Patent Publication Number: US-11383476-B2

Title: Compact manual dunnage conversion apparatus

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a national phase of International Application No. PCT/US2018/045361, filed Aug. 6, 2018 and published in the English language, and which claims priority to U.S. Application No. 62/541,826 filed Aug. 7, 2017, both of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a dunnage conversion apparatus and method for converting a sheet material into a dunnage product, and more particularly to a dunnage conversion apparatus and method that expands a pre-slit sheet material. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the process of shipping one or more articles from one location to another, a packer typically places some type of packing material in a shipping container, such as a cardboard box, along with the article or articles to be shipped. The packing material, also referred to as dunnage, may be used to wrap the articles, or to partially or completely fill the empty space or void volume around the articles in the container. By filling the void volume, the packing material prevents or minimizes movement of the articles that might lead to damage during the shipment process. The packing material also can perform blocking, bracing, or cushioning functions. Some commonly used packing materials are plastic foam peanuts, plastic bubble pack, air bags, and converted paper packing material. 
     Unlike most plastic packing products, converted paper packing material is an ecologically-friendly packing material that is recyclable, biodegradable, and composed of a renewable resource. Expandable slit sheet paper packing material is useful as a cushioning material for wrapping articles and as a void-fill material for packing. The term expanding, as used herein, refers to a three-dimensional expansion, or a volume expansion. When the slit sheet paper is stretched in a direction transverse the direction of the slits, the paper deforms, increasing in length and thickness. This stretching and increase in thickness, and volume, more particularly, of the slit sheet paper packing material is referred to as expansion. The material expands in length and thickness while decreasing in width, to yield about a twenty-fold increase in volume and comparable decrease in density. Slit sheet paper packing material, and an exemplary manufacturing thereof, are described in greater detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,667,871 and 5,688,578, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     While many dunnage conversion machines produce an adequate dunnage product, existing dunnage conversion machines and dunnage products are not ideal for all applications. The present invention provides a manually-operated dunnage conversion apparatus that is compact, easy to load and use, and is relatively simple and inexpensive to fabricate. The dunnage conversion apparatus can also be used with a pre-slit expandable sheet material to dispense an expanded dunnage product having both cushioning and void-fill characteristics, while occupying a reduced volume for transport and operation. 
     More specifically, the present invention provides a dunnage conversion apparatus that includes a housing, a support mounted in the housing and configured to support a supply of sheet material for dispensing from the dunnage conversion apparatus, and a guide member downstream of the support and providing a resilient surface across which the sheet material may be drawn to restrict tearing of the sheet material as it is drawn from the dunnage conversion apparatus. 
     The guide member may be coupled to the housing. 
     The housing and the guide member may be made of paperboard. 
     A portion of the guide member may be positioned to bend outwardly from the housing when the sheet material is drawn across the guide member. 
     The dunnage conversion apparatus may further include a tensioning assembly coupled to the housing and to the support for applying a compressive force between opposite axial sides of the housing. 
     The dunnage conversion apparatus may further include an adhesive strip adhered to the bottom of the housing, and including a removable liner that is removable to secure the housing to a work surface. 
     The dunnage conversion apparatus may be in combination with the supply of sheet material, including an expandable sheet material having a plurality of slits configured to expand under tension applied in a feed direction that is transverse a length dimension of the slits. The supply of sheet material in combination with the dunnage conversion apparatus may include the plurality of slits arranged in a plurality of longitudinally-spaced rows that extend in a direction transverse the feed direction. 
     The dunnage conversion apparatus may be further in combination with a supply of separator sheet material supported in the housing. 
     The dunnage conversion apparatus may further include a mounting bracket wrapped about the housing to engage a work surface on which the apparatus is positioned. 
     The present invention further provides a dunnage conversion apparatus including a housing, a support mounted in the housing and configured to support a supply of sheet material for dispensing from the dunnage conversion apparatus, and a tensioning assembly mounted in the housing and configured to apply a compressive force between opposite axial sides of the housing to control the force necessary to dispense sheet material from the supply. 
