DE9116971U1 - Small-sized conversion machine for cushioning backing material and packaging systems using the same - Google Patents

Description

Ranpak Co&phgr;oration August 5, 1994

R 19184 G/Kk/bt

Documents required for registration of the utility model
are to be based on

Small-scale converter machine for cushioning pad material and packaging systems using the same

This invention, as indicated, relates to a cushioning material converting machine which converts web-like stock material, such as paper in multi-ply form, into cut pieces of a cushioning-like cushioning material product of relatively low density, and to a packaging system using the same.

In the process of shipping an item from one location to another, a protective packing material is typically placed in the shipping container or box to fill any voids and/or to cushion the item during the shipping process. Some common, commonly used protective packing materials are plastic foam beads and plastic bubble packs. These plastic materials are usually dispensed from dispensers integrated into packaging systems. In many packaging systems, the arrangement may allow or even require

so that the protective plastic material is distributed horizontally. In other packaging systems, vertical distribution of the protective material may be necessary to accommodate horizontal conveyor belts, which may be positioned very close together. The plastic foam

fabric granules and plastic bubble packs and the dispensers of these plastic materials have for the most part been compatible with a variety of packaging systems.

Despite this wide range of compatibility, conventional protective plastic materials are not without disadvantages. For example, one disadvantage of a thin plastic bubble layer is that it usually contains a polyvinylidene chloride coating. This coating prevents the plastic layer from being safely incinerated, which

&iacgr;&ogr; creating disposal difficulties for some industries. In addition, both the plastic foam pellets and the plastic bubble packs have a tendency to generate electrostatic charge that attracts dust from the surrounding packaging area. These plastic materials sometimes generate a significant amount of packaging "lint" themselves. These dust and lint particles are generally undesirable and can even be destructive to sensitive goods such as electronic or medical equipment.

Perhaps the most serious disadvantage of plastic bubble wrap and/or plastic foam pellets is their impact on our environment. These plastic packaging materials are simply not biodegradable and therefore cannot prevent further aggravation of what is already a critical waste disposal problem for our planet. The lack of biodegradability of these packaging materials has become increasingly important in light of many industries adopting more progressive policies in terms of environmental responsibility.

These and other disadvantages of conventional plastic packaging materials have made protective paper packaging material a very

·

popular alternative. Paper is biodegradable, recyclable and renewable; making it an environmentally responsible choice for conscious industries. Furthermore, paper can be safely incinerated by the recipients of the product. Furthermore, protective paper packaging material is ideal for goods that are sensitive to particles as its clean, dust-free surface is resistant to static cling.

While paper in web form could potentially be used as a protective packaging material, it is usually preferred to convert the paper webs into a cushion-like cushioning backing product of relatively low density. This conversion can be accomplished by a cushioning backing machine such as those in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,509,798; 3,603,216; 3,655,500; 3,779,039; 4,026,198;

is 4,109,040; 4,717,613 and 4,750,896. A converter machine as set forth in the above-cited patents is designed to be positioned in a generally self-supporting manner. To this end, the machine includes a frame structure having legs for supporting the machine on the floor of the packaging location. The actual embodiments of the machines illustrated in these patents are approximately 42 inches (about 107 cm) high, 36 inches (about 91 cm) wide and 67 inches (about 170 cm) long. The supply supply assembly is mounted at an upper end of the frame which is about waist height for most workers, thereby ensuring safe reloading of supply rolls onto the machine. The forming and drawing/connecting assemblies are positioned at approximately the same height as the stock supply assembly so that the dispensed embossed strip of cushioning material can be easily handled by an operator.

The motors that drive the target/connection arrangement and/or the cutting

drive assembly are mounted at the bottom of the frame, vertically offset from the stock supply assembly, the forming assembly and the pulling/connecting assembly.

For some packaging systems, this frame structure mounting arrangement may be compatible and may be effective. However, many of the packaging systems currently using protective plastic packaging material require both horizontal and vertical positioning of the converter machine. This leaves

‘ a need for a converter machine that can be easily positioned in both a horizontal and vertical manner and thus incorporated into a variety of packaging systems. As a result of the increasing popularity of protective paper packaging material, other improvements to the cushioning backing converter machine are necessary or at least desirable. For example, because the drawing/connecting assembly is located downstream of the forming assembly, a new roll of supply material must be manually threaded or pulled through the various components of the forming assembly before automatic operation of the machine can begin. Features that would assist in manual threading of the machine would be helpful in increasing the operational efficiency of the packaging system. In addition, features that enhance the cushioning quality of the resulting backing product are generally desirable.

The present invention provides a cushioning backing material converting machine for converting a web-like supply material, such as paper in multi-ply form, into cut pieces of a cushioning backing product of relatively low density. The machine includes a stock supply assembly, a forming

assembly, a pulling/connecting assembly, and a cutting assembly, all mounted on a machine frame. The machine frame includes a base plate having an upstream end and a downstream end, a first end plate extending generally perpendicularly from the upstream end of the end plate, and a second end plate extending generally perpendicularly from the downstream end of the base plate. The frame base plate and the two frame end plates together form a "C-shaped structure; one side of the frame base plate is a flat, non-

&iacgr;&ogr; interrupted surface.

The supply assembly is mounted on the first frame end plate, the forming assembly is mounted on an intermediate portion of the frame base plate, the pulling/connecting assembly is mounted on an upstream side of the second end plate, and the cutting assembly is mounted on the downstream side of the second end plate. This mounting arrangement allows both horizontal and vertical positioning of the machine, making it compatible with a variety of packaging systems. Furthermore, the machine is approximately one-third the size of the machines disclosed in the above-mentioned patents while using the same size supply rolls and producing the same size cut sections. Because of this reduction in size, the machine can be referred to as a "miniature" machine.

The second end plate is preferably made of aluminum to reduce the weight without compromising the strength. By mounting the pulling/connecting assembly to the upstream side and the cutting assembly to the downstream side of the second aluminum end plate, the manufacturing process is simplified, the

reduces the weight of the unit, simplifies installation and makes maintenance easier and faster.

The present invention also provides a post-cut constraining assembly for circumferentially constraining the cut portions of the cushion-type damping underlay product. The assembly is located downstream of the cutting assembly and is attached on a box-like extension to the downstream end of the machine frame. The post-cut constraining assembly is essentially

&iacgr;&ogr; funnel-shaped and has an upstream converging section that tapers into a downstream tunnel section. The converging section is positioned between the downstream frame end plate and the box-like frame extension, while the tunnel section extends through and beyond the frame extension in a downstream direction.

The present invention also provides a pivoting cover on one of the components of the forming assembly to facilitate manual threading of the machine. More specifically, the forming assembly includes a converging chute having a first section and a second section. The first section is attached to the frame end plate while the second section or "cover" is pivotally connected to the first section. In this manner, the chute cover can be opened to manually thread the machine, as is occasionally necessary when installing a new roll of stock material. After manual threading is completed, the chute cover can be closed to initiate normal automatic operation of the machine.

