A web transporting method includes a drive roller (Gd), N (where N is an integer of 1 or greater) driven rollers (Gn) which nip a wound portion of a web between the drive roller and the driven rollers, and a tension application unit which applies a tension Tl to a portion of the web which is one side of the wound portion and applies a tension Th which is higher than the tension Tl to a portion of the web which is opposite the one side of the wound portion, in which an angle 0, an angle (n), a load P(n), a static friction coefficient 0, and a static friction coefficient (n) satisfy a predetermined relational expression (expression 1).

A printing apparatus capable of fixing a medium appropriately during printing is provided. The printing apparatus includes a feeding roller, a printing portion configured to make a print on the textile supplied from the feeding roller, and a conveyance portion configured to convey the textile to the printing portion. The conveyance portion includes a pressure roller configured to sandwich the textile and rotate along with conveyance of the textile. The printing apparatus further includes a brake roller disposed between the pressure roller and the feeding roller for producing force acting on the textile against conveyance force for the textile by the conveyance portion to apply tension to the textile between the brake roller and the pressure roller. Tension smaller than tension exerted on the textile between the brake roller and the pressure roller is exerted on the textile between the brake roller and the feeding roller.

A printing apparatus capable of fixing a medium appropriately during printing is provided. The printing apparatus includes a feeding roller, a printing portion configured to make a print on the textile supplied from the feeding roller, and a conveyance portion configured to convey the textile to the printing portion. The conveyance portion includes a pressure roller configured to sandwich the textile and rotate along with conveyance of the textile. The printing apparatus further includes a brake roller disposed between the pressure roller and the feeding roller for producing force acting on the textile against conveyance force for the textile by the conveyance portion to apply tension to the textile between the brake roller and the pressure roller. Tension smaller than tension exerted on the textile between the brake roller and the pressure roller is exerted on the textile between the brake roller and the feeding roller.

A manually-operated dunnage conversion apparatus includes a housing with an outlet opening, a supply of slit sheet stock material supported within the housing for dispensing from the outlet opening, and a pair of opposed expansion members rotatably coupled to the housing for rotation about respective, parallel expansion axes between the supply and the outlet opening. The expansion members are biased towards each other via a biasing member to provide a gripping force on sheet stock material fed therebetween to apply friction to the sheet stock material that causes the sheet stock material to expand in length and thickness as an operator pulls the sheet stock material from the outlet opening in the housing. With the possible exception of the biasing member, the apparatus may be made of paper-based products, making the apparatus recyclable, reusable, and composed of a renewable resource, as well as inexpensive to manufacture.

A manually-operated dunnage conversion apparatus includes a housing with an outlet opening, a supply of slit sheet stock material supported within the housing for dispensing from the outlet opening, and a pair of opposed expansion members rotatably coupled to the housing for rotation about respective, parallel expansion axes between the supply and the outlet opening. The expansion members are biased towards each other via a biasing member to provide a gripping force on sheet stock material fed therebetween to apply friction to the sheet stock material that causes the sheet stock material to expand in length and thickness as an operator pulls the sheet stock material from the outlet opening in the housing. With the possible exception of the biasing member, the apparatus may be made of paper-based products, making the apparatus recyclable, reusable, and composed of a renewable resource, as well as inexpensive to manufacture.

A film packing device capable of replacing gears includes a handle. Two ends of the handle are provided with a coupling rod and a base, respectively. A film application unit and a pair of rollers are pivotally connected between the coupling rod and the base. Two ends of each roller are provided with an axle gear, respectively. The outer toothed portions of the axle gears mesh with a drive gear and a reduction gear, respectively. The drive gear meshes with the reduction gear. Through the outer toothed portions of the axle gears to mesh with the drive gear and the reduction gear, the drive gear and the reduction gear can be installed easily. The drive gear and the reduction gear having different numbers of teeth on the outer toothed portions thereof are selective so as to change the gear ratio thereof to provide a different binding force for packing.

Apparatus and methods are provided for a self-contained tension control system. An example self-contained tension control system can include a brake system configured to provide tension friction to a web, a tension transducer to provide tension information indicative of tension of the web, a controller configured to receive the tension information, to compare the tension information to set point information, and to provide a command signal to the brake system, and an enclosure configured to enclose the brake system, the tension transducer, and the controller, the enclosure including a first web opening and a second web opening configured to allow the web to enter the enclosure and to pass through the enclosure to equipment downstream of the self-contained tension control system.

Apparatus and methods are provided for a self-contained tension control system. An example self-contained tension control system can include a brake system configured to provide tension friction to a web, a tension transducer to provide tension information indicative of tension of the web, a controller configured to receive the tension information, to compare the tension information to set point information, and to provide a command signal to the brake system, and an enclosure configured to enclose the brake system, the tension transducer, and the controller, the enclosure including a first web opening and a second web opening configured to allow the web to enter the enclosure and to pass through the enclosure to equipment downstream of the self-contained tension control system.