COMPACT DUNNAGE DISPENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

A compact system (10) for dispensing a dunnage product (14) includes the combination of a container (16) for a supply of fan-folded sheet stock material (12) and a feed assembly (20) for drawing the stock material (12) from the container (16). The container (16) has an opening (26) with a dimension that is smaller than a corresponding dimension, particularly a width dimension, of the container (16). A leading end (30) of the sheet material (12) is pulled from the container (16), through the opening (26). Then the container (16) is inverted and supported above the feed assembly (20) with the opening (26) facing and aligned with a linear path (24) through the feed assembly (20). The container (16) is supported such that rotating members (22) in the feed assembly (20) can engage the leading end (30) of the stock material (12) and draw the stock material (12) from the container (16) and along the linear path (24) through the feed assembly (20), which dispenses the dunnage product (14).

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/432,968, filed Jan. 14, 2011, which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a compact system and method for dispensing dunnage.

BACKGROUND

In the process of shipping one or more articles in a container, such as a cardboard box, from one location to another, a packer typically places some type of dunnage material in the shipping container along with the article or articles to be shipped. The dunnage material partially or completely fills the empty space or void volume around the articles in the container. By filling the void volume, the dunnage prevents or minimizes movement of the articles that might lead to damage during the shipment process.

To use storage space more efficiently, a dunnage conversion machine can be used to convert a supply of higher density stock material, such as a roll or stack of paper, into a lower density dunnage product. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,589 discloses an exemplary dunnage conversion machine that can convert a continuous sheet of paper into a crumpled strip of void-fill dunnage. Dunnage conversion machines also are referred to as converters.

Such powered dunnage converters are well suited for high or medium volume applications. They also can be used for low volume applications where a small amount of dunnage is needed from time-to-time, but usually the cost is too high. These heavy-duty converters also are somewhat bulky and occasionally require maintenance or repair. Consequently, low volume applications typically have been serviced by other types of dunnage, such as plastic foam peanuts and manually-crumpled newspaper. Plastic foam peanuts are messy and occupy the same volume when being stored as when being used. Crumpled newspaper also is messy and requires the packer to manually crumple the newspaper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a more compact way to dispense dunnage products, and more particularly provides a dunnage dispensing or packaging system and method for supporting a supply of sheet material that can be retrieved from a bottom side of the supply. The packaging systems provided by the invention take up less space than previous compact conversion systems.

In particular, the present invention provides a packaging system with a stack of fan-folded sheet material suitable for use as a packing material, and a support having a surface for supporting the stack. The surface has an aperture therein. The system further includes a stand that supports a bottom of the support at an elevated position so that packing material can be withdrawn from a bottom side of the stack.

The present invention also provides a packing or dunnage dispensing system with a container for a supply of stock material, and a feed assembly having movable members arranged for drawing sheet stock material therethrough along a linear path aligned with an opening in the container. The container can be mounted above the feed assembly, for example. The container has an opening with a dimension that is smaller than a corresponding dimension of the container. In other words, the width, for example, of the opening is less than the width of the container.

An exemplary container houses a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material having a width dimension and fold lines generally parallel to the width dimension. Preferably, the container has a converging side wall or walls that terminate at a reduced-size outlet opening through which the sheet stock material is drawn, thereby inwardly gathering and crumpling the sheet material to form a relatively less dense strip of dunnage as it is pulled through the outlet opening. The width of the container may be less than the width of the stack, whereby the stack is bent to fit within the container. The bent stack has a convex surface and a concave surface, and the convex surface faces the opening in the container.

An exemplary feed assembly includes an opposed pair of rotating members that define a path therebetween for the sheet stock material. As these members rotate, they pull the sheet stock material therebetween and draw it from the container. The sheet stock material is dispensed through an outlet of the feed assembly.

The present invention also provides a method of converting sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage product. The method includes the following steps: (i) providing a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material having fold lines parallel to a width dimension; and (ii) drawing sheet stock material from a bottom side of the stack.

An exemplary method includes the steps of pulling a leading end of the sheet material from a container and then inverting the container, and supporting the container on the feed assembly before the drawing step. The drawing step also can include drawing the sheet stock material through an opening having a width that is less than the width of the stack.