The present invention also provides packaging systems comprising at least one cushion pad material converter machine positioned in a vertical manner, a dispenser for supplying stock to the stock supply assembly, a packaging surface and a machine mounting frame for positioning the machine to receive stock from the stock dispenser and direct the cut sections to the packaging surface. The machine may be positioned with its upstream end over its downstream end or alternatively with its downstream end over its upstream end. The packaging surface may be in the form of one or more conveyor belts and the stock dispenser may comprise one or more stock supply carts.

The present invention provides these and other features which are hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the accompanying drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, but indicate only a few of the many ways in which the principles of the invention may be utilized.

In the attached drawing:

Fig. 1 a side view of a machine for damping underlay material

as according to the present invention, wherein the machine is in a

shown positioned horizontally and loaded with stock material, with the external casing removed for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the opposite side of the damping shim machine of Fig. 1;

LO

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the cushion pad machine of Fig. 1 without stock material loaded and viewed along line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an isolated side view of the downstream side of the second or downstream frame end plate showing one type of cutting assembly attached thereto, as viewed along line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the downstream frame end plate and cutting assembly taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 4 with the cover;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the blade adjustment portion of the cutting assembly and the downstream frame end plate, taken along line 6-6 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is another bottom plan view of the fixed blade adjustment portion of the cutting assembly and the downstream frame end plate, taken along line 7-7 in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of another embodiment of a fixed blade adjustment portion mounted on the end plate;

Fig. 9 is another bottom plan view of the end plate and attached blade adjustment of the cutting assembly of Fig. 8, taken along line 9-9 of that figure;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the end plate and cutting assembly of Fig. 8, taken along line 10-10 in Fig. 9;

Figure 11 is a side view of a packaging system according to the present invention utilizing two cushion pad machines, the machines being mounted in a vertical manner on a machine frame;
Fig. 12 is a front view of the packaging system of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged view of some of the components used to mount the machines to the machine mounting frame in the packaging system of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view of the fastening components taken along line 14-14 in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a side view of another packaging system according to the present invention using a cushioning material machine positioned in a vertical manner; Fig. 16 is a front view of a packaging system shown in Fig. 15;

Figure 17 is a side view of another packaging system according to the present invention, this system utilizing two cushioning backing machines positioned in a vertical manner and a remote stock roll supply arrangement;

Fig. 18 is an isolated side view of the downstream side of the second or downstream frame end plate, similar to that of Fig. 4, except that another type of cutting assembly is shown attached thereto; and

Fig. 19 is a plan view of the downstream frame end plate and cutting assembly taken along line 19-19 in Fig. 18.

Referring in detail to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1 through 3, a damping pad material converting machine according to the present invention is shown generally at 20. In Fig.

and 2, the machine 20 is shown positioned in a horizontal manner and loaded with a roll 21 of a web-like stock material 22.

The stock material 22 can consist of three superimposed webs or layers 24, 26 and 28 of biodegradable, recyclable and reusable

• m

&bgr; *

UO

usable thirty-pound kraft paper rolled onto a hollow cylindrical tube 29. A thirty-inch (about 16 cm) roll of paper, about 450 feet (about 137 m) long, will weigh about 35 pounds (about 16 kg) and will provide cushioning equivalent to about 4 15 cubic foot bags (or about 4 246 cm bags) of plastic foam granules while requiring less than one-thirtieth of the storage space.

The machine 20 converts this stock material 22 into a continuous, unjointed strip having lateral pillow-like sections separated by a thin central band. This strip is joined or embossed along the central band to form an embossed strip which is cut into sections 32 of a desired length. The cut sections 32 each include lateral pillow-like sections 33 separated by a thin central band and provide an excellent, relatively low density, cushion-like product which can be used in place of conventional protective plastic packaging material.

The machine 20 includes a frame, shown generally at 36, having an upstream or "supply" end 38 and a downstream or "discharge" end 40. The terms "upstream" and "downstream" in this context are characteristic of the direction of flow of the stock material 22 through the machine 20. The frame 36 is positioned in a substantially horizontal manner whereby an imaginary longitudinal line or axis 42 from the upstream end 38 to the downstream end 40 would be substantially horizontal.

·

- &igr;&igr;·-

The frame 36 is formed of a base plate 43 and two end plates 44 and 46. The frame base plate 43 is generally rectangular and extends from the upstream end 38 to the downstream end 40 of the frame 36 in a generally horizontal plane. Although not entirely clear from the illustrations, the first or upstream frame end plate 44 may be more specifically described as a thin rectangular wall having a rectangular supply inlet opening 47 extending therethrough. The second or downstream frame end plate 46 is generally rectangular and planar and includes a relatively small rectangular outlet opening 48. The outlet opening 48 may be seen more clearly by briefly referring to Figure 4.

The first frame end plate 44 extends generally vertically in a direction from the upstream end of the frame base plate 43. In the illustrated embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, this direction is upward. The second end plate is preferably aluminum and extends generally in the same vertical direction from the downstream end of the frame base plate 43. In this way, the frame 36 is basically "C" shaped and one side of the frame base plate 43, which is the lower side in this embodiment, is a flat, unbroken surface. The frame 36 also includes a box-like extension 49 removably attached to a downstream portion of the base plate 43. The entire frame cover may be enclosed by a sheet metal housing or cover to protect the components mounted therein and to provide a safety factor for people using the machine.

In the preferred embodiment, the frame 36 is dimensioned so that the length of the machine 20 is approximately 56 inches (about 142 cm); the width of the machine is approximately 34 inches (about 86 cm); and the height of the machine is approximately 12 inches (about 30 cm).

The "length" of the machine is measured from its downstream end to its upstream end and is thus defined by the frame base plate 43 and extension 49. The "width" of the machine is the diagonal dimension of the frame base plate 43; and the "height" of the machine is defined by the frame end plates 44 and 46. These dimensions show a machine roughly one-third the size of conventional converter machines.

The machine 20 further comprises a supply arrangement, a shaping arrangement 52, a gear arrangement 54 which is connected by a

is gear motor 55 for pulling and connecting the paper backing material, a cutting assembly 56 driven by a motor for the cutter 57, and a post-cutting enforcing assembly 58, all mounted on the frame 36. The supply supply assembly 50 is mounted on an upstream side of the first frame end plate 44. The forming assembly 52 is disposed downstream of the supply supply assembly 50 and is mounted on a central portion of the frame base plate 43. The gear assembly 54 is disposed downstream of the forming assembly and is mounted on an upstream side of the second frame end plate 46. On the opposite downstream side of the frame end plate 46, the cutting assembly 56 is mounted. The movable blade of the cutting assembly is driven by a motor 57. The motors 55 and 57 are mounted on the frame base plate 43 at approximately the same height as the shaping assembly 52 and on opposite sides thereof. Finally, the rear

The cutting forcing assembly 58 is located downstream of the cutting assembly 56 and is mounted on the box-like extension 49. The box-like extension 49 shields the cutting assembly 56 from external particles and interference during normal operation, but because it is removable, it can be removed if necessary to adjust and/or repair the cutting assembly 56.

