Containment force-based wrapping
AssigneeLantech.com, LLC
InventorsPatrick R. Lancaster, III, Michael P. Mitchell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Control of a wrapping apparatus is facilitated by enabling an operator to input a load containment force requirement and/or a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be applied to a load, with a wrap control system automatically determining wrap force and other parameters required to meet user input requirements and/or parameters to minimize the expertise required of an operator and to provide more consistent and reliable wrapping of loads. In addition, a wrapping apparatus may be controlled to apply at least a minimum number of layers of packaging material to a load throughout a contiguous region thereof.
Claims37
A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support about an axis, the method comprising:
- receiving input data associated with a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material;
- and
- using a central processing unit, determining first and second parameters to meet the load containment force requirement associated with the input data based on a packaging material attribute associated with the packaging material, wherein the first parameter is used to control a wrap force to be applied to the load during the relative rotation and the second parameter is used to control a position at which a web of the packaging material engages the load along a direction generally parallel to the axis during the relative rotation such that a sufficient number of layers of packaging material is applied to the load with a sufficient amount of wrap force throughout a contiguous region extending between first and second positions respectively disposed proximate first and second opposing ends of the load to meet the load containment force requirement throughout the contiguous region.
An apparatus for wrapping a load supported by a load support with packaging material, the apparatus comprising:
- a packaging material dispenser for dispensing packaging material to the load, wherein the packaging material dispenser and the load support are adapted for rotation relative to one other;
- and
- a controller configured to receive input data associated with a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material, and determine first and second parameters to meet the load containment force requirement associated with the input data based on a packaging material attribute associated with the packaging material, wherein the first parameter is used to control a wrap force to be applied to the load during the relative rotation and the second parameter is used to control a position at which a web of the packaging material engages the load along a direction generally parallel to the axis during the relative rotation such that a sufficient number of layers of packaging material is applied to the load with a sufficient amount of wrap force throughout a contiguous region extending between first and second positions respectively disposed proximate first and second opposing ends of the load to meet the load containment force requirement throughout the contiguous region.
A program product, comprising:
- a non-transitory computer readable medium;
- and
- program code stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to control a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support about an axis, wherein the program code is configured to control the load wrapping apparatus by:
- receiving input data associated with a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material;
- and
- using a central processing unit, determining first and second parameters to meet the load containment force requirement associated with the input data based on a packaging material attribute associated with the packaging material, wherein the first parameter is used to control a wrap force to be applied to the load during the relative rotation and the second parameter is used to control a position at which a web of the packaging material engages the load along a direction generally parallel to the axis during the relative rotation such that a sufficient number of layers of packaging material is applied to the load with a sufficient amount of wrap force throughout a contiguous region extending between first and second positions respectively disposed proximate first and second opposing ends of the load to meet the load containment force requirement throughout the contiguous region.
A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus configured to wrap a load with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser, the load wrapping of the type including a rotational drive system that generates relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load about an axis of rotation, a packaging material drive system that controls a dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser during the relative rotation, and a lift drive system that controls a position at which the packaging material dispensed by the packaging material dispenser contacts the load along a direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation, the method comprising:
- receiving input data associated with a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material;
- and
- using a central processing unit, determining first and second parameters to meet the load containment force requirement associated with the input data based on a packaging material attribute associated with the packaging material, wherein the first parameter is configured to control the packaging material drive system of the load wrapping apparatus during the relative rotation generated by the rotational drive system to apply the packaging material to the load with a wrap force, and wherein the second parameter is configured to control the lift drive system of the load wrapping apparatus during the relative rotation to cause the packaging material dispenser to apply a sufficient amount of packaging material to the load with a sufficient amount of wrap force throughout a contiguous region extending between first and second positions respectively disposed proximate first and second opposing ends of the load to meet the load containment force requirement throughout the contiguous region.
A load wrapping apparatus configured to wrap a load with packaging material, the apparatus comprising:
- a packaging material dispenser configured to dispense a web of the packaging material;
- a rotational drive system that generates relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load about an axis of rotation;
- a packaging material drive system that controls a dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser during the relative rotation;
- a lift drive system that controls a position at which the packaging material dispensed by the packaging material dispenser contacts the load along a direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation;
- and
- a central processing unit coupled to the rotational drive system, the packaging material drive system and the lift drive system and configured to:
- receive input data associated with a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material;
- determine a first parameter and a second parameter from the load containment force requirement and a packaging material attribute associated with the packaging material;
- and
- during the relative rotation generated by the rotational drive system, control the packaging material drive system of the load wrapping apparatus using the first parameter and control the lift drive system of the load wrapping apparatus using the second parameter to cause the packaging material dispenser to apply a sufficient amount of packaging material to the load with a sufficient amount of wrap force throughout a contiguous region extending between first and second positions respectively disposed proximate first and second opposing ends of the load to meet the load containment force requirement throughout the contiguous region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.