The present invention also provides, in combination, a container for a sheet stock material, where the container has an opening with a dimension that is less than a corresponding dimension of the container, and a feed assembly for drawing sheet stock material from the container and along a substantially linear path through the feed assembly. The opening is aligned with that linear path.

By aligning the outlet of the container with the feed direction, feed problems, such as tears or jams, and other problems sometimes related to the feeding of sheet stock material into a dunnage conversion machine, are eliminated or reduced in this arrangement. Moreover, this arrangement provides a very small footprint which takes up less space at a packaging workstation. The stock material also is completely enclosed and therefore impervious to wind or other issues that may arise in the packaging environment. Finally, the feed assembly is very easy to load with a new supply of stock material since the sheet material does not have to be fed around any leading rollers or feed wheels prior to drawing the sheet material from the container to produce a dunnage or packing product.

The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these embodiments being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a container with a sheet stock material and a feed assembly for drawing sheet stock material from the container, in accordance with one packing system provided by the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the system of FIG. 1, with a container having a supply of sheet stock material being pulled from the container and fed through a feed assembly.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a container that may be used in accordance with the system provided by the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another container that may be used in accordance with the system provided by the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the stack of sheet stock material of FIG. 1 folded for insertion into a container in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the folded stack of sheet stock material in a container in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a dunnage support provided in accordance with another packing system provided by the invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a packing system provided by the invention that includes the support of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a dunnage support provided in accordance with another packing system provided by the invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a packing system provided by the invention that includes the support of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a compact packaging or dunnage dispensing system and method characterized by a stack of fan-folded sheet material suitable for use as a packing material, and a support having a surface for supporting the stack. The surface has an aperture therein. The system further includes a stand that supports a bottom of the support at an elevated position so that sheet material can be withdrawn from a bottom side of the stack.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary system 10 provided by the present invention for supporting a sheet stock material 12 and dispensing a packing material 14. The packing material 14 dispensed can be a dunnage product, which typically is relatively less dense than the stock material 12. The system 10 includes a supply of stock material 12 in a container 16, which protects the stock material 12 during transport and storage. The walls of the container 16 also provide a surface for supporting the stock material for use as a packing material. The illustrated system 10 also has a feed assembly 20 that includes at least two movable members 22 arranged for drawing sheet stock material therethrough along a linear path 24, with which an opening 26 in the container 16 can be aligned. If the feed assembly 20 imparts or reinforces a shape of the stock material drawn therethrough, the packing system 10 also can be considered a dunnage conversion system.

To load the stock material 12 into the feed assembly 20, a leading end 30 of the sheet material 12 is pulled from the container 16, through the opening 26. Then the container 16 is inverted and supported above the feed assembly 20. The opening 26 faces the feed assembly 20 and is aligned with the linear path 24 through the feed assembly 20. The container 16 is mounted such that the rotating members 22 can engage the leading end 30 of the stock material 12 and draw the stock material 12 from the container 16. The rotating members 22 draw the stock material through the feed assembly 22 and dispense the dunnage product 14. In this arrangement, the opening 26 is aligned with the feed assembly 20 and the container 16 is supported relative to the feed assembly 20. Elements of the feed assembly 20 define the linear path 24 from the opening 26 through the feed assembly 20. The linear path 24 through the feed assembly 20 generally is perpendicular to a plane of the opening 26 in the container 16. As an alternative to the illustrated embodiment, the arrangement can be reversed, with the feed assembly supported above the stock material container.

By aligning the outlet opening 26 of the container 16 with the feed direction, feed problems, such as tears or jams, and other problems sometimes related to the feeding of sheet stock material into a dunnage conversion machine, are eliminated or reduced in this arrangement. Moreover, this arrangement provides a very small footprint which takes up less space at a packaging workstation. The stock material 12 also is completely enclosed and therefore impervious to wind or other issues that may arise in the packaging environment. Finally, the feed assembly 20 is very easy to load with a new supply of stock material since the sheet material does not have to be fed around any leading rollers or feed wheels prior to drawing the sheet material from the container 16 to produce a dunnage or packing product.