This particular fastening arrangement and/or this particular geometry and dimensioning of the frame 36 advantageously allows

“the machine 20 is compatible with a variety of packaging systems. The machine 20 can be positioned in a horizontal manner, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by placing the machine on a flat, horizontal surface. While the floor of a packaging yard may be suitable, other surfaces such as tables and work benches may be more desirable. The machine 20 can also be positioned in a vertical manner, as shown in Figs. 11, 12, 15, 16 and 17, whereby an imaginary longitudinal line from its upstream end to its downstream end would be substantially vertical. Furthermore, two machines can be positioned symmetrically to each other, close to each other, as occasionally necessary to accommodate existing conveyor belts (see Figs. 11 and 17). Because of this flexibility, the machine can accommodate 20 packaging systems that have traditionally been dominated by plastic protective material, such as those involving conveyor belts that are incompatible with traditional cushioning shim machines.

During operation of the machine 20, the supply assembly 50 supplies the forming assembly 52 with supply material 22. The forming assembly 52 causes the lateral edges of the web-like supply material 22 to roll inwardly to form the lateral cushion-like portions 33.

of the continuous strip. The gear assembly 54 actually performs two functions in the operation of the machine 20. One function is a "pulling" function in which the paper is pulled through the nip of the two cooperating opposed gears of the gear assembly. The gear assembly 54 is the mechanism that pulls the stock material 22 from the stock roll 21, through the stock supply assembly 50 and through the forming assembly 52. The second function performed by the gear assembly 54 is an "embossing" or "binding" function. The

Gear assembly 54 connects the strip through the two opposing gears which emboss its central band which passes therethrough to form the embossed strip. As the embossed strip passes downstream of gear assembly 54, cutting assembly 56 cuts the strip into sections 32 of a desired length. These cut sections 32 then pass through post-cut constraining assembly 58.

Turning to the details of the various assemblies, the supply assembly 50 comprises two laterally spaced supports 62.

The supports 62 are each generally shaped like a sideways "U" and have two legs 64 and 65 extending perpendicularly from a flat connecting base wall 66 (see Figs. 1 and 2). With respect to each support 62, the base wall 66 is suitably secured to the downstream side of the frame end plate 44 so that the leg 64 is generally flush with the frame base plate 43. Both legs 64 have open slots 70 in their distal end to receive a supply rod 72. The supply rod 72 is designed to extend relatively loosely through the hollow tube 29 of the supply roll 21. As the supply material 22 is pulled through the machine 20 by the gear assembly 54, the tube 29 will

- 15 -

rotate freely, thereby feeding the supply material 22. A pin (not shown) through one or both ends of the supply rod 72 may be provided to limit or prevent rotation of the supply rod 72 itself.

The other legs 65 of the U-beams 62 extend from an intermediate portion of the frame end plate 44 and cooperate to secure a web severing device, generally designated 74. The web severing device 74 comprises three horizontally spaced,

“ relatively thin, cylindrical separator bars 76, 77 and 78. The number of separator bars, three, corresponds to the number of paper layers or webs of stock material 22. Web separator 74 separates layers 24, 26 and 28 of paper prior to their passage through forming assembly 52. This "pre-separation" is believed to improve the elasticity of the backing product produced. Details of a separating mechanism similar to separator 74 are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,750,896.
The support legs 65 also help to support a constant entry rod 80 pivotally mounted at the distal ends of the legs. The rod 80 provides a non-changing entry point for the stock material 22 into the slitter 74 and the forming assembly 52 regardless of the diameter of the stock roll 21. In this way, if a different diameter roll is used and/or if the discharge of the stock material 22 from the roll 21 reduces its diameter, the entry point of the stock material 22 into the slitter 74 remains constant. This consistency facilitates the uniform production of cut sections 32 of the cushion pad product. Details of a "roll member" or "rod member" similar to the constant entry rod 80 are shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,750,896.

After the stock material 22 is drawn from the stock roll 21 over the constant entry bar 80 and through the slitter 74, it is drawn through the stock inlet port 47 to the forming assembly 52. The forming assembly 52 is the actual "conversion" component of the machine 20 and includes a three-dimensional bar-like forming member 90, a convergence slide or chute 92, a cross guide structure 93 and a "stamping" or guide surface 94. The stock material 22 travels between the forming member 90 and the frame base plate 43 until it reaches the guide surface 94. At this point, the transverse guide structure 93 and the guide surface 94 guide the stock material 22 longitudinally and transversely into the converging chute 92. During this downstream travel, the forming member 90 rolls the edges of the stock material 22 to form the lateral cushion-like sections 33 and the converging chute 92 cooperates with the forming member 90 to form the continuous strip with the desired geometry. As the strip emerges from the converging chute 92, the guide surface 94 guides the strip into the gear assembly 54.

The rod-like forming member 90 may be supported by a vertical strap (not shown) attached to the distal end of the frame end plates 44 and 46 and depending suspension members. The suspension members are preferably adjustable so that the position of the forming member 90 relative to other components of the forming assembly 52, such as the converging chute 92, may be selectively varied. Further structural details of a forming member 90 or "forming frame" are discussed in U.S. Patent No. 4,750,896.

The guide surface 94 is mounted directly to the frame base plate 43, while the cross guide structure 93 and the converging chute 92 are mounted on the guide surface 94. The guide surface 94 has a trapezoidal shape in plan view having a wide upstream side 105 and a parallel, narrow downstream side 106. The wide side 105 is positioned downstream of at least a portion of the forming member 90. The narrow side 106 is positioned adjacent the outlet opening 48 in the frame end plate 46 and includes a rectangular slot 107 for accommodating the gear assembly 54. The guide surface is not positioned parallel to the frame base plate 43, but slopes away (upward direction in Figs. 1 and 2) from the frame base plate 43 toward the gear assembly 54.

is The converging chute 92 is mounted on the guide surface 94 upstream of at least a portion of the forming member 90 and slightly downstream of the broad side 105 of the guide surface 94. The cross guide structure 93 is mounted on the guide surface 94 immediately upstream of the entrance opening of the converging chute 92. The cross guide structure 93 includes rollers 108 rotatably mounted on a thin U-beam 109. The distal ends of the U-beam 109 are attached to the guide surface 94. Except for this attachment arrangement, the cross guide structure 93 is similar to "rollers and wire frames" disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,750,896.

By mounting the guide surface 94 and the cross guide structure 93 in this manner, the stock material 22 runs over the guide surface 94 under the upstream end of the forming part 90, between the rollers 108 of the cross guide structure 93, and into the con-

- 18 -

converging chute 92. The basic cross-sectional geometry and functioning of the converging chute 92 is similar to that of the converging member described in U.S. Patent No. 4,750,896. However, an improvement over the conventional chute is that an upper portion of the converging chute 92 is formed by a lid which is pivotally connected by hinges 111 to the remaining or lower portion of the chute. This arrangement is particularly helpful during the initial "threading in" of the machine 20. Because the gear assembly 54 is the "pulling" mechanism in the

Î machine, a new roll 21 of stock material 22 must be manually threaded through the machine 20 before automatic operation of the machine can begin. The pivoting cover 110 allows the converging chute 92 to be opened to facilitate manual threading of the stock material through the chute and closed.

is when the machine is ready for automatic operation.

