Disclosed herein are protective packaging stock material units that are used in a dunnage system. A dunnage system includes a dunnage conversion machine and a supply station. The supply station is a cart that includes a biased support that is connected to a vertical side support. The biased support is movable from an open position to a closed position with respect to opposing vertical side supports. In the closed position, the biased support is configured to at least partially block the opening between the opposing vertical side supports. In the open position, the biased support leaves the opening between the opposing vertical side supports sufficiently open to load fanfold stock material therein. The biased support is biased towards the closed position and the open position. The supply station also includes an alignment device forming a funnel positioned under its base. The alignment device receives a dunnage machine stand base causing the supply cart to consistently align with the stand base in response to the stand base being slid into engagement with the alignment device.

An inflating stick and a processing machine are provided. The inflating stick includes a body, a link rod, a cutter, and one or more inflating tubes. A front end of the body includes a guiding segment with a cone structure. A rear end of the body includes a packing segment. The body includes a gas inlet formed on the packing segment, an internal chamber allowing gas to flow into through the gas inlet, and gas outlets formed on an outer wall of the body allowing gas to flow out. The packing segment includes a first locking structure and a second locking structure. The first locking structure and the second locking structure communicate with the gas inlet. The second locking structure is detachably fastened to the first locking structure. The link rod and the cutter are disposed in rear of the body. The inflating tube is connected to the gas inlet.

A packaging material web stock is provided. The packaging material web stock can include first and second plies overlaid and sealed to each other at a plurality of seals that include a plurality of transverse seals extending transversely across the plies, wherein a plurality of interior cavities are defined between the plies and the transverse seals, the first and second plies arranged in a web that includes a plurality of packaging units arranged longitudinally in a series along the web, wherein the first and second plies form walls of the packaging units, and at least some of the packaging units include at least one of the interior cavities, and an expansion material disposed in the interior cavities in an unexpanded configuration, wherein the expansion material is arranged within the inner cavities such that, when expanded to the expanded configuration, the expansion material is configured to provide cushioning in the walls.

Systems are provided for automatically optimizing packaging and dunnage for a group of objects. The systems calculate dimensions for a custom-made packaging template. The dimensions for the custom-made packaging template are adjusted to allow for a specific amount of dunnage. The systems generate a packaging command that causes a packaging-production machine to generate custom-made packaging templates based upon the calculated dimensions for the custom-made packaging template. The systems also generate a dunnage command that causes a dunnage-production machine to generate the specific amount of dunnage.

A dunnage crumpling apparatus is provided having first and second entry-side crumpling members and first and second exit-side crumpling members. The first and second entry-side crumpling members define an entry therebetween. The first and second exit-side crumpling members define an exit therebetween that is disposed along the longitudinal path downstream of the entry. A crumpling zone being defined between the entry and exit. The first entry-side crumpling member is configured for moving at an first rate and is associated with the second entry-side crumpling member for moving sheet material through the entry in a first direction along a longitudinal path at an entry rate. The first exit-side crumpling member is configured for moving at an second rate and is associated with the second exit-side crumpling member for moving the sheet material through the exit in the first direction along the path at a exit rate that is slower than the entry rate to crumple the sheet material for producing dunnage. The entry and exit-side crumpling members are displaced laterally along the path with respect to each other to cause shearing of the sheet within the crumpling zone.

A dunnage system may include a converting station including a converter configured for pulling in a stream of sheet material and converting the material into dunnage, and an inlet guide having an inlet surface that is coiled such that first and second ends of the inlet surface are discontinuous with each other to define a gap therebetween, the inlet surface configured to channel the sheet material into the converter. A cutter for a dunnage system may include a blade with first and second phases of serrations that are coextensive over at least a portion of the blade, the first phase providing cutting serrations for cutting the dunnage, and the second phase comprising ledges for focusing the cutting and preventing or reducing bunching of the dunnage towards a side of the blade. A method of converting dunnage may also be provided.

Device for manually forming spiral-shaped packaging material (3), including a reception (20) for at least partially circumferentially encompassing a wound reel (1) of a web of fiber material defining an axial direction (A) and forming an interior side (2) from which the web of fiber material is drawn for shaping the packaging material (3), and an axial support (30) connected to the reception (20), by which axial support an axial front side (6) of the reel of the web of fiber material facing in drawing direction is held, and having a dispensing opening (11) formed therein for dispensing the packaging material (3) in the axial direction (A), and comprising an interior wall section (31) facing the front side (6) and tapering towards the dispensing opening (11).

A conversion apparatus is provided herein. The conversion apparatus includes a cutting member having an edge configured for cutting the dunnage material. The conversion apparatus also includes a biasing member that is located adjacent to the cutting member such that the dunnage material passes between the biasing member and the cutting member. The biasing member operably contacts the dunnage material thereby biasing the dunnage material against the cutting member. The position of the biasing member relative to the cutting member is such that in response to the dunnage material being retracted back into the conversion apparatus the cutting member begins to sever the dunnage material, but in response to the dunnage material traveling in the dispensing direction the cutting member does not begin to sever the dunnage material due to the relative position.

A conversion apparatus is provided herein. The conversion apparatus includes a cutting member having an edge configured for cutting the dunnage material. The conversion apparatus also includes a biasing member that is located adjacent to the cutting member such that the dunnage material passes between the biasing member and the cutting member. The biasing member operably contacts the dunnage material thereby biasing the dunnage material against the cutting member. The position of the biasing member relative to the cutting member is such that in response to the dunnage material being retracted back into the conversion apparatus the cutting member begins to sever the dunnage material, but in response to the dunnage material traveling in the dispensing direction the cutting member does not begin to sever the dunnage material due to the relative position.

A lifting device (20) for lifting and transporting a dunnage conversion machine (30) to and from an elevated position has a small footprint that allows for better maneuverability in tight spaces difficult for a forklift to access. The lifting device includes a base frame (42), an upright support (44) that is fixed relative to the base frame, and an extendable support (48) that is adjustable between a lower position and a higher position. The lifting device also includes a lifting unit (46) coupled to the extendable support to raise and lower the extendable support relative to the base frame between the lower position and the higher position. The extendable support is configured to be attached to the dunnage conversion machine by a machine interface bracket (60).