Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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Title: CUSHIONING CONVERSION MACHINE
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to a cushioning conversion system and,
~ ~ more particularly, to a transfer device and method for transferring a pad from
a cushioning conversion machine along a path for ease of retrieval by an
operator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the process of shipping an item from one location to another, a
protective packaging material is typically placed in the shipping case, or box, to
fill any voids and/or to cushion the item during the shipping process. Some
conventional protective packaging materials are plastic foam peanuts and plasticbubble pack. While these conventional plastic materials seem to perform
adequately as cushioning products, they are not without disadvantages.
Perhaps the most serious drawback of plastic bubble wrap and/or plastic foam
peanuts is their effect on our environment. Quite simply, these plastic
packaging materials are not biodegradable and thus they cannot avoid further
multiplying our planet's already critical waste disposal problems. The non-
biodegradability of these packaging materials has become increasingly important
in light of many industries adopting more progressive policies in terms of
environmental responsibility.
The foregoing and other disadvantages of conventional plastic packaging
materials have made paper protective packaging material a very popular
alternative. Paper is biodegradable, recyclable and renewable, making it an
environmentally responsible choice for conscientious industries. Furthermore,
paper protective dunnage material is particularly advantageous for use with
particle-sensitive merchandise, as its clean, dust-free surface is resistant to
electrostatic buildup.
While paper in sheet form could possibly be used as a protective
packaging material, it is usually preferable to convert the sheets of paper intoa pad-like or other relatively low density dunnage product. This conversion may
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be accomplished by a cushioning conversion machine, such as those disclosed
in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Nos. 4,968,291 and 5,123,889. The
therein disclosed cushioning conversion machines convert sheet-like stock
material, such as paper in multi-ply form, into a pad-like dunnage product having
longitudinally extending pillow-like portions that are connected together along
a stitched central portion of the product. The stock material preferably consists
of two or three superimposed webs or layers of biodegradable, recyclable and
reusable thirty-pound Kraft paper or the like rolled onto a hollow cylindrical
tube. A thirty-inch wide roll of this paper, which is approximately 450 feet
long, will weigh about 35 pounds and will provide cushioning equal to
approximately four fifteen cubic foot bags of plastic foam peanuts while at the
same time requiring less than one-thirtieth the storage space.
Specifically, these machines convert the stock material into a continuous
strip having lateral pillow-like portions separated by a thin central band. Thisstrip is connected or coined along the central band to form a coined strip whichis severed or cut into sections of a desired length. The cut sections each
include lateral pillow-like portions separated by a thin central band and provide
an excellent relatively low density pad-like product which may be used in place
of conventional plastic protective packaging material.
As shown in U.S. Patent Application Nos. 08/109,124 and 08/155,931,
a cushioning conversion machine may be situated below the work platform of
a dispensing table. In such an arrangement, the cushioning product, or pad,
travels from the generally horizontal machine through an output chute where
the pad is directed upwardly to emerge through an opening in the work
platform. In this manner, the pad is deposited on the work platform during
operation of the machine. Consequently, an operator can conveniently grab the
pad and place it in a shipping box to fill any voids and/or to cushion an item in
the shipping box.
While such a device works well for a number of pads or where
sufficiently long pads are being produced, if only a small number of short pads
are desired, these short pads may not fully emerge from the output chute and
thus cannot be conveniently retrieved by the operator.
