GB2508625A

GB2508625A - Dunnage crimping arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2508625A
Application number: GB1221912.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Townsend; Mark Kempster
Original assignee: Easypack Ltd
Current assignee: Easypack Ltd
Priority date: 2012-12-05
Filing date: 2012-12-05
Publication date: 2014-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 2032-12-05
Also published as: GB2508625B

Abstract

A dunnage forming apparatus and method, feature a crimping cog 10, which may be driven, and first and second idler crimping cogs 12,14, which are moveable away from the first cog 10, such as a on a common cassette 60, to provide clearance for clearing paper jams between the cogs 10,12,14.

Description

Dunnage Forming Machine The present invention relates to dunnage forming machines and methods of operating such machines. The present invention is particularly suitable for machines using paper to make dunnage.

GB 2 847 771 discloses Figure 1 is a side view of a dunnage forming machine; Figure 2 is an end view; Figure 3 is a schematic view of the paper feed mechanism; Figure 4 is a schematic cross section in the paper as it enters the crimping mechanism; Figure 5 is a schematic cross section of dunnage formed by the machine, and Figure 6 shows an alternative feed of the purpose to the mechanism.

A driven crimping gear 10 cooperates within a first idler crimping gear 12 and a second idler crimping gear 14. The gears 10 and 12 pull paper off a roll (not shown) which, on its way to the gears, passes a former that rolls the edges over each other as shown in Figure 4. The paper enters the gears in an upward direction and preferably exists the gears in horizontal direction.

The former includes a plate 18 that includes rods 20 on each side of the plate. The plate tapers inwardly and upwardly. The plate terminates before the rods 20 preferably when the width of the paper, due to the forming, has been reduced to be a third of the original width.

When viewed in Figure 3, the paper passes behind the plate 18. Angled furls 22 at each side serve to roll the edges of the paper in over itself The rods 20 have a diameter of 22 mm and, at the top, the gap between the rods is 5mm. The rods terminate just below the gears 10 and 12. The width of the gears 10 and 12 is 25mm.

However, the width of the gears may be the same as or less than or more than the distance from the outer sides of the rods 20 across the gap between the rods at the downstream end.

As the paper only leaves the former just before the gears and as or than more the furled width of the paper is only marginally wider that the gear width an extremely well furled pack is fed to the gears.

Figure 4 in a schematic cross section of the paper form that is fed to the gears. It can be seen that the sides are furled over. The sides may undergo one revolution or up to two revolutions on two or more revolutions. As the paper is being pulled and is therefore under tension the paper form shown in Figure 4 enters gears 10 and 12 and is partially crimped by these gears and 12.

The paper leaves the first idler gear 12 and turns through approximately 9Q0 to then be further crimped by the gear 14 cooperating with the gear 10. It can be seen that the paper remains on the driven gear as it passes between the gears 12 and 14. By providing a single driven gear significant cost savings in coordinating drive mechanisms from a single motor, for instance, are avoided.

The formed dunnage is shown in Figure 5. The inner portion of the previously furled edges has been incorporated into the crimp. Consequently a sturdy dunnage is provided with good volume at a minimal loss of length of paper in compared to length of paper out.

As shown in Figure 2, the machine includes side walls 24. However, these walls are solely to conceal the moving parts. They do not serve to keep the paper sides in and to bunch the paper up as in conventional machines. Rather the paper passes through the machine whilst being clear of the walls 24. The edges of the paper are shown by the lines 26.

The machine is provided with a first pair of spaced guide plates 28 that are adjacent to each side of the gears and that pass over the driven gear 10. In addition there is a second pair of guide plates 30 located on each side of the gears below the driver gears. The first pair are located above the second pair.

