Abstract: A dunnage conversion machine (36) converts a sheet stock material into a dunnage product that is relatively thicker and less dense than the stock material, but is relatively thin and sufficiently flexible to function as a protective wrap. The conversion machine includes a feed mechanism (40) that advances a sheet stock material therethrough and a connecting mechanism (42) downstream of the feed mechanism. The connecting mechanism retards the passage of the sheet stock material therethrough by feeding the stock material therethrough at a slower rate than the feed mechanism feeds the stock material to the connecting mechanism. This causes the stock material to randomly crumple in a longitudinal space between the feed mechanism and the connecting mechanism. The connecting mechanism connects multiple overlapping layers of sheet stock material together as they pass therethrough, including connecting at least one crumpled sheet to one side of one other sheet.

Abstract: A system (10) for dispensing dunnage material includes a chute (30) connectable to a supply (20, 40) of flowable dunnage. A container (12) or a bottom of the chute (30) is moved into a dispensing position where the bottom of the chute (30) is proximate the fill plane of the container (12). A controller (16) selectively opens a shutter (50) at the bottom of the chute (30) to dispense dunnage and then closes the shutter (50) to separate the dispensed dunnage from the dunnage in the chute (30) while also removing the dunnage above the fill plane of the container (12). The chute (30) includes at least one substantially horizontal plate member (54) that is openable to selectively vary the size of an aperture (52) created thereby at the bottom of the chute (30) for dispensing dunnage material therethrough.

Abstract: A dunnage conversion machine for converting stock material into a dunnage product includes a forming assembly and a pulling assembly. The pulling assembly includes at least two grippers movable together through a transfer region in opposition to one another and cooperative to grip therebetween the dunnage strip for advancing the dunnage strip through the transfer region, and at least one of the grippers including an aperture operative to gather and laterally capture therein the dunnage strip as the grippers move through the transfer region. Also disclosed is a severing assembly including a movable blade and a reciprocating actuator connected to the blade by a motion transmitting assembly that moves the blade through a full severing cycle upon a stroke of the actuator in either direction.

Abstract: A packaging system (10) and method for supplying and distributing dunnage products to multiple packing stations (14, 16) is characterized by a supply of dunnage products (12), a plurality of packing stations (14, 16), and a distribution assembly (20) that selectively distributes the dunnage products from the supply (12) to selected ones of the packing stations (14, 16). The supply of dunnage (12) may include a converter (22) that converts sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage product. The distribution assembly (20) includes a conveyor (40), an alignment device (50) downstream of the conveyor (40), and a tiltable dunnage product support surface (60) below the alignment device (50). The alignment device (50) controls the descent of a dunnage product therethrough to the support surface (60). The support surface (60) is tiltable to selectively direct the dunnage product toward respective packing stations (14, 16).

Abstract: A packing product and apparatus and method for manufacturing same are disclosed. The packing product includes at least one face sheet and at least one crumpled sheet pad attached to the face sheet. A package and method of packaging an article are also disclosed, the package including a container, one or more crumpled sheet pads positioned in the container, one or more face sheets positioned adjacent to the crumpled sheet pads, and an article positioned in the container in at least partial abutting relation to the one or more face sheets. The one or more face sheets may have portions that are folded to envelop the article. Also, the face sheet may include an opening having a pattern corresponding to a shape of the article.

Abstract: A method of making a package for shipping an article comprises the step of attaching to a shipping container (22) a flexible material (24) with a cohesive (30) on at least a portion thereof, such that a portion of the flexible material (24) having the cohesive (30) material can be pressed to a cohesive (32) on a surface of at least one of another portion of a flexible material (24) and the shipping container (22). Thus the flexible material (24) is connected to the container (22) such that the cohesive portion can be readily secured to another cohesive portion to hold an article in a desired position in the container.

