Stretch wrapping machine with packaging material tail treatment
AssigneeLantech.com, LLC
InventorsPatrick R. Lancaster, III, Jean-Louis Limousin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method, apparatus and program product utilize pressurized fluid flow from a position generally upstream of a free end of a packaging material tail and at an acute angle relative to the side of a load while the free end of the packaging material tail is unsupported and/or utilize pressurized fluid flow in two or more directions and from two or more positions to assist in adhering a packaging material tail to the side of a load at the completion of a wrapping operation.
Claims44
An apparatus for wrapping a load, the apparatus comprising:
- a packaging material dispenser configured to dispense a web of packaging material to the load;
- a rotational drive configured to generate relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load about a center of rotation;
- a cutting assembly configured to sever the web of packaging material to form a packaging material tail extending from a corner of the load;
- and
- a flow device configured to direct a flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position generally upstream of a free end of the packaging material tail and at an acute angle relative to the side of the load while the free end of the packaging material tail is unsupported to cause the packaging material tail to come into contact with the side of the load.
A method of securing a packaging material tail to a side of a wrapped load, the packaging material tail formed by severing a web of packaging material extending between a corner of the load and a cutting assembly, the method comprising:
- directing a first flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a first position generally upstream of a free end of the packaging material tail and at a first angle relative to the side of the load;
- and
- directing a second flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a second position and at a second angle relative to the side of the load;
- wherein the first angle is smaller than the second angle.
-81. (canceled)
A method of securing a packaging material tail to a side of a wrapped load, the method comprising:
- severing a web of packaging material extending between a corner of the load and a cutting assembly to form a packaging material tail extending from the corner of the load;
- directing a first flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a first position generally upstream of a free end of the packaging material tail and at a first angle relative to the side of the load while the free end of the packaging material tail is unsupported to cause the packaging material tail to come into contact with the side of the load;
- and
- after directing the first flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail, directing a second flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a second position and at a second angle relative to the side of the load to increase adherence of the packaging material tail to the side of the load;
- wherein the first angle is an acute angle relative to the side of the load and the second angle is substantially orthogonal relative to the side of the load.
A method of securing a packaging material tail to a side of a wrapped load, the method comprising:
- severing a web of packaging material extending between a corner of the load and a cutting assembly to form a packaging material tail extending from the corner of the load;
- directing a flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position generally upstream of a free end of the packaging material tail and at an acute angle relative to the side of the load while the free end of the packaging material tail is unsupported to cause the packaging material tail to come into contact with the side of the load.
-95. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.