Dunnage conversion machine, helically-crumpled dunnage product and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11352190-B2
Application number	US-202016741480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2020
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

A machine for converting a sheet stock material into a relatively less dense dunnage product includes both (a) a helical pre-form assembly having a cylindrical mandrel with a longitudinal axis and a guide member for guiding the sheet stock material from a supply thereof into a helical path along and around the mandrel so as to form a helical pre-form that rotates around the longitudinal axis and advances parallel to the longitudinal axis; and (b) a restriction in the path of the pre-form that slows the advance and rotation of the pre-form past the restriction, the restriction causing the pre-form to retard longitudinal advancement, to twist upon itself, and to permanently deform as it moves past the restriction, thereby longitudinally and helically crumpling the pre-form.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dunnage product, comprising a sheet material having a longitudinal dimension wound along a helical path into a helical configuration with adjacent edge portions joined together to form a helical seam, the sheet material being permanently deformed with randomly-disposed helical and circumferential folds in the sheet material;
wherein the adjacent edge portions are joined together by an adhesive to form the helical seam.

2. The dunnage product of claim 1 , where the sheet material is paper.

3. The dunnage product of claim 2 , where the sheet material is kraft paper.

4. The dunnage product of claim 2 , where the sheet material has a basis weight of approximately 120 gsm.

5. The dunnage product of claim 1 , where the helical seam has a width of approximately 10 mm to 15 mm.

6. The dunnage product of claim 1 having a tubular shape.

7. The dunnage product of claim 1 having a generally circular cross-section.

8. The dunnage product of claim 7 , having a diameter of approximately 80 mm to 100 mm.

9. The dunnage product of claim 1 , where the sheet material has a width of approximately 90 mm to 150 mm.

10. A dunnage product produced by the process of:
helically winding a strip of sheet material around a mandrel along a helical path to form a helical pre-form;
advancing the pre-form in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the mandrel; and
longitudinally and helically crumpling the helical pre-form to form a dunnage product having a sheet material in a helical configuration with adjacent edge portions joined together to form a helical seam, the sheet material being permanently deformed with randomly-disposed helical and circumferential folds in the sheet material.

11. The dunnage product produced by the process of claim 10 , where the winding step includes advancing a strip of sheet material along a helical path using a drive belt that extends around the mandrel.

12. The dunnage product produced by the process of claim 11 , where the crumpling step includes restricting the rate of advancement of the helical pre-form to cause the sheet material to crumple.

13. The dunnage product produced by the process of claim 11 , comprising the step of separating discrete sections of the crumpled sheet material after the crumpling step.

Assignees

• Ranpak Corp

Inventors

• Timmers Mike J
• Demers Raimond P M

Classifications

• B31C99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• B31D5/0043

  including crumpling flat material · CPC title

• B65D81/09

  using flowable discrete elements of shock-absorbing material, e.g. pellets or popcorn · CPC title

• B31C3/04 Primary

  Seam processing · CPC title

• B31C11/02

  for additionally shaping the articles · CPC title