A dunnage conversion system includes a machine for converting a stock material (14) into a strip of relatively lower-density dunnage, a coiling mechanism (20) for winding the strip into a coil, a taping mechanism (22) for automatically securing a trailing end of the strip to the coil, and a coil ejecting mechanism (24) for automatically removing the coil from the coiling mechanism. The taping mechanism includes a guide surface (70) between an outlet of the machine and the coiling mechanism to guide the strip to the coiling mechanism and to guide tape for engagement with a trailing end of the strip and to secure the trailing end of the strip to the coil. The coil ejecting mechanism includes a lever arm (126) that pivots to push the completed coil off the coiling mechanism.

An extensible slit sheet paper product is produced having an expandable slit pattern that forms open cells upon expansion of the paper product. The paper product is an extensible paper having an extensibility in the range from 1-9% in the machine direction and 1-5% in the cross direction. The expansion produces an array of hexagonal cells. The expanded extensible paper can be used to wrap an object for shipping by wrapping and cushioning the object in the expanded slit sheet material. The extensible, expandable slit sheet paper can be wrapped around itself to produce a void fill product.

In the preferred embodiments, the present invention provides substantially improved slit sheet cushioning products by advantageously combining novel paper properties with novel slit patterns for improved features and characteristics. In some illustrative and non-limiting example embodiments, cushioning products of the present invention can include, e.g., a novel slit sheet material in combination with extensible paper employed as, e.g., a cushioning pad or as cushioning within an envelope product, wherein the cushioning product can be substantially more resilient, but, yet, e.g., thinner for better utilization of space.

A connective protective packaging element is provided. The connective protective packaging element may include a protective body in a high-density supply configuration. The protective body may be configurable into a low-density configuration for cushioning packaged products. The body may include an exposed surface in the low-density configuration. The connective protective packaging element may also include a bonding element attached to the exposed surface that operably bonds the exposed surface to an abutting surface by contact with the bonding element.

An extensible slit sheet paper product is produced having an expandable slit pattern that forms open cells upon expansion of the paper product. The paper product is an extensible paper having an extensibility in the range from 1-9% in the machine direction and 1-5% in the cross direction. The expansion produces an array of hexagonal cells. The expanded extensible paper can be used to wrap an object for shipping by wrapping and cushioning the object in the expanded slit sheet material. The extensible, expandable slit sheet paper can be wrapped around itself to produce a void fill product.

A connective protective packaging element is provided. The connective protective packaging element may include a protective body in a high-density supply configuration. The protective body may be configurable into a low-density configuration for cushioning packaged products. The body may include an exposed surface in the low-density configuration. The connective protective packaging element may also include a bonding element attached to the exposed surface that operably bonds the exposed surface to an abutting surface by contact with the bonding element.

An arrangement for producing embossed cushioning material from an initially flat material comprises an embossing device for providing a plurality of embossed protrusions to the material, an undulating device comprising undulated forming spaces which creates undulations in the initially flat material prior to the undulated material being provided to the embossing device, and a conveying means for conveying the initially flat material along a transport path in a continuous process through the undulated forming spaces. It is that suggested that the undulating device, seen in the direction of the transport path, comprises at least two stages each comprising an undulated forming space, the undulated forming space of a downstream stage differing in number and/or height of undulations from the undulated forming space of an upstream stage.

The present disclosure relates to a process for the pretreatment of fibrous material in a production process for producing three-dimensional products, to a pretreatment chamber for the pretreatment of fibrous material, and to a fiber molding plant having at least one pretreatment chamber. By pretreating relatively dry fiber material, the shaping step in a manufacturing process can be significantly improved and the choice of product geometries can be increased.

A paper product comprised of two or more slit material layers, each layer having a pattern design to create interlocking layers of expansion sheet packaging materials. Each layer expands to create a three dimensional open netting of cells of hexagons, and the like, and is designed to have limited nesting with its opposing layer, thereby maximizing the thickness of the combined layers as compared to nested layers. The layers having differing slit patterns that produce when expanded, inclined land areas that having different angles of inclination of the land areas, such that adjacent layers can interlock, that is, have a restricted amount of nesting.

Briefly described, embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter relate to void fill packaging products and one or more methods for making the void fill packaging products. The void fill packaging product is configured to cushion items for transport whether that be shipping long distances, local delivery, or self-transport in a vehicle. Specifically, in one aspect, a void fill product for packaging, may include a single spiraled continuous paper sheet surrounding a hollow center and forming at least two layers that overlap in a first direction. The portions of the at least two layers may overlap and may be mechanically joined in a second direction that is approximately perpendicular to the first direction.