Method of loading a cushioning conversion machine and sheet stock material supply useful therein

• US 20020100539A1
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ranpak Corp. (Ranpak Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Ranpak Corp. (Ranpak Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Harding, Joseph J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,756,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/157
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 2205/0023 as web from a roll
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 2205/0035 as fan folded web
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 2205/0047 Feeding, guiding or shaping the material
• CPC Class Codes: B31D 5/0047 involving toothed wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 5/06 by adhesive tape
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 19/1852 taking place at a distance from the replacement roll
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/46017 involving several layers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4621 Overlapping article or web portions
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4622 Abutting article or web portions, i.e. edge to edge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/906 Roll or coil
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1486 Ornamental, decorative, pattern, or indicia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/149 Sectional layer removable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1495 Adhesive is on removable layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/15 Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24793 Comprising discontinuous or differential impregnation or bond

Abstract

A supply of sheet stock material for use in a cushioning conversion machine is disclosed. The supply of stock material includes at least one ply of sheet stock material rolled or folded into a compact configuration such as a roll of wound stock material or a stack of fan-folded stock material. The ply has disposed on a leading or trailing end thereof, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer and a removable release liner covering the pressure sensitive adhesive layer. When a supply of sheet stock material is almost spent, a succeeding supply of stock material may be spliced to the almost spent supply by removing the release liner to expose the adhesive and then applying the leading or trailing end, having the adhesive thereon, to a trailing end of the almost spent supply of stock material or leading end of the succeeding supply of stock material.

Claims

1. A method of converting sheet stock material into a cushioning dunnage product, comprising the steps of:

operating a cushioning conversion machine to produce one or more dunnage pads from a supply of sheet stock material until the supply of sheet stock material is almost spent;

removing a release liner to expose a pressure sensitive adhesive on a leading end of a succeeding supply of sheet stock material or on the trailing end of the almost spent supply of stock material;

applying the leading end of the succeeding supply of stock material to the trailing end of the almost spent supply of stock material such that the pressure sensitive adhesive bonds the ends together; and

,

operating the cushioning conversion machine to produce one or more additional pads.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of removing the release liner includes removing the leading end of the succeeding supply of stock material and the pressure sensitive adhesive thereon from an adjacent layer of the succeeding supply of stock material or removing the trailing end of the almost spent supply of stock material and the pressure sensitive adhesive thereon from an adjacent layer of the almost spent supply of stock material.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of removing the release liner includes removing a paper strip release liner from the leading end of the succeeding supply of stock material or from the trailing end of the almost spent supply of stock material.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of applying includes placing the leading end of the succeeding supply of stock material over the trailing end of the almost spent supply of stock material.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of applying includes placing the trailing end of the almost spent supply of stock material over the leading end of the succeeding supply of stock material.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the stock material is a multi ply stock material and the step of removing the release liner and the step of applying the leading end to the trailing end is repeated for each ply.

7. A supply of sheet stock material for use in a cushioning conversion machine, comprising:

at least one ply of sheet stock material rolled or folded into a compact configuration, and

said ply of sheet stock material having on a leading or trailing end thereof a pressure sensitive adhesive layer and a removable release liner covering the pressure sensitive adhesive layer.

8. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the removable release liner comprises an adjacent layer of the sheet stock material.

9. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 8, wherein said adjacent portion has on its surface facing the adhesive layer a surface treatment for permitting removal of the adhesive layer from the adjacent portion.

10. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer and the release liner extend substantially across the width of said ply of sheet stock material.

11. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer forms a plurality of adhesive portions.

12. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 11, further including a plurality of release liners covering the respective adhesive portions.

13. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer extends substantially across the width of said ply of sheet stock material.

14. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer is discontinuous across the width of said ply of sheet stock material.

15. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer is disposed on the outer surface of the leading or trailing end of said ply of sheet stock material.

16. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer is disposed on the inner surface of the leading or trailing end of said ply of sheet stock material.

17. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the compact configuration of the sheet stock material is a fan-folded stock material.

18. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the compact configuration of the sheet stock material is a roll of stock material.

19. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the at least one ply comprises a plurality of plies and each ply has a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on a leading or trailing end thereof and respective release liners covering the pressure sensitive adhesive layers.

20. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein each ply of sheet stock material and respective pressure sensitive layer thereon are stacked one atop the other in the compact configuration.

21. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein trailing or leading edges of the plies of sheet stock material are longitudinally offset from one another.

22. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein trailing or leading edges of the pressure sensitive adhesive layers are longitudinally offset from one another.

23. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein trailing or leading edges of the pressure sensitive adhesive layers are longitudinally offset from trailing or leading edges of the plies.

24. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer is disposed on a carrier and the adhesive layer and carrier extend longitudinally beyond the terminal end of the leading or trailing end of said ply of sheet stock material, and wherein the release liner comprises an adjacent overlying ply of stock material and a liner for covering that portion of the adhesive layer extending longitudinally beyond the terminal end of the leading or trailing end of said ply of sheet stock material.

25. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer is formed by one side of a double-sided adhesive strip.

26. A supply of sheet stock material as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive layer includes a reduced strength adhesive.

27. A method of converting sheet stock material into a cushioning dunnage product, comprising the steps of:

operating a cushioning conversion machine to produce one or more dunnage pads from a supply of sheet stock material until the supply of sheet stock material is almost spent;

removing a release liner to expose a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on a carrier;

applying the carrier to the trailing end of the almost spent supply of stock material and the leading end of the succeeding supply of stock material such that the adhesive layer bonds the carrier to the respective trailing end of the almost spent supply of stock material and the leading end of the succeeding supply of stock material; and

operating the cushioning conversion machine to produce one or more additional pads.