However, regardless of whether the converging chute 92 includes a pivoting lid 110, the stock material 22 will emerge from the chute as a continuous, unconnected strip. The emerging strip is directed to the gear assembly 54 by means of the narrow downstream end 106 of the guide surface 94 which extends from the outlet opening of the chute to the outlet opening 48 in the frame end plate 46. The gear assembly 54 includes loosely meshing, horizontally disposed drive and idler gears 124, 126 between which the stock material 22 passes. When gears 124 and 126 are rotated in the proper direction, which in Fig. 1 would be counterclockwise for gear 124 and clockwise for gear 126, the middle band of the strip is grasped by the gear teeth and pulled downstream through the meshing points of gears 124 and 126. The same "grasping"

- 19 -

Movement caused by the meshing teeth on the opposing gears 124 and 126 simultaneously presses the layers together or "embosses" the layers of the central band together, thereby bonding them together to form an embossed strip.

The drive gear 124 is positioned between the frame base plate 43 and the guide surface 94 and protrudes through the rectangular slot 107 into the guide surface 94. The gear 124 is fixedly connected to a

Î shaft 130 which is rotatably mounted on the upstream side of the frame end plate 46 by the bearing structures 131. A sprocket 132 at one end of the shaft receives a chain 133 which connects the shaft 130 to a reduction gear 136. The reduction gear 136 acts as an interface between the gear assembly

ls voltage 54 and drive motor 55 for controlling the "pull" rate of the stock material 22 through the machine 20. As best seen in Fig. 1, the drive motor 55 and reduction gear 136 are mounted on the frame base plate 43 at approximately the same height as the forming assembly 52.

The idler gear 126 is positioned on the opposite side of the guide surface 94 and is rotatably mounted on a shaft 140. Shaft supports 142, mounted on an upstream side of the frame end plate 46, non-rotatably support the ends of the shaft 140 in spring loaded slots 144. The slots 144 allow the shaft and therefore the idler gear 126 to "float" relative to the drive gear 124, thereby providing an automatic adjustment system for the gear assembly 54. A similar gear assembly or "connector" is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,750,896.

The gear assembly 54 transforms the unbonded strip into an embossed strip and this strip passes through the outlet opening 48 in the frame end plate 46. The embossed strip is then cut by the cutting assembly 56 into cut pieces 32 of the desired length. Details of the cutting assembly 56 and the frame end plate can be viewed in Figs. 4 and 5 where these components are shown in isolation from the rest of the machine 20. As can best be seen from Fig. 4 which shows the downstream side of the frame end plate 46, the roughly rectangular end plate

46 has two rectangular recesses 150 at the corners on its nearest side and an offset open slot 152 on its far side. The terms "nearest" and "far" in this context refer to the location of the side relative to the frame base plate 43. The rectangular recesses 150 are aligned with the frame base plate 43 for mounting purposes and the offset open slot 152 accommodates the drive of the cutting assembly 56. When viewing the rectangular outlet opening 48, it is defined by a nearest side 154, a far side 156 and two smaller lateral sides 158.

The cutting assembly 56 includes a stationary blade 160 and a shearing or sliding blade 162, both blades strategically positioned relative to the outlet opening 48. The blades 160 and 162 are the actual "cutting elements" of the cutting assembly 56 and cooperate in a guillotine-like manner to cut the embossed strip into cut pieces 32. The stationary blade 160 is fixedly (but adjustably) mounted on the frame end plate 46 by a stationary blade clamp 146 and a stationary support rod 165. The shearing blade is slidably mounted on the end plate within the blade guide bracket or rail 166.

The stationary blade clamp 164 is positioned so that the blade 160 is aligned with the proximal side 154 of the outlet opening 48. The blade guide brackets 166 are positioned beyond and parallel to the lateral sides 158 of the outlet opening 48. The brackets 166 also extend beyond the proximal and distal sides 154 and 156 of the outlet opening 48. This positioning and sizing of the guide brackets 166 allows the sliding blade 162 to move from an open position that completely clears the outlet opening 48, as shown in Figure 4, to a closed position beyond the stationary blade 160.

The sliding blade 162 is connected to a cutting linkage, generally indicated at 170, via a stabilizer bar 172. The cutting linkage 170 includes two laterally spaced arms 174 pivotally connected at 176 to the downstream side of the second frame end plate 46; two laterally spaced arms 180 pivotally connected to the stabilizer bar at 182; and an arm 184. The arm 184 is pivotally connected at 186 to one set of arms 174 and 180 and is pivotally connected at 190 to the other set of arms 174 and 180. The arm 184 is also pivotally connected to a drive connection 192 at 190.

The drive connection 192 is connected at 193 to a tangential portion of a motion disk 194. A shaft 196 is connected at one end to the motion disk 194 and extends from the downstream side of the frame end plate 46 through the open offset slot 152 to the upstream side of the plate 46. The opposite end of the shaft 196 is connected to a clutch assembly 210 which is mounted on the upstream side of the frame end plate 46. The clutch assembly is connected to the output shaft of the

The drive linkage 192 is connected to the cutter motor 57 by means of an endless drive chain 211. The clutch assembly 210 serves as an interface between the shaft 196 (and therefore the agitator disk 194) and the cutter motor 57 to change and/or regulate the rotation of the agitator disk 194. As the agitator disk 194 is rotated, the position of the drive linkage 192 is varied to drive the linkage assembly 170 to move the slide blade 162 back and forth within the guide brackets 166 at a desired interval. Rotation of the agitator disk 194 moves the slide blade through a cycle to perform a cutting stroke through the embossed strip and a return stroke to the open position as shown in Fig. 9.

As the slide blade 162 reciprocates, the embossed strip will be cut as a result of a "shearing action" between the stationary blade 160 and the slide blade 162. To accomplish this shearing action, the blades are not precisely aligned. Instead, the slide blade 162 is offset a small distance downstream from the stationary blade 160, and the amount of this offset is critical to the operation of the cutting assembly 56. If the distance is too large, a "gap" is created between the blades and the embossed strip will not be cut properly. If the distance is too small, the blades may be damaged during the cutting operation. The sizing range between a "too large" and "too small" position is about 0.005 inches (about 0.127 mm).

To ensure proper positioning of the blades 160 and 162 relative to each other, the stationary blade 160 may be secured to the frame end plate 46 in a manner that allows manual adjustment. Such a manual manner is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and

shown in further detail in Figs. 6 and 7. In the illustrated manual mounting arrangement, the support rod 165 is disposed between the stationary blade 160 and the blade clamp 164 and is non-adjustably or permanently attached to the frame end plate 46 with fasteners 230 (Figs. 4 and 6). The stationary blade 160 is attached to the blade clamp 164 with fasteners 231 that pass through openings 232 in the support rod 165. The fasteners 231 and openings 232 are sized to allow a small amount of clearance between a fastener 231 and an opening

Ø 232, whereby the openings can be seen as "enlarged". The amount of this clearance would be on the order of 0.005 inches (about 0.127 mm) and would thus be difficult to represent in the illustrations. Once the fasteners 231 are tightened, the blade 160 will be firmly positioned relative to the blade clamp 164, regardless of the enlarged openings 232.