     The dunnage conversion apparatus may be in combination with the supply of sheet material, and the tensioning assembly may be configured to apply a compressive force between opposite axial end faces of the supply. 
     The tensioning assembly may be configured to compress an axial side of the housing between the tensioning assembly and the support. 
     The opposite axial sides of the housing may be each coupled between an opposite end of the tensioning assembly and the support. 
     At least a portion of one of the axial sides captured between the tensioning assembly and the support may be configured to float relative to the remainder of the housing. 
     An axial end face of the housing may include an access opening permitting access to an axial side of the tensioning assembly. 
     The tensioning assembly may extend into a center core of the support between opposite axial ends of the support. 
     The dunnage conversion apparatus may further include a tool for engaging an axial end of the tensioning assembly for gripping the tensioning assembly during adjustment of a tension of the tensioning assembly. 
     The supply of sheet stock in combination with the dunnage conversion apparatus may include a plurality of slits arranged in a plurality of longitudinally-spaced rows that extend in a direction transverse the feed direction. 
     The dunnage conversion apparatus may be further in combination with a supply of separator sheet material supported in the housing. 
     The present invention also provides a method of manually dispensing an expanded slit sheet material using the dunnage conversion apparatus in combination with a supply of expandable sheet material. The method includes the steps of (a) pulling the sheet material at a location adjacent an output of the apparatus in a direction outwardly from the apparatus, (b) adjusting the compressive force of the tensioning assembly, and (c) expanding the expandable sheet material via tension between the pulling force at the output and the compressive force applied to opposite axial end faces of the supply by the tensioning assembly. 
     The present convention even further provides a dunnage conversion apparatus including a housing, a support means coupled to the housing for supporting a supply of expandable sheet material, a tensioning means for applying a compressive force between opposite axial ends of the housing, and a guiding means disposed downstream of the support means for providing a resilient surface across which the sheet material may be drawn to restrict tearing of the sheet material as it is drawn from the dunnage conversion apparatus. 
     The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these embodiments being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show various aspects of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a front orthogonal view of an exemplary dunnage conversion system provided in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is another front orthogonal view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is rear orthogonal view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is another rear orthogonal view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 , shown partially in cross-section taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is yet another rear orthogonal view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a right side elevation view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a rear elevation view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9  is left side elevation view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  is yet another side elevation view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 12  is a bottom elevation view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 13  is a front orthogonal view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1 , shown with a cover for storage and shipment. 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic representation of a slit sheet material provided by the invention, illustrating the expansion of the sheet to an expanded dunnage product. 
         FIG. 15  is a partial cross-sectional view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 1  taken along line  15 - 15  of  FIG. 3  showing a tensioning assembly. 
         FIG. 16  is an orthogonal view of a tool for use with the tensioning assembly of  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  is an orthogonal view of the exemplary dunnage conversion system of  FIG. 15  with the tool of  FIG. 16  engaging an axial side of the tensioning assembly of  FIG. 15 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention provides an improved low-cost and low-volume apparatus for manually converting a supply of slit sheet material into an expanded dunnage product while facilitating uniform expansion under constant tension, in a simple and easily manufactured assembly. 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail,  FIGS. 1 to 15  illustrate an exemplary dunnage conversion system  18  including a dunnage conversion machine or apparatus  20 , a supply  24  of expandable sheet material  26 , a separator supply  62  of separator sheet material  60 , and a tool  104 . The dunnage conversion apparatus  20  includes a housing  22  (also herein referred to as a frame) and supporting means  23  for supporting the supply  24  sheet material  26  within the housing  22 . The apparatus  20  also includes guiding means  27  for guiding the sheet material  26  downstream of the supporting means  23 . The guiding means  27  guides the sheet material  26  during expansion as the sheet material  26  is advanced in a feed direction from the supporting means  23  to the guiding means  27 . A tensioning means  29  is further provided to change a compressive force applied to opposed axial end faces of the supply  24  of unexpanded sheet material on the supporting means  23 , to thereby control rotational resistance acting on the supply  24 . The apparatus  20  may be provided in combination with the supply  24  of sheet material  26 . The sheet material  26 , also herein referred to as sheet material, slit sheet material, or unexpanded slit sheet material, expands in length and thickness when pulled from the supply  24  to form a relatively less dense, larger volume, expanded dunnage product  28  ( FIG. 14 ). As further explained below, the conversion apparatus  20  enables an operator to manually produce an expanded dunnage product  28  from the relatively more compact unexpanded sheet material  26  at a lower cost than a powered dunnage converter. 
