Off-set gears and methods of using off-set gears for producing cushioning material
AssigneeNuevopak International Limited
InventorsSimon C.S. Chan, Shek Wah Hau
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Some embodiments of the present invention comprise an off-set gear assembly for use in producing cushioning material and methods for using the same. Each gear of the off-set gear assembly has at least two sections. Each section includes a set of gear teeth. The gear teeth of the two sections can be rotationally off-set and this can result in the production of cushioning material with staggered ridges. Some embodiments of the present invention also comprising cushioning material with staggered ridges.
Claims20
A gear assembly for use in producing cushioning material comprising:
- at least a first rotatable gear and at least a second rotatable gear, each rotatable gear having at least a first set of gear members and at least a second set of gear members, each of the sets of gear members having a plurality of gear members arranged in circumferential fashion about a perimeter of the corresponding rotatable gear, with each gear member of the at least first set of gear members being rotationally off-set from each gear member of the at least second set of gear members.
A method of producing dunnage comprising:
- providing at least a first gear having a plurality of gear members disposed about a perimeter of the first gear in spaced apart fashion and a plurality of adjacent gear members also disposed about the perimeter of the first gear in spaced apart fashion, each of the adjacent gear members of the first gear being in disposed in an off-set position relative to each of the gear members of the first gear;
- providing at least a second gear having a plurality of gear members disposed about a perimeter of the second gear in spaced apart fashion and a plurality of adjacent gear members also disposed about the perimeter of the second gear in spaced apart fashion, each of the adjacent gear members of the second gear being disposed in off-set position relative to the each of the gear members of the second gear;
- moving the first gear and the second gear in a manner such that at least some of the gear members and adjacent gear members associated with the first gear overlap with at least some of the gear members and adjacent gear members associated with the second gear;
- and
- compressing a stock material between the gear members and adjacent gear members of the first gear and gear members and adjacent gear members of the second gear to form a cushioning material.
A cushioning product comprising:
- a stock material having overlapping edge portions, the overlapping edge portions having at least a first set of ridges and at least a second set of ridges, each of the sets of ridges including a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart ridges, with the at least first set of ridges also being laterally space apart from the at least second set of ridges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.