Cushioning conversion system and method with dancer roller cart
AssigneeRanpak Corp.
InventorsJames A. Simmons, Jr., Richard O. Ratzel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cushioning conversion system including a cushioning conversion machine having conversion assemblies for converting a sheet stock material into a relatively lower density cushioning dunnage product, a stand for supporting the cushioning conversion machine at a convenient height and/or angular orientation, and a stock supply cart including a dancer roller for helping to maintain a greater uniformity of tension on the sheet material being fed through the conversion assemblies from changes in loads acting on the sheet material upstream of the dancer roller regardless of the angular orientation of the cushioning conversion machine.
Claims30
A cushioning conversion system for converting sheet stock material into a relatively low density cushioning dunnage product, comprising:
- a cushioning conversion machine including conversion assemblies which convert the sheet material into the cushioning dunnage product and a stock roll cart for supporting a supply of sheet stock material, the stock roll cart including a dancer roller assembly for helping to maintain a greater uniformity of tension on the sheet material being fed through the conversion assemblies.
A method of supplying sheet stock material to a cushioning conversion system including a cushioning conversion machine having conversion assemblies for converting the sheet stock material into a relatively lower density cushioning dunnage product and a stock roll cart for supporting a supply of sheet stock material, the stock roll cart including a dancer roller assembly having a dancer roller for helping to maintain a greater uniformity of tension on the sheet material being fed through the conversion assemblies, the method comprising the step of:
- passing a loop of sheet material through the dancer roller assembly to the cushioning conversion machine for conversion to a cushioning dunnage product such that the dancer roller applies a substantially constant force to the sheet material through a range of motion of the dancer roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.