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US 2008/0125301 A1Published application
Dunnage Conversion Machine With Floating Guides
AssigneeRanpak Corp.
InventorThomas E. Manley
Life of this patent
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AssigneeRanpak Corp.
InventorThomas E. Manley
Estimating the term…
A dunnage conversion machine (115), wherein sheet stock material is crumpled to form a crumpled strip, includes a feeding assembly (132). The feeding assembly (132) includes opposed feeding members that engage and advance the crumpled strip therebetween. One of the feeding members (141) includes a rotating member (141) supported on a shaft (144) for rotation about the axis of the shaft, the shaft being mounted for transverse movement toward and away from the other feeding member (140) to accommodate variations of the thickness of the crumpled strip as it is advanced between the opposed feeding members (140 and 141). The conversion machine (115) also includes a guide member (200) positioned laterally adjacent to the rotating member (141) progressively to guide a portion of the crumpled strip underneath the shaft (144). The guide member (200) has at least a portion adjacent the shaft (144) that is transversely movable.
A dunnage conversion machine (115) wherein sheet stock material is crumpled to form a crumpled strip, comprising a feeding assembly (132) that includes opposed feeding members (140 and 141) that engage and advance the crumpled strip therebetween, one of the feeding members (141) including a rotating member (141) supported on a shaft (144) for rotation about the axis of the shaft (144), the shaft (144) being mounted for transverse movement toward and away from the other feeding member (140) to accommodate variations of thickness of the crumpled strip as it is advanced between the opposed feeding members (140 and 141), and a guide member (200) positioned laterally adjacent the rotating member (141) progressively to guide a portion of the crumpled strip underneath the shaft (144), the guide member (200) having at least a portion thereof adjacent the shaft that is transversely movable.
A dunnage conversion machine as set forth in the previous claim, wherein the guide member is mounted to the shaft for movement with the shaft.
A dunnage conversion machine as set forth in the previous claim, wherein the guide member includes a surface that extends progressively further from the shaft.
A dunnage conversion machine as set forth in any previous claim, wherein the feeding assembly moves the stock material through a forming assembly that forms the sheet stock material into a relatively less dense strip of dunnage.
A dunnage conversion machine as set forth in any previous claim, wherein the pair of opposed rotating members are biased toward one another.
A dunnage conversion machine as set forth in any previous claim, wherein the shafts of the rotating members are parallel to each other.
A dunnage conversion machine as set forth in any previous claim wherein a pair of laterally spaced apart side walls define a channel that laterally constrains the stock material adjacent the rotating member.
8 A dunnage conversion machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein the guide surface extends substantially the entire distance between the rotating member and at least one side wall.
A dunnage conversion machine as set forth in any previous claim, wherein the guide member extends beyond the radial extent of the rotating member.
A dunnage conversion machine as set forth in any previous claim, including another guide member, the two guide members being mounted on axially opposite sides of the rotating member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.