Other

Hexcelpack, LLC

Geopax Ltd

Goodrich, David Paul

David Paul Goodrich

Sheldon H Parker

Michael C Hurwitz

James P Devine

Roger E Jester

Robert E Cassidy

Steven Michael Stack, Jr

Lorne Herszkowicz

An expansion device includes an unexpanded slit sheet roll that is wound on a paper core that is longer than the width of the slit sheet paper roll. The paper core is placed onto a rod member. An adjustable downward pressure is exerted on the paper core and the paper core exerts pressure on the rod member. As the paper is pulled, the downward pressure creates the friction required to enable the unexpanded slit, sheet to be unwind and fed while simultaneously expanding.

Slit sheet tensioning device

An expansion devise includes an unexpanded slit sheet roll that is wound on a paper core that is wider than the slit sheet paper. The paper core is placed into a yoke that holds the paper in position on each side of the unexpanded slit sheet material. An adjustable downward pressure is exerted on the paper core and the paper core exerts pressure on the yoke. As the paper is pulled, this downward pressure creates the Triton required to enable the unexpanded slit sheet to be unwind and fed while simultaneously expanding. A blank sheet is formed into a box that stabilizes slit paper sheet wound around a core member.

Slit paper method of expansion, shipment and expansion devices

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.

Expanded slit sheet void fill dispensing systems and methods

An expansion devise includes an unexpended slit sheet roll that is wound on a paper core that is wider than the slit sheet paper. The paper core is placed into a yoke that holds the paper in position on each side of the unexpended slit sheet material. An adjustable downward pressure is exerted on the paper core and the paper core exerts pressure on the yoke. As the paper is pulled, this downward pressure creates the friction required to enable the unexpended slit sheet to be unwind and fed while simultaneously expanding. A blank sheet is formed into a box that stabilizes slit paper sheet wound around a core member.

Exemplary embodiments pertain to a combined shipping and expansion device for shipping a roll of unexpanded slit sheet material and for expanding the slit sheet material. In some examples, the device includes: a container made with recyclable paper or board; a roll of slit sheet material wound around a core member and positioned within the container; the roll of slit sheet material having a slit pattern that forms open cells upon expansion; the core member being made with recyclable paper or board and having a length greater than a width of the roll of slit sheet wound around the core member and having protrusions that extend beyond each side of the roll of slit sheet material; a plurality of yoke members within the container, including at least one yoke member that rotatably receives a first of the protrusions and at least one yoke member that rotatably receives a second of the protrusions; and the container having a dispensing opening through which the slit sheet material wound around the core member can be extended and pulled, causing the core member to rotate relative to the yoke members via rotation of the roll of slit sheet material. The combined shipping and expansion device is made from substantially entirely recyclable paper or board materials, whereby after complete dispensing of the slit sheet material from the shipping and expansion device, the combined shipping and expansion device can be recycled in a paper recycling facility.

Shipping and dispensing box for slit sheet material

In the preferred embodiments, the present invention provides substantially improved slit sheet cushioning products by advantageously combining novel paper properties with novel slit patterns for improved features and characteristics. In some illustrative and non-limiting example embodiments, cushioning products of the present invention can include, e.g., a novel slit sheet material in combination with extensible paper employed as, e.g., a cushioning pad or as cushioning within an envelope product, wherein the cushioning product can be substantially more resilient, but, yet, e.g., thinner for better utilization of space.

Expanded slit sheet cushioning products with novel reduced dimension slit patterns

According to some illustrative embodiments, a system and method is provided that includes, e.g., means for continuously conveying an assembly of layered sheets including a first paper sheet, at least one expanded sheet and a second paper sheet in a conveying flow between, e.g., a rotary mandrel or member at an upstream position in a direction of conveyance and a rotary die crushing and cutting tool, with said rotary mandrel or member and said rotary die crushing and cutting tool maintaining the at least one expanded sheet in an expanded state, said rotary tool having a crushing component that crushes a portion of the at least one expanded sheet such as to form a flap forming region of an envelope and a cutting component that cuts the assembly of layered sheets such as to separate individual envelope units.

