Dunnage device with tag-tearing prevention
AssigneePregis LLC
InventorsKen Chess, David Joyce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Dunnage conversion machines can include a drive mechanism that deforms a stock material into a continuous length of dunnage, a cutting device that severs a piece of dunnage from the continuous length of dunnage, and a jaw that moves between a first and a second position. When in the first position, the jaw contacts the dunnage and exerts a first force on the dunnage that prevents substantial movement of the dunnage in an upstream direction while the dunnage is being severed. When in the second position, the jaw exerts a lower second force on the severed piece to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine. The second force can be low enough to prevent tearing of the severed piece when the severed piece is removed from the dunnage conversion machine.
Claims27
A dunnage conversion machine, comprising:
- a drive mechanism configured to deform a stock material into a continuous length of dunnage and to advance the continuous length of dunnage in a downstream direction;
- a cutting device configured to sever a piece of dunnage from the continuous length of dunnage;
- a first jaw configured to move between:
- a first position at which the first jaw contacts the continuous length of dunnage and exerts a first force on the continuous length of dunnage, and
- a second position at which the first jaw exerts a second force on the severed piece of dunnage to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine, the second force being less than the first force;
- and
- a second jaw configured to support the severed piece of dunnage while the first jaw exerts the second force on the dunnage so that the first and second jaws pinch the severed piece to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine, wherein:
- the first jaw and the second jaw each have a width transverse to the upstream and downstream directions, and
- the width of the second jaw is less than the width of the first jaw.
A dunnage conversion machine, comprising:
- a drive mechanism configured to deform a stock material into a continuous length of dunnage and to advance the continuous length of dunnage in a downstream direction;
- a cutting device configured to sever a piece of dunnage from the continuous length of dunnage;
- a jaw configured to move between:
- a first position at which the jaw contacts the continuous length of dunnage and exerts a first force on the continuous length of dunnage,
- a second position at which the jaw exerts a second force on the severed piece of dunnage to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine, the second force being less than the first force, and
- a third position at which the jaw is substantially out of the path of the continuous length of dunnage to allow the continuous length of dunnage to advance in the downstream direction past the jaw;
- and
- a hood drive mechanism coupled to the jaw and configured to apply a hood-driving force to the jaw to move the jaw between the first and third positions.
A method of converting dunnage, comprising:
- providing a dunnage machine including a drive mechanism, and a jaw movable between a first position, a second position, and a third position;
- deforming a stock material into a continuous length of dunnage and advancing the continuous length of dunnage in a downstream direction using the drive mechanism, while the jaw is in the third position at which the jaw permits the continuous length of dunnage to advance in the downstream direction past the jaw;
- moving the jaw to the first position at which the jaw contacts the continuous length of dunnage and exerts a first force on the continuous length of dunnage that prevents substantial movement of the continuous length of dunnage in an upstream direction while the continuous length of dunnage is being severed by a cutting device;
- and
- subsequently releasing or reducing a force on the jaw so that the jaw moves to the second position at which the jaw exerts a second force on the severed piece of dunnage to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine, the second force being less than the first force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.