MY130915A - Dunnage conversion machine with translating grippers, and method and product - Google Patents

Abstract

A DUNNAGE CONVERSION MACHINE (10, 400) FOR CONVERTING STOCK MATERIAL INTO A DUNNAGE PRODUCT INCLUDES A FORMING ASSEMBLY (26, 426) AND A PULLING ASSEMBLY (28, 428). THE PULLING ASSEMBLY (28, 428) INCLUDES AT LEAST TWO GRIPPERS (60, 62; 460, 462) MOVABLE TOGETHER THROUGH A TRANSFER REGION (113, 513) IN OPPOSITION TO ONE ANOTHER AND COOPERATIVE TO GRIP THERE BETWEEN THE DUNNAGE STRIP FOR ADVANCING THE DUNNAGE STRIP THROUGH THE TRANSFER REGION (113, 513), AND AT LEAST ONE OF THE GRIPPERS INCLUDING AN APERTURE (675) OPERATIVE TO GATHER AND LATERALLY CAPTURE THEREIN THE DUNNAGE STRIP AS THE GRIPPERS (60, 62; 460, 462) MOVE THROUGH THE TRANSFER REGION (113, 513). ALSO DISCLOSED IS A SEVERING ASSEMBLY (34, 434) INCLUDING A MOVABLE BLADE (74) AND A RECIPROCATING ACTUATOR (70) CONNECTED TO THE BLADE (74) BY A MOTION TRANSMITTING ASSEMBLY (78) THAT MOVES THE BLADE (74) THROUGH A FULL SEVERING CYCLE UPON A STROKE OF THE ACTUATOR (70) IN EITHER DIRECTION. ALSO DISCLOSED IS A VOID FILL DUNNAGE PRODUCT INCLUDING A THREE DIMENSIONAL CRUMPLED STRIP OF DUNNAGE ROUND IN CROSS-SECTION AND INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE PLY OF SHEET MATERIAL HAVING, IN CROSS-SECTION, A CRUMPLED MULTILOBED UNDULATING BODY, WITH THE LOBES THEREOF EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY AND BEING DISPERSED IN AN IRREGULAR PATTERN.(FIG 1)