To adjust the position of the stationary blade 160, the blade clamp 164 includes a movable clamp member 240 adjustably attached to a pair of fastening clamp members 242. The block-shaped fastening clamp members 242 are fixedly attached to the frame end plate 46, and member 240 has a threaded opening 243. The stationary clamp 160 is attached to the movable clamp member 240, and thus adjustment of the movable clamp member 240 relative to the fastening clamp members 242 results in adjustment of the blade 160 relative to the frame end plate 46 to the extent permitted by the clearance between the fasteners 231 and the openings 232.

« _β · * m �psgr;

- 24 -

The movable clamp member 240 is a rod-shaped piece with an open slot 244 that forms two binding straps 245 at each end (see Figs. 6 and 7). Locking screws 246 can be inserted through external openings in the clamp member 240 to clamp the binding straps together at each end. Adjusting screws 250 extending through the insertion openings 243 position the movable clamp member 240 to the securing clamp members 242.

Adjustment of the movable clamp member 240 results in a corresponding movement of the stationary blade 160, allowing the cutting assembly 56 to be manually adjusted. Since the fasteners 231 connecting the stationary blade 160 to the movable clamp member 240 extend through the enlarged openings 232 in the blade support rod 165, the movement of the clamp member 240 and the stationary blade 160 is limited by the size of the openings 232. The slight clearance between the fasteners 231 and the openings 232 should therefore be dimensioned to allow the necessary adjustments in the range of 0.005 inches (approximately 0.127 mm) between the stationary blade 160 and the sliding blade 162.

To lock the fixed blade in the selected "adjusted" position, the locking screws 246 are rotated to pull the binding straps 245 together to reduce the width of the gap therebetween. By reducing this gap, the binding straps bind the adjustment screws 250, precluding their rotation, thereby locking the fixed blade 160 in the selected position.

Another way of attaching the stationary blade 160 for the purpose of suitable blade positioning during the shearing process is described in the

8, 9 and 10. In the illustrated mounting arrangement, the stationary blade 160 is spring loaded against the sliding blade 162 so that the cutting assembly 56 is "self-adjusting". During the cutting operation, the sliding blade 162 will force the stationary blade 160 inward (upstream) to provide the necessary clearance between the blades. The stationary blade 160 is effectively adjusted to each cutting stroke, minimizing blade damage caused by inappropriate clearance and improper cutting caused by overly separated blades.

This "self-adjustment" of the cutting assembly 56 is accomplished by using a mounting bracket 260 and a resilient bracket 262, each having a pair of vertical walls. The mounting bracket 260 has a wall 264 positioned parallel and adjacent the frame end plate 46 and another vertical wall 266 extending outward (downstream). Support blocks 270 are positioned at each end of the mounting bracket 260 and fasteners 272 extending through the blocks 270, wall 264 and end plate 46 which firmly secure the blocks 270 and the mounting brackets 260 to the second frame end plate. The outwardly extending wall 266 of the mounting bracket 260 is also secured to each support block 270 by fasteners 274.

The resilient support bracket 262 has a wall 280 positioned adjacent to the mounting support wall 266 and another perpendicular wall 282 positioned opposite the support wall 264 (see Fig. 10). The resilient support bracket 262 is attached to both the mounting support bracket 260 and the stationary blade 160 by means of two laterally spaced fasteners 283, the supports being so

- 26 -

are arranged so that the blade 160 is aligned with the nearest side 154 of the outlet opening 48. The fasteners 283 extend through aligned openings in the stationary blade 160, the mounting support wall 266 and the resilient support wall 280. The aligned openings 284 in the mounting support wall 266 are oversized or elongated compared to the fasteners 283, creating a clearance between the fasteners 283 and the openings 284. Bearing bushings (not shown) may be used to lock the stationary blade 160 relative to the resilient support bracket 262.

The resilient support bracket 262 is urged away or downstream from the mounting support bracket 260 and the frame end plate 46 by means of springs 285. The springs 285 are held on screws 286 which

is attached at one end to the mounting support wall 264. The opposite ends of the spring support screws 285 extend through the openings in the resilient support wall 280 and are covered with nuts 288. These openings in the wall 280 are sized to allow sliding movement between the resilient support bracket 262 and the screws 286 as the springs are compressed or expanded during operation of the cutting assembly 56.

The stationary blade 160 is attached to the resilient support bracket 262 by the fasteners 283, with the springs 285 also urging the stationary blade 160 in the same downstream direction toward the sliding blade 162. The movement of both the resilient support bracket 262 and the stationary blade 160 in any direction is limited by the ends of the oversized openings 284 in the mounting bracket 260 through which the fasteners 283 extend. Accordingly,

- 27 -

These openings should be dimensioned so that they provide the necessary clearance between the blades 160 and 162.

Another form of cutting assembly 56' is illustrated in Figures 18 and 19, which show this cutting assembly and the frame end plate 46 isolated from the rest of the machine 20. The cutting assembly 56' includes a stationary blade which may be substantially identical to that of the cutting assembly 56, and therefore like reference numerals are used for this blade and its corresponding components. The stationary blade 116, together with a shearing blade 289, are the actual "cutting elements" of this assembly and cooperate in a "scissor" manner to cut the embossed strips into cut pieces 32. As with the cutting assembly described above, the blades are strategically positioned relative to the outlet opening 48.

In this cutting arrangement, the blade 289 is connected to a cutting linkage, shown generally at 291, which includes a cutting arm 292. One end of the cutting arm 292 is pivotally mounted to a pivot point 294, which is preferably located near the rectangular recess 150 below the offset open slot 152. The blade 289 is mounted adjacent the lower edge of a distal portion of the cutting arm 292. The blade 289 may be attached to the cutting arm 292 in any suitable manner, such as bolts 295.

The cutting arm 292 is in turn connected to a moving disk 296 by means of a connecting rod 297. More specifically, one end of the connecting rod 297 is attached to a support 299 at a central upstream part of the cutting arm 292. The opposite end of the connecting rod 297 is attached to a tangential portion of the

Agitator disk 296 is mounted thereon. The operation of agitator disk 296 is very similar to that of agitator disk 194 in that it is operatively connected to the cutter motor 57 and clutch assembly 210 via a shaft 196 for controlled rotary motion. When agitator disk 296 is rotated 180°, cutting arm 292 is pivoted to the closed position indicated in Figure 18. When agitator disk 296 is rotated a further 180°, cutting arm 292 and shear blade 189 return to their open position.

Thus, either the cutting assembly 56 or the cutting assembly 56' can be used to divide the embossed strip into cut pieces 32 of the desired length. These cut pieces 32 then pass downstream to the post-cut constraining assembly 58 which helps the cut pieces maintain their desired geometry and thereby improve their damping capacity. Referring to Figures 1-3, the post-cut constraining assembly 58 is located downstream of the cutting assembly 56 and is mounted on a box-like extension 49 of the frame 36.

The recut constraining assembly 58 is generally funnel-shaped and includes an upstream convergence section 300 which tapers into a downstream rectangular tunnel section 302. The convergence section 300 is disposed between the downstream frame end plate 46 and the extension 49, while the tunnel section 302 extends through and beyond the frame extension 49. The recut constraining assembly 58 is positioned so that its inlet 304 is aligned with the outlet opening 48 of the end plate 46. The downstream outlet 306 of the recut constraining assembly 58 is

- 29 -

preferably also aligned with the outlet opening 48 and also the inlet 304.

