C-Fold Sheet Stock Splicing via Segmented Adhesive Application
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Solution Overview
Problem
C-fold sheet stock material presents challenges in splicing due to its folded structure, making it difficult to splice with existing techniques, especially in multi-ply configurations, which disrupts the operation of dunnage conversion machines.
Innovation Solution
A supply of reduced-width, C-fold sheet stock material with longitudinally-extending sections and a splicing adhesive applied to the lateral sections, allowing for easy separation and reconnection, facilitated by lines of separation and pre-applied double-sided tape, enables seamless splicing between supplies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If C-fold sheet stock material is used to reduce width and improve compactness, then storage and handling efficiency is improved, but splicing difficulty increases due to non-linear cross-sections
Solution Approach 1:
The C-fold sheet stock material is divided into multiple longitudinal sections (first section, second section, third section) separated by fold lines. This segmentation allows the material to be spliced in sections rather than as a whole, making the splicing process more manageable despite the folded structure. The lateral sections can be separated and reconnected independently at their leading and trailing edges.
Solution Approach 2:
Adhesive is pre-applied to the lateral sections at the leading and trailing edges before the splicing operation. This preliminary action prepares the material for quick connection when supplies need to be joined, eliminating the need for adhesive application during the splicing process itself and reducing operational disruption.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If splicing is performed on C-fold sheet stock material, then continuous operation is maintained, but operational disruption occurs during the splicing process
Solution Approach 1:
Adhesive is pre-applied to the lateral sections at the leading and trailing edges before the splicing operation. This preliminary action prepares the material for quick connection, allowing the splicing to be completed rapidly with minimal disruption to the dunnage conversion machine operation.
Solution Approach 2:
An adhesive intermediary substance is used to join the trailing edge of one supply to the leading edge of another supply. This adhesive acts as a mediator that creates a strong bond between the two supplies, allowing them to function as a continuous material supply with minimal interruption to the conversion process.
3Area of moving object
If lateral sections are folded inward to form C-fold structure, then material width is reduced for compact storage, but splicing complexity increases due to folded geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The C-fold structure is segmented into distinct lateral sections (first lateral section, second lateral section) with defined leading and trailing edges. This segmentation simplifies the splicing procedure by allowing operators to work with specific sections rather than the entire folded structure, reducing the complexity of the splicing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive is applied locally to specific areas (lateral sections at leading and trailing edges) rather than the entire material surface. This localized approach to adhesive application simplifies the splicing procedure by focusing the connection effort on critical areas where the folded sections need to be joined, rather than requiring uniform treatment of the entire C-fold structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and continuous operation of dunnage conversion machines by allowing easy splicing of C-fold sheet stock material, reducing downtime and operational disruptions, and providing an infinite supply of sheet stock material.
Implementation Method 1
a splicing adhesive applied to the sheet material adjacent the leading edge or the trailing edge on at least each of the lateral sections in such a manner to facilitate splicing each section to respective sections of another supply of sheet stock material
Data Source
AI summary
A supply (22) of sheet stock material (24, 34) for a dunnage conversion machine (26) that is readily spliced to another supply includes (a) one or more plies of sheet material (24, 34) having (i) multiple longitudinally-extending sections, including a center section (42) bounded by lateral sections (40), where the lateral sections (40) are folded over a common face of the center section (42) along longitudinal fold lines (44) at lateral edges of the folded sheet material, and (ii) a leading end (60) and a trailing end (62) at respective longitudinally-opposite ends of the sheet material, where the lateral sections (40) are separated from the center section (42) adjacent the leading end (60) and adjacent the trailing end (62) along respective lines of separation; and (b) a splicing adhesive (76) applied to the sheet material adjacent the leading end (60) or the trailing end (62) on both the center section (42) and each of the lateral WO 2020/092578 A1 sections (40) to facilitate splicing each section to respective sections of two supplies.