A folding device for a flat blank has a plurality of bearing blocks arranged in a row in a first direction, the mutual distance of which can be changed by a drive device and each of which has a support surface for the blank by a holding device. A plurality of folding blades are arranged at a distance next to one another in the first direction, at least one of the folding blades being arranged between immediately adjacent bearing blocks. The folding blades can be adjusted by changing a mutual distance with an additional movement component perpendicular to the blank. Adjacent bearing blocks are coupled in terms of movement via a linkage. The folding blade arranged between adjacent bearing blocks is connected to the linkage so a change in distance between the bearing blocks can be transferred by the linkage to the folding blade for the adjustment thereof.

A method of folding a sheet of paper. The method includes: folding the sheet of paper into an accordion shape comprising a plurality of pleats and collapsing the pleats to form a strip; folding the strip about in half to form a first folded strip; folding the first folded strip about a point that is about two-thirds a length of the first folded strip to form a second folded strip comprising an exposed portion that is about a third the length of the first folded strip; and folding the second folded strip about in half to form a third folded strip.

The folding roller includes a rotation axis and at least a gripping member extending longitudinally along the folding roller, controlled by at least a piezoelectric actuator. The piezoelectric actuator causes a pivoting movement of the gripping member about its pivoting axis parallel to the rotation axis of the folding roller.

The invention relates to a device for providing a three-dimensional cushioning material for cushioning an void volume in a transport container, comprising a converting apparatus for converting a flat web-like starting material into the three-dimensional cushioning material and a receiving means for receiving at least regions of a stack of the web-like starting material folded in a zigzagging manner. The receiving means has a first lateral contact means for a first stack type, which has a first width (B1), and a second lateral contact means for a second stack type, which has a second width (B2), such that either a stack of the first stack type or a stack of the second stack type can be arranged in the receiving means in a centered manner relative to the same central axis.

A pleated filter preparation system is provided for accurately counting pleats along a continuous sheet of pleated filter material and cutting the sheet into filter strips to be formed into filters. The pleated filter preparation system includes a pleat driver having multiple drive gears that engage with the pleats of the pleated filter material to move the pleated filter material through the system. A pleat counter counts peaks and valleys of each pleat comprising the pleated filter material so as to identify a target pleat to be cut. The pleat counter clamps and stretches the target pleat to distinguish the target pleat among the other pleats. A punch cut station cuts the target pleat to form a filter strip having a desired number of pleats. A pleat compressor compresses the filter strips to a predetermined size and then ejects the filter strips into a suitable container or bin.

Stock material units that may be used in a dunnage conversion machine. For example, stock material units include sheet material that may be fed into the dunnage conversion machine and may be converted thereby into dunnage.

Systems and methods for folding and stacking fanfold corrugated board material. A system may include a rotatable member (e.g., a wheel) having a number of head pieces disposed thereon. Each head piece has a vacuum setting that can be used to pick up a portion of a length of fanfold and hold it while the rotatable member rotates around its axis and a second blower setting that blows the portion of the length of fanfold that was picked up and rotated around the rotatable member down onto a stack of fanfold. Such a system is capable of forming regular and consistent stacks of fanfold material efficiently and cost effectively without the need for significant human intervention.

Methods and structures are provided for a dunnage system to facilitate efficient coupling together of supply units of pre-configured sheet stock material, such as, for example, separate units of fanfold stacks of pre-configured sheet stock material, in a manner of continuous supply with a continuous pocket extending longitudinally between the separate supply units, so that they can interact with an expander of the dunnage system without disruption as one supply unit is depleted and a next supply unit is fed through the dunnage system. Also, various methods, apparatus, and systems are provided to facilitate smooth operation of a dunnage machine of the dunnage system to reduce a tendency of the pre-configured sheet stock material to jam and to increase the tendency of dunnage product generated to reflect a desired shape and stability.

Stock material units that may be used in a dunnage conversion machine. For example, stock material units include sheet material that may be fed into the dunnage conversion machine and may be converted thereby into dunnage. The stock material unit includes a continuous sheet of material including a tapered sheet section defined by a plurality of slanted folds and positioned adjacent to at least one face of the three-dimensional body, and a splice member. The splice member includes a base having a first side attached to a portion of the continuous sheet of foldable material that is positioned adjacent to the tapered sheet section and has an opposite, second side. The splice member also includes a connector that has a first portion non-removably attached to the tapered sheet section and a second portion removably attached to at least a portion of the second side of the base.

A sheet processing apparatus is configured to press a fold line that is formed on a sheet. The sheet processing apparatus includes: a sheet supporting unit configured to support the sheet in a pressing direction for pressing the fold line; a pressing unit configured to press the fold line that is formed on the sheet that is supported by the sheet supporting unit; and a pressing-force generating unit configured to generate a pressing force for pressing the sheet supporting unit against the pressing unit at a central part in a direction along which the fold line is formed.