Turning to FIG. 3, the container 16 generally houses a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material 12 having a width dimension W_s, a depth dimension D_s, and a height dimension H_s. The width dimension W_s generally is larger than a depth dimension D_s of the stack 12. The sheet stock material 12 includes one or more plies of sheet material, such as paper or plastic. Kraft paper is an exemplary sheet stock material. The sheet stock material has fold lines 32 generally parallel to the width dimension W_s. The sheet stock material 12 also can be perforated or otherwise weakened along longitudinally-spaced, transversely-extending tear lines. The tear lines enable or facilitate separating discrete sections of dunnage 14 from the crumpled strip exiting the feed assembly 20 (FIG. 2). The tear lines generally are coextensive with the fold lines 32. Alternatively, a cutting device can be provided to sever the strip of dunnage 14 at a desired length.

An exemplary container 16 for a supply of stock material 12 (FIG. 3) is shown in FIG. 4. The container 16 generally has a rectangular cube shape, with a height dimension H_c, a width dimension W_c, and a depth dimension D_c orthogonal to each other. The opening 26 through which the stock material 12 is drawn from the container 16 typically has a dimension that is smaller than a corresponding dimension of the container 16. In the illustrated embodiment, both the width W_c and the depth D_c of the container 16 are greater than the corresponding width W_o and depth D_o, respectively, of the opening 26. The stock material 12 is drawn from the stack in a direction perpendicular to the fold lines 32, and the width of the stock material generally corresponds to the width of the stack. Although sheet stock material, and particularly paper, provides an exemplary dunnage and packing material, other forms of dunnage can be dispensed from a container or other stock material support.

Dunnage conversion machines that convert a supply of such stock material into a dunnage product generally have a width that is similar to the width of the stock material. Consequently, some existing dunnage conversion machines can take up a significant amount of floor space. Dunnage converters also typically include a forming device at an upstream end that receives the stock material. This forming device generally is in the shape of a funnel or converging chute, with or without other complementing elements that form the stock material into a desired shape. One or more dimensions of a converging forming device decrease in a downstream direction from an inlet toward an outlet. Alternatively, the forming device can include an air bag filling and sealing assembly, for example, or other type of dunnage-forming device. The outlet generally is adjacent a feed mechanism that pulls the sheet material from the supply and through the forming device. The feed mechanism generally includes one or more rotating members that advance the sheet material as they rotate.

A disadvantage of some conversion machines is their width or the amount of space that they occupy, and in some situations it would be desirable to provide a narrower converter and a correspondingly narrow supply of stock material. Wider sheet material, however, can provide a wider or a higher density dunnage product that is more desirable in certain packing situations. The present invention provides a system and method that reduce or eliminate the need to form the sheet material between the supply 12 and the feed assembly 20, thereby enabling simpler and smaller dunnage converters and dispensers. In particular, employing a folded stack of sheet stock material 12, as described in more detail below, enables the use of a relatively wide stock material to produce dunnage products having advantages in relatively high density and volume that otherwise generally would not be possible from a narrower stock material.

A typical container 16, shown in FIG. 5, is a cardboard box with one or more side walls 40 and one or more flaps 42 hingedly connected to the side walls 40. One or more of these flaps 42 can be pushed inwardly to extend over the stock material therein. The opening 26 therefore is defined by one or more flaps 42, and typically the flaps 42 are movable between a shipping position where the flaps 42 are generally perpendicular to the side walls 40, thereby forming a rectangular cube, and a dispensing configuration where the flaps 42 are outwardly displaced from the shipping position. In the dispensing configuration, the flaps 42 form surfaces that are inclined away from the side walls 40 of the container 16 and extend over the open side of the container 16 and the stock material in the container 16.

The flaps 42 of the container 16 can be configured to include features that can be used to limit the extent to which the flaps 42 can move from the dispensing position as sheet stock material is pulled through the opening 26. These features can include flaps 42 that mate with corresponding surfaces on the feed assembly 20 (as shown in FIG. 2) to prevent those flaps 42 from moving, or the flaps 42 can include tabs and slots (as shown in FIG. 4) for connecting adjacent flaps together and limiting their range of movement. Either way, when the flaps 42 are inclined they present a sloped surface to the stock material for guiding the stock material to the reduced-width outlet opening 26 and into the feed assembly 20 (FIG. 2).

