Packaging having protective materials incorporated therein

Abstract

A packaging article for protectively storing perishable paper products that includes protective materials that protect the packaging article and its contents from any of a number of threats including water damage, fire damage, mold, insects, bacteria, fungi and theft. The packaging article comprises a bottom wall, side walls and a closure that surround and define an interior cavity in which the paper products are stored or transported. Each of the bottom wall, side walls and closure are made from a plurality of layers. Protective materials are applied to one or more of the bottom wall, side walls and closures by either impregnating a paper or cardboard with a suitable chemical, applying a film thereover, spraying a coating thereover or sandwiching the protective material between two adjacent layers. Suitable chemicals that produce the desired properties include, but are not limited to wax, oil, plastic, polybrominated diphenyl ether, polybrominated biphenyl, brominated cyclohydrocarbons, boric acid and hydrogen peroxide. A radio frequency identification tag may also be received within the wall of the packaging article to protect the same against theft.

1 . A packaging article for protectively storing and shipping perishable paper products, wherein said packaging article comprises:
 a bottom wall;   a plurality of side walls extending upwardly away from the bottom wall to surround and define an interior cavity; said cavity being adapted to retain the paper products therein;   a closure receivable over an upper end of the side walls to close off said interior cavity;   a protective material applied to one or more of said bottom wall, side walls and closure to protect the same from one or more threats selected from the group consisting of fire, water, insects, mold, fungi, bacteria and theft.   
   
   
       2 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 1  wherein the protective material is applied as a film over the one or more of said bottom wall, side walls and lid. 
   
   
       3 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 1 , in which the protective material is sprayed over the one or more of said bottom wall, side walls and lid. 
   
   
       4 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 1 , in which the protective material is sandwiched within the one or more of said bottom wall, side walls and lid. 
   
   
       5 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 1 , in which the protective material is one or more of a wax, an oil, a plastic, aluminum hydroxide, diammonium phosphate, polybrominated diphenyl ether, polybrominated biphenyl, brominated cyclohydrocarbons, boric acid hydrogen peroxide and a radio frequency identification tag. 
   
   
       6 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of the bottom wall, side walls and closure of the box includes at least:
 a first planar layer;   a second layer; said second layer being one of corrugated and blistered; and   a third planar layer; said third planar layer being applied to one of the first and second layers; and wherein the protective material is applied to one or more of the first, second and third layers.   
   
   
       7 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the protective material is impregnated into one or more of the first, second and third layers. 
   
   
       8 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the protective material is applied as a film over one or both of the first and third layers. 
   
   
       9 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the protective material is sprayed over one or both of the first and third layers. 
   
   
       10 . The packaging articles defined in  claim 9 , wherein the protective layer is sprayed in one of a powder form and a liquid form over the one or both of the first and third layers. 
   
   
       11 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the protective material is sandwiched between an adjacent two of the first, second and third layers. 
   
   
       12 . The packaging article is defined in  claim 6 , wherein the protective material comprises:
 a first component that protects the packaged article against a first threat.   
   
   
       13 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the first threat is one of water damage, fire damage, mold, insects, bacteria, fungi and theft. 
   
   
       14 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the protective material further comprises:
 a second component that protects the box against a second threat.   
   
   
       15 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the second threat is a different one of water damage, fire damage, mold, insects, bacteria, fungi and theft. 
   
   
       16 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the protective material further comprises:
 a third component that protects the box against a third threat.   
   
   
       17 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the third threat is a further different one of water damage, fire damage, mold, insects, bacteria, fungi and theft. 
   
   
       18 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the protective material further comprises:
 a fourth component that protects the box against a fourth threat.   
   
   
       19 . The packaging article as defined  claim 18 , wherein the fourth threat is the last different one of water damage, fire damage, mold, insects, bacteria, fungi and theft. 
   
   
       20 . The packaging article as defined in  claim 18 , wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth components are selected from the group consisting of a wax, an oil, a plastic, aluminum hydroxide, diammonium phosphate, polybrominated diphenyl ether, polybrominated biphenyl, brominated cyclohydrocarbons, boric acid, hydrogen peroxide and a radio frequency identification tag.