Abstract: A dunnage conversion machine (10) has an output chute (60) with a guard (70) that inhibits access to internal areas of the machine (10) through the output chute (60). Upstream of the output chute (60) the conversion machine (10) has a conversion assembly (16) that converts a stock material (14) into a strip of dunnage (20) as the stock material passes therethrough in a downstream direction. The output chute (60), through which the strip of dunnage (20) is discharged downstream of the conversion assembly (16), includes the pivotably-mounted guard (70) extending into the chute (60). The guard (70) has at its free end (72) both a forward glide surface (74) operative to glide along an outer surface of the strip of dunnage (20) as the strip moves in the downstream direction and a rearward glide surface (76) operative to glide along an outer surface of the strip of dunnage (20) as the strip moves in an upstream direction opposite the downstream direction.

Abstract: A tabletop converter has a conversion assembly that inwardly gathers and crumples a stock material to form a strip of dunnage. The conversion assembly includes a feeding assembly that moves the stock material and a controller that controls the feeding assembly to operate in both a forward direction and a reverse direction. To automatically separate a discrete dunnage product from the strip, a holder grabs and holds the strip of dunnage at a holding location downstream of the feeding assembly. The feeding assembly then operates in a reverse direction and urges the strip away from the holding location. This causes the strip to separate at or between the holding location and the feeding assembly, leaving a discrete dunnage product ready for use. The converter is mounted to a stand that allows the converter to rotate relative to part of the stand about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.

Abstract: A method of making a dunnage product from a continuous length of stock material having a cohesive on at least one surface thereof comprises the step of converting the stock material into a relatively less dense configuration with at least two cohesive portions of the stock material being attached together.

Abstract: A packaging system (10), and associated components and methodology, that provides for automatic detection of a full, overfull, closed or partially closed container, even when mixed with other containers. An exemplary packaging method includes the following steps: (a.) determining the dimensions of a container; (b.) detecting a height of the container and its contents in one or more locations within a scan area of an open side of the container; (c.) comparing the detected height of the container and/or its contents to pre-specified criteria; and (d.) when the detected height exceeds the pre-specified criteria, generating a signal that indicates that the scan area includes a height that exceeds the pre-specified criteria.

Abstract: A motor-free dunnage conversion system comprises a housing (20) having a dispensing outlet (40) through which sheet stock material (34) can be pulled by a user to form a strip of dunnage. The housing (20) has a forming member (44, 50) with circumferentially converging side walls that gradually inwardly gather and crumple the sheet stock material as it is pulled therethrough. The system can also include one or more of a stand having a support mounted thereto for supporting a supply of stock material, a repositionable member (22) supporting the forming member (44, 50), a guide member at the upstream end of the housing to guide the stock material from a supply to the forming member, and a catch device operative upon movement of the dunnage strip relative thereto to catch and hold the strip for severing a dunnage product therefrom.

Abstract: A dunnage conversion machine (115), wherein sheet stock material is crumpled to form a crumpled strip, includes a feeding assembly (132). The feeding assembly (132) includes opposed feeding members that engage and advance the crumpled strip therebetween. One of the feeding members (141) includes a rotating member (141) supported on a shaft (144) for rotation about the axis of the shaft, the shaft being mounted for transverse movement toward and away from the other feeding member (140) to accommodate variations of the thickness of the crumpled strip as it is advanced between the opposed feeding members (140 and 141). The conversion machine (115) also includes a guide member (200) positioned laterally adjacent to the rotating member (141) progressively to guide a portion of the crumpled strip underneath the shaft (144). The guide member (200) has at least a portion adjacent the shaft (144) that is transversely movable.

Abstract: A system, and associated components and methodology, that provides for automatic determination and supply of an amount of dunnage to fill the void left in a container in which one or more objects have been placed. The system comprises a dunnage dispenser which is operable to dispense a controlled amount of a dunnage, a container scanner, and a logic device. The container scanner includes a height sensor for sensing a height characteristic of a container, a width sensor for sensing a width characteristic of the container, and a contour sensor for sensing a contour characteristic of the objects in the container. The logic device can (1) process sensed characteristic information from the height sensor, width sensor and contour sensor, (2) determine the amount of dunnage needed to fill the void not occupied by the objects, and (3) command the dunnage dispenser to dispense the determined amount of dunnage.