A cut part 32 is urged or pushed downstream into the inlet 304 of the assembly 58 by the approaching embossed strip. The convergence section 300 gently pushes the part 32 into the tunnel 302. As the cut part 32 passes through the tunnel section 302, it is generally circumferentially constrained and longitudinally guided, which is believed to improve buffer quality.

A cut piece 32 emerging from the post-cut constraining assembly 58 can be directed to a desired packing location, the conversion of the stock material 22 into cut pieces 32 of a relatively low density cushioning pad product now being completed. It may be appreciated that these cut pieces 32 are produced by a machine 20 that is compatible with both horizontal and vertical positioning. Other features such as the pivoting lid 110 on the converging chute 92 and the post-cut constraining assembly 58 improve the efficiency of the operation of the machine and/or the cushioning quality of the product.

Referring to Figures 11 through 17, various packaging systems are shown employing one or more machines 20. In the machines 20 shown in these systems, the frame 36 is positioned in a substantially vertical manner whereby the imaginary longitudinal line 42 drawn from the upstream end 38 to the downstream end 40 would be substantially vertical. In addition, the supply assembly 50 includes "L'-shaped

- 30 -

carrier 307 in place of the "U" shaped carriers 62 used in the machine illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. In most packaging systems in which the machine 20 is positioned vertically, the supply roll 21 will be mounted at a remote location. For this reason, the one leg 64 of the "bulk" carrier 62 is unnecessary. However, "U" shaped carriers could be used in a vertically mounted machine and the supply roll 21 could be mounted in the manner shown in Figures 1 through 3. Further, even if the supply roll 21 was mounted remotely from the machine 20, "bulk" carriers could still be used by mounting a second constant entry bar 80 on the remote ends of the unoccupied legs 64.

In any event, in each of the packaging systems illustrated in Figures 11 through 17, the supply supply assembly 50 includes two "C"-shaped supports 307. The "L"-shaped supports 307 each have a leg 308 extending vertically outward from one end of a flat wall 309. The flat walls 309 are suitably secured to the upstream side of the frame end plate 44 so that their free ends are aligned with the frame base plate 43. The legs 308 extend from a central portion of the frame end plate 44 and cooperate to secure the web slitter 74 and the constant entry bar 80.

It may be noted at this point that the machines 20 illustrated in these systems include a cover 310 removably placed on the machine to enhance its external appearance and/or protect its internal components. The cover 310 encloses three sides: one long side 312 and two long sides 314. The long side 312 is parallel to the frame

- 31 -

base plate 43 and extends between the distal sides of the frame end plates 44 and 46. The transverse sides 314, which project perpendicularly from the opposite edges of the longitudinal side 312, extend between the lateral sides of the frame end plates 44 and 46. Apart from these differences, however, the machine 20 used in the packaging systems shown in Figures 11 to 17 may be mechanically and structurally identical to the machine 20 illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 and described above.

Turning now to the particular packaging systems, a packaging system 320 in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figures 11 and 12. The packaging system 320 utilizes two cushioning backing machines 20 aligned so that their upstream ends are positioned above their downstream ends. The system 320 includes a machine mounting frame 322 for mounting the machines 20 in the desired orientation, a packaging surface in the form of two parallel, closely spaced, independently supported conveyor belts 324, and a stock material dispenser having two stock feed carts shown generally at 326. The components of the packaging system 320 are coordinated so that the supply rolls 21 can be mounted on the supply feed carriage 326, supply material 22 can be delivered into the upstream end of the machine 20, and the converted cut pieces 32 of the cushioning material can be dropped into the shipping containers (not shown) running on the conveyor belts 324 in the direction symbolized by the arrow 328.

- 32 -

The machine mounting frame 322 includes a floor stand, generally designated 330, and two vertical posts 332 extending upwardly therefrom. The floor stand 330 is generally "H" shaped when viewed from the front and includes two side members 334 extending outwardly from either side of a raised lower crossbar 336. Leveling feet 340 on the distal ends of the side members 334 allow the machine mounting frame 322 to be adjusted or leveled on the floor of the packaging site. The lower crossbar 336 is positioned between the conveyor belts 324 in a direction parallel to the flow direction 328, thereby positioning half of each side member 334 adjacent to one of the conveyor belts 324. The side members 334 and the lower crossbar 336 together define three sides of a rectangular space under each conveyor belt 324 into which the supply feed carts 326

is a snug fit. The vertical posts 332 are secured to the side members 334 by two triangular supports 342 and extend upwardly between the conveyor belts 324. The lower crossbar 336 is connected to the vertical posts 332 by T-supports 346 located immediately above the triangular supports 342. The vertical posts 332 are further clamped together by an upper crossbar 350 attached to the upper ends of the vertical posts by L-supports 352. As best seen in Figure 12, the vertical posts 332, the lower crossbar 336 and the upper crossbar 350 together define a rectangular open space 353 in a substantially vertical plane between the machines 20.

The machines 20 are mounted on the vertical posts 332 by means of slides, generally shown at 360, whereby the machines are vertically adjusted on the machine mounting member 322.

In this way, the packaging system 320 can be modified to accommodate conveyor belts of different heights, differently shaped shipping cases, and/or buffer material of different densities. A cable (not shown) connected to a winch 361 and rollers 362 and 363 controls the position of the sliders 360 on the vertical posts 332. The winch 361 is mounted on one of the vertical posts 332 at floor level for convenient access, while the rollers 362 and 363 are positioned at the upper ends of the vertical posts 332. The vertical positioning of the

&iacgr;&ogr; machines 20 can be adjusted by turning the winch 361 and the rollers 362 and 363 will ensure an equal vertical adjustment of the two slides 360.

The sliders 360 and the actual attachment of the sliders 360 to the machines 20 and the vertical posts 332 are shown in detail in Figures 13 and 14. In addition to allowing vertical adjustments, this mounting arrangement allows for horizontal or "tilted" adjustments of the machines 20 relative to the machine mounting frame 322, thereby allowing two-dimensional fine-tuning of the packaging system 320.

Each of the slides 360 has a central rectangular channel 364 sized to enclose one of the vertical posts 332. Two side support brackets, shown generally at 365, having vertical walls or being at right angles to each other, are mounted on opposite sides of the rectangular channel 364. More specifically, one wall 366 of each support bracket 365 is secured to one side of the channel 364 while each of the other walls 367 extend outwardly therefrom in opposite directions. The outwardly extending wall 367 is supported on a support on a pivot plate 370 by

Fasteners 371 are attached to the wall 367. Fasteners 371 extend through four openings 372 in wall 367 and through aligned openings 373 located along an edge of turntable 370. Turntable 370 also includes a second set of openings 373 located along a central band of turntable 370, and side support brackets 365 include a fifth larger central opening 374 between openings 372. The second set of openings 373 and central opening 374 allow this mounting arrangement to accommodate other packaging systems.

