Dunnage conversion machine and method

Abstract

A conversion assembly for a dunnage conversion machine includes both a downstream pair of rotatable members and an upstream pair of rotatable members upstream of the downstream rotatable members. The downstream rotatable members include a pair of gears, and each gear has a plurality of teeth and is rotatable about a respective axis. The gears are positioned so that the teeth of one gear are sequentially interlaced with the teeth of the other gear as the gears rotate. The upstream rotatable members include a pair of feed wheels, and the gears and the feed wheels define a path for a sheet stock material from between the upstream pair of feed wheels to between the downstream pair of gears. The rate at which the sheet stock material is advanced by the feed wheels is the same as the rate at which the sheet stock material is advanced by the gears.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A conversion assembly for a dunnage conversion machine, comprising a downstream pair of rotatable members and an upstream pair of rotatable members upstream of the downstream pair of rotatable members, where the downstream pair of rotatable members include a pair of gears, each gear having a plurality of teeth and being rotatable about respective axes, with the gears positioned so that the teeth of one gear are sequentially interlaced with the teeth of the other gear as the gears rotate, the rotatable members defining a path for a sheet stock material from between the upstream pair of rotatable members to and between the downstream pair of gears, where at least one of the upstream rotatable member and at least one of the downstream rotatable members are driven to pass sheet stock material between the upstream rotatable members and between the downstream rotatable members at the same rate. 
     
     
         9 . A conversion assembly as set forth in  claim 8 , where the first upstream rotatable member and the first downstream rotatable member rotate about parallel axes. 
     
     
         10 . A conversion assembly as set forth in  claim 8 , comprising a forming member that includes a planar surface, and at least one of the first upstream member and the first downstream member extend through an opening in the planar surface of the forming member. 
     
     
         11 . A dunnage conversion machine comprising the conversion assembly set forth in  claim 8 , and a stock supply assembly capable of supporting a supply of sheet stock material upstream of the upstream pair of rotatable members. 
     
     
         12 . A method of conversion a sheet stock material into a relatively lower density dunnage product, comprising the steps of pulling a sheet stock material from a supply of sheet stock material using a pair of rollers, feeding the sheet stock material from between the rollers to a pair of gears, and passing the sheet stock material between the pair of gears, where the feeding and passing steps occur at substantially the same rate. 
     
     
         13 . A conversion assembly for a dunnage conversion machine, comprising a downstream pair of rotatable members and an upstream pair of rotatable members upstream of the downstream pair of rotatable members, and a lever arm to which a first one of the downstream rotatable members and a first one of the upstream rotatable members are rotatably attached, the lever arm having a pivot axis removed from the axes of the rotatable members that enables pivoting movement of the lever arm and the first upstream and first downstream rotatable members from an operating position where the first upstream rotatable member and the first downstream rotatable member are in engagement with a respective second upstream rotatable member of the pair of upstream rotatable members and a respective second downstream rotatable member of the pair of downstream rotatable members and a loading position where the first upstream rotatable member and the first downstream rotatable member are separated from and removed from the respective second upstream rotatable member and the second downstream rotatable member. 
     
     
         14 . A conversion assembly as set forth in  claim 13 , comprising a latching mechanism for holding the lever arm in the operating position. 
     
     
         15 . A conversion assembly as set forth in  claim 13 , where the downstream pair of rotatable members include a pair of gears, each gear having a plurality of teeth and being rotatable about respective axes, and in the operating position the gears are positioned so that the teeth of one gear are sequentially interlaced with the teeth of the other gear as the gears rotate. 
     
     
         16 . A conversion assembly as set forth in  claim 13 , where the upstream pair of rotatable members include a pair of wheels. 
     
     
         17 . A conversion assembly as set forth in  claim 13 , where the first upstream rotatable member and the first downstream rotatable member rotate about parallel axes. 
     
     
         18 . A conversion assembly as set forth in  claim 13 , where the pivot axis is parallel to an axis of rotation of the first downstream rotatable member and an axis of rotation of the first upstream rotatable member. 
     
     
         19 . A conversion assembly as set forth in  claim 13 , comprising a forming member that includes a planar surface, and in the operating position at least one of the first upstream member and the first downstream member extend through an opening in the planar surface of the forming member. 
     
     
         20 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of making a dunnage product, comprising the steps of
 feeding a first sheet stock material through a dunnage conversion machine for conversion into a dunnage product at a first rate;   detecting a trailing end of the first sheet stock material;   splicing a leading end of a second sheet stock material to the trailing end of the first sheet stock material;   feeding the first sheet stock material and then the second sheet stock materials through the dunnage conversion machine at a second rate that is less than the first rate for a predetermined time after the detecting step.   
     
     
         27 . A method as set forth in  claim 26 , further comprising the step of feeding the second sheet stock material through the dunnage conversion machine at the first rate after the predetermined time. 
     
     
         28 - 32 . (canceled)