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It would be desirable to provide a cushioning conversion device where
pads are automatically produced upon a pad being retrieved in a convenient
~ manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a powered output drive system which
drives a pad from a machine exit portion to a user accessible location and then
stops the movement of the pad to retain the pad in the user accessible location
until it is removed by an operator. Preferably, the presence or absence of a padat the user accessible location is sensed and upon removal of a pad from the
user accessible location, another pad is formed and transported to the user
accessible location.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention a method of transferring
a cushioning product from a cushioning conversion machine includes the steps
of engaging a portion of the cushioning product and transferring the cushioning
product along a path, sensing the cushioning product reaching an exit location
and ceasing the movement of the cushioning product, and providing a signal to
the cushioning conversion machine to produce a further cushioning product
after the cushioning product at the exit location has been removed.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a system for
transferring a pad from a cushioning conversion machine includes an upper
series of drive elements arranged in a generally arcuate path, a lower series ofdrive elements arranged in a generally arcuate path, and a motor for powering
the rotation of the upper and lower series of drive elements, the upper and the
lower series of drive elements being spaced to accommodate a pad
therebetween and transfer it along a path defined by the upper and lower series
of drive elements.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a cushioning
conversion machine, located below a work table, includes a stock supply
assembly, a conversion assembly for converting the stock material into a
cushioning product and providing it through a machine exit, and a cushioning
product transferring system including an upper series of rollers arranged in a
path, a lower series of rollers arranged in a path and a motor for powering the
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rotation of the rollers, the upper and the lower series of rollers defining a path
therebetween leading from the machine exit to a passage in the work table.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a method
of transferring a cushioning product from a cushioning conversion machine
includes the steps of engaging a portion of the cushioning product between
opposed drive elements and transferring the cushioning product along an at
least partially curved path based on movement of the drive elements, sensing
the cushioning product reaching an exit location and, after a delay adequate forthe cushioning product to continue its progress past the exit location to partially
emerge from the path adequate to be grasped for removal by an operator,
ceasing the movement of the drive elements, and providing a signal to the
cushioning conversion machine to produce a further cushioning product after
the cushioning product at the exit location has been removed.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the invention, a cushioning
conversion system includes a cushioning conversion machine for converting
stock material into a pad at the machine exit, a drive element adapted to
convey a cushioning product along a path from the machine exit to a user
accessible location, a pad sensor for sensing the presence of a pad at the user
accessi~le location, a controller for controlling the cushioning conversion
machine to produce a pad when the sensor senses the absence of a pad at the
user accessible location and for controlling the movement of the drive element
to convey a formed pad from the machine exit to the user accessible location
and then to cease movement of the drive element.
The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter fully
described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description
and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative
embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the
various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a cushioning conversion machine
and a curved output drive system for transferring a pad from the machine to a
work platform in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
~ 5 Figure 2 jS a front elevational view of the cushioning conversion machine
and output drive system of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the output drive system;
Figure 4 is an enlarged front view of the output drive system;
Figure 5 is an illustration of the output drive system depicting the
direction of rotation of the drive rollers;
Figures 6A and 6B are illustrations of a pad being transferred through the
output drive system;
Figure 7 is a top view of an alternate embodiment of a cushioning
conversion machine including a linear output drive system;
Figure 8 is a side view of the cushioning conversion system of Figure 7;
and
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the linear output drive system
viewed generally along the line 9-9 in Figure 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings in detail and initially to Figures 1 and 2,
there is shown a cushioning conversion machine 10 for producing low density
cushioning product with a curved output drive system 12 for transferring pads
upwardly from the exit 14 of the machine to a work platform 16 of a dispensing
table 18.
The machine 10 includes a frame 20 to which are mounted a supply
assembly 22 at the upstream end 24 of the frame for supplying stock material
to be converted into a cushioning product, a conversion assembly 26 for
converting the stock material into a continuous strip of cushioning product and
a severing or cutting assembly 28 located generally between the conversion
assembly and output drive system 12 at the downstream end 30 of the
machine 10 for severing the strip into cushioning pads of the desired length.
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(The terms "upstream" and "downstream" in this context are characteristic of
the direction of flow of the stock material through the machine 10.)
The stock supply assembly 22 preferably includes a shaft 32 for
supporting a roll of sheet-like stock material (not shown) and a number of rollers
34 for providing the stock material to the conversion assembly 26. The stock
material may consist of three superimposed webs of biodegradable, recyclable
and reusable thirty-pound Kraft paper or the like rolled onto a hollow cylindrical
tube. The conversion assembly 26 includes a forming assembly 36, such as a
cooperating three dimensional wire former 38 and converging chute 40 as is
shown in Figure 1, and a feed assembly 42 including a pair of gears 44 for
pulling the stock material through the forming assembly and feeding it through
an outlet to the cutting assembly 28 and the curved output drive system 12.
The severing or cutting assembly 28 may include one or more blades or other
means acting to sever the continuous strip of padding at the appropriate times.