The illustrated container 16 has a converging side wall or walls on opposing widthwise sides of the container 16 that terminate at the reduced-size outlet opening 26 through which the sheet stock material 12 is drawn. These converging walls, formed by the flaps 42, support the stock material 12 until it is pulled from the container 16. Since the opening 26 is narrower than the stock material 12, the stock material 12 is inwardly gathered and crumpled as it is pulled from the container 16. The opening 26 generally is positioned such that the stock material 12 can be drawn through the opening 26 in a direction transverse the width dimension W_s of the stock material 12.

The width dimension W_s of the sheet stock material 12 can be approximately the same dimension as the width W_c of the container 16, which is the case in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. When the container 16 with such sheet stock material 12 is inverted and mounted above the feed assembly 20, the stock material 12 will tend to bow slightly in the middle, presenting a convex surface 32 toward the opening 26 in the container 16.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, however, the container 16 can have a width dimension W_c that is less than the width W_s of the stack of sheet stock material 12. In that case, the stack 12 has to be bent to fit within the container 16. The stack is folded about an axis that is transverse the width dimension W_s. The resulting folded stack has a folded width dimension FW that is less than the unfolded width dimension W_s, a folded height dimension FH that is greater than the unfolded height dimension H_s, and a folded depth dimension FD that is the same as the unfolded depth dimension D_s. The container height H_c, container depth D_c, and container width W_c generally correspond to the folded height FH, folded width FW, and folded depth FD of the folded stack 12 such that the container 16 can receive the bent folded stack.

The folded stack of sheet stock material 12 has a convex surface 32 and a concave surface 34 in the stack 12. The bent stack is placed in the container 16 with the convex surface 32 facing the opening 26. In other words, the stack 12 has been folded about a transverse axis, and in this case an axis that is perpendicular to the width dimension W_s. Described another way, the stack 12 is folded into an inverted U-shape with the outer surface 32 of that U-shape, particularly the center of the U-shape, closest to the container opening 26. When the container 16 is inverted, the convex outer surface 32 also is the bottom surface of the stack 12.

Alternatively, the container may not include flaps and the stock material can be drawn directly into the feed assembly 20. The folded stock material 12 (FIG. 7) in particular tends to inwardly gather toward a centerline as it is pulled from the stack, so very short or no converging guide surfaces are necessary. Also, if sloped or converging guide surfaces are employed, they can be integrally formed in the housing for the feed assembly 20 rather than by flaps in the container 16.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the feed assembly 20 generally includes a housing 50 having an inlet 52 and an outlet 54, as well as an opposed pair of rotating members 22 that define a path for the sheet stock material 12 between the inlet 52 and the outlet 54. The rotating members 22 can include friction wheels, gears, paddle wheels, etc. The housing 50 can be shaped to support the supply of sheet stock material 12, or the supply can be supported in another way above the feed assembly 20. In an embodiment not shown, the stock material 12 could be supported on the feed assembly 20 directly without a separate container 16. In that arrangement, the container 16 for the stock material 12, if any, preferably is integrated into the housing 50 for the feed assembly 20. Rather than replacing the container after all the stock material has been dispensed, only the stock material would need to be replaced.

As mentioned previously, the present invention also provides a method of dispensing a dunnage product. The method includes the following steps: (i) providing a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material having fold lines parallel to a width dimension, and (ii) drawing sheet stock material from a bottom side of the stack. The drawing step can include drawing the sheet stock material through an opening having a width that is less than the width of the stack. The method can also include the step of pulling a leading end of the sheet stock material from the container and then inverting the container and supporting the container on the feed assembly before the drawing step.

As shown in the FIG. 2, the drawing step can include drawing sheet stock material from a bottom side of the stack, as is the case when the stack is supported from below and the stock material is withdrawn in a generally downward direction, as shown. The drawing step is accomplished by one or more rotating members in the feed assembly, as described above. The drawing step can further include pulling the stock material in a direction transverse the width dimension on a linear path through the feed assembly. Because the sheet material is drawn from the supply and through the feed assembly on a linear path, no turning of the path occurs and no turning of the stock material is necessary. Turning sheet stock material to align it with an inlet of a feed assembly generally increases friction on the stock material and can be a source of tearing of the stock material or jamming in the feed assembly. Removing the need to turn or otherwise guide the stock material to the feed assembly also provides a more compact packing system. The pulling step includes moving elements of a feed assembly to pull the sheet stock material from the stack.

