U.S. patent number 3,655,500 [Application Number 05/009,620] was granted by the patent office on 1972-04-11 for a resilient cushioning dunnage product for use in packaging and packing.
This patent grant is currently assigned to The Arpax Company. Invention is credited to George R. Johnson.
United States Patent |
3,655,500 |
Johnson |
April 11, 1972 |
A RESILIENT CUSHIONING DUNNAGE PRODUCT FOR USE IN PACKAGING AND
PACKING
Abstract
A resilient cushioning dunnage product for use in packaging or
packing comprising an elongated pad-like article formed of a
generally loosely inwardly crumpled web of sheet-like material,
such as paper sheet, with the lateral edges of the web having been
rolled generally inwardly prior to the crumpling thereof, and then
connected together along the generally central portion of the
pad-like article lengthwise thereof.
Inventors: |
Johnson; George R. (Chagrin
Falls, OH) |
Assignee: |
The Arpax Company (Chagrin
Falls, OH)
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Family
ID: |
26679694 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/009,620 |
Filed: |
February 9, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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703588 |
Feb 7, 1968 |
3509798 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
428/126; 206/584;
493/407; 493/464; 206/521; 217/53; 493/439 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
81/051 (20130101); B31D 5/0047 (20130101); Y10T
428/24231 (20150115); B31D 2205/0023 (20130101); B31D
2205/0047 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B31D
5/00 (20060101); B65D 81/05 (20060101); B32b
003/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;161/35,47,50,104,124,128 ;93/1R,1WZ ;217/53 ;229/14C |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Dier; Philip
Parent Case Text
This is a divisional application of my co-pending U.S. patent
application, Ser. No. 703,588, filed Feb. 7, 1968 by George R.
Johnson and entitled "MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING CUSHIONING
DUNNAGE", now U.S. Pat. No. 3,509,798.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a cushioning dunnage product for use in packing comprising,
an elongated relatively lightweight low density pad-like article
formed of a web of sheet-like paper material with the lateral edges
of the web having been generally loosely rolled inwardly into
generally spiral-like orientation and forming radially crumpled
pillow-like portions defining the lateral extremities of said
article, and means connecting the rolled confronting edges of the
pillow-like portions together along the generally central portion
of the pad-like article lengthwise thereof, the last mentioned
means comprising lengthwise spaced interengaged coined portions of
said paper material, said laterally arranged pillow-like portions
of said article each being of a greater thickness than said central
connected portion.
2. A dunnage product in accordance with claim 1 having a density of
approximately 1 pound per cubic foot.
3. A dunnage product in accordance with claim 1 wherein said
central connected portion is materially compressed extending
lengthwise of said pad-like article, each of said coined portions
extending transverse of said article, said lateral pillow-like
portions being relatively loosely crumpled and possessing
considerable void areas therein resulting in greater
compressibility and resiliency as compared to said central
portion.
4. A dunnage product in accordance with claim 1 wherein the width
of said article is materially greater than the thickness thereof at
said pillow-like portions.
5. A dunnage product in accordance with claim 1 wherein said
article is formed of Kraft paper.
6. A dunnage product in accordance with claim 1 wherein said
article is comprised of a plurality of webs of paper material
disposed in superimposed relation with respect to one another and
with the corresponding edges of said plurality of webs being
disposed in interleaved, radially crumpled spiral form, providing
said pillow-like portions.
7. A dunnage product in accordance with claim 1 wherein said
article comprises an inner web and an outer web of paper, with said
inner web being of a lesser width than said outer web, and being
generally centrally located with respect to the lateral edges of
said outer web, and with the rolled edges of said webs disposed in
interleaved, radially crumpled spiral-like form, and defining said
pillow-like portions.
Description
This invention relates in general to a novel cushioning dunnage
product and more particularly to a dunnage product formed from
sheet-like or web-like material, such as paper, into a resilient
pad-like configuration for use in packing and cushioning articles
or products in shipping containers and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various mechanisms and methods for producing lengths of packing
material for use in packing fragile or breakable articles in
enclosing containers are known in the art. One such mechanism is
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,802, issued Apr. 21, 1959 to
Charles Robert Walker and entitled "CRUMPLING DEVICE." However, the
quality of dunnage produced on such prior art mechanisms oftentimes
does not provide adequate cushioning capacity for the uses to which
the dunnage is applied. Moreover, the mechanism and methods
utilized to produce prior art dunnage products are either too
complex for the quality of dunnage produced or they do not produce
readily handled dunnage material having suitable resiliency.