The machine frame 20 is supported on a cart 46 including a plurality of
vertical support members or legs 48, each ending in a caster 50 to permit the
machine 10 to be moved with relative ease. Preferably, the support members
48 include a fixed upper portion 52 and a telescoping lower portion 54 which
moves in and out of the interior of the fixed portion to permit vertical
Z0 adjustment of the machine 10 and output drive system 12 under the dispensing
table 18 and accurate alignment between the exit 56 of the output drive system
and the passage 58 through the work platform 16 of the dispensing table 18.
Preferably the legs 60 of the dispensing table 18 are also adjustable to facilitate
alignment with and more preferably a connection between the curved output
drive system 12 and the dispensing table.
The output drive system 12, as discussed more fully below, forms the
connection between the cushioning conversion machine 10 and the dispensing
table 18 and includes a series of upper and lower rotating drive rollers 66, 67,respectively, spaced in an arc along a curved guide path 68 for engaging and
transferring a pad from the machine exit 14 along the guide path and upwardly
and through the passage 58 in the work platform 16 to present the formed and
cut pad at or on the work platform. The upper and lower series of drive rollers
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66,67 are powered through a connection to a motor 70 and an assembly of
gears 72.
During operation of the machine 10 and output drive system 12, the
stock supply assembly 22 supplies the stock material to the forming assembly
36. The wire former 38 and converging conical chute 40 of the forming
assembly 36 cause inward rolling of the lateral edges of the sheet-like stock
material to form a continuous strip having lateral pillow-like portions. The gears
44 of the feed assembly 42 pull the stock material downstream through the
machine and also coin the central band of the continuous strip to form the
coined strip. As the coined strip travels downstream from the feed assembly
42 it passes through the cutting assembly 28 to the output drive system 12
where it is frictionally engaged on its opposed upper and lower surfaces by the
rotating upper and lower series of drive rollers 66,67 which transfer the pad
along the guide in the direction of the work platform 16. Once a pad of the
desired length has been cut by the cutting assembly 28, the series of drive
rollers 66, 67 will continue to transfer the cut pad upwardly through the
passage 58 in the work platform to deposit the formed and cut pad on the work
platform for use as needed by the operator.
As shown in greater detail in Figures 3 through 5, the curved output drive
system 12 includes a frame 80 having parallel side walls 82,84 and a bottom
wall 86. Extending perpendicular to and between the side walls 82 and 84 are
a pair of curved guide walls 88, 90 defining the arcuate guide path 68
therebetween. Each guide wall 88 and 90 includes a number of openings 92
through which a circumferential portion of a drive roller protrudes into the guide
path 68 to engage the surface of the pad. Each drive roller of the upper and
lower series of drive rollers 66,67 extends laterally for substantially the entire
distance between the side walls 82 and 84 on a shaft 94 extending through
each side wall and further includes a number of axially separated circumferential
channels or grooves each serving to retain an elastomeric O-ring 93 for
improving the ability of a drive roller to frictionally engage a pad. The shafts 94
are positioned and the rollers are sized so that an appropriate section of each
drive roller protrudes through a corresponding opening 92 in the guide walls 88
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and 90 to effectively engage and transfer a pad through the guide path 68. It
should be understood that the distances between the outer peripheries of the
opposed upper and lower series of drive roller 66, 67 are less than the
thickness of the pad passing therebetween, thereby sufficiently compressing
the pad to permit the transfer thereof. The shaft 94 of the first drive roller 96
in the lower series of drive rollers 67 extends through the side wall 82 to a
clutch mechanism 98 for selectively coupling the first drive roller 96 with the
motor 70. Rotational motion is transferred from the motor 70 mounted to the
bottom wall 86 to the first drive roller 96 through a drive pulley 102 connectedto the motor shaft 104 and a belt 106 extending between the drive pulley and
a pulley 100 connected to the clutch mechanism 98. Consequently, when
engaged the clutch mechanism 98 transfers rotational movement from the
motor 70 to the first drive roller 96 through the shaft 94. When disengaged,
the clutch mechanism conversely prevents the transfer of rotational movement
from the motor 70 to the first drive roller 96.
Opposite the pulley 100, a pair of gears 108 and 110 are connected to
the distal end of the shaft 94 of the first drive roller 96 extending through side
wall 84. The shaft 94 of the second drive roller 114 of the lower series of
drive rollers 67 extends through side wall 84 for connection to a gear 116 in
communication with the gear 110 of the first drive roller 96 through a transfer
gear 118 rotatably mounted on a shaft 120 extending from the side wall 84.
