Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Bending – Crushing or crumpling
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-20
2003-05-13
Kim, Eugene (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Bending
Crushing or crumpling
C493S967000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06561964
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention hereindescribed relates generally to a dunnage-creating machine such as a cushioning conversion machine for producing a dunnage product from sheet-like stock material supplied, for example, in roll form and, more particularly, to an improved modular construction of such machine which enables, among other things, the provision of a low cost machine for low volume users.
BACKGROUND AND OF THE INVENTION
In the process of shipping an item from one location to another, a protective packaging material is typically placed in the shipping case, or box, to fill any voids and/or to cushion the item during the shipping process. Some conventional protective packaging materials are plastic foam peanuts and plastic bubble pack. While these conventional plastic materials seem to perform adequately as cushioning products, they are not without disadvantages. Perhaps the most serious drawback of plastic bubble. wrap and/or plastic foam peanuts is their effect on our environment. Quite simply, these plastic packaging materials are not biodegradable and thus they cannot avoid further multiplying our planet's already critical waste disposal problems. The non-biodegradability of these packaging materials has become increasingly important in light of many industries adopting more progressive policies in terms of environmental responsibility.
The foregoing and other disadvantages of conventional plastic packaging materials have made paper protective packaging material a very popular alternative. Paper is biodegradable, recyclable and renewable, making it an environmentally responsible choice for conscientious industries. Furthermore, paper protective dunnage material is particularly advantageous for use with particle-sensitive merchandise, as its clean dust-free surface is resistant to static cling.
While paper in sheet form could possibly be used as a protective packaging material, it is usually preferable to convert the sheets of paper into a pad-like or other relatively low density dunnage product. This conversion may be accomplished by a cushioning conversion machine, such as those disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,968,291 and 5,123,889. The therein disclosed cushioning conversion machines convert sheet-like stock material, such as paper in multi-ply form, into a pad-like dunnage product having longitudinally extending pillow-like portions that are connected together along a stitched central portion of the product. The stock material preferably consists of three superimposed webs or layers of biodegradable, recyclable and reusable thirty-pound Kraft paper rolled onto a hollow cylindrical tube. A thirty-inch wide roll of this paper, which is approximately 450 feet long, will weigh about 35 pounds and will provide cushioning equal to approximately four fifteen cubic foot bags of plastic foam peanuts while at the same time requiring less than one-thirtieth the storage space.
Specifically, these machines convert the stock material into a continuous unconnected strip having lateral pillow-like portions separated by a thin central band. This strip is connected or coined along the central band to form a coined strip which is cut into sections of a desired length. The cut sections each include lateral pillow-like portions separated by a thin central band and provide an excellent relatively low density pad-like product which may be used in place of conventional plastic protective packaging material.
The several embodiments of machines shown in the aforesaid patents and other commonly assigned patents and applications have achieved considerable commercial success. Nevertheless, environmental and other concerns generally create a continuing need for further improvements in such machines. Also, there appears to be a specific need for similar machines which can be economically used to produce the same pad as such earlier machines in low volume situations, e.g., a machine that is cost competitive with prior art low volume dunnage practices such as loose fill dispensed from an overhead bag or manually crumpled paper from a roll or newsprint. Additionally or alternatively, a specific need exists for more lighter and portable machines, as well as improvements more generally providing for improved performance, lower cost, easier maintenance and repair, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a novel dunnage-creating machine and related methodology characterized by various features including, inter alia, a modular construction for flexible usage, easier access to interior components, and a low cost cutting assembly including a unitized blade assembly, a manually powered feeding and cutting mechanism, a new form of shaping and forming assembly, and an interlock mechanism. The features of the invention may be individually or collectively used in dunnage-creating machines of various types, although they lend themselves particularly to the provision of relatively lightweight and portable machines which can be economically used to produce the same pad as the above mentioned earlier machines in low volume situations, including in particular a machine that is cost competitive with prior art low volume dunnage practices such as loose fill dispensed from an overhead bag or manually crumpled paper from a roll or newsprint. Various aspects of the invention are hereinafter summarized and more fully described below.
According to one aspect of the invention, a cushioning conversion machine for converting sheet-like material into a relatively low density cushioning. dunnage product comprises first and second units having separate housings. The first unit includes in the housing thereof a shaping member over which the sheet-like stock material is drawn to form the stock material into a three-dimensional shape. The second unit includes in the housing thereof a feed mechanism for drawing the stock material over the shaping member of the first unit. The housings of the first and second units respectively have an outlet opening and an inlet opening relatively positionable with respect to one another to provide a pathway for transfer of the sheet-like material from the first unit to the second unit.
In a preferred embodiment, the first and second units may be arranged in plural relative positional relationships, and the housings thereof may be detachably interconnected. The housings of the first and second units may have respective coplanar bottom supports for resting atop a support surface, or in an alternative arrangement one of the first and second units may be supported by wheels for movement towards and away from the other unit. In the latter case, cooperative guide members on the housings of the first and second units may be provided for relatively positioning the first and second units when brought together. In either case, the first and second units may be oriented vertically, horizontally or otherwise. The second unit may include a frame and an outer shell enclosing the frame, the latter including an exit chute for guided and constrained passage of the dunnage product out of the second unit.
As is also preferred, a manually releasable connection is provided between said first and second units, as in the form of a slip fit connection. The slip fit connection holds the units together against separation in a longitudinal direction while permitting separation in a transverse direction. The slip fit connection includes a flange on one of the units and a slot on the other of the units for slidably receiving the flange, and preferably a manually releasable locking device, such as a thumb screw or the like, is provided to lock the units together against separation in said transverse direction.
According to another aspect of the invention, a cushioning conversion machine for converting sheet-like material into a relatively low density cushioning dunnage product comprises a shaping member over which the sheet-like stock material is drawn to form the stock material into a three-dimensional shape, a feed mechanism for drawing the stock material over the shaping
Armington Steven E.
Lencoski Michael J.
Murphy David V.
Ratzel Richard O.
Simmons James A.
Kim Eugene
Ranpak Corp.
Renner , Otto, Boisselle & Sklar, LLP
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