Accordingly, the general practice has been to crumple paper
material manually, with the packers individually crumpling the
material and placing it into containers as needed. The latter
method is inefficient and time consuming. Various other types of
dunnage materials such as, for instance, a plastic dunnage are
known in the art, but these other types generally either require
too much storage space or are too expensive for universal use.
Applicant's copending U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 640,145
filed May 22, 1967, now U.S. Pat. 3,509,797 also discloses various
types of cushioning dunnage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a novel dunnage product possessing
considerable resiliency for providing good cushioning
characteristics to the packing material, and is one with a
relatively low density per unit volume. The dunnage product of the
invention is relatively economical and is clean, and may be
produced at the location of use from highly compact stock material,
and is easily handled.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a novel
dunnage product or packing material.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel dunnage
product which is of substantially pad-like configuration having a
relatively low density per unit volume.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel dunnage
product of pad-like configuration comprised of at least one web of
sheet-like material of predetermined width having the lateral edges
of the web rolled generally inwardly into spiral-like
configuration, and then crumpling the web with the rolled edges
radially inwardly into said pad-like configuration, and with means
connecting together the confronting rolled edge portions of the
web.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel
dunnage product formed of a plurality of webs of sheet-like
material which are formed into an integral, resilient pad-like
construction of dunnage.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel
dunnage product which utilizes sheet-like stock material, such as
paper, for fabricating the dunnage, with the sheet-like stock
material being able to be stored in compact, dense condition,
requiring relatively little cubic feet of storage, and which stock
material is expanded many times over in the formation of the stock
material into the dunnage product, and wherein the dunnage product
can be formed at the point of packing operations for efficient
transmittal of the formed dunnage product directly into containers
being packed.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel
cushioning dunnage product which is formed of paper sheet stock
material which originally is in web-like form and wherein the
lateral edges of the web are turned or rolled inwardly and then the
web and its rolled lateral edges are radially crumpled to form the
pad-like configuration of dunnage, and then are connected
lengthwise generally centrally thereof to maintain the formed
dunnage product.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from
the following description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a generally diagrammatic top plan view of a mechanism
capable of producing the product of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane of the
line 3--3 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view taken generally along the plane of
4--4 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, and
illustrating the pusher means which aids in rolling the edges of
the sheet-like stock material into spiral-like configuration prior
to movement of the rolled-edged stock into the crumpling section of
the mechanism;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary generally diagrammatic top-plan view of the
cushioning dunnage product produced by the mechanism;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane of line
6--6 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, perspective view illustrating the rolling
of the edges of the sheet-like stock material above the pusher;
FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic end-elevational illustration of the
generally spirally rolled sheet material just after it has passed
the pusher means of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic generally end elevational, fragmentary
illustration of the superimposed webs of sheet-like material with
their lateral edges rolled into generally spiral form, converging
into the crumpler section of the mechanism for producing the
pad-like construction of dunnage product.
Referring now again to the drawings, there is illustrated a
plurality of rolls 10 and 12 of sheet-like or web-like material,
rotatably mounted on a support 14, for feeding of the sheet-like
material lengthwise of the dunnage-producing machine. The
sheet-like material may be of any suitable type, with paper, such
as 30 pound Kraft paper, having been found to be satisfactory.
However, it will be understood that other types of papers and other
sheet-like materials may also be satisfactory, the Kraft paper
having been found to provide a particularly expeditious type of
cushioning dunnage product.
As can be seen, the inner roll 12 may be of a lesser width than the
outer roll 10 and with the axis of the outer roll 10 being
preferably disposed below the axis of the inner roll 12. The rolls
10 and 12 are preferably not freely rotatable on the support 14,
but are preferably frictionally resisted in their rotation such as
by means of a relatively close fitting condition between the rolls
10 and 12 and their respective spindles 15, to prevent
"over-running" of the rolls during operation of the mechanism.