     The housing  22  of the conversion apparatus  20  is generally rectangular, and defines a partially closed volume for retaining the supply of sheet material  24  and the supporting means  23 . The housing  22  includes at least a bottom portion  32  extending between opposite axial sides  34 . The housing  22  may be made of cardboard, or alternatively, may be made of another form of paper, such as paperboard. 
     The housing  22  may include holding means for holding the housing  22  in place during use. For example, one or more strips of adhesive, such as double-sided adhesive tape  39 , may be secured to the bottom portion  32  of the housing  22  and covered with a removable release liner until ready for use in securing the housing  22  to a work surface. In the depicted embodiment, both the adhesive tape  39  and a mounting member, such as a mounting bracket  31 , are illustrated. 
     The mounting bracket  31  includes a vertically extending end  41 , such as downwardly extending end, disposed opposite a retaining end  42 . The retaining end  42  has a slot for receiving the housing  22 , such as the bottom portion  32 . The mounting bracket  31  is shown wrapped about an inner surface of the bottom portion  32 , such that the bottom portion  32  will be disposed between the bracket  31  and a work surface. The retaining end  42  is wrapped about a front end of the apparatus  20 . The bracket  31  is received in one or more slots  30  of the bottom portion  32  to aid in retaining the bracket  31  relative to the housing  22 . The illustrated bottom portion  32  includes a pair of oppositely disposed slots at the front and back of the apparatus  20 . 
     As illustrated, the bracket  31  is disposed such that the vertically extending end  41  is a downwardly extending end that is positioned to engage a side or end of a work surface when sheet material  26  is dispensed from the supply  24 . The bracket  31  may be reversed 180 degrees from the orientation depicted, where suitable, such that the vertically extending end  41  is disposed at the front of the apparatus  20 . 
     Further, the bracket  31  may also be flipped 180 degrees about its long axis and positioned to rest against a bottom surface of the bottom portion  32 , such that the bracket  31  is disposed between a work surface and the bottom portion  32 . In this configuration, the mounting bracket  31  may be attached to the work surface in a suitable manner, such as via a fastener or by one or more strips of adhesive that may be already secured to the mounting bracket  31 . The vertically extending end  41  will be an upwardly extending end. The housing  22  may exert a force against the upwardly extending end  41  in such configuration, when the sheet material  26  is dispensed from the supply  24 . 
     Any one or more of the mounting bracket  31 , adhesive tape  39 , or other suitable holding means may be used to help to hold the housing  22  to a work surface, such as a table top, during use to resist movement of the apparatus  20  when the sheet material  26  is dispensed. This is particularly helpful when the supply  24  of sheet material  26  is nearly exhausted, reducing the weight of the apparatus  20  and thus also the resistance of the apparatus  20  to a pulling force on the sheet material  26 . 
     The housing bottom portion  32  extends between opposite axial sides  34  that are laterally-spaced apart from one another via the bottom portion  32 . The axial sides  34  extend vertically and generally orthogonally in relation to the bottom portion  32 . The bottom portion  32  and the axial sides  34  can be a single, unitary structure as shown, or can be formed of separate, intercoupled components in other embodiments. Each of the opposite axial sides  34  includes a slot for receiving the tensioning means  29 . Each of the opposite axial sides  34  also includes an inwardly facing slot for receiving and supporting the supporting means  23 . The housing  22  has an outlet opening  35  extending between the opposite axial sides  34  through which the sheet material  26  may be drawn. 
