Dunnage device with tag-tearing prevention
Dunnage conversion machines can include a drive mechanism that deforms a stock material into a continuous length of dunnage, a cutting device that severs a piece of dunnage from the continuous length of dunnage, and a jaw that moves between a first and a second position. When in the first position, the jaw contacts the dunnage and exerts a first force on the dunnage that prevents substantial movement of the dunnage in an upstream direction while the dunnage is being severed. When in the second position, the jaw exerts a lower second force on the severed piece to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine. The second force can be low enough to prevent tearing of the severed piece when the severed piece is removed from the dunnage conversion machine.
1 . A dunnage conversion machine, comprising:
a drive mechanism configured to deform a stock material into a continuous length of dunnage and to advance the continuous length of dunnage in a downstream direction;
a cutting device configured to sever a piece of dunnage from the continuous length of dunnage;
a first jaw configured to move between:
a first position at which the first jaw contacts the continuous length of dunnage and exerts a first force on the continuous length of dunnage, and
a second position at which the first jaw exerts a second force on the severed piece of dunnage to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine, the second force being less than the first force; and
a second jaw configured to support the severed piece of dunnage while the first jaw exerts the second force on the dunnage so that the first and second jaws pinch the severed piece to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine, wherein:
the first jaw and the second jaw each have a width transverse to the upstream and downstream directions, and
the width of the second jaw is less than the width of the first jaw.
2 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 1 , wherein the first jaw is configured so that the second position of the first jaw is adjustable.
3 . A dunnage conversion machine, comprising:
a drive mechanism configured to deform a stock material into a continuous length of dunnage and to advance the continuous length of dunnage in a downstream direction;
a cutting device configured to sever a piece of dunnage from the continuous length of dunnage;
a jaw configured to move between:
a first position at which the jaw contacts the continuous length of dunnage and exerts a first force on the continuous length of dunnage,
a second position at which the jaw exerts a second force on the severed piece of dunnage to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine, the second force being less than the first force, and
a third position at which the jaw is substantially out of the path of the continuous length of dunnage to allow the continuous length of dunnage to advance in the downstream direction past the jaw; and
a hood drive mechanism coupled to the jaw and configured to apply a hood-driving force to the jaw to move the jaw between the first and third positions.
4 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 3 , wherein:
the first force prevents substantial movement of the continuous length of dunnage in an upstream direction while the continuous length of dunnage is being severed by the cutting device; and
the second force is low enough to prevent tearing of the severed piece of dunnage when the severed piece of dunnage is removed from the dunnage conversion machine with the jaw in the second position.
5 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 4 , wherein movement of the first jaw to the first position causes the continuous length of dunnage to wrap around the cutting device so that the continuous length of dunnage is severed by the cutting device in response to a force exerted by the drive mechanism on the continuous length of dunnage in the upstream direction.
6 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 5 , wherein the first force is sufficient to prevent substantial movement of the continuous length of dunnage in the upstream direction while the continuous length of dunnage is being severed by the cutting device.
7 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 4 , wherein the second force is low enough to reduce or eliminate separation of remnants of paper extending from edges of the severed piece of dunnage when the severed piece of dunnage is removed from the dunnage conversion machine.
8 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 4 , wherein the jaw, when in the third position, is substantially out of the path of the continuous length of dunnage to allow of the continuous length of dunnage to advance in the downstream direction past the jaw without tearing.
9 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 3 , wherein:
the jaw is configured to rotate between the first, second, and third positions; and
the hood drive mechanism is configured so that the hood-driving force produces a torque that rotates the jaw between the first and third positions.
10 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 3 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the hood drive mechanism and configured to generate an output that, when received by the hood drive mechanism, causes the hood drive mechanism to apply the hood-driving force to the jaw.
11 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured so that the hood drive mechanism does not apply the hood-driving force to the jaw when the jaw is in the second position.
12 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 11 , wherein the second force is generated solely by a weight of the jaw.
13 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 10 , further comprising:
a sensor communicatively coupled to the controller and configured to detect a presence of the severed piece of dunnage within a sensing field of the sensor; and
the sensor is configured to generate an output when the severed piece of dunnage is removed from the sensing field of the sensor, wherein the output, when received by the controller, causes the controller to command the hood drive mechanism to apply the hood-driving force to move the jaw to the third position.
