A material dispenser having a dispensing member configured to dispense a line of the material along a path in a downstream direction, and a cutting member having a cutting edge extending generally downstream with respect to the path. The cutting member having a convex shape across the path, such that the cutting edge engages and sequentially initiates cuts through the line of material when the line of material is pulled against the cutting member, thereby minimize cutting forces.

The present invention provides void fill dispenser systems and methods that highly effectively enable the easy and usable creation of void fill with expanded slit sheet paper in a manner unattainable in the existing art. According to some illustrative embodiments, a void fill dispenser is provided that advantageously dispenses unique void fill in a manner not previously possible. In some embodiments, the void fill dispenser is made with a recyclable material, such as, e.g., a corrugated box made from paper. In some embodiments, the void fill dispenser is made with metal and/or other rigid and/or non-recyclable materials. In some embodiments, the void fill dispenser can comprise an automated metal dispensing system that dispenses expanded slit sheet paper particularly for void fill in an automated manner.

A drive mechanism for a packaging material web coiler for forming a wound-up packaging material cushion may include a coiler core and a rotatable gyrating mass coupled to the coiler core. The coiled packaging material web is coilable around the coiler core such that the coiled packaging material cushion is detachable from the coiler core. With the rotatable gyrating mass, the coiler core performs at least one complete winding of the packaging material web around the coiler core in response to a manual swing-actuation.