The providing step can include providing that stack of sheet material bent about an axis transverse a width dimension to form a convex surface in the stack. The providing step can further include providing a container having a width dimension that is less than the width of the stock material to hold the stock material in a bent state, as shown in FIG. 6.

The positioning step includes positioning the stack adjacent the feed assembly, preferably supporting the stack on the feed assembly, with the opening in the container facing the feed assembly and aligned with the linear path through the feed assembly. Thus the positioning step includes pulling a leading end of the sheet material from the container and then mounting the container on the feed assembly so that the feed assembly can engage the leading end of the stock material that is supported by the feed assembly. The positioning step can also include inverting the container.

The present invention also provides a compact packing system without a feed assembly, which makes it even simpler and more compact. Referring now to FIGS. 8-11, the present invention provides a packaging system with a surface for supporting a supply of dunnage, such as the illustrated fan-folded stack of sheet stock material, with or without being confined in a container.

Turning first to FIGS. 8 and 9, the packaging system 100 provided by the invention includes a stack 102 of fan-folded sheet material suitable for use as a packing material, as described above. The system 100 also includes a support 104 having a surface 106 for supporting the stack 102 at an elevated position. In FIGS. 8 and 9 the support 104 provides a platform with a generally planar surface.

The support surface 106 has an aperture 110 therein. The illustrated aperture 110 is in the form of an opening surrounded on all sides by the support 104. Alternatively the aperture could take the form of a notch that is open to one or more sides of the support surface 106. An axis through the center of the aperture 110 is substantially vertical.

The system 100 also includes a stand 112 that supports a bottom of the support 104 at an elevated position so that packing material 114 can be withdrawn from a bottom side of the stack 102. The stand 112 in this case includes a plurality of legs 113, but other types of frame or support elements can be used in addition to or in place of the illustrated legs 113.

The stack 102 of fan-folded sheet material optionally can be confined in a container 116. The container 116 can be a rectangular container, a container with interconnectable flaps, as described above, or defined by one or more upright walls extending above the support surface 106. A portion of the container 116 also can at least partially define the support 104.

The support 104 preferably supports widthwise ends of the stack 102 of sheet material so that a center portion of the stack is downwardly bowed, as shown and as described above, bent about an axis transverse the width dimension. The width dimension is parallel to the fold lines in the stack 102.

To enhance this bowed or bent configuration of the stack 102, the support can include a converging chute 120 extending downward from the aperture 110 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The aperture 110 is coextensive with an inlet 122 to the chute 120 and a relatively smaller outlet 124 is spaced below the inlet 122. Converging side walls 126 connect the inlet 122 and the outlet 124. The stack 102 can be supported by planar portions of the support 104 bounding the aperture 110, as shown, or directly by the inwardly converging side walls 126 of the chute 120.

The present invention also provides, in combination, a container for a sheet stock material where the container has an opening with a dimension that is less than a corresponding dimension of the container, and a feed assembly for drawing sheet stock material from the container and along a substantially linear path through the feed assembly. The opening is aligned with the linear path. The container has a width dimension and a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material in the container. The stack has a width dimension parallel to fold lines in the sheet material, and the width dimension of the stock material is greater than the width of the container, whereby the stack is bent about an axis transverse the width dimension to create a convex surface facing the opening.

In summary, the present invention provides a compact system 10 for dispensing a dunnage product 14 that includes the combination of a container 16 for a supply of fan-folded sheet stock material 12 and a feed assembly 20 for drawing the stock material 12 from the container 16. The container 16 has an opening 26 with a dimension that is smaller than a corresponding dimension, particularly a width dimension, of the container 16. A leading end 30 of the sheet material 12 is pulled from the container 16, through the opening 26. Then the container 16 is inverted and supported above the feed assembly 20 with the opening 26 facing and aligned with a linear path 24 through the feed assembly 20. The container 16 is supported such that rotating members 22 in the feed assembly 20 can engage the leading end 30 of the stock material 12 and draw the stock material 12 from the container 16 and along the linear path 24 through the feed assembly 20, which dispenses the dunnage product 14.