     One of the axial sides  34  includes an inner portion  36  coupled to an outer portion  37 , which is in turn coupled to the bottom portion  32 . As shown, the inner portion  36 , the outer portion  37 , and the bottom portion  32  are integral with one another and are hingedly connected to one another. The inner portion  36  is hingedly connected to the outer portion  37  and is not directly connected to, but is supported by, the bottom portion  32 , such that the inner portion  36  is enabled to float relative to the remainder of the housing  22 . For example, the inner portion  36  may be moved between the outer portion  37  and the opposite axial side  34 , relative to the bottom portion  32  and to the outer portion  37 . The inner portion  36  may float generally along the rotation axis  33  ( FIG. 15 ) of the support member  38 , in response to operation of the tensioning means  29 . In addition, the inner portion  36  is further configured to support the supporting means  23 . 
     The supporting means  23  includes one or more supports  38  positioned within the housing  22  to support or guide the sheet material  26  as it is drawn from the supply  24 . The depicted support  38  is a hollow core extending between the opposite axial sides  34 , such as between the inner portion  36  of a first axial side  34  and the opposite second axial side  34 . The support  38  and the axial sides  34  can be formed of separate, intercoupled components as shown, or can be a single, unitary structure, in other embodiments. The stock material supporting means  23 , including the support  38 , generally also is formed of cardboard or other paper-based product. In other embodiments, the supporting means  23  may include a receiving portion for being positioned beneath the supply  24  and for receiving and supporting the supply  24 . The receiving portion may include rotating members for aiding in rotation of the supply  24  where the supply is in the form of a roll. The receiving portion may define a cavity for receiving the supply  24 . 
     A cover or lid  40 , such as that shown in  FIG. 13 , may be provided to further protect the apparatus  20  during shipment and storage, and may be removed during use. The cover  40  can be made of the same material as the housing  22 , such as cardboard, paperboard, or other paper-based material, and covers a top and at least a portion of the axial sides  34  of the housing  22 . As depicted, the cover  40  of the apparatus  20  covers each of the axial sides  34  and the supply  24 , and may cover at least part of the bottom portion  32  in other embodiments. During shipping or other transport, the tool  104  and mounting bracket  31  may be stored between the apparatus  20  and the cover  40 . 
     Referring briefly to  FIG. 14 , the sheet material  26  in combination with the apparatus  20  has a plurality of rows of slits  44 , and typically includes one or more plies. The slits  44  have a length dimension  46  that generally is parallel to a width dimension  48  of the sheet material  26 , transverse to the feed direction  50  from which the sheet material  26  is pulled from the supply  24 . The feed direction  50 , from the supply  24  to the outlet opening  35  through which the sheet material  26  is pulled, also may be referred to as a downstream direction. An upstream direction is opposite the downstream direction. 
     The sheet material  26  has a plurality of longitudinally-spaced, transversely-extending rows of slits  44 . Typically, the slits  44  are periodically, and typically equally, spaced from one another. Though in other embodiments the rows may be otherwise suitably arranged relative to one another. The slits  44  are intermittently dispersed across the rows, with the slits  44  of each row generally being staggered in relation to slits of directly adjacent rows. Across each row of slits  44 , there may be a greater length of combined slits  44  than a length of un-slit portions disposed between slit endpoints, providing for an optimum amount of expansion of the sheet material  26 . The slits  44  may be formed by cutting the sheet material  26 , or otherwise weakening the sheet material  26  intermittently in the transverse direction along each row across the sheet material  26  so that the sheet material  26  separates across the slit under longitudinal tension provided in the feed direction  50 . The apparatus  20  provided by the invention may be used with a supply  24  of sheet material  26  with a different arrangement of slits in other embodiments. 
     This exemplary sheet material  26  is configured for expanding in one or more dimensions, also herein referred to as volume expansion or volumetric expansion. For example, when the sheet material  26  is stretched in the feed direction  50  transverse the direction of the slits  44 , the sheet&#39;s longitudinal length and its thickness increase, while the sheet&#39;s lateral width dimension  48  decreases. 
     The thickness of the slit sheet material  26  can increase by an order of magnitude, or more, relative to its original thickness when stretched in this manner. The increased thickness as the sheet material  26  is stretched longitudinally is caused at least in part via the portions of the sheet material  26  between the rows of slits  44  rotating relative to the plane of the unexpanded sheet material  26  and extending out of the plane of the formerly planar sheet. The thickness dimension extends in a normal direction relative to a face of the sheet material  26 . The normal direction is defined as generally orthogonal to the sheet&#39;s longitudinal length and generally orthogonal to a lateral extent between lateral edges  54  of the sheet material  26 . 
