Cushioning conversion machine, method and product
AssigneeRanpak Corp.
InventorRichard O. Ratzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cushioning conversion machine includes a plurality of laterally spaced apart upstream assemblies which advance the sheet stock material with a transversely reciprocating twisting motion and at least one downstream assembly that retards the advance of the stock material. Additionally, the upstream assemblies feed the sheet stock material at a feed rate greater than the feed rate at which the downstream assembly passes the sheet stock material. The downstream assembly thereby cooperates with the upstream assemblies to crumple the stock material and impart loft thereto, and as a further result, the crumpled stock material includes a regular arrangement of folds preferably forming a herringbone pattern.
Claims21
A cushioning conversion machine for making a cushioning product from a flat sheet stock material, comprising a plurality of upstream assemblies which advance the sheet stock material with a transversely reciprocating motion and at least one downstream assembly which retards the advance of the stock material, thereby cooperating with the upstream assemblies to longitudinally crumple the stock material and to impart loft to the stock material;
- wherein each upstream assembly includes a support wheel and a feed wheel, the support wheel of the upstream assembly has axial end portions on either side of an annular groove, each axial end portion has a plurality of flat faces alternating with arcuate areas about the circumference thereof, the flat faces of one axial end portion are transversely aligned with the arcuate areas of the other axial end portion, the feed wheel having axial end portions on either side of an annual rib which extends within the annular groove of the support wheel, the axial end portions of the feed wheel cooperating with the axial end portions of the support wheel to engage the sheet stock material therebetween, and the upstream assemblies are laterally spaced apart across a planar path of the sheet stock material to effect twisting of regions of the sheet stock material about axes extending out of the plane of the sheet stock material, the regions of stock material collectively extending across substantially the full width of the path of the sheet stock material, the laterally spaced apart upstream assemblies cooperating to laterally crumple the stock material therebetween.
A cushioning conversion machine for converting flat sheet stock material into cushioning products of a desired length, the machine comprising a conversion assembly which converts discrete lengths of the flat sheet stock material into the cushioning product, wherein the conversion assembly includes a plurality of upstream assemblies which feed the flat sheet stock material with a transversely reciprocating action and at least one downstream assembly which retards the advance of the stock material thereby cooperating with the upstream assemblies to longitudinally crumple the stock material and to impart loft to the stock material;
- wherein each upstream assembly includes a support wheel and a feed wheel, the support wheel of the upstream assembly has axial end portions on either side of an annular groove, each axial end portion has a plurality of flat faces alternating with arcuate areas about the circumference thereof, the flat faces of one axial end portion are transversely aligned with the arcuate areas of the other axial end portion, the feed wheel having axial end portions on either side of an annual rib which extends within the annular groove of the support wheel, the axial end portions of the feed wheel cooperating with the axial end portions of the support wheel to engage the sheet stock material therebetween, and the upstream assemblies are laterally spaced apart across a planar path of the sheet stock material to effect twisting of regions of the sheet stock material about axes extending out of the plane of the sheet stock material, the regions collectively extending across substantially the full width of the path of the sheet stock material, the laterally spaced apart upstream assemblies cooperating to laterally crumple the stock material therebetween.
A method of making a cushioning product from flat sheet stock material, comprising the steps of:
- supplying the flat sheet stock material to a plurality of upstream assemblies that are laterally spaced apart across the width of the flat sheet stock material;
- advancing the sheet stock-material with the upstream assemblies and concurrently imparting to the sheet stock material a transversely reciprocating motion to effect twisting of the sheet stock material in respective regions about axes extending out of the plane of the sheet stock material at respective regions collectively extending across substantially the full width of the sheet stock material, and laterally crumpling the regions of sheet stock material between the cooperating upstream assemblies;
- and
- retarding the advancement of the stock material through at least one downstream assembly downstream of the upstream assemblies;
- whereby the stock material becomes longitudinally crumpled through the cooperation of the advancing and retarding steps, thereby increasing the loft of the cushioning product compared to the flat sheet stock material.
A method as set forth in claim, 17, wherein the supplying step includes supplying sheet stock material that is Kraft paper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.