Cushioning conversion machine for making a cushioning product having a shell and stuffing formed from separate plies
AssigneeRanpak Corp.
InventorJames A. Simmons
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cushioning conversion machine for converting stock material into a continuous strip of a cushioning product. The machine includes a stock-preparing assembly which prepares the stock material; a stock-shaping assembly which shapes the prepared stock material into a continuous strip having a pillow-like portion and at least one tab portion projecting therefrom; and a tab-connecting assembly which connects the tab portion of the continuous strip whereby the pillow-like portion will maintain its pillow-like geometry.
Claims21
A cushioning conversion machine for converting multiple plies of stock material into a pillow-shaped cushioning product having a stuffing and a shell surrounding the stuffing, the machine comprising:
- a frame;
- conversion assemblies, mounted to the frame, which convert the stock material into the cushioning product;
- a stock supply assembly, positioned upstream of the conversion assemblies, which supplies the multiple plies of stock material to the conversion assemblies, said multiple plies of stock material comprising at least one shell ply for forming the shell and at least one stuffing ply for forming the stuffing;
- and
- a feed assembly, positioned downstream of the stock supply assembly, which advances the stock material through the conversion assemblies;
- wherein the conversion assemblies include a stock-shaping assembly which includes a first shaping device which forms the shell from the at least one shell ply into the shell and a second shaping device which forms by crumpling the at least one stuffing ply into the stuffing separate from said at least one outer shell ply.
A method of making a pillow-shaped cushioning product having a stuffing and a shell surrounding the stuffing, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing multiple plies of stock material, said multiple plies of stock material comprising at least one shell ply for forming the shell and at least one stuffing ply for forming the stuffing;
- and
- converting the multiple plies of stock material into a cushioning product;
- said converting step including the steps of:
- forming the at least one shell ply into the shell;
- and
- forming by crumpling the at least one stuffing ply into the stuffing separate from said at least one outer shell ply.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.