Appeal No. 2001-0553
Application 09/218,910
invention relates to a cushioning conversion system and method
for converting sheet stock material into a low density
cushioning dunnage product and, more particularly, to an
improvement in the mechanisms for feeding the sheet stock
material into the system for conversion into the dunnage
product. The improvement includes a stock roll cart (14) for
supporting a supply roll of sheet stock material and a dancer
roller assembly carried on the stock cart for helping to
maintain a greater uniformity of tension on the sheet material
being fed through the conversion assemblies. A first
embodiment of appellants’ stock cart is seen in Figure 3 of
the application drawings, wherein the dancer roller (82) rides
up and down in guideways (86) as tension on the stock sheet
material increases or decreases, respectively, during
unwinding of the sheet material from the stock roll (74). A
second embodiment of the stock cart is seen in Figure 6,
wherein the dancer roller (102) is supported on pivotally
mounted swing arms (104). Independent claims 1 and 15 are
representative of the subject matter on appeal and a copy of
those claims may be found in Appendix A of appellants’ brief.
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