Dunnage system with coiler, automated taping and ejecting apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11577483-B2
Application number	US-202117369553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2021
Priority date	Feb 12, 2013
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

A dunnage conversion system includes a machine for converting a stock material into a strip of relatively lower-density dunnage, a coiling mechanism for winding the strip into a coil, a taping mechanism for automatically securing a trailing end of the strip to the coil, and a coil ejecting mechanism for automatically removing the coil from the coiling mechanism. The taping mechanism includes a guide surface between an outlet of the machine and the coiling mechanism to guide the strip to the coiling mechanism and to guide tape for engagement with a trailing end of the strip and to secure the trailing end of the strip to the coil. The coil ejecting mechanism includes a lever arm that pivots to push the completed coil off the coiling mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic coil ejecting mechanism in combination with a dunnage conversion machine capable of producing a strip of dunnage and dispensing the strip of dunnage through an outlet, and a coiling mechanism downstream of the outlet that is capable of rolling a strip of dunnage about a coil axis that is generally horizontal to produce a coiled dunnage product, the coil ejecting mechanism comprising:
a lever arm having a generally vertical pivot axis about which the lever arm is rotatable between a ready position in which the coiled dunnage product is produced by the coiling mechanism and an ejection position in which the coiled dunnage product is ejected from the coiling mechanism, the lever arm being mounted at the pivot axis to a support frame secured to the dunnage conversion machine, and a push plate mounted to the lever arm at a location spaced from the pivot axis, the push plate having a surface that is parallel to a pivot plane that includes the pivot axis, where the pivot plane is perpendicular to the coil axis when the lever arm is in the ready position, and where the push plate is capable of ejecting the coiled dunnage product when the lever arm is in the ejection position.

2. A coil ejecting mechanism as set forth in claim 1 , in combination with a coiling mechanism that rotates about the coil axis to roll the strip of dunnage into a coil.

3. A coil ejecting mechanism as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a supply of stock material for conversion into a relatively less dense dunnage product.

4. A coil ejecting mechanism as set forth in claim 3 , where the stock material includes one or more of a sheet of paper and a sheet of kraft paper.

5. A coil ejecting mechanism as set forth in claim 1 , comprising a motive device for driving rotation of the lever arm to push a coil off the coiling mechanism, where the motive device is located on one side of the pivot axis and the push plate is located on an opposite side of the pivot axis.

6. A coil ejecting mechanism as set forth in claim 1 , where the motive device includes one or more of an electric motor and a clutch.

7. A method of producing a coiled dunnage product, comprising the steps of:
producing a strip of dunnage and dispensing the strip of dunnage through an outlet of a dunnage conversion machine;
rolling the strip of dunnage into a coil on a mandrel about a coil axis that is generally horizontal and downstream of the outlet ; and
automatically ejecting the coil from the mandrel by rotating a lever arm between a ready position and an ejection position, where the lever arm is mounted to a support frame secured to the dunnage conversion machine at a pivot axis that is generally vertical and proximal the outlet, the lever arm having a push plate mounted at a location spaced from the pivot axis, the push plate having a surface that is parallel to a pivot plane that includes the pivot axis, where the pivot plane is perpendicular to the coil axis when the lever arm is in the ready position, and where the push plate pushes the coil in a direction generally parallel to the coil axis and ejects the coil from the mandrel when the lever arm is rotated to the ejection position.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 , where the providing step includes
supplying a sheet stock material to a dunnage conversion machine; and
converting the sheet stock material into a strip of relatively lower density dunnage.

Assignees

• Ranpak Corp

Inventors

• Winkens Pedro E
• Veldt Ad H

Classifications

• B65H2402/33

  cantilever support means · CPC title

• B65H19/29 Primary

  Securing the trailing end of the wound web to the web roll (cores, formers, supports or holders, e.g. reels, with arrangements for securing ends of material B65H75/28) · CPC title

• B31D2205/0064

  Stabilizing the shape of the final product, e.g. by mechanical interlocking · CPC title

• B65H2404/51

  Cross section, i.e. section perpendicular to the direction of displacement · CPC title

• B31D5/0047

  involving toothed wheels · CPC title