As the paper is pulled towards the first crimping gears 10 and 12 the outer side regions of the furled paper is gently compressed as it enters a "nip" formed by upwardly and inwardly converging edges 32 and 34 of the plates 28 and 30 respectively. Then the paper is gently held by the plates as they guide the paper from where it leaves the gears 10 and 12. At that stage the guides are arcuate about a common axis comprising the axis of the drive gear 10 with the arc of the plate 28 being just greater than the outside of the one defined by the top of the crimping gears on the gear 10 and the arc of the plates 30 being spaced inwardly from the trough of the crimping gears on the gear 10. This configuration assists in the paper passing from the gear 12 to the gear 14.

As the paper exits the top gears 10 and 14 in the direction shown by arrow 56 the second pair of guide plates incline downwardly as shown by the line 38. The upper plate though extends horizontally as shown by line 40 from the gears 10 and 14 and the dunnage stays with that upper guide to leave the machine. Alternatively or additionally a jog function in the AC drive of the machine may be used.

To assist in loading a new sheet or sheets of paper into the machine the drive gear 10 may be mounted on a sprag or one way clutch mechanism whereby a user can manually rotate the gear lOin a clockwise direction, when viewing Figure 1, but not in an anticlockwise direction.

To assist in this turning the axial shaft of the drive gear 10 may extend to one side of the machine.

The gears 10, 12 and 14 have been shown as the same size. In one modulation either or both of the gears 12 and 14 may be smaller or larger than the gear 10. Alternatively or additionally there may be more than two gears 12 and 14. When the gears 12 and 14 are smaller than the gear 10 there may be three or more driven gears cooperating with the drive gear 10 to drive the paper in the path shown. In a further possible modification the paper could be caused to take a different path. For instance the paper could be carried to enter the mechanism in the direction shown and to leave the machine after travelling around the gear 10 for more than 90°.

Such as 180° so that the dunnage can return substantially parallel to the direction of paper fed to the machine. This guide rails could be modified to extend further around the gear 10 to assist in the paper being caused to follow the modified path.

Whilst the common gear 10 has been referred to as the driver gear it will be appreciated that any one of the gears could be a drive gear as all of the gears mesh with each other.

The paper can be fed to the gears such that the paper is at a tangent to the mod nip point, as shown by the arrow 36 in Figure 1. Alternatively, the paper could be fed such that it is directed to the gear 10 first, before the mid nip point of the gear 10 and 12. This may cause the paper to bind onto the gear 10 more firmly. Alternatively, or additionally this may cause the paper to have a greater tension as it is draw in off the rods 20 which may assist in causing the furling of the edges and/or assist in maintaining the furled edges as the paper starts to be crimped. An example of an alternative feed is shown in Figure 6. In Figure 6 the rods 20 direct the paper to the gear in a direction between the outer teeth and the axis of the gear 10.

A problem with such a machine is that when paper becomes jammed in the gears it is difficult to free up.

It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome the above or other disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention a dunnage forming machine includes cooperating dunnage forming gears including a sun gear arranged to cooperate with at least two planet gears and in which the material being transformed into the dunnage is arranged to travel around the sun gear between the planet gears and in which at least two of the planet gears are mounted on a common member moveable from a first position in which the planet gears cooperate with a sun gear and a second position in which the planet gears are spaced from the sun gear.

The movement of the common member from the first to the second position may be in a linear direction or in an arcuate direction.

During initial movement of the common member from the first position at least one planet gear may partially rotate relative to the sun gear.

A guide may be provided to control the movement of the common member between the first and the second positions. The guide may comprise a cooperating projection or recess fixed to the machine with the other of the projection or recess being formed on the common member.

A stop may be arranged to limit the movement of the common member when moving from the first to the second position.

A releasable fastener may be provided arranged to constrain the common member in the first position.

The present invention also includes a method of operating a dunnage forming machine including cooperating dunnage forming gears including a sun gear and at least two planet gears and in which the material being transformed into the dunnage is arranged to travel around the sun gear between the planet gears the method comprising moving a common member on which at least two planet gears are mounted from a first position in which the plane gears cooperate with a sun gear to a second position in which planet gears are spaced from the sun gear.

