Annular article-wrapping member and method of making same

An annular article-wrapping method, comprising the steps of:

• providing an annular article to be wrapped;
• providing a pair of rolls of shrinkable wrapping material, wherein said annular article is disposed to have an axis of rotation parallel to an axis of each of said pair of rolls of said shrinkable wrapping material;
• winding said shrinkable wrapping material on an outer periphery of said annular article to be wrapped such that the direction of shrinkage of said shrinkable wrapping material coincides with a circumferential direction of the outer periphery of said annular article and said wrapping material has overlapped portions, said overlapped portions traversing said annular article in a direction normal to the circumference of said annular article;
• joining said overlapped portions of said wrapping material together;
• heating said shrinkable wrapping material to be shrunk to provide an intermediate wrapped member having sleeve openings having a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of said annular article;
• joining circumferential edges of the wrapping material of said intermediate wrapped member together to form a ring-shaped portion along an inner periphery of said annular article;
• and
• removing said ring-shaped portion of said intermediate wrapped member disposed inwardly of said inner periphery of said annular article by cutting, thereby obtaining a wrapped annular article,
• wherein said step of heating said shrinkable wrapping material comprises heating said shrinkable wrapping material in its entirety.

An annular article-wrapping apparatus adapted for use with a heat sealable wrapping material and an annular article to be wrapped, comprising:

• means for winding said heat sealable wrapping material on an outer periphery of said annular article to be wrapped such that overlapped portions of said wrapping material are formed, said overlapped portions traversing an outer circumference of said annular article in a direction normal to the circumference of said annular article;
• means for joining said overlapped portions of said wrapping material together;
• heating means for heating said wrapping material to provide an intermediate wrapped member having sleeve openings having a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the annular article, said heating means comprising means for heating said wrapping material in its entirety;
• and
• ring sealer means for joining circumferential edges of the wrapping material of the intermediate wrapped member together in a ring-shape along an inner periphery of the annular article.

An annular article-wrapping apparatus, comprising:

• means for winding a heat sealable wrapping material on an outer periphery of an annular article to be wrapped to form overlapping portions parallel to the axis of the annular article;
• sleeve sealer means for joining said overlapped portions of said wrapping material together;
• heating means for heating said wrapping material to provide an intermediate wrapped member having sleeve openings having a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the annular article;
• and
• ring sealer means for joining circumferential edges of the wrapping material of the intermediate wrapped member together in a ring-shape along an inner periphery of the annular article.

An apparatus for wrapping an annular article adapted for use with a shrinkable wrapping material and an annular article, comprising:

• means for winding said shrinkable wrapping material on an outer periphery of said annular article to be wrapped in such a manner that a direction of shrinkage of said shrinkable wrapping material coincides with a circumferential direction of the outer periphery of said annular article and such that overlapped portions of said shrinkable wrapping material are formed parallel to the axis of the annular article;
• means for joining said overlapped portions of said shrinkable wrapping material;
• means for heating said shrinkable wrapping material to provide a wrapped intermediate member having circumferential edges having a bore diameter smaller than an inner diameter of said annular article;
• means for joining said circumferential edges of said wrapped intermediate member together in a ring shape along an inner periphery of said annular article;
• and
• means for removing said ring-shaped portion of said wrapped intermediate member disposed inwardly of said inner periphery of said annular article by cutting, thereby obtaining a wrapped annular article.

An apparatus for wrapping an annular article adapted for use with a shrinkable wrapping material and an annular article, comprising:

• a winding member for winding said shrinkable wrapping material on an outer periphery of said annular article to be wrapped to form overlapped portions parallel to the axis of the annular article in such a manner that a direction of shrinkage of said shrinkable wrapping material coincides with a circumferential direction of the outer periphery of said annular article;
• a joining member for joining said overlapped portions of said wrapping material;
• a heating member for heating said shrinkable wrapping material to provide a wrapped intermediate member having circumferential edges with a bore diameter smaller than an inner diameter of said annular article;
• a sleeve joining member for joining said circumferential edges of the wrapping material of said wrapped intermediate member together in a ring shape along an inner periphery of said annular article;
• and
• means for removing said ring-shaped portion of said wrapped intermediate member disposed inwardly of said inner periphery of said annular article by cutting, thereby obtaining a wrapped annular article.