Method, apparatus and system for making cushioning product, and roll tensioner therefor
AssigneeZsolt Design Engineering, Inc.
InventorZsolt Toth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method, apparatus and system for making cushioning product, and a roll tensioner therefor apply frictional resistance to the periphery of a roll of material to be converted into cushioning product with at least one roll support member which supports the roll in addition to applying frictional resistance to rotation. Efficient operation is attained automatically in that the frictional resistance applied and also the pulling profile exerted on the material during unwinding of the roll are changed as a function of weight and/or other characteristics of the roll of material to be converted into cushioning product.
Claims28
A method of making a cushioning product comprising:
- pulling material from a roll of material which is positioned to permit the roll to be rotated about a longitudinal axis of the roll in response to the pulling to unwind material from the roll;
- and
- shaping the material pulled from the roll for converting the material into a cushioning product;
- wherein the material being pulled from the roll is tensioned by applying frictional resistance to rotation of the roll at the periphery of the material on the roll with at least one roll support member which supports the roll.
An apparatus for converting material into a cushioning product comprising:
- a roll tensioner including a roll support arrangement for positioning a roll of material to permit the material to be unwound from the roll;
- a motor and a material feeding arrangement driven by said motor for pulling material from a roll of material positioned by said roll support arrangement;
- at least one material shaping member for shaping material pulled from a roll of material positioned by said roll support arrangement for converting the material into a cushioning product;
- and
- a controller for adjusting an acceleration/deceleration profile of said pulling by said motor and said material feeding arrangement as a function of a characteristic of a roll of material positioned by said roll support arrangement.
A method of making a cushioning product comprising:
- pulling material from a roll of material to be converted into a cushioning product;
- shaping the material pulled from the roll for converting the material into a cushioning product;
- wherein the roll of material has at least one marking thereon, and the method includes detecting the at least one marking on the roll of material.
A system for converting material into a cushioning product, comprising:
- a motor and a material feeding arrangement driven by the motor for pulling material from a roll of material to be converted into a cushioning product;
- at least one material shaping member for shaping material pulled from a roll of material by the motor and material feeding arrangement for converting the material into a cushioning product;
- and
- a recognition device for detecting at least one marking provided on a roll of material to be converted into a cushioning product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.