In summary, the present invention provides one or more of the features described in the following clauses.

A. A packaging system, comprising:

a stack of fan-folded sheet material, and

a support having a surface for supporting the stack, the surface having an aperture therein, and a stand that supports a bottom of the support at an elevated position so that packing material can be withdrawn from a bottom side of the stack.

B. A system as set forth in clause A or any other clause, where an axis through the center of the aperture is substantially vertical.

C. A system as set forth in clause A or any other clause, where the support surrounds the aperture on all sides.

D. A system as set forth in clause A or any other clause where the support includes a converging chute having a relatively larger inlet and a relatively smaller outlet spaced from the inlet.

E. A system as set forth in clause A or any other clause, where the support is at least partially defined by a portion of a container for the stack of sheet material.

F. A system as set forth in clause E or any other clause depending from clause E, where the container has an opening with a dimension that is smaller than a corresponding dimension of the container.

G. A system as set forth in clause A or any other clause, further comprising a feed assembly including movable members arranged for drawing sheet stock material therethrough along a linear path aligned with a center of the aperture.

H. A system as set forth in clause G or any other system clause, where the feed assembly includes an opposed pair of rotating members that define a path therebetween for the sheet material.

I. A system as set forth in clause G or any other system clause, where the support is at least partially defined by a portion of a container for the stack of sheet material, the aperture is aligned with the feed assembly and cooperates with the feed assembly to define a linear path from the aperture through the feed assembly, and the linear path through the feed assembly is perpendicular to a plane of an opening in the container.

J. A system as set forth in clause E or any other system clause, where the container houses a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material having a width dimension and fold lines generally parallel to the width dimension.

K. A system as set forth in clause J or any other system clause, where the container has a width dimension, where the width of the container is less than the width of the stack, whereby the stack is bent to fit within the container, forming a convex surface and a concave surface in the stack, the convex surface facing the opening in the container.

L. A system as set forth in clause K or any other system clause, where the stack is folded about an axis transverse the width dimension.

M. A system as set forth in clause J or any other system clause, where the stack is folded into an inverted U-shape within the container, the outer surface of the U-shape, particularly the center of the U-shape, being closest to the container opening.

N. A system as set forth in clause E or any other system clause, where the container has a converging side wall or walls that terminate at a reduced-size outlet opening through which the sheet stock material is drawn, thereby inwardly gathering and crumpling the sheet stock material to form a relatively less dense strip of dunnage.

O. A system as set forth in clause J or any other system clause, where the opening is positioned such that stock material can be drawn through the opening in a direction transverse the width dimension of the stock material.

P. A system as set forth in clause E or any other system clause, where the container has one or more side walls and one or more flaps hingedly connected to the side walls, where the opening is defined by one or more flaps, and the flaps are movable between a shipping position where the flaps are generally perpendicular to the side walls, and a converting configuration where the flaps are outwardly displaced from the shipping position to form surfaces that are inclined away from the side walls of the container and extend over an open side of the container.

Q. A system as set forth in clause P or any other system clause, where the container is configured to include features that can be used to limit the extent to which the flaps can move from the converting position as sheet stock material is pulled through the opening.

R. A system as set forth in clause Q or any other system clause, where when the flaps are inclined, they present a sloped surface to the stock material for guiding the stock material to the reduced-width outlet opening.

S. A method of converting a sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage product, comprising the following steps:

(i) providing a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material having fold lines parallel to a width dimension; and

(ii) drawing sheet stock material from a bottom side of the stack.

T. A method as set forth in clause S or any other method clause, comprising the steps of pulling a leading end of the sheet material from a container and then inverting the container, and supporting the container on the feed assembly before the drawing step.

U. A method as set forth in clause S or any other method clause, where the drawing step includes pulling the stock material in a direction transverse the width dimension and through an aperture having a width that is less than the width of the stack.

V. A method as set forth in clause S or any other method clause, where the drawing step is accomplished by one or more rotating members in a feed assembly.

W. A method as set forth in clause S or any other method clause, where the stack is bent about an axis transverse a width dimension to form a convex surface in the stack, and the drawing step includes drawing sheet stock material from the convex surface.