&iacgr;&ogr; as explained in more detail below. The pivot plate 370 is optionally attached to a stop plate 375 which is almost identical in shape to the pivot plate 370 and thus hidden in Figure 13. The stop plate 375 is attached at one edge to the machine mounting bracket 376 by means of fasteners 377, with the brackets 376 being fixedly attached to a corner of the machine 20. As best seen in Figure 13, the pivot plate 370 has a semi-circular series of openings 378 through which a spring pressure piston 379 can be inserted and received in an opening 380 in the stop plate 375. The stop plate 375 can additionally be pivotally attached to the pivot plate 370 by means of a pivot fastener 381. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring plunger 379 is inserted through the central opening 378, thereby positioning the machine in a nearly exact vertical manner. However, the spring plunger 379 can be removed to allow the stop plate and machine 20 to pivot about the pivot mount 381. The spring plunger can then be selectively inserted through any of the offset openings 378 aligned therewith, whereby the stop plate 375 and the attached machine would be tilted. This ability to tilt the machines 20 allows for "fine tuning" of the packaging.

ing system 320. While in Figures 13 and 14 only one turntable 370 and one machine 20 are shown attached to the slider 360, the second machine of the packaging system 320 would be attached symmetrically to the support bracket 365 of the other side by means of its own turntable 370 and other associated components. The vertical adjustment of the machines 20 would always be the same because they share the sliders 360. However, the inclination of one of the machines 20 could be adjusted independently of the other machine by adjusting the corresponding position of the spring pressure piston 379.

β in the turntable 370. The amount of tilt adjustment that would be possible in the packaging system 320 would be limited by the thickness of the rectangular space 353 between the machines 20.

is Regardless of the mounting arrangement used to mount the machines 20 on the machine mounting frame 322, the machines 20 receive supply material 22 from the supply dispenser or the supply feed carts 326. As shown above, the supply feed carts 326 are housed under the conveyor belts 324 in the rectangular spaces defined by the side members 334 and lower cross bar 336 of the machine mounting frame 322. Each of the supply feed carts 326 includes a rectangular lower surface 382 with casters 384 pivotally mounted at each of its four corners. The casters 384 make the carts 326 mobile and allow them to be conveniently rolled in and out from under the conveyor belt 324 for loading/unloading.

Each supply carriage 326 further includes two "H" shaped side members 386 each having two vertical legs 387 extending from two adjacent corners of the lower surface 382 and a connecting arm

- 36 -

388. The connecting arms 388 include a central recess into which a supply rod 72 extending through the hollow tube 29 of the supply roll 21 can be placed. During operation of the machine 20, the stock material 22 is pulled by the gear assembly 54 from the supply roll 21 through the open space 353 between the machines 20 to the stock supply assembly 50 mounted on the top of the machine.

To guide the stock material in its upward path to the

To direct the supply roll 21 toward the supply roll 21, the carriage 326 includes a deflector 390 and a guide rod 392. The deflector 390 is mounted on and extends between a middle portion of two adjacent vertical legs 387 that are not part of the same "H" shaped side member 386. The deflector 390 is generally shaped like a prism and has an upwardly sloping side 394 positioned adjacent the supply roll 21. The guide rod 392 is pivotally mounted on and extends between an upper portion of the same vertical legs 387 to which the deflector 390 is mounted. As best seen in Figure 11, when the carriage 326 is properly positioned under the conveyor belt 324, these two vertical legs 387 are located closest to the lower crossbar 336 of the machine mounting frame 322. In operation, the stock material 22 follows the inclined deflector face 394 up and around the guide bar 392 to ensure smooth entry of the stock material into the open space 353.

The stock material 22 passes from the open space 353 to the stock supply assembly 50 through the forming assembly 52, the gear assembly 54 and the cutting assembly 56 to be cut into

&ggr;,

parts 32. The cut parts 32 slide through the recut constraining assembly 58, which in the illustrated embodiment is surrounded by a cushion slide 395. The cushion slide 395 is mounted on the downstream end of the frame 36 and serves as an external guide assembly for directing the cut parts 32 to the desired packaging location.

Another packaging system 400 according to the present invention is shown in Figures 15 and 16, this system only having one

‘ machine 20 aligned with its downstream end positioned above its upstream end. Such an arrangement may be desirable due to height limitations on the packaging equipment and/or other considerations. The packaging system 400 also includes a machine mounting frame 402

is for mounting the machine 20 in this orientation, a packing surface in the form of a single conveyor belt 404 and a supply dispenser having a supply supply cart 406. The supply supply cart 406 is similar to the supply supply carts 326 described above with reference to Figures 11 and 12, except that the supply supply cart 406 has neither a deflector 390 nor a guide bar 392. The conveyor belt 404 is also similar to the conveyor belts 324 of the system 320, except that the conveyor belt 404 is supported by the machine mounting frame 402, at least in part.

The components are arranged so that the stock material 22 runs slightly downward from the roll 21 to the constant entry bar 80 and then upward through the web slitter 74 and the rest of the machine. The machine mounting frame 402 includes a floor support 410 and two vertical posts 412 extending therefrom.

- 3o -

The floor support 410 is generally "U" shaped and has two side portions 416 extending perpendicularly from a connecting crossbar 418. The crossbar 418 is positioned parallel to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt 404, but is offset from the conveyor belt 404 in a direction, which direction is to the left in Figure 15. Leveling feet 420 may be provided on the two ends of each of the side portions 416 for adjustment purposes. The side portions 416 and the crossbars 418 together define three sides of a rectangular space under the conveyor belt 404 into which the supply feed cart 406 fits snugly.

The vertical posts 412 are secured to the side members 416 by triangular brackets 422 secured to the proximal ends of the side members 416. As best seen in Figure 16,

is, the mounting frame 402 does not have an upper crossbar. Furthermore, the space between the vertical posts 412 is occupied by the machine 20, while the area between the posts 412 and under the machine 20 is left relatively open for the stock material 22 to pass from the stock roll 21 to the stock supply assembly 50.

The machine 20 is in turn optionally slidably mounted on the vertical posts 412 by slides 424, which may be identical to the slides 360 used in the packaging system 320. However, in the packaging system 400, the slides 424 are mounted on the transverse sides 314 of the machine cover 310. With this mounting arrangement, it may be desirable to permanently and reliably mount the transverse sides 314 of the cover 310 to the frame 36 of the machine, whereas the longitudinal side 312 of the cover is optionally made removable by a hinge 425.

The machine 20 is attached to the sliders 424 by the same fastening components shown in Figures 13 and 14 and used in the packaging system 320. Instead of mounting a machine 20 on the support bracket 365 of the slider 360 on each side as above, the left side support bracket 365 would be attached to the turntable 370 by fasteners 371 extending through the second central set of openings 373. The right side support bracket 365 would be attached to the turntable 370 and the stop plate 375 by the spring pressure piston 379. The spring pressure piston 379 would pass through the larger central hole 374 in the wall 367 of the right side support 365 and through one of the openings 378 in the circular array.

The machine mounting frame 402 further includes a belt support 440 on which the conveyor belt 404 is at least partially supported. The belt support 440 includes two vertical bars 442 attached to the distal end of the side members 416 by L-supports 444; two horizontal bars 446 connected to an intermediate portion of the vertical posts 412 by T-supports 450; and a third horizontal bar 452 connected to the first and second horizontal bars 446 by the T-support 455. The conveyor belt 404 rests on the horizontal bars 446 and 452 and is thereby positioned under the cushion slide 460. Cut parts 32 are dropped from the cushion slide 460 into shipping boxes (not shown) traveling on the conveyor belt 404.