14 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the dunnage conversion machine to:
in response to a user input, dispense the continuous length of dunnage to a specified length input previously to the controller with the jaw in the third position;
upon cessation of the user input, apply the hood-driving force move the jaw to the first position, and cause the drive mechanism to reverse to sever the continuous length of dunnage;
reduce the hood-driving force or set the hood-driving force to zero after the continuous length of dunnage has been severed so that the jaw moves from the first to the second position and thereby retains the severed piece of dunnage on the dunnage conversion machine; and
in response to receiving the input from the sensor indicating that the severed piece of dunnage has been removed from the sensing field of the sensor, apply the hood-driving force to move the jaw to the third position, and dispense another continuous length of dunnage to the specified length input previously to the controller.
15 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the dunnage conversion machine to:
in response to a user input, dispense the continuous length of dunnage with the jaw in the third position until the user ceases the input;
upon cessation of the user input, apply the hood-driving force move the jaw to the first position, and cause the drive mechanism to reverse to sever the continuous length of dunnage; and
reduce the hood-driving force or set the hood-driving force to zero after the continuous length of dunnage has been severed so that the jaw moves from the first to the second position and thereby retains the severed piece of dunnage on the dunnage conversion machine.
16 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the dunnage conversion machine to:
in response to a user input, dispense the continuous length of dunnage with the jaw in the third position until the user ceases the input;
upon cessation of the user input, apply the hood-driving force to move the jaw to the first position, and reverse the drive mechanism to sever the continuous length of dunnage; and
apply the hood-driving force to move the jaw to the third position after the continuous length of dunnage has been severed to release the severed piece of dunnage from the dunnage conversion machine.
17 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the dunnage conversion machine to:
in response to a user input, dispense the continuous length of dunnage to a specified length input previously to the controller with the jaw in the third position;
after the continuous length of dunnage has been dispensed to the specified length, apply the hood-driving force to move the jaw to the first position, and reverse the drive mechanism to sever the continuous length of dunnage; and
reduce the hood-driving force or set the hood-driving force to zero after the continuous length of dunnage has been severed so that the jaw moves from the first to the second position and thereby retains the severed piece of dunnage on the dunnage conversion machine.
18 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the dunnage conversion machine to:
in response to a user input, dispense the continuous length of dunnage to a specified length input previously to the controller with the jaw in the third position;
after the continuous length of dunnage has been dispensed to the specified length, apply the hood-driving force to move the jaw to the first position, and reverse the drive mechanism to sever the continuous length of dunnage; and
apply the hood-driving force to move the jaw to the third position after the continuous length of dunnage has been severed to release the severed piece of dunnage from the dunnage conversion machine.
19 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the dunnage conversion machine to:
in response to continuation of the user input, dispense a second continuous length of dunnage to the specified length input previously to the controller with the jaw in the third position;
after the second continuous length of dunnage has been dispensed to the specified length, apply the hood-driving force to move the jaw to the first position and reverse the drive mechanism to sever the second continuous length of dunnage; and
apply the hood-driving force to move the jaw to the third position after the second continuous length of dunnage has been severed to release the severed piece of dunnage from the second continuous length of dunnage from the dunnage conversion machine.
20 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 3 , wherein the jaw comprises a hood.
21 . The dunnage conversion machine of claim 20 , wherein the hood comprises a top portion, and a first and a second side portion extending from the top portion and having a generally perpendicular orientation in relation to the top portion.
22 . A system, comprising:
the dunnage conversion machine of claim 3 ; and
a supply of the stock material.
23 . A method of converting dunnage, comprising:
providing a dunnage machine including a drive mechanism, and a jaw movable between a first position, a second position, and a third position;
deforming a stock material into a continuous length of dunnage and advancing the continuous length of dunnage in a downstream direction using the drive mechanism, while the jaw is in the third position at which the jaw permits the continuous length of dunnage to advance in the downstream direction past the jaw;
moving the jaw to the first position at which the jaw contacts the continuous length of dunnage and exerts a first force on the continuous length of dunnage that prevents substantial movement of the continuous length of dunnage in an upstream direction while the continuous length of dunnage is being severed by a cutting device; and
subsequently releasing or reducing a force on the jaw so that the jaw moves to the second position at which the jaw exerts a second force on the severed piece of dunnage to retain the severed piece on the dunnage conversion machine, the second force being less than the first force.
24 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising removing the severed piece of dunnage from the dunnage conversion machine while the jaw is in the second position.
25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein subsequently releasing or reducing a force on the jaw comprises setting a hood-driving force exerted by a hood drive mechanism motor to approximately zero, the hood-driving force generated by the hood drive mechanism, the hood-drive mechanism configured to move the jaw between the first and third positions.
26 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the second force is generated solely by a weight of the jaw.
27 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising moving the jaw to the third position for a sufficient time to permit the severed piece dunnage to fall out of the dunnage conversion machine.