Tear-assist blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11241858-B2
Application number	US-202016847415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2020
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

A material dispenser having a dispensing member configured to dispense a line of the material along a path in a downstream direction, and a cutting member having a cutting edge extending generally downstream with respect to the path. The cutting member having a convex shape across the path, such that the cutting edge engages and sequentially initiates cuts through the line of material when the line of material is pulled against the cutting member, thereby minimize cutting forces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dunnage apparatus, comprising:
a converting station that converts a line of high-density material into low-density dunnage and dispenses the dunnage along a path in a downstream direction; and
a cutting member having a cutting edge extending across the path downstream of the converting station along a curved shape that extends across at least the majority of the path, such that the cutting edge engages and sequentially severs the line of dunnage across the path when the line of dunnage is pulled against the cutting member, thereby reducing cutting forces.

2. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutting member comprises a blade having a blade flat that extends generally downstream along the path and terminating on a downstream side thereof at the teeth.

3. The dunnage apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the curved shape is defined in plane with the blade flat.

4. The dunnage apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the blade flat has a substantially flat surface.

5. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tear-assist unit that is operable to pull the line of dunnage against the cutting member to initiate the cuts.

6. The dunnage apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the tear-assist unit is operable to pull the line of dunnage upstream with respect to the path against the cutting member to initiate the cuts.

7. The dunnage apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a sensing unit configured to detect a pulling of the line of dunnage by a user in a predetermined direction, wherein the sensing unit is associated with the tear-assist unit such that upon detection of the pulling of the line of dunnage by the user against the cutting member, the sensing unit triggers the tear-assist unit to drive the line of dunnage in a reverse direction along the path against the cutting member to at least partially sever the line of dunnage.

8. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a drum that is operable for pulling the line of dunnage upstream with respect to the path against the cutting member to at least partially sever the line of dunnage.

9. The dunnage apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the high-density material is ribbon of paper sheet material.

10. The dunnage apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the converting station is configured for longitudinally creasing the high-density material to convert the high-density material into the low-density dunnage.

11. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutting edge is blunt in cross-section.

12. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more portions of the cutting edge are sharp in cross-section.

13. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved shape is convex.

14. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutting member comprises a plurality of teeth that are positioned along the cutting edge to define the curved shape of the cutting edge and to sequentially engage the dunnage pulled thereagainst.

15. The dunnage apparatus of claim 14 , wherein each tooth of the plurality of teeth includes a leading edge positioned along and defining the curved shape of the cutting edge.

16. The dunnage apparatus of claim 14 , wherein one or more of the teeth have pointed tips.

17. The dunnage apparatus of claim 14 , wherein a plurality of the teeth have a non-pointed shape.

18. The dunnage apparatus of claim 14 , wherein one or more of the teeth have tips having a rounded shape.

19. The dunnage apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of teeth are positioned from each other so that when a user grips and pulls the line of dunnage against the cutting member, the line of dunnage initially contacts an initial group of the plurality of teeth that face the dunnage, and contacts additional teeth of the plurality of teeth once the initial group has initiated severing the dunnage.

20. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein cutting member is positioned with respect to the converting station with the cutting edge extending generally, and oriented, downstream with respect to the path.

21. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved shape of the cutting edge extends across substantially the entire path.

22. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutting member has top and bottom surfaces that meet at a cutting edge, the curved shape defining a curve defined in plane along the top and bottom surfaces.

23. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tear-assist unit operable for pulling the line of dunnage upstream with respect to the path against the cutting member sufficiently to only partially sever the line of dunnage.

24. The dunnage apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tear-assist unit operable for pulling the line of dunnage upstream with respect to the path against the cutting member sufficiently to fully sever the line of dunnage.

25. The dunnage apparatus of claim 24 , wherein converting station is operable for pulling the line of dunnage upstream with respect to the path against the cutting member sufficiently to at least partially sever the line of dunnage.

26. A dunnage system, comprising:
the dunnage apparatus of claim 1 ; and
a perforated supply of the high density material.

27. A dunnage apparatus, comprising:
a converting station that converts a line of high-density material into low-density dunnage and dispenses the dunnage along a path in a downstream direction; and
a tear-assist unit comprising a cutting member having a cutting edge extending generally downstream with respect to the path and having a curved shape across the path, the cutting edge including a plurality of teeth that are aligned along the cutting edge such that the plurality of teeth extend from the cutting edge generally downstream with respect to the path and together form the curved shape, such that the cutting edge engages and sequentially initiates cuts through the line of high-density material when the line of dunnage is pulled thereagainst, the tear-assist unit being configured to operably pull the line of dunnage upstream against the cutting edge to at least partially sever the line of dunnage.

28. The dunnage apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the converting station comprises the tear-assist unit and includes a drum that is operable for pulling the line of dunnage upstream with respect to the path against the cutting member to at least partially sever the line of dunnage.

29. The dunnage apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the tear-assist unit is operable to pull the line of dunnage upstream against the cutting edge sufficiently to fully sever the line of dunnage.

30. The dunnage apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the teeth are blunt.

31. The dunnage apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the teeth are rounded.

Assignees

• Pregis Innovative Packaging Llc

Inventors

• Wetsch Thomas D
• Tegel Robert

Classifications

• B31D5/0043 Primary

  including crumpling flat material · CPC title

• B65H35/008

  Arrangements or adaptations of cutting devices · CPC title

• Y10T225/298

  Blades or severing devices · CPC title

• B31D2205/0058

  Cutting; Individualising the final products · CPC title

• B65H45/06

  Folding webs (B65H20/28 takes precedence) · CPC title