How Bubble Wrap Is Manufactured
A 1959 manufacturing process that creates cushioning material by trapping air between two layers of plastic film.
Original patent title: “Method for making laminated cushioning material”
A 1959 manufacturing process that creates cushioning material by trapping air between two layers of plastic film. Granted to Sealed Air Corp in 1964 with 2 claims and 185 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a continuous manufacturing process for creating air-filled cushioning material. A thermoplastic film is heated to a specific temperature—soft enough to be shaped but not hot enough to melt—and pressed into a roller with discrete depressions to form bubbles. A second film is then heated and sealed over the first, trapping air within the embossed pockets to create a protective, flexible material.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover the use of non-thermoplastic materials like paper or fabric.
- Does not cover methods that do not use a female molding roller with discrete depressions.
- Does not cover the specific chemical composition of the plastic used, only the mechanical process of forming and sealing.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The innovation lies in the precise thermal control: heating the film just enough to allow deformation into the mold without losing structural integrity or melting through the material.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Bubble Wrap brand packaging material
Standard protective shipping mailers
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent marks the birth of Bubble Wrap. Originally intended as 3D wallpaper, it failed in that market but became the global standard for protective packaging, fundamentally changing how fragile goods are shipped worldwide.
Filed
November 27, 1959
Granted
July 28, 1964
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Sealed Air Corporation remains the primary manufacturer and holder of the Bubble Wrap trademarktrademarkA name, logo, or phrase identifying the source of goods or services. Protects brand identity — different from patents (inventions) or copyright (creative works).Read more →. Various global packaging firms continue to refine the material's durability and sustainability by using recycled plastics.
Market impact
This patent enabled the creation of a multi-billion dollar protective packaging industry. It standardized the way fragile items are handled in logistics and e-commerce, effectively becoming a ubiquitous household item.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a continuous manufacturing process for creating air-filled cushioning material. A thermoplastic film is heated to a specific temperature—soft enough to be shaped but not hot enough to melt—and pressed into a roller with discrete depressions to form bubbles. A second film is then heated and sealed over the first, trapping air within the embossed pockets to create a protective, flexible material.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in the precise thermal control: heating the film just enough to allow deformation into the mold without losing structural integrity or melting through the material.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover the use of non-thermoplastic materials like paper or fabric.
- Does not cover methods that do not use a female molding roller with discrete depressions.
- Does not cover the specific chemical composition of the plastic used, only the mechanical process of forming and sealing.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
1/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$32K – $104K
Midpoint $65K · expired or expiring · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Patent Claims
1 independent claim · 0 dependent
Claims are the legal boundaries of the patent. An independent claim stands alone. A dependent claim adds limitations to its parent, narrowing — but not broadening — the scope.
The original legal language
Original claims
2 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Chavannes, M. A. (1964). How Bubble Wrap Is Manufactured (U.S. Patent No. 3,142,599). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3142599/bubble-wrap-cushioning
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
Embed
Add this patent to your site
Drop this plain-English patent card into any blog post or article — free, no signup. It always links back to the full breakdown here.
<div data-patentlens-widget data-patent-number="US3142599"></div> <script src="https://patentbrief.org/embed.js" async></script>
Stay in the loop
Get a weekly digest of new patents.
One email per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keep exploring
Related patents you should know
US 4683195 · 1987
How to Make Billions of Copies of a DNA Segment
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.
Cetus Corp
US 8697359 · 2014
How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System
This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
US 7657849 · 2010
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Apple Inc
US 4733665 · 1988
How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon
This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.
Expandable Grafts Partnership
US 4965188 · 1990
How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.
Cetus Corp
US 4235871 · 1980
How to Encapsulate Active Materials in Lipid Bubbles Efficiently
This patent describes a method for trapping biologically active substances inside tiny, multi-layered fat bubbles called liposomes, using a specific water-in-oil emulsion and gel-forming process to improve how much material gets captured.
Individual
Semantically similar
You might also find these interesting
US 3733309 · 1973 · EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
How Plastic Soda Bottles Are Made Stronger Using Stretched Molecules
US 12043450 · 2024 · Inteplast Group Corp
How to Make Waste-Free Plastic Grocery Bags on a Roll
US 3953566 · 1976 · WL Gore and Associates Inc
Making Strong, Porous PTFE: The Gore-Tex Process
US 2543181 · 1951 · Polaroid Corp
How Polaroid's Instant Film Pods Work
More to explore
More in Materials & Manufacturing
US 4575330 · 1986 · UVP Inc
How 3D Printers Build Objects Layer by Layer from Liquid
US 3953566 · 1976 · WL Gore and Associates Inc
Making Strong, Porous PTFE: The Gore-Tex Process
US 5121329 · 1992 · Stratasys Inc
How Machines Build 3D Objects Layer by Layer from Melting Plastic
US 3691140 · 1972
Sticky, Tiny Plastic Balls Made from Acrylates
New to patents?
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Bubble Wrap Is Manufactured cover?
A 1959 manufacturing process that creates cushioning material by trapping air between two layers of plastic film.
Who owns patent US 3142599?
Sealed Air Corp owns this patent, granted in 1964.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 3142599 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 185 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent marks the birth of Bubble Wrap. Originally intended as 3D wallpaper, it failed in that market but became the global standard for protective packaging, fundamentally changing how fragile goods are shipped worldwide.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover the use of non-thermoplastic materials like paper or fabric.
Patent monitoring