Patents by Inventor Eric Charles Wright

Eric Charles Wright has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240075703
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are protective packaging stock material units that are used in a dunnage system. A dunnage system includes a dunnage conversion machine and a supply station. The supply station is configured to receive fanfold stock material and manipulate the fanfold stock material into being withdrawn from the supply station in a non-planar configuration. The supply station is associated with the dunnage conversion machine such that the dunnage conversion machine operably draws fanfold stock material from the top of a stack of fanfold stock material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Publication number: 20230129170
    Abstract: Provided is a dunnage apparatus, comprising a converting station and a static remover. The converting station converts a line of high-density stock material into low density dunnage and moves the dunnage along a material path in a downstream direction. The static remover is electrically grounded and contacts the dunnage to thereby remove static buildup from the material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Patent number: 11472151
    Abstract: Provided is a dunnage apparatus, comprising a converting station and a static remover. The converting station converts a line of high-density stock material into low density dunnage and moves the dunnage along a material path in a downstream direction. The static remover is electrically grounded and contacts the dunnage to thereby remove static buildup from the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Patent number: 11034121
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dunnage apparatus, including a converting station and a deflector. The converting station converts a line of high-density supply material into low-density dunnage and ejects the dunnage at an exit in an exit trajectory along a path. The deflector is repositionable with respect to the exit between a first position, in which the deflector is interposed in the path to deflect the path of the dunnage from the exit trajectory to a first deflected trajectory, and a second position. The deflector is retained in each position during the ejection of the dunnage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Patent number: 11020930
    Abstract: Stock material units that may be used in a dunnage conversion machine. For example, stock material units include sheet material that may be fed into the dunnage conversion machine and may be converted thereby into dunnage. The stock material unit includes a continuous sheet of material including a tapered sheet section defined by a plurality of slanted folds and positioned adjacent to at least one face of the three-dimensional body, and a splice member. The splice member includes a base having a first side attached to a portion of the continuous sheet of foldable material that is positioned adjacent to the tapered sheet section and has an opposite, second side. The splice member also includes a connector that has a first portion non-removably attached to the tapered sheet section and a second portion removably attached to at least a portion of the second side of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright, Michael Edward Ferringer
  • Patent number: 11007746
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dunnage conversion machine for converting stock material to dunnage. The dunnage conversion machine includes a converting station and a drive mechanism positioned downstream of the converting station. The converting station includes a dunnage intake and a shaping member. The intake member includes an opening that constricts stock material as the stock material is pulled into and through the intake. The shaping member is positioned upstream of the intake member. The shaping member manipulates the path of the stock material in a way that causes the stock material to begin to bend or curl prior to being pulled into the intake. The drive mechanism receives the stock material and pulls the stock material over the shaping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Patent number: 10940659
    Abstract: Stock material units that may be used in a dunnage conversion machine. For example, stock material units include sheet material that may be fed into the dunnage conversion machine and may be converted thereby into dunnage. The stock material unit includes one or more material sheets that form a three-dimensional body and a strap assembly wrapped about the three-dimensional body. The strap assembly includes a base sheet that defines a first face of the strap assembly, a reinforcement member secured to the base sheet and extending along at least a portion of a length thereof, and an adhesive securing a first end of the strap assembly to an opposite, second end of the strap assembly to retain the dunnage in the stock material unit configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Patent number: 10926506
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are protective packaging stock material units that are used in a dunnage system. A dunnage system includes a dunnage conversion machine and a supply station. The supply station is a cart that includes a biased support that is connected to a vertical side support. The biased support is movable from an open position to a closed position with respect to opposing vertical side supports. In the closed position, the biased support is configured to at least partially block the opening between the opposing vertical side supports. In the open position, the biased support leaves the opening between the opposing vertical side supports sufficiently open to load fanfold stock material therein. The biased support is biased towards the closed position and the open position. The supply station also includes an alignment device forming a funnel positioned under its base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Pregis Innovative Packaging LLC
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Publication number: 20180326690
    Abstract: Stock material units that may be used in a dunnage conversion machine. For example, stock material units include sheet material that may be fed into the dunnage conversion machine and may be converted thereby into dunnage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright, Michael Edward Ferringer
  • Publication number: 20180326689
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dunnage apparatus, including a converting station and a deflector. The converting station converts a line of high-density supply material into low-density dunnage and ejects the dunnage at an exit in an exit trajectory along a path. The deflector is repositionable with respect to the exit between a first position, in which the deflector is interposed in the path to deflect the path of the dunnage from the exit trajectory to a first deflected trajectory, and a second position. The deflector is retained in each position during the ejection of the dunnage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Publication number: 20180326686
    Abstract: Stock material units that may be used in a dunnage conversion machine. For example, stock material units include sheet material that may be fed into the dunnage conversion machine and may be converted thereby into dunnage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Publication number: 20180326687
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dunnage conversion machine for converting stock material to dunnage. The dunnage conversion machine includes a converting station and a drive mechanism positioned downstream of the converting station. The converting station includes a dunnage intake and a shaping member. The intake member includes an opening that constricts stock material as the stock material is pulled into and through the intake. The shaping member is positioned upstream of the intake member. The shaping member manipulates the path of the stock material in a way that causes the stock material to begin to bend or curl prior to being pulled into the intake. The drive mechanism receives the stock material and pulls the stock material over the shaping member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Publication number: 20180326692
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are protective packaging stock material units that are used in a dunnage system. A dunnage system includes a dunnage conversion machine and a supply station. The supply station is a cart that includes a biased support that is connected to a vertical side support. The biased support is movable from an open position to a closed position with respect to opposing vertical side supports. In the closed position, the biased support is configured to at least partially block the opening between the opposing vertical side supports. In the open position, the biased support leaves the opening between the opposing vertical side supports sufficiently open to load fanfold stock material therein. The biased support is biased towards the closed position and the open position. The supply station also includes an alignment device forming a funnel positioned under its base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Publication number: 20180326688
    Abstract: Provided is a dunnage apparatus, comprising a converting station and a static remover. The converting station converts a line of high-density stock material into low density dunnage and moves the dunnage along a material path in a downstream direction. The static remover is electrically grounded and contacts the dunnage to thereby remove static buildup from the material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright
  • Publication number: 20180326691
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are protective packaging stock material units that are used in a dunnage system. A dunnage system includes a dunnage conversion machine and a supply station. The supply station is configured to receive fanfold stock material and manipulate the fanfold stock material into being withdrawn from the supply station in a non-planar configuration. The supply station is associated with the dunnage conversion machine such that the dunnage conversion machine operably draws fanfold stock material from the top of a stack of fanfold stock material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas D. Wetsch, Eric Charles Wright