X. A method as set forth in clause W or any other method clause, where the providing step includes providing the stock material in a container having a width dimension that is less than the width of the stock material to hold the stock material in its bent state.

Y. A method as set forth in clause X or any other method clause, where the positioning step includes pulling a leading end of the sheet material from the container and then mounting the container on the feed assembly so that the feed assembly can engage the leading end of the stock material.

Z. A method as set forth in clause X or any other method clause, where the positioning step includes inverting the container.

AA. A method as set forth in clause S or any other method clause where the pulling step includes moving elements of a feed assembly to pull the sheet stock material from the stack.

AB. A method as set forth in clause AA or any other method clause, where the positioning step includes positioning the stack adjacent the feed assembly.

AC. A method as set forth in clause AA or any other method clause, comprising the step of supporting the stack on the feed assembly.

AD. In combination, a container for a sheet stock material, the container having an opening with a dimension that is less than a corresponding dimension of the container, and a feed assembly for drawing sheet stock material from the container and along a substantially linear path through the feed assembly, where the opening is aligned with the linear path.

AE. A combination as set forth in clause AD or any other combination clause, where the container has a width dimension and a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material in the container, the stack having a width dimension parallel to fold lines in the sheet material, the width dimension of the stock material being greater than the width of the container, and the stack is bent about an axis transverse the width dimension to create a convex surface facing the opening.

AF. A system for converting a sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage product, comprising:

means for supporting a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material having fold lines parallel to a width dimension, the stack being bent about an axis transverse the width dimension to form a convex surface in the stack; and

means for drawing sheet stock material from the convex surface of the stack and through an aperture having a width that is less than the width of the stack.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain illustrated embodiment or embodiments, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described integers (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such integers are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any integer which performs the specified function (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated embodiment or embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A packaging system (10, 100), comprising:

a stack of fan-folded sheet material (12, 102), and

a support (104) having a surface (106) for supporting the stack (102), the surface (106) having an aperture (26, 110) therein, and a stand (112) that supports a bottom of the support (104) at an elevated position so that packing material (14, 114) can be withdrawn from a bottom side of the stack (102).

2. A system as set forth in claim 1 or any other claim, where an axis through the center of the aperture (110) is substantially vertical.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1 or any other claim, where the support (104) surrounds the aperture (110) on all sides.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1 or any other claim where the support (104) includes a converging chute (120) having a relatively larger inlet (122) and a relatively smaller outlet (124) spaced from the inlet (122).

5. A system as set forth in claim 1 or any other claim, where the support (104) is at least partially defined by a portion of a container (116) for the stack (102) of sheet material.

6. A system as set forth in claim 5 or any other claim depending from claim 5, where the container (116) has an opening (110) with a dimension that is smaller than a corresponding dimension of the container (116).

7. A system as set forth in claim 1 or any other claim, further comprising a feed assembly (20) including movable members (22) arranged for drawing sheet stock material therethrough along a linear path aligned with a center of the aperture (26).

8. A system as set forth in claim 7 or any other system claim, where the feed assembly (20) includes an opposed pair of rotating members (22) that define a path therebetween for the sheet material.

9. A system as set forth in claim 7 or any other system claim, where the support (104) is at least partially defined by a portion of a container (16) for the stack of sheet material (12), the aperture (26) is aligned with the feed assembly (20) and cooperates with the feed assembly (20) to define a linear path from the aperture (26) through the feed assembly (20), and the linear path through the feed assembly (20) is perpendicular to a plane of an opening (26) in the container (16).

10. A system as set forth in claim 5 or any other system claim, where the container (16) houses a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material (12) having a width dimension and fold lines generally parallel to the width dimension.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10 or any other system claim, where the container (16) has a width dimension, where the width of the container (16) is less than the width of the stack (12), whereby the stack (12) is bent to fit within the container (16), forming a convex surface (34) and a concave surface (36) in the stack (12), the convex surface (34) facing the opening (26) in the container (16).

12. A system as set forth in claim 11 or any other system claim, where the stack (12) is folded about an axis transverse the width dimension.

13. A system as set forth in claim 10 or any other system claim, where the stack (12) is folded into an inverted U-shape within the container (16), the outer surface of the U-shape, particularly the center of the U-shape, being closest to the container opening (26).