Consequently, rotation of the first drive roller 96 causes rotation of the second
drive roller 114 in the same direction through common connection with the
transfer gear 118. Similarly, rotational motion is transferred from drive roller114 to the next drive roller, drive roller 122, and so on for all of the drive rollers
of the lower series 67.
Rotational motion is transferred to the upper series of drive rollers 66 by
an enmeshed connection between the gear 108 associated with the first drive
roller 96 of the lower series of drive rollers 67 and a gear 124 adapted to drive
the first drive roller 132 of the upper series of rollers 66 through the shaft 94.
Rotational motion is transferred to the second drive roller 138 though a transfer
gear 126 rotatabiy mounted on a shaft 128 extending from the side wall 84 and
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enmeshed with the gear 125 of the drive roller 132 and gear 134 connected to
drive roller 138 through an associated shaft 94. The drive roller 138 causes
rotation of the drive roller 140 through the transfer gear 142 in the same
manner. Since the gear 108 transfers rotation from the first drive roller 96 of
the lower series of drive rollers 67 to the drive roller 136 of the upper series of
drive rollers 66 directly through the gear 124 connected to the drive roller 136,
the direction of rotation of the upper series of drive rollers 66 is opposite that
of the lower series of drive rollers 67 (see directional arrows in Figure 5).
Therefore, the upper and lower series of drive rollers 66, 67 will act
cooperatively in urging a pad compressed therebetween in the same direction
through the guide path 68, namely a direction away from the cushioning
conversion machine to the dispensing table 18.
Operation of the curved output drive system 12 and assisted operation
of the cushioning conversion machine 10 is accomplished through one or more
sensors 146 and 148. Each of the sensors 146 and 148 may be conventional
sensors for detecting the presence or absence of a pad adjacent the sensor. An
example of a suitable sensor would be an optical sensor with a corresponding
retro-reflector positioned at an opposite side of the path 68 from the optical
sensor.
The sensor 146 is positioned near the exit portion 56 of the system 12
and senses the presence or absence of a pad at the exit portion 56. The output
of the sensor 146 controls the clutch mechanism 98, preferably in combination
with a timer or delay circuit (hereinafter the timer and sensor 146 are
collectively referenced by the reference numeral 146), so that once a pad is
sensed at the exit portion 56 by the sensor 146, transfer of the pad will
continue for a short period of time, as controlled by the timer, sufficient to
permit an adequate amount of pad to emerge from the passage 58 in the work
platform 16 that an operator can easily access and remove the pad. Once such
time has elapsed, the clutch mechanism 98 is disengaged, thereby discontinuing
movement of the upper and lower series of drive rollers 66 and 67 and ceasing
movement of the pad. The clutch mechanism 98 will remain disengaged until
an operator removes the pad from the output drive system 12, and such
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removal is detected by the sensor 146. The output of the sensor 146 may also
be provided to the machine 10 which can use the information to control
production of pads such that when a pad is removed from the output drive
system 12, as detected by the sensor 146, the machine will automatically
produce another pad. The automatically produced pad will be conveyed by the
output drive system 12 (as the clutch mechanism 98 is engaged since the
sensor 146 is not blocked by a pad) to begin to emerge from the work platform
16 whereupon the sensor will detect the pad and the clutch mechanism 98 will
be disengaged (after a short time period) and the machine will again wait for the
partially emerged pad to be removed by an operator before producing another
pad.
When the output of the sensor 146 is used by the machine 10 in
controlling the automatic production of a pad as a pad is used by an operator,
and especially when the pad length may be short, in relation to the length of the
guide path 68, it is preferable to locate the sensor 148 midway between the
machine exit 14 and the exit portion 56 of the output drive system 12 and to
provide the output of the sensor 146 to the machine 10. As a pad progresses
past the sensor 148, the sensor 148 detects the presence of the pad and
reports the fact to the machine 10. The machine 10 examines the output of
the sensor 148, when the sensor 146 has reported that a pad has been
removed, to ensure that another pad is not already in the output drive system
12 before producing a further pad. The sensor 148 is also provided with a
timer or delay circuit so that the timer 148 will continue to indicate the
presence of another pad in the output drive system, even after the pad has
progressed past the sensor 148 to give the pad adequate time to reach the
sensor 146 located at the output. This ensures that the machine will not
produce a pad when a short pad is in the output drive system, but located
wholly within the "blindspot" between the sensors 146 and 148.