Abstract: A system (10) for automatically dispensing a strip of dunnage to a container (14) includes a dispenser (12) having an outlet (92) from which the dispenser can feed a length of a strip of dunnage lengthwise, a container support (36) for supporting a container (14) thereon, and a pusher device (114) at the outlet (92) for pushing, more particularly propelling, a trailing end of the strip of dunnage from the outlet (92) toward the container support (36). The outlet (92) is aligned with the container support (36). Thus the outlet (92) is positioned relative to a container (14) such that the strip will curl or fold back and forth upon itself within the confines of the container (14) as it is being fed from the outlet (92). A container closer (120, 130 and 32) automatically closes the flaps (80 and 82) of the container (14).

Abstract: An automated packaging system has a plurality of dunnage dispensing stations that can dispense dunnage and a transport network for conveying containers to and from at least two dispensing stations for dunnage to be placed therein. At at one loading station upstream of a dispensing station articles are placed in the containers for shipping. Optionally, an intermediate void determination station determines how much dunnage to dispense.

Abstract: A novel cushioning conversion machine and method for converting sheet stock material into a novel cushioning product and for producing discrete sections or pads of desired length, without the need for a cutting assembly, thereby enabling the construction of a less expensive, smaller and less complex machine. The machine and method are characterized by a weakening device for perforating a sheet stock material of one or more plies along tear lines so that as a strip of cushioning is formed from the stock material, discrete sections or pads of desired length may be detachable along the tear lines. The stock material includes material which is biodegradable, recyclable and composed of a renewable resource, such as kraft paper.

Abstract: A dunnage conversion machine is characterized by a forming assembly which causes lateral edge portions of a substantially continuous sheet stock material to crumple and to fold upon themselves, leaving an unfolded central portion between the laterally spaced apart folded portions. The layers of sheet stock material in the folded portions are fixed by a feeding/fixing assembly having two pairs of laterally spaced feed assemblies to form a dunnage product which does not come apart as it is manipulated. A severing assembly severs discrete dunnage products from the continuous strip of dunnage.

Abstract: A tabletop converter has a conversion assembly that inwardly gathers and crumples a stock material to form a strip of dunnage. The conversion assembly includes a feeding assembly that moves the stock material and a controller that controls the feeding assembly to operate in both a forward direction and a reverse direction. To automatically separate a discrete dunnage product from the strip, a holder grabs and holds the strip of dunnage at a holding location downstream of the feeding assembly. The feeding assembly then operates in a reverse direction and urges the strip away from the holding location. This causes the strip to separate at or between the holding location and the feeding assembly, leaving a discrete dunnage product ready for use. The converter is mounted to a stand that allows the converter to rotate relative to part of the stand about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.

Abstract: A system, and associated components and methodology, that provides for automatic determination and supply of an amount of dunnage to fill the void left in a container in which one or more objects have been placed. The system comprises a dunnage dispenser which is operable to dispense a controlled amount of a dunnage, a container scanner, and a logic device. The container scanner includes a height sensor for sensing a height characteristic of a container, a width sensor for sensing a width characteristic of the container, and a contour sensor for sensing a contour characteristic of the objects in the container. The logic device can (1) process sensed characteristic information from the height sensor, width sensor and contour sensor, (2) determine the amount of dunnage needed to fill the void not occupied by the objects, and (3) command the dunnage dispenser to dispense the determined amount of dunnage.

Abstract: A system, and associated components and methodology, having a dunnage supply with an outlet through which one or more crumpled strips are supplied, a positioning device that positions in juxtaposition portions of the one or more strips of dunnage, and a stapler for connecting the juxtaposed portions to hold them together. In a particular system, the system includes a converter that has a conversion assembly that converts a sheet stock material into a crumpled strip of dunnage and has an outlet through which the strip of dunnage is emitted. The system also includes a coiler that rolls the strip of dunnage into a coil, and a stapler that secures the trailing end portion of the strip of dunnage to at least the next-innermost portion of the strip in the coil by inserting a staple through the trailing end portion and the juxtaposed portion of the coiled strip.