Cushioning dunnage pad with stitching perforations

Claim 1

A cushioning dunnage product comprising a flexible pad-like article for use in packaging or the like, formed from a web or sheet of stock material with the lateral edges of the web or sheet having been generally loosely rolled inwardly and forming crumpled pillow-like portions defining the lateral extremities of said product, and means connecting the rolled confronting edges of the pillow-like portions together along a central connecting portion of said product lengthwise thereof, the last mentioned means comprising transversely extending coined portions of said confronting edges, the latter being in generally overlapped relation at said central connecting portion, said laterally arranged pillow-like portions of said article possessing considerable resiliency as compared to said connecting portion, said coined portions including valley sections and rise sections, each of said pillow-like portions being of a substantially greater thickness than said central connecting portion, and characterized by said valley sections of said central connecting portion including perforations therein extending into said connecting portion from exteriorly thereof generally perpendicularly to a generally horizontal plane passing through the lengthwise axis of said connecting portion and aiding said coined portions in maintaining the product in its pad-like form, said perforations are defined by edges of the perforated stock material layers into which a respective perforation extends, said edges being oriented into pressured overlap with respect to one another creating a substantial holding together for resisting separation of the coined overlapped edges of the pillow-like portions of the product.