The dunnage-producing machine comprises a crumpler section 16 into
which the superimposed webs 10a and 12a of sheet-like material are
drawn, with such crumpler section comprising a funnel-like portion
17, a central reducing portion 17a, and a distal end compressing
portion 17b, defining a continuous passageway 18 therethrough.
Funnel-like portion 17 comprises a widened mouth 19 which slopes
inwardly to a narrowed throat 20, so that the webs of sheet-like
material are compressed radially inwardly, or crumpled inwardly
into an irregular random-like pattern, resulting in a generally
rectangular-shape pad-like configuration as they pass through
portion 17 into the throat 20.
The lateral edges of the webs 10a and 12a are rolled inwardly as
they commence to leave the respective roll of material, with such
edges being rolled into superimposed spiral-like relationship, and
with such spirally rolled edges being disposed in generally
confronting, practically abutting condition as they move into the
mouth 19 of funnel-like portion 17 of the crumpler section. In this
connection there is provided a pusher mechanism 22 positioned
upstream from mouth 19 of crumpler portion 17, for pushing
downwardly on the webs of material and thus urging the lateral
edges of the webs into rolled form as the webs are drawn into the
crumpler section.
Pusher mechanism 22 is preferably adjustably mounted on the machine
so that it may be moved longitudinally of the crumpler section 16
for adjusting the position of the pusher with respect to the mouth
19. In this connection, mechanism 22 may comprise a generally
horizontally projecting supporting rod 24 suitably threaded as at
24a, and mounting an elongated support plate 26 on rod 24, as by
means of mounting section 26a and associated holding nuts 28.
Support plate 26 may have a depending rod 30 supported therefrom,
as by means of threaded end section 32 extending through a
complementary opening 34 in the support plate 26. A series of the
openings 34 may be provided for adjusting the upstream position of
the pusher mechanism 22 with respect to the mouth 19 of the funnel
portion 17. Rod 30 at its lower end may have a generally
arcuate-shaped pusher member 36 (FIGS. 4 and 7) which is adapted to
slidingly engage the top side of the inner web 12a and maintain it
in engagement with the outer web 10a as the webs move relative to
the pusher mechanism 22, and into the crumpler section 16. As best
seen in FIGS. 2 and 7, pusher member 36 extends below the
horizontal plane of the lower extremity of mouth 19 and below the
rolled edge portions R of the sheet-like material. Threaded end
portion 32 of rod 30 in conjunction with nuts 37 provide for
vertical adjustment of pusher 36. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the
mouth 19 of the funnel-like portion 17 of the crumpler is
preferably provided with a curved guide member 40 defining at least
the lower extremity of the path of movement of the superimposed
webs of sheet-like material, for guiding the spirally rolled edge
portions R of the sheet-like material as they pass into the mouth
19 and toward the throat 20. Guide 40 ensures that the edges will
not inadvertently tear due to engagement with the lower corners of
portion 17 of the crumpler and aids in rolling the edges of the
webs of material into spiral form. As can be best seen from FIG. 7,
the rolled edge portions R of the web-like stock material commence
to crumple inwardly as at 41 as the flow of stock material passes
the pusher mechanism 22. The crumpling occurs in a random pattern
and continues as the stock material passes into funnel portion 17
and thence into reducing portion 17a of the crumpler. Such random
deformation of the stock material produces considerable void areas
in the formed pad, resulting in a low density pad. The length of
pusher member 36 is preferably approximately equal to the internal
width of throat 20.
