Powered outlet chute for dunnage conversion machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11718060-B2
Application number	US-201816647169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2018
Priority date	Oct 2, 2017
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

A dunnage conversion machine that converts a stock material into a less dense dunnage product includes an outlet chute having a housing with a passage therethrough from an inlet at an inlet end downstream to an outlet at an outlet end spaced from the inlet end. The output chute includes a lower guide surface that defines a bottom side of the passage. The lower guide surface has an upstream end toward the inlet and a downstream end toward the outlet. The upstream end of the lower guide surface is spaced from a centerline of the passage a distance that is greater than a distance that the downstream end is spaced from the centerline of the passage to provide an inclined surface, such that a cross-section of the passage decreases from the inlet to the outlet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dunnage conversion machine, comprising
a conversion assembly having a forming assembly for shaping a stock material into a relatively lower density strip of dunnage, a feed assembly downstream of the forming assembly, the feed assembly having at least one rotating element to draw a stock material through the forming assembly;
a severing assembly downstream of the conversion assembly to sever discrete lengths of dunnage products from the strip of dunnage produced by the conversion assembly; and
an output chute downstream of the severing assembly, configured to receive dunnage products from the severing assembly;
wherein the output chute includes a housing having a passage therethrough, the passage having an inlet at an inlet end, and an outlet at an outlet end spaced from the inlet end, the passage extending in a downstream direction from the inlet to the outlet;
wherein the output chute includes a continuous planar lower guide surface that defines a bottom side of the passage, the continuous planar lower guide surface having an upstream end toward the inlet and a downstream end toward the outlet, and the upstream end is spaced from a centerline of the passage a distance that is greater than a distance that the downstream end is spaced from the centerline of the passage to provide an inclined surface, such that a cross-section of the passage decreases from the inlet to the outlet;
wherein the downstream ends of an upper guide surface and the continuous planar lower guide surfaces are in a fixed position; and
wherein the continuous planar lower guide surface includes at least one rotating element that is driven to move the continuous planar lower guide surface toward the outlet.

2. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 1 , further including a power source adapted to drive at least one of the at least one rotating element.

3. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 2 , wherein the continuous planar lower guide surface is defined by a conveyor belt.

4. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 1 , wherein the upper guide surface is a continuous planar upper guide surface that defines a top side of the passage that is spaced from and nonparallel to the continuous planar lower guide surface, the continuous planar upper guide surface having an upstream end toward the inlet and a downstream end toward the outlet, the upstream end is spaced from a centerline of the passage a distance that is greater than a distance that the downstream end is spaced from the centerline of the passage to provide an inclined surface; wherein the continuous planar upper guide surface and the continuous planar lower guide surface converge to a minimum spacing therebetween adjacent the outlet.

5. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 4 , wherein the continuous planar upper guide surface is defined by a conveyor belt.

6. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 4 , wherein each of the continuous planar upper and lower guide surfaces includes at least two rotating members.

7. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 4 , wherein adjacent the outlet, the continuous planar upper and lower guide surfaces are closest to each other and spaced apart by 20 mm.

8. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 4 , wherein the continuous planar upper and lower guide surfaces are resilient.

9. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 4 , wherein a distance from a closest spacing of the continuous planar upper and lower guide surfaces to the input end of the chute is at least 140 mm.

10. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 1 , wherein the continuous planar lower guide surface is a conveyor belt configured to provide a continuous surface from the upstream end of the continuous planar lower guide surface to the downstream end of the continuous planar lower guide surface.

11. The dunnage conversion machine of claim 1 , wherein output chute includes a housing having left and right side walls that define opposing sides of the passage through the output chute.

12. An output chute for a dunnage conversion machine that converts a stock material into a less dense dunnage product, comprising:
a housing having a passage therethrough, the passage having an inlet at an inlet end, and an outlet at an outlet end spaced from the inlet end, the passage extending in a downstream direction from the inlet to the outlet, and
a continuous planar lower conveyor belt arranged to define a lower side of the passage, the continuous planar lower conveyor belt having an upstream end toward the inlet and a downstream end toward the outlet, the upstream end is spaced from a centerline of the passage further than the downstream end is spaced from the centerline of the passage to provide an inclined surface, such that a cross-section of the passage decreases from the inlet to the outlet.

13. The output chute of claim 12 , further comprising a continuous planar upper conveyor belt arranged to define an upper side of the passage, the continuous planar upper conveyor belt having an upstream end toward the inlet and a downstream end toward the outlet, the upstream end is spaced from a centerline of the passage further than the downstream end is spaced from the centerline of the passage to provide an inclined surface, such that a cross-section of the passage decreases from the inlet to the outlet.

Assignees

• Ranpak Corp

Inventors

• Demers Raimond P M

Classifications

• B31D5/0047 Primary

  involving toothed wheels · CPC title

• B31D2205/007

  Delivering · CPC title

• B31D2205/0047

  Feeding, guiding or shaping the material · CPC title

• B31D2205/0058

  Cutting; Individualising the final products · CPC title

• B31D2205/0094

  Safety devices · CPC title