Cutterless Dunnage Converter with Reverse Feeding Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dunnage converters are bulky and consume significant space, and existing methods for producing dunnage products often require cutting assemblies or manual tearing, which can be inefficient and space-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A dunnage conversion machine that automatically separates discrete dunnage products from a strip without a cutting assembly, using a feeding assembly and restraining devices to control the movement of stock material, and a stand that allows for adjustable mounting and rotation to service multiple packaging stations efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cutting assembly is used to sever dunnage products from the strip, then separation is achieved, but the device becomes bulky and consumes significant space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the cutting assembly from the dunnage converter system entirely. Instead of using blades or cutting mechanisms to sever dunnage products, the system relies on pre-perforated tear lines in the stock material that allow automatic separation through tearing forces generated during the conversion process, thereby eliminating the space-consuming cutting assembly
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using a cutting mechanism to actively separate dunnage products, the invention inverts the approach by using the material's own perforated structure and the mechanical forces of the conversion process to passively achieve separation. The tear lines are designed to fail at predetermined locations, automatically separating products without requiring an active cutting device
2Ease of manufacture
If manual tearing is used to separate dunnage products, then separation is achieved, but operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The dunnage converter system performs separation automatically without requiring manual intervention. The feeding assembly generates sufficient tearing force to automatically separate dunnage products at the perforated tear lines, making the system self-servicing and eliminating the need for operators to manually tear products from the strip
Solution Approach 2:
The stock material is pre-perforated with tear lines before entering the converter. This preliminary preparation allows the material to separate automatically during the conversion process when subjected to tearing forces, eliminating the need for post-conversion manual separation and significantly improving operational efficiency
3Area of stationary object
If converters are mounted on stands at elevated positions to minimize floor space, then space utilization improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stand is designed with universal adjustability features, allowing it to be configured in multiple positions and orientations to serve different packaging station arrangements. This multi-functionality enables a single stand design to accommodate various floor space requirements and application scenarios, reducing the need for multiple specialized mounting systems
Data Source
AI summary
A tabletop converter has a conversion assembly that inwardly gathers and crumples a stock material to form a strip of dunnage. The conversion assembly includes a feeding assembly that moves the stock material and a controller that controls the feeding assembly to operate in both a forward direction and a reverse direction. To automatically separate a discrete dunnage product from the strip, a holder grabs and holds the strip of dunnage at a holding location downstream of the feeding assembly. The feeding assembly then operates in a reverse direction and urges the strip away from the holding location. This causes the strip to separate at or between the holding location and the feeding assembly, leaving a discrete dunnage product ready for use. The converter is mounted to a stand that allows the converter to rotate relative to part of the stand about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.