The present disclosure is in one aspect directed to a dispenser for flexible rolled sheet material. The dispenser can include a dispenser housing containing a support mechanism configured to hold at least one supply roll of sheet material, and a control circuit to control dispensing of sheet material from the dispenser housing. The dispenser housing also can include a dispensing mechanism to drive the sheet material along a discharge path from the dispenser housing through the discharge upon receiving a signal from the control circuit, and a tear bar mounted within the dispenser housing for severance of the sheet material by a user. In addition, the dispenser can include a static charge dissipation system with an antenna to dissipate static charge generated upon operation of the dispenser. Other aspects also are described.

A transfer and dispensing apparatus is disclosed for the conveying and separation of packaging material, cushions or pillows when needed by the operator. When a packer working over a conveyor receives a box that requires void fill, an operating switch such as a foot pedal is depressed to dispense pillows from the apparatus and into the box in a connected strip. When the operating switch is released, the apparatus stops dispensing pillows, separates the continuous strip of pillows along a transverse perforation in the strip, and ejects the end of the separated segment. The packer can then complete packing the box by placing the severed end of the pillows into the box, advance to the next box, and repeat the process. The transfer and dispensing apparatus may be positioned in any convenient location including adjacent to, above or attached to the inflation device.

A driving device for a stepping motor includes a motor driving circuit configured to generate a current waveform representing an electrical angle in synchronization with a mechanical angle of the stepping motor, and excite the stepping motor using the current waveform; a memory configured to store a value of the electrical angle; and a controller configured to: when a power supply to the stepping motor and the motor driving circuit is stopped, store a first value of the electrical angle held by the motor driving circuit in the memory; and when the power supply is resumed, replace a value of the electrical angle of the motor driving circuit with the first value while suppressing a rotational operation of the stepping motor.

An interleaving unit, comprising a pair of rolls (1, 2) set alongside one another and counter-rotating and provided with respective first and second folding tools (3, 4; 5, 6) set at a distance from one another along the circumferential development of the respective peripheral surfaces so as to operate in a common point of tangency (Z) on a succession of sheets (7a, 7b) fed between the two rolls, said tools (3, 4; 5, 6) being set on respective mobile cylinder sectors (8, 9, 10, 11) to enable positioning thereof at an adjustable distance apart along the circumferential development of a corresponding roll (1, 2), said interleaving unit comprising means (M1, M2, U) for independently adjusting the speed of rotation of one or more of said sectors according to their angular position in order to reduce or increase the peripheral speed of said sectors with respect to a speed of feed (Vm) of said sheets.

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 configured to receive fanfold stock material and manipulate the fanfold stock material into being withdrawn from the supply station in a non-planar configuration. The supply station is associated with the dunnage conversion machine such that the dunnage conversion machine operably draws fanfold stock material from the top of a stack of fanfold stock material.

Sheet product dispensers and methods of dispensing sheet products are provided, including feeding a sheet material from a roll via a sheet feeding mechanism, separating one or more discrete sheet products from the roll via a separation mechanism, dispensing the one or more discrete sheet products to an end user at a presentation station via a sheet product conveying mechanism, and detecting a presence of the sheet material via a sensor downstream of the sheet feeding mechanism, wherein the sheet product conveying mechanism is driven in response to the sensor detecting the presence of the sheet material.

A medium feeding apparatus includes a roll holding portion which holds a roll body around which a printing medium is wound, a feeding roller which pulls out the printing medium from the roll body and feeds the printing medium, a roll motor which rotates the roll body held by the roll holding portion, a roll motor control portion which controls the roll motor, and rotation position detecting portions which detect a rotation position of the roll body, the roll motor control portion performs removing looseness of the printing medium pulled out from the roll body by driving the roll motor and rotating the roll body in a rewinding direction, and in the removing, driving of the roll motor is finished on the basis of movement of the rotation position detected by the rotation position detecting portions.

A folding device for placing an elastomer thin sleeve on a retainer includes a mandrel, one or more rollers, and a drive system. The mandrel is configured to translate relative to a portion of the folding device. The mandrel is adapted to releasably receive the retainer. The one or more rollers are configured to rotate relative to the mandrel. The rotation of the one or more rollers being configured to fold the sleeve onto the retainer. The drive system is configured to translate the mandrel and turn the one or more rollers.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses regarding an improved product dispenser are provided herein. The product dispenser includes a housing and a photoelectric power device disposed on an external surface of the housing. The product dispenser may include a power storage device configured to store energy provided via the photoelectric power device. The product dispenser may also include a motor or pump configured to operate to provide a dispense of the product. The product dispenser components, including the photoelectric power device, the power storage device, and the electric motor may be aligned to operate at a system voltage such that no voltage adjustment relative to an output of the photoelectric power device is needed. This reduces electric power losses. The product dispenser may be configured to perform an installation routine to aid in proper placement of the product dispenser with respect to receiving light for powering the photoelectric power device.

The present disclosure is in one aspect to a dispenser for rolled sheet materials. The dispenser includes a feed roller that is rotatably mounted to a housing of the dispenser housing, and that is configured to feed a predetermined amount of sheet material from the supply of sheet material through a discharge provided along the housing of the dispenser. The dispenser also has a feed roller drive assembly with a drive motor, and a belt transmission assembly. The belt transmission assembly has a drive belt coupled to the drive motor and to the feed roller such that rotation of the feed roller is driven by operation of the drive motor.