14. A system as set forth in claim 5 or any other system claim, where the container (16) has a converging side wall or walls that terminate at a reduced-size outlet opening (124) through which the sheet stock material is drawn, thereby inwardly gathering and crumpling the sheet stock material to form a relatively less dense strip of dunnage.

15. A system as set forth in claim 10 or any other system claim, where the opening (26, 110) is positioned such that stock material can be drawn through the opening in a direction transverse the width dimension of the stock material.

16. A system as set forth in claim 5 or any other system claim, where the container (16, 116) has one or more side walls (40) and one or more flaps (42) hingedly connected to the side walls (40), where the opening (26) is defined by one or more flaps (42), and the flaps (42) are movable between a shipping position where the flaps are generally perpendicular to the side walls (40), and a converting configuration where the flaps (42) are outwardly displaced from the shipping position to form surfaces that are inclined away from the side walls (40) of the container (16, 116) and extend over an open side of the container (16, 116).

17. A system as set forth in claim 16 or any other system claim, where the container (16, 116) is configured to include features that can be used to limit the extent to which the flaps (42) can move from the converting position as sheet stock material is pulled through the opening (26, 110).

18. A system as set forth in claim 17 or any other system claim, where when the flaps (42) are inclined, they present a sloped surface to the stock material for guiding the stock material to the reduced-width outlet opening (124).

19. A method of converting a sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage product, comprising the following steps:

(i) providing a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material having fold lines parallel to a width dimension; and

(ii) drawing sheet stock material from a bottom side of the stack.

20. A method as set forth in claim 19 or any other method claim, comprising the steps of pulling a leading end of the sheet material from a container and then inverting the container, and supporting the container on the feed assembly before the drawing step.

21. A method as set forth in claim 19 or any other method claim, where the drawing step includes pulling the stock material in a direction transverse the width dimension and through an aperture having a width that is less than the width of the stack.

22. A method as set forth in claim 19 or any other method claim, where the drawing step is accomplished by one or more rotating members in a feed assembly.

23. A method as set forth in claim 19 or any other method claim, where the stack is bent about an axis transverse a width dimension to form a convex surface in the stack, and the drawing step includes drawing sheet stock material from the convex surface.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 or any other method claim, where the providing step includes providing the stock material in a container having a width dimension that is less than the width of the stock material to hold the stock material in its bent state.

25. A method as set forth in claim 24 or any other method claim, where the positioning step includes pulling a leading end of the sheet material from the container and then mounting the container on the feed assembly so that the feed assembly can engage the leading end of the stock material.

26. A method as set forth in claim 24 or any other method claim, where the positioning step includes inverting the container.

27. A method as set forth in claim 19 or any other method claim where the pulling step includes moving elements of a feed assembly to pull the sheet stock material from the stack.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27 or any other method claim, where the positioning step includes positioning the stack adjacent the feed assembly.

29. A method as set forth in claim 27 or any other method claim, comprising the step of supporting the stack on the feed assembly.

30. In combination, a container (16, 116) for a sheet stock material (12, 102), the container (16, 116) having an opening (26, 110) with a dimension that is less than a corresponding dimension of the container (16, 116), and a feed assembly (20) for drawing sheet stock material from the container (16, 116) and along a substantially linear path through the feed assembly (20), where the opening (26, 110) is aligned with the linear path.

31. A combination as set forth in claim 30 or any other combination claim, where the container (16, 116) has a width dimension and a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material (12, 102) in the container (16, 116), the stack (12, 102) having a width dimension parallel to fold lines in the sheet material, the width dimension of the stock material being greater than the width of the container (16, 116), and the stack (12, 102) is bent about an axis transverse the width dimension to create a convex surface (34) facing the opening (26, 110).

32. A system (10, 100) for converting a sheet stock material (12, 102) into a relatively less dense dunnage product (14), comprising:

means for supporting a stack of fan-folded sheet stock material (12, 102) having fold lines parallel to a width dimension, the stack (12, 102) being bent about an axis transverse the width dimension to form a convex surface (34) in the stack (12, 102); and

means for drawing sheet stock material from the convex surface (34) of the stack (12, 102) and through an aperture (26, 110) having a width that is less than the width of the stack (12, 102).