Generally central portion 17a of crumpler section 16 is preferably
of rectangular-like configuration, which causes compression of the
webs of material into a pad-like configuration as they pass through
the throat 20 and into portion 17a. Portion 17a preferably has
slots 44 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in the upper and lower walls thereof and
into which extend stitcher means 45 for connecting the confronting
abutting rolled-edge portions R of the sheet material, as the
latter is drawn through the crumpler section. In the embodiment
illustrated, stitcher or connecting means 45 comprises loosely
meshed equal size spur gears 46, 48. Gears 46 and 48 are mounted
upon a respective shaft 46a, 48a which in turn are rotatably
mounted in bearing structure 50 secured as by means of bolts 52 to
the frame 54, supporting the gearing. Lower shaft 48a may have a
pulley 56 secured thereto, which in turn is operably coupled as by
means of belt and pulley 58 to a geared speed-reduction unit 60,
which in turn is driven by a preferably electric motor 62. It will
be seen that, upon actuation of the motor 62, the pulley 56 drives
the shaft 48a, which in turn rotates the gear 48, thus rotating the
meshed gear 46. Bearings 50 are preferably adjustably mounted as by
means of elongated slots in the framework 54, for selectively
varying the spacing between the pitch diameters of the meshed
gears, thus providing for varying the degree of stitching provided
by the stitching or connecting mechanism. As the crumpled web-like
material passes into the stitching mechanism, the confronting
sections of the rolled edges R thereof which have been compressed
and urged together due to the funnel portion 17 and central
reducing portion 17a of the crumpler section, are stitched together
due to the coining action of the meshing gears, and generally
centrally of the dunnage pad P, and as at 66 (FIG. 5) to securely
hold the crumpled webs of sheet materials together into a unitary
pad-like configuration having very good resiliency characteristics.
After passing the stitching mechanism 45, the formed pad passes
into distal end compressing portion 17b of the crumpler section
prior to being emitted from the machine.
Compressing portion 17b has a downwardly sloping top wall 68 and
inwardly sloping or converging sidewalls 70 which further compress
the pad of dunnage material into a formed, resilient article.
A cutter mechanism 76 of any suitable type may be provided at the
exit end of compressing portion 17b, for selectively cutting the
produced run of dunnage pad into desired lengths. In operation, the
motor 62, which operates the stitcher 45 which in turn moves the
stock material through the machine, would be preferably provided
with a conventional foot switch (not shown) wherein an operator
could selectively control the emission of the length of pad-like
dunnage from the mechanism and, by means of cutter mechanism 76,
could selectively cut the formed dunnage pad to the desired lengths
wanted, and could then shut down the machine until further
cushioning dunnage was needed.
As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lateral rolled portions of the
dunnage product P are of generally oval, pillow-like configuration,
having considerable resiliency due to the superimposed rolling of
the lateral edges of the webs of stock material and random
crumpling of such rolled edge portions, while the central section,
which is stitched as at 66, is compressed together into a fastened
or held configuration, which holds the dunnage product in pad-like
form, while providing excellent resiliency in the product. A
12-inch wide dunnage pad has been produced from a total paper width
of 100 inches made up of one 60-inch wide roll (e.g., roll 10) and
one 40-inch wide roll (e.g., 12) of 30 lb. Kraft paper. A piece of
the dunnage pad approximately 9 1/2 feet long weighs about 1 pound
and provides about 1 cubic foot of cushioning dunnage, with the
latter thus having a density of about 1 pound per cubic foot. Other
widths of pads can, of course, be produced by varying the size of
the crumpler section. Varying the stock material width and/or the
weight and type of paper will, of course, vary the density of the
finalized pad. While the feed of stock material and orientation of
the mechanism has been illustrated in the drawings as being
generally horizontal, it will be understood that it could be
arranged for generally vertical feeding and orientation.
From the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawings, it will be
seen that the invention provides a novel cushioning dunnage product
which may be readily formed from sheet-like material, into an
elongated, pad-like configuration of dunnage product, and wherein
the product comprises inward rolling into spiral-like form the
lateral edges of the web of stock material, and with the rolled
edge portions oriented into confronting relationship and crumpled
down into the pad-like configuration, which is then connected
together generally centrally thereof in the lengthwise direction,
resulting in maintaining the formed configuration of the product.
The dunnage product has good resiliency and is clean to handle, and
may be formed from relatively low cost sheet-like material, such as
ordinary Kraft paper, which may be stored in compact, rolled form
prior to its formation into suitable dunnage, and which may be fed
directly from a dunnage producing mechanism into containers at the
location of use.
The terms and expressions which have been used are used as terms of
description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the
use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of
any of the features shown or described or portions thereof, and it
is recognized that various modifications are possible within the
scope of the invention claimed.
* * * * *