     To summarize, as compared to the unexpanded slit sheet material  26 , the expanded sheet material  26  (also referred to as the dunnage product  28 ) has an increased length and thickness and reduced width. The longitudinal stretching and increase in thickness results in the volumetrically expanded dunnage product  28 . The increased volume allows the expanded dunnage product to serve as a perforate protective void-fill or cushioning wrap for packaging articles in containers. 
     An exemplary sheet material  26  includes paper, such as kraft paper, and more particularly, includes a single-ply kraft paper. Suitable kraft paper may have various basis weights, such as twenty-pound or forty-pound, for example. In some embodiments, the sheet material  26  may be laminated or may include any other suitable material such as another paper, plastic sheets, metal foil, or any combination thereof. 
     Turning again to  FIGS. 1-15 , as shown, the sheet material  26  generally may be supplied in one or more rolls. The depicted sheet material  26  in each roll is wound about the supply support  38 . In other embodiments, the sheet material  26  may be wound about a separate hollow core that is itself received on the supply support  38 . The supply  24  may rotate about the central axis  33  ( FIG. 15 ) parallel to the width dimension  48  as the sheet material  26  is unwound from the roll in the feed direction  50  transverse the central axis  33 . The hollow core may be made of paperboard. In other embodiments, the supply  24  of sheet material  26  may be additionally or alternatively provided in another suitable arrangement, such as in a fan-folded stack, where the sheet material is alternatingly folded into a stack of generally rectangular pages with the slits generally parallel to fold lines in the sheet material. The illustrated exemplary sheet material  26  with its plurality of slits  44  ( FIG. 14 ) is configured to expand along the feed direction  50  as it is drawn through the housing  22  of the apparatus  20  from the supporting means  23  to the guiding means  27 . 
     The sheet material  26  may be drawn along with a separator sheet material  60  used as a separator sheet between the resultant dunnage product  28  and a product to be protected by the dunnage product  28 . Accordingly, the dunnage conversion system  18  may further include a separator supply  62  of separator sheet material  60  in combination with the apparatus  20  and the supply  24 . An exemplary separator sheet material  60 , also herein referred to as interleaf paper, may be a tissue paper, thin kraft paper such as thinner than the slit sheet material  26 , plastic, a combination thereof, etc. The interleaf paper is generally non-expandable. 
     Like the supply  24 , the separator supply  62  may be provided as a roll, such as wound about a hollow core  61  that may be received on a respective separator support  64 . The separator supply  62  may rotate about a central axis  66  ( FIG. 15 ) as the separator sheet material  60  is unwound from the roll in the feed direction  50  transverse the central axis  66 . The illustrated support  64  is a hollow core extending between the axial sides  34 . The support  64  is received in corresponding slots of the axial sides  34  of the housing  22 , such as in the inner portion  36  of the first axial side  34  and in the opposite second axial side  34 . One or more spacing collars  68  may be disposed on the illustrated support  64  for spacing the supply  62  centrally along the support between the axial sides  34 . 
     Additionally, or alternatively, the separator supply  62  may be provided in a fan folded stack, and an associated supply support may include a shelf for supporting the stack. 
     Downstream of each of the separator supply  62  and the sheet material supply  24 , the guiding means  27  is disposed mounted to the housing  22 . The guiding means  27 , such as a guide member  67 , is provided at the outlet  35  for guiding at least the sheet material  26  as it is drawn from the supply  24 . The guide member  67  extends between each of the axial sides  34  of the housing  22 , such as between the outer portion  37  of a first axial side  34  and the opposite second axial side  34 . The guide member  67  generally also is formed of cardboard, paperboard, or other paper-based product. In some embodiments, the guide member  67  may be unitary with the housing  22 . 