The present invention also includes a method as herein referred to when using a machine as herein referred to.

The present invention may be carried into practice in various ways but two embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 7 is a perspective view of the dunnage forming machine in an operational position with one side removed, and Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 with the planet gears being in a withdrawn position.

Like parts to those shown in Figures 1 to 6 are given the same number.

The machine shown in Figures 7 and 8 is the same as that described above into the following modifications.

In figures 7 and Bone side 24 has been removed for ease of understanding the invention.

Each of the first and second idler gears 12 and 14 are mounted on a common cassette 60.

Two gears are biased towards the sun gear in Figures 1 and 7 by springs (not shown). A stop, which may be an adjustable stop, restricts the limit to which they can extend towards the sun gear. The first gear 12 has a very slight distance from the sun gear 10. The second gear 14 has a slightly greater clearance from the sun gear.

In the position shown in Figure 7 the cassette is maintained in position by wing knobs 64 that extend through openings in the cassette and which cooperates with threaded openings in a fixed part of the machine (not shown for ease of understanding the invention).

Should a paper jam occur then the cassette with the gears 12 and 14 can be moved from the position shown in Figure 7 by moving the wing knobs 64 and pulling the cassette to the left when viewing Figures 7 and 8. The pulling may be effected by inserting a finger through a hole in a handle 62.

The movement from Figure 7 to Figure 8 as guided by parallel fixed rails 68 cooperating with outwardly facing grooves 70 in guide plates 72.

Upon initial withdrawal from the position shown in Figure 7 the first gear 12 moves radially away from the sun gear 10 and the second gear 14 moves tangentially away from the sun gear 10. A slight rotation of the gears 10 or 14 or both may occur until they no longer mesh with each other. This slight movement may assist in unblocking a paper jam.

Movement of the cassette may be limited by a screw extending through one or both side walls cooperating with the end of a groove 74 formed in either or both guide plate 72.

In the position shown in Figure 8 any paper previously trapped between the gears can be removed.

The cassette is moved back from Figure 8 to Figure 7 in a reverse of the above described sequence.

Whilst the removal of the gears 12 and 14 has been described as a linear movement it will be appreciated that the cassette could be pivoted from the position shown in Figure 7 to move the gears 12 and 14 clear of the sun gear. For instance of the cassette could be pivoted from a location above the sun pivot axis and to the right of that axis when viewing Figures 7 and 8.

Whilst two gears have been described as being movable together away from the sun gear it will be appreciated that three or more planet gears may be moved together. Such pivotal movement may have any of the features associated with the linear movement.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

Claims 1. A dunnage forming machine including cooperating dunnage forming gears including a sun gear arranged to cooperate with at least two planet gears and in which the material being transformed into the dunnage is arranged to travel around the sun gear between the planet gears and in which at least two of the planet gears are mounted on a common member movable from a first position in which the planet gears cooperate with the sun gear and a second position in which the planet gears are spaced from the sun gear.
2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the common member is movable in a linear direction from the first position to the second position.
3. A machine as claimed in claim I in which the common member is movable in an arcuate direction from the first position to the second position.
4. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim in which during the initial part of the movement from the first position towards the second position at least one planet gear is arranged to partially rotate relative to the sun gear.
5. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim including at least one guide arranged in use to control the movement of the common member between the first and second positions.
6. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim including a stop arranged to limit the movement of the common member when moving from the first to the second position.
7. A machine as claimed in any preceding claim including a releasable fastener arranged to constrain the common member in the first position.
8. A method of operating a dunnage forming machine including cooperating dunnage forming gears including a sun gear and at least two planet gears and in which the material being transformed into the dunnage is arranged to travel around the sun gear between the planet gears the method comprising moving a common member on which at least two planet gears are mounted from a first position in which the planet gears cooperate with the sun gear to a second position in which the planet gears are spaced from the sun gear.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8 when operating a machine as claimed in any of claims I to 7.