TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure is in the field of packaging systems and materials. More specifically, this disclosure relates to stock material units for forming protective packaging.

BACKGROUND

In the context of paper-based protective packaging, paper sheet is crumpled to produce dunnage. Most commonly, this type of dunnage is created by running a generally continuous strip of paper into a dunnage conversion machine that converts a compact supply of stock material, such as a roll of paper or a fanfold stack of paper, into a lower density dunnage material. The supply of stock material, such as in the case of fanfold paper, is pulled into the conversion machine from a stack that is either continuously formed or formed with discrete section connected together. The continuous strip of crumpled sheet material may be cut into desired lengths to effectively fill void space within a container holding a product. The dunnage material may be produced on an as-needed basis for a packer.

Dunnage supply material may be chainable. For example, the dunnage supply arrangement comprises a first supply unit of an elongated web of material in a high-density arrangement, where the material may be converted into a low-density dunnage, and the connecting member may include an adhesive surface for adhering to a longitudinal second end of a second supply unit of material with sufficient adhesion for pulling the material of the second supply unit into the dunnage mechanism (e.g., daisy chaining the two supply units together).

SUMMARY

A stock material unit for a dunnage conversion machine is provided herein. The stock material unit includes a supply unit including a first strip of sheet material arranged in a high-density configuration and including a first end and a second end opposite the first end. A splicing member is releasably stuck to the supply unit. The splicing member includes a connector that includes a bonding member releasably stuck to the supply unit in a first position. The splicing member is releasable from the first position on the supply unit and repositionable to a second position on the supply unit by the bonding member. In the second position the bonding member is positioned for sticking to a second end of a second strip of sheet of the material to daisy chain the first and second strips of sheet material.

In accordance with various embodiments, a method for daisy chaining separate stock material units for a dunnage conversion machine is provided. The method includes providing a stock material unit for a dunnage conversion machine. The stock material unit includes a supply unit with a first strip of sheet material arranged in a high-density configuration and including a first end and a second end opposite the first end. A splicing member is releasably stuck to the supply unit, the splicing member includes a connector that includes a bonding member releasably stuck to the supply unit in a first position. The method includes removing the splicing member from the first position on the supply unit; and applying the splicing member to a second position on the supply unit in which the connector is stuck to the first end by the bonding member. In the second position, the bonding member is positioned for sticking to a second end of a second continuous sheet of the material to daisy chain the first and second strips of sheet material.

A stock material unit for a dunnage conversion machine is provided herein. The stock material unit includes a first strip of sheet material at least partially defining a three-dimensional configuration and including a first end and a second end opposite the first end; and a splicing member. The first splicing member includes a first cohesive layer affixed to a first end of the sheet material, and a second cohesive layer affixed to a second end of the sheet material. The cohesive layers are of a cohesive material that bonds strongly to corresponding cohesive layers, and has a weak bond to the strip of sheet material. The first and second cohesive layers are positioned for cohesively adhering to a cohesive at an end of a second strip of sheet material of a second stock material unit of the same construction as the stock material unit to daisy chain the first and second strips of sheet material together.