In some instances the motor 70 or clutch mechanism 98 may be
controlled by a process controller or similar circuity in the cushioning conversion
machine 10 to cause the upper and lower drive rollers 66 and 67 to operate
either continuously or only while a pad is being produced and a short period
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1 1
thereafter adequate to transfer the pad to the dispensing table 18. The motor
70 or clutch mechanism 98 may also be controlled to pause movement of the
drive rollers during a cutting operation by the cutting assembly 28. In an
instance where pads are to be produced which may be of the same length or
longer than the guide path 68, it is desirable that the process controller of the
cushioning conversion machine cause the clutch mechanism 98 to remain
engaged whenever the feed assembly 42 is operating.
As an example of the operation of the curved output drive system 12,
attention is directed to the pad 150 shown in Figures 6A and 6B. Once the pad
150 leaves the machine exit 14 it enters the curved output drive system 12 at
entry portion 152 and is compressed and engaged by opposed drive rollers 96
and 136 ~see Figure 6A~. The rotation of the drive rollers 96 and 136 causes
the pad 150 to move through the guide path 68 in the direction of arrow 154
~see Figure 6B). Continued rotation of the drive rollers in the upper and lower
series of drive rollers 66, 67 moves the pad 150 further along the curved guide
path 68, past the sensor 148, and causing pad 150 to pass the sensor 146.
For a short period of time after the sensor 146 has detected the pad 150, as
determined by the timer associated with the sensor 146, the clutch mechanism
98 will remain engaged to further drive the pad 150 to emerge from the exit
port 156 for a distance sufficient to allow an operator to grasp the pad and
remove it, when needed, from the output drive system 12. After that short
duration, the clutch is disengaged and the pad 150 remains partially emerged
from the output drive system 12 and the work platform 16 of the dispensing
table 18 to present the pad to the operator at the work platform (Figure 1).
Although the invention has been described with respect to a machine
positioned beneath a work table and a curved output conveyor, the invention
may be embodied in machines positioned in other manners with other output
drive conveyors, for example as is embodied in the cushioning conversion
machine 170 shown in Figures 7 through 9. The cushioning conversion
machine 170 is configured with similar components to affect the production of
a pad as described above relative to the cushioning conversion machine 10, for
example, a conversion assembly and a severing assembly (not shown).
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12
Attached to the cushioning conversion machine 170 at the downstream
or exit end 172 of the cushioning conversion machine is a linear output drive
system 174 for conveying pads 175 away from the machine exit and the
severing assembly. The linear output drive system 174 transfers a pad 175
from the machine exit 172 to a user accessible location convenient for retrievalby an operator and preferably presents the pad in a manner where retrieval is
facilitated, such as with an adequate portion of the pad protruding from the exit
176 of the output drive system that the operator can readily grasp the pad and
pull it from the output drive system (Figure 9). The linear output drive system
174 iS mounted near the machine exit 172 to accept a pad and may be
supported through a support bar 177 mounted to the output drive system and
a stand 179 positioning the cushioning conversion machine 170 in the desired
orientation.
The linear output drive system 174 iS preferably at least as long as the
pad 175 to be produced or longer, but may be of any length wherein the pad
can be pulled from the machine exit, severed and remain in the output drive
system for retrieval by an operator. The linear output drive system 174
preferably includes a bottom tray portion 178 and an opposed top portion 180
housing a conveyor 182, such as a continuous belt, although a series of drive
rollers may also be employed. The conveyor 182 is spaced from the bottom
tray 178 creating a channel 184 through which the pad 175 can be conveyed.
The distance between the conveyor 182 and the bottom tray 178 iS preferably
slightly less than the thickness of the pad 175 so that the pad is gently
compressed between the bottom plate and the conveyor and the conveyor
frictionally engages the pad to urge it away from the machine exit 172 and
toward the exit 176 of the output drive system. A conveyor belt is employed
having a coefficient of friction compatible with the application to permit the
conveyor belt to frictionally engage the pad 175 while allowing for slippage
between the pad and the conveyor without damage to the pad during the pad
formation process prior to the pad being severed.