Referring now to Figure 17, there is shown yet another packaging system 500 according to the present invention, this system employing two machines 20. The machines 20 are again positioned in a vertical manner and in this system the upstream

•♦ · ,

or "feed ends" of the machines are located above the downstream or "discharge ends". Some differences between the packaging system 500 and the systems 320 and 400 can be noted. First, in the packaging systems 500, the two machines 20 are fixedly mounted, rather than slidably, on the machine mounting frame 502. This frame 502 may simply be a single vertical wall with one of the machines 20 mounted on each side. Furthermore, the system 500 has non-movable packaging stations or tables 504 instead of conveyor belts. Further, the system 500 does not have supply feed carts, but instead includes a permanent non-movable supply supply structure 506.

The supply structure 506 comprises two parallel vertical supports 510 with approximately the same height as the machine frame 502 and

is positioned therefrom. An upper stock dispenser 512 and a lower stock dispenser 514 are attached to the lower ends of the vertical supports 510. Each dispenser holds two rolls 21 of stock material 22 and the positioning of the dispensers 512 and 514 in this location allows for safe and convenient reloading of the stock material 22 at floor level. In the illustrated embodiment, the machines 20 are loaded with stock material 22 from the stock rolls 21 held in the upper stock dispenser 512. However, stock material 22 from the stock rolls 21 held in the lower stock dispenser 514 could just as easily be loaded into the machine 20 if necessary or desired.

The dispensers 512 and 514 are substantially identical and each is composed of two side members 516, one side member being mounted perpendicularly to each of the vertical supports 510. The distal end of each of the side members 516 includes a recess 518 for supporting the

- 41 -

supply rod 72 whereby each dispenser holds two supply rolls 21. The dispensers further include two limit switches 520, one for each roll. A tape container 522 for a roll of tape 524 can be conveniently mounted between the upper distributor 512 and the lower distributor 514.

The stock supply structure 506 further includes two horizontal supports 526, each support 526 connecting the upper end of one of the vertical supports 510 to the upper end of the machine mounting frame 502. Small upper guide rods 527 extend from one support 526 to the other support, thereby forming an upper guide path for the stock material 22 from the stock roll 21 positioned to the right in Figure 17. Similarly, small lower guide rods 528 extend from one support to the other support,

is thereby forming a lower guideway for supply material 22 from the supply roll 21, which is positioned on the left in Figure 17. The lower guide rods 528 are slightly offset horizontally from the upper guide rods 527.

In operation, the stock material 22 will travel from the upper stock dispenser 512 upward to the corner formed by the supports 510 and 526. At this corner, the stock material must essentially make a 90° turn to continue its journey to the machine 20. To assist in a smooth transition, two guide rods 530 and 532 are pivotally mounted at this corner. The upper guide rod 530 is positioned slightly outward from the vertical supports 510 to align the stock material from the right supply roll with the upper guide track. The lower guide rod 532 is positioned so that the stock material

so that the left roller is aligned with the lower guide track. On

- 42 -

In this way, the supply material 22 runs smoothly into the guideways.

At the opposite end of the horizontal supports 526, the stock must again make a substantially 90° turn to enter a machine 20. This transition is accomplished by the constant entry rods 80 of the stock supply assemblies 50. In this sense, the left machine 20, which receives the stock 22 from the right stock roll 21, is positioned so that its constant entry rod 80 is aligned with the upper guideway. The right machine, which receives the stock from the left stock roll, is mounted slightly below the left machine so that its constant entry rod 80 is aligned with the lower guideway.

The stock material 22 then passes through the web slitter 74 and hence through the machine 20 where it is converted into the cut pieces 32 of a desired length. The cut pieces 32 then exit the machine through the re-cut constraining assembly 58 and fall downward. Deflectors 540 may be strategically mounted on the machine mounting frame 502 to force the cut pieces 32 toward the proper part of the mounting frame 502. The deflectors 540 are generally shaped like a prism having an outwardly sloping wall 542, with the slope and length of the wall 542 determining where the cut pieces 32 will fall onto the packaging station 504.

It may be appreciated that the packaging system according to the present invention can be attached and/or introduced into a variety of packaging locations. In addition, these and

other packaging systems that employ one or more machines to convert cushioning material 20 can be suitably modified to suit many applications. This wide range of compatibility makes biodegradable, recyclable and renewable protective paper packaging material a very attractive alternative to plastic bubble wrap and/or plastic foam granules. Thus, industries can now more easily make an environmentally responsible choice of paper over protective plastic packaging material.

Although the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding this specification. The present invention includes all such equivalent variations and modifications and is limited only by the scope of the following claims.

Claims (9)

Ranpak Corporation 5 August 1994 R 19184 G/Kk/bt Protection claims 1. Device for converting web-like stock material, such as paper in multi-layer form, into cut parts of a steaming a relatively low density underlay product, the machine comprising: a. an end plate (46); b. a forming assembly (52) which causes the web-like stock material to be rolled to form a continuous strip having two pad-like sections separated by a central band; c. a stock supply assembly (50) disposed upstream of the forming assembly (52) that supplies the stock material to the forming assembly; d. a drawing/connecting assembly disposed downstream of the forming assembly (52) which draws the stock material from the stock supply assembly (50) and through the forming assembly (52) and which connects the continuous, unconnected strips along the central band, thereby forming an embossed strip of cushioning pad product; e. a cutting assembly (56) attached to the downstream side of the end plate (46) and downstream of the drawing/connecting assembly (54) which cuts the embossed strips into cut pieces of a desired length, the cutting assembly (56) comprising: a first blade (162, 289) attached to the end plate (46); &iacgr;&ogr; - a second blade (160) attached to the end plate (46), positioned to cooperate with the first blade (160) to cut the embossed strip into cut-off portions; is - a motor (57) for driving the cutting arrangement (56); a cutting linkage (170, 291) connected to at least one of the blades; a drive linkage (192, 297) pivotally connected to the cutter linkage (170, 291); a movement disk (194, 296) connected to the drive connection element (192, 297); and a shaft (196) connecting the movement disc to the motor (57). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first blade (162, 289) is designed as a shearing blade and the second blade (160) is designed as a stationary blade. 3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stationary blade (160) is aligned with an outlet opening (48) in the end plate (46). 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blades are strategically positioned relative to the outlet opening (48). 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting rod (170, 291) has a cutting arm (184, 292). 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first blade (162, 289) is attached to a cutting arm (184, 292). 7. Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that one end of the cutting arm (292) is pivotally attached to the end plate (46) at a pivot point (294). 8. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the drive connecting element (297) is designed as a connecting rod (297) to connect the cutting arm (292) to the movement disk (296), one end of the connecting rod (297) being attached to a middle section of the cutting arm (292) and the opposite end of the connecting rod (297) being attached to a middle section of the cutting arm (292) and the opposite end of the connecting rod (297) being attached to a middle section of the cutting arm (292). connecting rod (292) is attached to a tangential section of the movement disk (296). 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an offset open slot (152) which accommodates the drive of the cutting arrangement (56).