DUNNAGE PAD PRODUCTION AND PACKAGING SYSTEM

摘要

A pad production (supply) and packaging system and method for automatically producing dunnage pads and inserting one or more of the produced dunnage pads into a container for packaging of an article in the container. The invention is characterized by a pad discharge assembly (14) and/or pad insertion assembly to provide an automatic pad production and packaging system and method, that afford advantages over existing pad production and packaging arrangements. The discharge assembly, which provides for controlled discharge of dunnage pads produced by a pad producing machine, includes a gating device for affecting passage of the pad out of the holding zone in a direction transverse to the pad length. A controller (85) causes the discharge assembly to release a pad held in the holding zone for passage onto a working surface and preferably a conveyor in synchronous relation to movement of the conveyor for controlled deposition of pads onto the conveyor. The conveyor (13) conveys the pad into a pad insertion zone in a first direction, and a pusher assembly is operative to push the pad from the pad insertion zone in a direction transverse to the first direction. The pusher assembly includes a plunger for engaging and pushing a pad located at the pad insertion zone; and the pad insertion zone includes an opening over which a pad is conveyed by the conveyor, and the plunger is operable to push the pad through the opening for insertion into a container. A sensor curtain is disposed near the holding zone and/or pad insertion zone to detect the insertion of a foreign object and provide an output for disabling a severing operation. One or more pad insertion assemblies can be swivelly mounted to a stand to permit relative rotatable movement therebetween from an operating position to a loading/servicing position and vice versa.