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US 12,759,828 B2Granted
Unwrapping apparatus for collecting stretch film from a load over multiple relative rotations
AssigneeLantech.com, LLC
InventorsPatrick R. Lancaster, III, Jean-Louis Limousin, Christian Michael Gruner, Smith Patel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and unwrapping apparatus collect stretch film spirally wrapped around a load by generating relative rotation between a take up device and the load over a plurality of relative rotations between the take up device and the load. In some instances, the collected stretch film may be recycled, while in other instances, the collected stretch film may be reused to wrap another load.
Claims20
An unwrapping apparatus for unwrapping first and second loads, the first load having a first continuous web of stretch film spirally wrapped around the first load over multiple revolutions and the second load having a second continuous web of stretch film spirally wrapped around the second load over multiple revolutions, comprising:
- a take up device configured to, during a first unwrapping operation, collect the first continuous web of stretch film unwrapped from the first load, and thereafter, during a second unwrapping operation, collect the second continuous web of stretch film unwrapped from the second load while the first continuous web of stretch film is disposed on the take up device and an end of the second continuous web of stretch film is attached to the first continuous web of stretch film disposed on the take up device;
- a rotational drive configured to generate relative rotation between the take up device and the first load about an axis of rotation during the first unwrapping operation, and generate relative rotation between the take up device and the second load about the axis of rotation during the second unwrapping operation;
- and
- a controller coupled to the take up device and the rotational drive, the controller including at least one processor and memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor:
- perform the first unwrapping operation by controlling the rotational drive to generate a first plurality of relative rotations between the first load and the take up device and controlling the take up device to collect the first continuous web of stretch film over the first plurality of relative rotations such that after the first unwrapping operation the first continuous web of stretch film is collected as a continuous web on the take up device;
- and
- after performing the first unwrapping operation and while the first continuous web of stretch film is disposed on the take up device, perform the second unwrapping operation by controlling the rotational drive to generate a second plurality of relative rotations between the second load and the take up device and controlling the take up device to collect the second continuous web of stretch film over the second plurality of relative rotations such that, after the second unwrapping operation, the second continuous web of stretch film is collected as a continuous web on the take up device and at least a portion of the second continuous web of stretch film overlaps at least a portion of the first continuous web of stretch film on the take up device.
4 more elements
An unwrapping apparatus for unwrapping stretch film from a plurality of loads, the unwrapping apparatus comprising
- a take up device configured to collect stretch film;
- a rotational drive configured to generate relative rotation between the take up device and a load support surface about an axis of rotation;
- and
- a controller coupled to the take up device and the rotational drive, the controller including at least one processor and memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, control the take up device and the rotational drive to perform a first unwrapping operation on a first load of the plurality of loads when the first load is positioned on the load support surface to spirally unwrap, from the first load, a first continuous web of stretch film that is spirally wrapped around the first load, and to perform a second unwrapping operation on a second load of the plurality of loads when the second load is positioned on the load support surface to spirally unwrap, from the second load, a second continuous web of stretch film that is spirally wrapped around the second load;
- wherein the instructions control the take up device and the rotational drive to perform the first unwrapping operation by, after a leading end of the first continuous web of stretch film is attached to the take up device:
- controlling the rotational drive to generate a first plurality of relative rotations between the first load and the take up device;
- and
- controlling the take up device to collect the first continuous web of stretch film over the first plurality of relative rotations such that, after the first unwrapping operation, the first continuous web of stretch film is collected as a continuous web on the take up device;
- and
- wherein the instructions control the take up device and the rotational drive to perform the second unwrapping operation by, after a leading end of the second continuous web of stretch film is attached to a portion of the first continuous web of stretch film disposed on the take up device:
- controlling the rotational drive to generate a second plurality of relative rotations between the second load and the take up device;
- and
- controlling the take up device to collect the second continuous web of stretch film over the second plurality of relative rotations such that, after the second unwrapping operation, the second continuous web of stretch film is collected as a continuous web on the take up device and at least a portion of the second continuous web of stretch film overlaps at least a portion of the first continuous web of stretch film on the take up device.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.