An apparatus for supplying a coil-like padding product for packaging purposes comprises a supply device for supplying a web-type padding material and also a rolling-up apparatus, which rolls up the web-type padding material to form the coil-like padding product. It is proposed that the rolling-up apparatus should comprise a flexible delimiting means, which can form an at least partially curved delimiting wall of an at least temporarily present rolling-up space, of which the extent is preferably alterable and which has an inlet for the web-type padding material, it being possible for the web-type padding material to enter into the rolling-up space through said inlet, wherein the web-type padding material is guided by the at least partially curved delimiting wall, this resulting in the formation of the coil-like padding product.

In a cushion supply system for a logistic center, for example a warehouse or a dispatch hall, which comprises a cushion source for providing cushion products, such as cushion pads, in particular paper cushion pads; several packing stations at which containers can be loaded with goods and filled with cushion products; and a cushion transport system, such as a belt conveyor, for transporting the cushion products from the cushion source to the packing stations, the one cushion source is configured to supply said plurality of packing stations.

A system for processing a line of material along a path and a tear-assist apparatus. The tear-assist comprising a driving portion that drives the line of material along the path, a sensing unit that detects pulling of the line of material in a first direction along the path away from the driving portion, and a cutting member for cutting the line of material. The driving portion can also be configured to drive the line of material in the first direction along the path to dispense the material.

An apparatus for the production a cushion product from a single- or multi-layer continuous paper strip includes a feed unit for drawing the paper strip into the apparatus, a cutting unit for cutting the cushion product from the paper strip, and control electronics for the activation of the cutting unit according to a predetermined motion profile. A sensor captures a rotation angle position of the feed unit. The control electronics are configured to activate the feed unit continuously and to start an activation of the cutting unit for a discontinuous cutting operation during capturing a predetermined actual rotation angle position of the feed unit.

A system (400) for cutting and conveying cushioning material includes an infeed conveyor system (402), a cutting mechanism (404), and a discharge conveyor system (406). The infeed conveyor system conveys a supply of cushioning material. The cutting mechanism cuts pieces of the cushioning material from the supply of cushioning material conveyed by the infeed conveyor system. The discharge conveyor system captures and discharges the pieces of the cushioning material. The discharge conveyor system includes a first conveyor (428) in a fixed planar position and a second conveyor (430) that rotates about an upstream roller (440) of the second conveyor. A downstream roller (442) of the second conveyor is biased toward first conveyor. A driving mechanism rotates at least one conveyor belt (438) on one or more of the first conveyor or the second conveyor.

An inflatable protective packaging unit and associated inflation systems are disclosed. The unit can include an inflatable component that includes overlaid flexible plies connected to each other to define a fluid chamber therebetween. The inflatable component can define an inflation region in fluid communication with the fluid chamber to allow fluid from the inflation region into the fluid chamber. The unit can further include a receiver separably attached to the inflatable component at the inflation region and configured to direct fluid into the inflation region. The inflation system can be configured to discretely engage the inflatable protective packaging unit and provide fluid for inflation. Once inflated, the system may eject the unit, and cause the inflatable component to separate from the receiver.

Various embodiments for stock material for dunnage systems are provided with multi-directional perforation lines, including laterally and longitudinally extending perforations. The stock material can be configured in fan-fold or rolled form, and can be pre-folded. The perforations can help weaken the configured stock material to conform to holding trays. The holding trays can hold horizontally aligned fan-fold stacks of the stock material. Also, the configured stock material can be fed to a dunnage system have forming members that rotate about a vertical axis to generate cushioning strips with a vertical width greater than a horizontal width. Various methods and systems are also provided for making and using the same.

A stock material unit for a dunnage conversion machine is provided herein. The stock material includes a first strip of sheet material at least partially defining a three-dimensional configuration. The strip of sheet material includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The stock material includes a splice member mounted with respect to the sheet material in a first position. The splice member includes a connector that has a bonding member configured to stick to the first end. The connector is releasable from the first position and repositionable to a second position in which it is affixed to the first end by a connecting portion. In the second position, the connecting portion has an exposed area for affixing to a second end of a second continuous sheet of the material to daisy chain the first and second strips of sheet material.

An output chute safety mechanism includes an output chute, an output chute valve door, and an upstream valve door. The output chute includes a proximal end and a distal end. The output chute valve door includes a first configuration that obstructs the output chute and a second configuration that does not obstruct the output chute. The upstream valve door includes a first configuration that prevents the output chute valve door from being disposed in its second configuration and a second configuration that permits the output chute valve door to be disposed in its second configuration.

Disclosed is a dunnage apparatus, including a converting station and a deflector. The converting station converts a line of high-density supply material into low-density dunnage and ejects the dunnage at an exit in an exit trajectory along a path. The deflector is repositionable with respect to the exit between a first position, in which the deflector is interposed in the path to deflect the path of the dunnage from the exit trajectory to a first deflected trajectory, and a second position. The deflector is retained in each position during the ejection of the dunnage.