Systems and methods for making envelopes and/or other protective products with expanded paper cushioning

An extensible slit sheet paper product is produced having an expandable slit pattern that forms open cells upon expansion of the paper product. The paper product is an extensible paper having an extensibility in the range from 1-9% in the machine direction and 1-5% in the cross direction. The expansion produces an array of hexagonal cells. The expanded extensible paper can be used to wrap an object for shipping by wrapping and cushioning the object in the expanded slit sheet material. The extensible, expandable slit sheet paper can be wrapped around itself to produce a void fill product.

Extensible paper and its use in the production of expanded slit packaging wrap and void fill products

A device for expanding and dispensing expandable slit sheet paper includes a pair of support members for a roll of expandable slit sheet paper. The roll of expandable slit sheet paper has an interior core member and a roll of expandable slit sheet paper wound on said interior core member. The interior core member has an axial length that is greater than the width of said slit sheet paper that is wound on said interior core member and has end regions that extend beyond the roll of expandable slit sheet paper. Pressure means is provided for pressing a first end region against its core support member and applying a frictional rotation resistance to the core member end region. The roll of expandable slit sheet paper is mounted on the device by positioning one end region under the pressure means and in a support relationship with its core support member while the roll of expandable slit sheet paper is inclined with respect to the device. The other end region is then moved into its supported position with its core support member. An adjustable downward pressure is exerted on the paper core end region and causing the paper core end region to be pressed against its support member as the paper is pulled. The downward pressure creates the friction required to enable the unexpanded slit sheet to be unwind and fed while simultaneously expanding.

Method and apparatus for dispensing and expanding expandable slit sheet material

Expanded slit sheet cushioning products with novel slit pattern and paper properties

A protective product, such as, e.g., an envelope or pouch, is provided that includes at least one expanded slit paper sheet in an expanded state, and an embossed paper sheet facing the expanded slit paper sheet and fixed to the expanded slit paper sheet along at least a portion of a length in an expansion direction of the expanded slit sheet paper. In the preferred embodiments, the embossed paper sheet has a plurality of embossings that increase the rigidity of the embossed paper sheet, thereby inhibiting deformation of the embossed paper sheet that is fixed to the expanded slit sheet paper.

Protective products, such as envelopes, having a unique combination of interior padding of expanded slit sheet paper and exterior lining of embossed paper

According to some illustrative embodiments, a protective product is provided that includes: at least one expandable slit paper sheet, said at least on expandable slit paper being expanded between opposing ends of said slit paper; a first embossed paper sheet facing said expanded slit paper sheet and a second paper sheet facing an opposite side of said at least one expanded slit paper sheet, at least one of said first embossed paper sheet and said second paper sheet being fixed to said expanded slit paper sheet at the opposing ends of said expanded slit paper sheet and thereby maintaining said expanded paper in its expanded state, said first embossed paper sheet having a plurality of embossings that increase the rigidity of said embossed paper sheet, whereby inhibiting deformation of said embossed paper sheet that is fixed to said expanded slit sheet paper.

Embossed paper in combination with paper cushioning for shipping envelopes

The present invention discloses a method of producing at least a pair of interlocking adjacent layers of a paper packaging product, the pair of interlocking adjacent layers being formed of a sheet of slit paper having a slit pattern, the slit pattern upon expansion, forming cells that include land regions that are inclined with respect to a plane of an unexpanded sheet. The method comprises slitting the sheet of slit paper with beveled blades that have a first wedge angle on one side of the blades and a second wedge angle on the other side of the blades, wherein the first wedge angle is wider than the second wedge angle to produce slits that upon expansion, produce the lands regions that have angles of inclination in a range for 50 to 85 degrees.

Growing community of inventors

Sedona, AZ, United States of America

David Paul Goodrich