An apparatus for the provision of packaging material includes a forming unit for producing a cushion or tubular-like packaging material from a paper strip and for ejecting the packaging material. A feeding unit draws in the paper strip from a Leporello stack-shaped paper strip supply having two feed rollers opposing each other for driving the paper strip and a motor for operating the feed rollers. A preforming station is positioned upstream the feed unit in paper feed direction for transverse compression of the paper strip. A guiding unit is positioned upstream the preforming station in paper feed direction for aligning the paper strip for the preforming station and a frame, on which the preforming station is pivotably supported between a working position and a loading position.

Provided is a dunnage apparatus, comprising a converting station and a static remover. The converting station converts a line of high-density stock material into low density dunnage and moves the dunnage along a material path in a downstream direction. The static remover is electrically grounded and contacts the dunnage to thereby remove static buildup from the material.

Provided is a dunnage apparatus, comprising a converting station and a static remover. The converting station converts a line of high-density stock material into low density dunnage and moves the dunnage along a material path in a downstream direction. The static remover is electrically grounded and contacts the dunnage to thereby remove static buildup from the material.

A conversion assembly for a dunnage conversion machine includes both a downstream pair of rotatable members and an upstream pair of rotatable members upstream of the downstream rotatable members. The downstream rotatable members include a pair of gears, and each gear has a plurality of teeth and is rotatable about a respective axis. The gears are positioned so that the teeth of one gear are sequentially interlaced with the teeth of the other gear as the gears rotate. The upstream rotatable members include a pair of feed wheels, and the gears and the feed wheels define a path for a sheet stock material from between the upstream pair of feed wheels to between the downstream pair of gears. The rate at which the sheet stock material is advanced by the feed wheels is the same as the rate at which the sheet stock material is advanced by the gears.

A dunnage conversion machine that converts a stock material into a less dense dunnage product includes an outlet chute having a housing with a passage therethrough from an inlet at an inlet end downstream to an outlet at an outlet end spaced from the inlet end. The output chute includes a lower guide surface that defines a bottom side of the passage. The lower guide surface has an upstream end toward the inlet and a downstream end toward the outlet. The upstream end of the lower guide surface is spaced from a centerline of the passage a distance that is greater than a distance that the downstream end is spaced from the centerline of the passage to provide an inclined surface, such that a cross-section of the passage decreases from the inlet to the outlet.

A conversion assembly for a dunnage conversion machine includes both a downstream pair of rotatable members and an upstream pair of rotatable members upstream of the downstream rotatable members. The downstream rotatable members include a pair of gears, and each gear has a plurality of teeth and is rotatable about a respective axis. The gears are positioned so that the teeth of one gear are sequentially interlaced with the teeth of the other gear as the gears rotate. The upstream rotatable members include a pair of feed wheels, and the gears and the feed wheels define a path for a sheet stock material from between the upstream pair of feed wheels to between the downstream pair of gears. The rate at which the sheet stock material is advanced by the feed wheels is the same as the rate at which the sheet stock material is advanced by the gears.

Described is an apparatus for manufacturing a cushioning product from an elongate paper strip, said apparatus comprising at least one cover in the area of an exit region of the finished cushioning product. Said first cover is releasably connected to the apparatus by means of a linear guide.

An apparatus for producing a packaging material product from a fiber starting material (e.g. single- or multi-ply paper web or corrugated board web) may include a separating device for separating the packaging material product from a packaging material strand (e.g. corrugated board web or three-dimensional paper cushioning strand), feed wheels arranged in the conveying direction upstream of the separating device for conveying the packaging material strand, and discharge wheels arranged in the conveying direction downstream of the separating device for discharging the packaging material strand. A blade of the separating device may be guided such that, in cutting engagement, it translationally cuts through the packaging material strand transversely to the conveying direction.

A conversion assembly for a dunnage conversion machine includes both a downstream pair of rotatable members and an upstream pair of rotatable members upstream of the downstream rotatable members. The downstream rotatable members include a pair of gears, and each gear has a plurality of teeth and is rotatable about a respective axis. The gears are positioned so that the teeth of one gear are sequentially interlaced with the teeth of the other gear as the gears rotate. The upstream rotatable members include a pair of feed wheels, and the gears and the feed wheels define a path for a sheet stock material from between the upstream pair of feed wheels to between the downstream pair of gears. The rate at which the sheet stock material is advanced by the feed wheels is the same as the rate at which the sheet stock material is advanced by the gears.

A flexible structure inflation device, comprising an inflation assembly configured for insertion between first and second overlapping film layers of a web of material, the inflation assembly having a fluid conduit configured directing a fluid in between the layers to inflate the web; and a cutting member held magnetically in an operative position adjacent the inflation assembly to cut the film passing over the inflation assembly.