     As depicted, couplers  72 , such as rivets, fasten opposite axial ends of the guide member  67  to opposite axial sides  34 . The coupling provides for support of the axial sides  34  and generally maintains the spacing therebetween. The rivets may be plastic, metal, or another suitable material. Alternatively, the guide member  67  could be coupled to the axial sides  34  via an adhesive. 
     The guide member  67  includes a resiliently movable portion  74 , such as a resilient flap  74 , against which at least the sheet material  26  is drawn when being advanced in the feed direction  50 . At least the sheet material  26 , and where desired the separator sheet material  60 , may be drawn under the guide member  67 , between the bottom portion  32  and the flap  74  of the guide member  67 . 
     As the sheet material  26  is drawn outwardly, the resilient flap  74  may also be drawn outwardly, such as bent outwardly from the housing  22 . A hinge location  76  between a guide member coupling portion  78  and the resilient flap  74  provides a rounded contact for the expandable sheet material  26  as it advances in the feed direction  50 . The resiliency of the flap  74  also may aid in providing tautness of the sheet material  26  between the guide member  67  and the supply  24 , thereby facilitating expansion of the sheet material  26  therebetween. The guide member  67  and the resilient flap  74  further may assist in restricting or preventing wrinkling, tearing, or misalignment of the sheet material  26  between the axial sides  34 . 
     In other embodiments, the guiding means  27  may additionally or alternatively include a cylinder mounted between the axial sides  34  which may or may not rotate relative to the axial sides  34 . In such case, an exemplary guide member  67  may include a paperboard tube or rod, or a wooden dowel. 
     Turning now in particular to  FIG. 15 , and to  FIGS. 3-5 , upstream of the guide member  67 , tension of the supply  24  is controlled via a tensioning means  29 . The depicted tensioning means  29  includes a tensioning assembly  80  that is mounted in the housing  22  and is configured to apply a compressive force between the opposite axial sides  34  of the housing  22  to control the force needed to dispense the sheet material  26  from the supply  24 . 
     The tensioning assembly  80  is coupled between the axial sides  34  at the location of the mounting of the support  38  to the housing  22 . Each of the axial sides  34  of the housing  22  are coupled between an opposite end of the tensioning assembly  80  and the support  38 . More particularly, the inner portion  36  of the first axial side  34  and the opposite second axial side  34  are coupled by the tensioning assembly  80 . 
     As depicted, the tensioning assembly  80  includes oppositely disposed tensioning core plugs  90  received in corresponding slots of the inner portion  36  of the first axial side  34  and of the second axial side  34 . A retaining rim  92  of each of the tensioning core plugs  90  is disposed outwardly of the axial sides  34 . A washer  93 , such as a paper-based washer, is disposed between the retaining rim  92  and the respective axial side  34 . An inner core plug portion  94  of each of the tensioning core plugs  90  is received through the corresponding slots of the axial sides  34  and into a center core cavity  96  the support  38 , which is mounted between the axial sides  34 . The tensioning core plugs  90  are gripped via friction between the axial sides  34  and the tensioning core plugs  90 . 
     A resilient biasing member  100 , such as a plastic cord such as nylon, rubber band, string, wire, rope, etc., that extends through the center core cavity  96  of the support  38  and is coupled between each of the inner core plug portions  94 . Particularly, the biasing member  100  is received through corresponding slots in each of the inner core plug portions  94  to form a loop. A loop may not be formed in other embodiments. 
     At least one of the tensioning core plugs  90 , and as depicted both core plugs  90 , includes an externally accessible exposed end portion  102 , adjacent the retaining rim  92 , that is configured to be gripped by a user for twisting or rotating the respective tensioning core plug  90 . As shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , a corresponding tool  104  may be used for gripping an axial side of the tensioning assembly  80 , such as an end portion  102 . One of the tool  104  and the end portion  102  may have one or more slots for receiving one or more keys of the other of the tool  104  and the end portion  102 . The depicted tool  104  includes slots, where the end portions  102  include keys. The tool  104  may be made of a paper-based product. A second tool may be used for gripping the opposite end portion  102 . 
