Cushioning product and method and apparatus for making same

Abstract

The invention relates to a crumpled paper tube for use as a cushion in packing items, and to a method and apparatus for producing the same.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A cushioning product comprising: 
 an elongated paper tube which has been crumpled around a circumference thereof such that said crumpled paper tube has a resilience greater than that of said elongated paper tube in an uncrumpled state.    
     
     
         2 . The cushioning product of  claim 1  wherein said elongated paper tube is crumpled in a longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         3 . The cushioning product of  claim 1  wherein said elongated paper tube is crumpled in a radial direction.  
     
     
         4 . The cushioning product of  claim 1  wherein said elongated paper tube is crumpled in a longitudinal direction and in a radial direction.  
     
     
         5 . The cushioning product of  claim 1  wherein said elongated paper tube is formed from an elongated sheet of paper having lateral side edges joined together to form said tube.  
     
     
         6 . The cushioning product of  claim 5  wherein said lateral side edges are adhesively joined together.  
     
     
         7 . The cushioning product of  claim 1  wherein said paper tube is a Kraft paper tube.  
     
     
         8 . A paper tube from which to produce a cushioning product, said paper tube comprising: 
 an elongated sheet of paper having lateral side edges;    said lateral side edges being joined together longitudinally to form said paper tube.    
     
     
         9 . The paper tube of  claim 8  wherein said lateral side edges are adhesively joined together.  
     
     
         10 . The paper tube of  claim 9  wherein an adhesive is positioned between overlapping portions of said lateral side edges.  
     
     
         11 . The paper tube of  claim 9  wherein a strip of paper is positioned so as to overlap both of said lateral side edges and wherein an adhesive is positioned between overlapping portions of said narrow strip and said lateral side edges of said elongated sheet of paper.  
     
     
         12 . The paper tube of  claim 11  wherein said tube is formed from a pair of said elongated sheets of paper and a pair of said strips of paper, one of said strips of paper positioned so as to overlap one said lateral side edge of both said sheets of paper and the other of said strips of paper positioned so as to overlap the other said lateral side edges of both said sheets of paper.  
     
     
         13 . The paper tube of  claim 8  wherein said paper tube is flattened so as to have at least one fold line along each lateral side edge thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The paper tube of  claim 13  wherein said flattened paper tube has an indented fold along each said lateral side edge resulting in three fold lines along each said lateral side edge.  
     
     
         15 . The paper tube of  claim 13  wherein said flattened paper tube is wound into a roll.  
     
     
         16 . The paper tube of  claim 8  further including longitudinally spaced lines of separation facilitating separating said paper tube in two.  
     
     
         17 . The paper tube of  claim 16  wherein said longitudinally spaced lines of separation are perforations.  
     
     
         18 . The paper tube of  claim 8  wherein said paper tube is a Kraft paper tube.  
     
     
         19 . A method for producing a cushioning product comprising: 
 providing an elongated paper tube;    providing a core;    drawing the paper tube over the core; and    crumpling the paper tube around a circumference thereof.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the elongated paper tube is crumpled in a longitudinal direction.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the elongated paper tube is crumpled in a radial direction.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the elongated paper tube is crumpled in a longitudinal direction and in a radial direction.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the paper is drawn over the core by driving rollers.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the core includes idler rollers facilitating the paper tube being drawn over the core by the driving rollers.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the driving rollers include longitudinally spaced apart first and second sets of driving rollers.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the first and second sets of driving rollers rotate at different angular velocities.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the first set of driving rollers rotates at an angular velocity greater than the angular velocity of the second set of rollers.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the second set of driving rollers is positioned downstream from the first set of driving rollers.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25  wherein each set of driving rollers includes at least two opposed rollers, and wherein the spacing between the surfaces of said opposed rollers of said second set of rollers is less than the spacing between the surfaces of said opposed rollers of said first set of rollers.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising separating the cushioning product in two by stopping the first set of driving rollers while continuing to drive the second set of driving rollers.  
     
     
         31 . Apparatus for producing a cushioning product from an elongated paper tube comprising: 
 a core;    a feed mechanism for feeding the paper tube over the core; and    a crumpling mechanism, downstream of said feed mechanism, for crumpling the paper tube around a circumference thereof.    
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said feed mechanism advances the paper tube in a longitudinal direction at a velocity greater than that at which said crumpling mechanism advances the paper tube.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said crumpling mechanism is operational independent of said feed mechanism such that deactivation of said feed mechanism during continued operation of said crumpling mechanism separates the crumpled paper tube in two.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said feed mechanism and said crumpling mechanism comprise longitudinally spaced apart first and second sets of driving rollers respectively.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein said first and second sets of driving rollers rotate at different angular velocities.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said first set of driving rollers rotates at an angular velocity greater than the angular velocity of said second set of rollers.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 36  wherein said second set of driving rollers is positioned downstream from said first set of driving rollers.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein said core includes first and second sets of idler rollers operatively associated with said first and second sets of driving rollers respectively.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein each said set of driving rollers includes at least two opposed rollers, and wherein the spacing between the surfaces of said opposed rollers of said second set of rollers is less than the spacing between the surfaces of said opposed rollers of said first set of rollers.  
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said feed mechanism and said crumpling mechanism comprise longitudinally spaced apart first, second and third sets of driving rollers.  
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 40  wherein said first set of driving rollers rotates at an angular velocity greater than the angular velocity of at least one of said second and third sets of driving rollers.  
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41  wherein said second and third sets of driving rollers are positioned downstream from said first set of driving rollers.  
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 40  wherein each said set of driving rollers includes at least two opposed rollers, and wherein the spacing between the surfaces of said opposed rollers of at least one of said second and third sets of rollers is less than the spacing between the surfaces of said opposed rollers of said first set of rollers.  
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said feed mechanism and said crumpling mechanism are mounted in a box-like structure, and wherein said core is removably positionable in said box-like structure.  
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44  wherein said feed mechanism and said crumpling mechanism circumferentially surround said core.  
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 37  further comprising a motor and a drive shaft connected on one end to said motor and operatively connected on the other end to said first set of driving rollers, said first set of driving rollers operatively connected to said second set of driving rollers.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46  further comprising a brake mechanism and a clutch mechanism operatively associated with said first set of driving rollers such that operation of said mechanisms stops said first set of rollers from rotating while permitting said said second set of driving rollers to continue to rotate, thereby separating the crumpled paper tube in two.  
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 31  wherein said feed mechanism comprises first and second sets of driving rollers and said crumpling mechanism comprises a third set of driving rollers.  
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48  wherein the upstream one of said first and second sets of driving rollers rotates at an angular velocity which is greater than the angular velocity at which the downstream one of said first and second sets of driving rollers rotates.  
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 49  wherein each roller of said third set of driving rollers includes circumferentially spaced radially outwardly directed pins thereon.  
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 50  wherein each said set of driving rollers includes at least two opposed rollers, and wherein the spacing between the surfaces of said opposed rollers of said first and second sets of rollers is the same, and wherein the spacing between the surfaces of the ends of said pins of said opposed rollers of said third set of driving rollers is less than the spacing between the surfaces of said opposed rollers of said first and second sets of rollers.