Dunnage system with coiler, automated taping and ejecting apparatus and method

An automatic coil ejecting mechanism in combination with a dunnage conversion machine capable of producing a strip of dunnage and dispensing the strip of dunnage through an outlet, and a coiling mechanism downstream of the outlet that is capable of rolling a strip of dunnage about a coil axis that is generally horizontal to produce a coiled dunnage product, the coil ejecting mechanism comprising:

• a lever arm having a generally vertical pivot axis about which the lever arm is rotatable between a ready position in which the coiled dunnage product is produced by the coiling mechanism and an ejection position in which the coiled dunnage product is ejected from the coiling mechanism, the lever arm being mounted at the pivot axis to a support frame secured to the dunnage conversion machine, and a push plate mounted to the lever arm at a location spaced from the pivot axis, the push plate having a surface that is parallel to a pivot plane that includes the pivot axis, where the pivot plane is perpendicular to the coil axis when the lever arm is in the ready position, and where the push plate is capable of ejecting the coiled dunnage product when the lever arm is in the ejection position.