The conveyor 182 may be upturned confronting the cushioning
conversion machine exit 172 to create a divergent portion to facilitate entry of
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13
the pad 175 into the channel 184 or the channel and output drive system can
be sized and oriented to accept the pad through other means. The conveyor
182 is driven by a motor 186 and a series of rollers 188. The motor 186 may
operate on demand as controlled by the controller 192 with a direct connection
to the conveyor 182, or a clutch assembly may be employed wherein the motor
would operate continuously with the movement of the conveyor controlled
through selective activation of the clutch assembly.
The linear output drive system 174 additionally includes a sensor 190
positioned adjacent the exit 176 of the output drive system to detect the
presence or absence of a pad 175 at the exit 176. The sensor 190 is
preferably an optical sensor with a corresponding retro-reflector positioned on
the opposite transverse side of the channel 184 from the optical sensor 190.
The sensor 190 provides a signal to the cushioning conversion machine 170 to
affect control of the cushioning conversion operation and operation of the
output drive system 174. Preferably, such control is accomplished through a
controller, schematically illustrated in Figure 7 at 192, which coordinates inputs
from various sensors, such as the pad detection sensor 190, as well as other
machine status inputs and controls operation of the machine 170 and the
output drive system 174 in accordance therewith.
In operation, when there is no pad 175 at the user accessible exit 176,
the controller 192 will be informed of the absence of the pad by a signal
received from the pad sensor 190. Based on other predefined or operator
selected inputs, the controller 192 will operate the cushioning conversion
assemblies therein to produce a pad 175 of the desired length and will
simultaneously instruct the motor 186 of the output drive system 174 to begin
movement of the conveyor 182. As a pad 175 is formed and emerges from the
cushioning conversion machine 170 at the machine exit 172 it enters the
channel 184 formed between the bottom tray 178 and the conveyor 182 of the
output drive system 174 and is engaged by the conveyor 182 to be urged
towards the exit 176 of the output drive system.
Once the pad 175 is severed and further progresses through the channel
184 by its frictional engagement with the conveyor 182, the presence of the
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14
pad 175 will be detected by the pad sensor 190 and an indication of the
presence of the pad at the user accessible exit 176 will be communicated to the
controller 192. After a delay sufficient for an adequate portion of the pad 175
to progress pass the exit 176 of the output drive system 174, the controller
192 will cause the conveyor 182 to stop, such as by stopping the motor 186
or by disengaging a clutch mechanism between the motor and the conveyor.
The delay may be incorporated in the controller 192 or alternatively the sensor
190 may be provided with a delay timer so that there is a slight delay between
sensing the presence of the pad 175 at the output 176 and instructing the
controller 192 of the detection of the pad.
Preferably, the controller 192 controls the cushioning conversion
assemblies of the cushioning conversion machine 170 to produce a single pad
and then stops the cushioning conversion assembly after the pad 175 has been
severed by the cutting assembly. Once the operator removes a pad 175 from
the exit 176 of the output drive system 174 the sensor 190 will indicate the
removal and thus absence of the pad from the channel 184 and communicate
the absence of the pad to the controller 192 which can than automatically
cause the conveyor 182 to begin moving and the cushioning conversion
assemblies of the cushioning conversion machine 172 to produce another pad
and to present that pad at the exit 176 of the output drive system 174 to await
removal by the operator.
In this manner, single pads may be automatically produced and presented
at the user accessible exit 176 of the output drive system 174 each time an
operator removes a pad 175 from the exit 176, thereby presenting a continuous
supply of pads on demand by the operator.
While the description of the operation of the cushioning conversion
machine 170 iS provided above with control accomplished through a controller
192, which can be a controller such as disclosed in copending Ranpak
Application Serial Nos. 08/279,149 and 08/482,015, the functioning of the
controller 192 may be accomplished through dedicated circuits and logic arrays
.
In a slmllar manner.
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Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to
certain preferred embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and
modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and
understanding of this specification. The present invention includes all such
equivalent alterations and modifications, and is limited only by the scope of the
following claims. Furthermore, the corresponding structures, materials, acts,
and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below
are intended to include any structure, material, or acts for performing the
functions in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.