     The outer portion  37  of the first axial side  34  includes an access opening  105 , and an access door  106  for closing the access opening  105 . The access opening enables access through the outer portion  37  to the respective disposed end portion  102 . As depicted, the access door  106  is unitary with the outer portion  37  of the first axial side  34 , but may be otherwise coupled to the outer portion  37  in other embodiments. Alternatively, the access door  106  may be omitted, leaving the access opening  105  in its absence. 
     Rotation of at least one of the tensioning core plugs  90  relative to the other core plug  90  causes twisting of the biasing member  100  and corresponding rotational loading of the tensioning assembly  80 . The twisting can cause a compressive force to be increased or decreased between the axial sides  34 . By the tensioning assembly  80  applying a compressive force between the opposite sides  34  of the housing  22  at the location of the support  38 , the tensioning assembly  80  is likewise configured to apply a compressive force between opposite axial end faces  108  of the supply  24 , which is disposed about the support  38 . 
     The compressive force may cause the inner portion  36  to float, generally moving along the axis  33 . The inner portion  36  and/or the opposite axial side  34  may be compressed. As a result, the increasing or decreasing compressive force respectively increases or decreases the rotational resistance applied to the supply  24  to control the force necessary to dispense the sheet material  26  from the supply  24 . The controlled rotational resistance correspondingly aids in controlling and creating tension of the sheet material  26  between the supply  24  and the manual pulling force of the user and/or the guiding means  27  to cause expansion of the expandable sheet material  26  therebetween. 
     Accordingly, in use, the unexpanded slit sheet material  26  is fed from the expandable material supply  24  in a downstream feed direction  50  toward the outlet opening  35  in the housing  22  and against the guide member  67 . A pulling force manually applied by the operator cooperates with the tensioning assembly  80  and the guide member  67  to cause tension in the unexpanded (and expandable) material  26 . The sheet material  26  is caused to be stretched and to expand in length and in thickness, while decreasing in width. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the housing  22 , the support means  23 , the cover  40 , the support  64 , the guide member  67 , the expandable sheet supply  24 , and the separator sheet supply  62  are all made of a paper-based product. Thus, the majority of the illustrated apparatus  20  is recyclable, otherwise disposable after use, and composed of a renewable resource. The tensioning assembly  80  can be reused or repurposed. 
     In summary, the present disclosure provides a manually-operated dunnage conversion apparatus  20  that includes a housing  22 , a support  36  mounted in the housing  22  and configured to support a supply  24  of sheet material  26  for dispensing from the dunnage conversion apparatus  20 , and one or both of (a) a guide member  67  mounted in the housing  22  downstream of the support  36  and providing a resilient surface across which the sheet material  26  may be drawn to restrict tearing of the sheet material  26  as it is drawn from the dunnage conversion apparatus  20 , and (b) a tensioning assembly  80  mounted in the housing  22  and configured to apply a compressive force between opposite axial sides  34  of the housing  22  to control the force necessary to dispense the supply of sheet material  26 . Except for the tensioning assembly  80 , the apparatus  20  may be made of paper-based products, making the apparatus  20  recyclable, reusable, and composed of a renewable resource, as well as inexpensive to manufacture. 
     The present disclosure also includes a method of manually dispensing an expanded slit sheet material  28  using the dunnage conversion apparatus  20  in combination with the supply  24  of expandable sheet material  26 . The method uses the dunnage conversion apparatus  20  having a housing  22 , a support  36  mounted in the housing  22  and configured to support the supply  24  for dispensing from the dunnage conversion apparatus  20 , and the tensioning assembly  80  mounted in the housing  22  and configured to apply a compressive force between the opposite axial sides  34  of the housing  22  to control the force necessary to dispense the supply  24 . 
     The method includes the steps of (a) pulling the sheet material  26  at a location adjacent an output  35  of the apparatus  20  in a direction outwardly from the apparatus  20 , (b) adjusting the compressive force of the tensioning assembly  80 , and (c) expanding the expandable sheet material  26  via tension between the pulling force at the output  35  and the compressive force applied to opposite axial end faces  108  of the supply  24  by the tensioning assembly  80 . 
     Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain illustrated embodiment, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described integers (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such integers are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any integer which performs the specified function (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated embodiment or embodiments of the invention.