially damaging shocks. Transportation vibration from conveyors, trucks, railroads, or aircraft can also damage some...
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. Multiple layers might be needed to provide shock
Shock (mechanics)
A mechanical or physical shock is a sudden acceleration or deceleration caused, for example, by impact, drop, kick, earthquake, or explosion. Shock is a transient physical excitation....
and vibration
Vibration
Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...
isolation. A single layer might be used as a surface protective layer.
They can be as small as 6 millimeters (1/4 inch) in diameter, to as large as 26 millimeters (1 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 charge
Static electricity
Static electricity refers to the build-up of electric charge on the surface of objects. The static charges remain on an object until they either bleed off to ground or are quickly neutralized by a discharge. Static electricity can be contrasted with current electricity, which can be delivered...
, thereby protecting the sensitive electronic chips from static which can damage them.
Amusement
Mugen Puchipuchi
Mugen Puchipuchi is a Japanese virtual bubble wrap keychain toy by Bandai . “Mugen” means “infinite” in Japanese while “puchipuchi” means “bubble wrap” and also refers to the sound of the bubbles being popped. The toy is designed to mimic the sensation of popping bubble wrap for infinite number of...
is a compact electronic toy simulating bubble wrap popping.
Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day is celebrated on the last Monday of January.