Automatic package wrapping machine
AssigneeWrap-It-Up, Inc.
InventorsLarry J. Ginestra, Michael E. Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic package wrapping machine wraps a box of arbitrary size. The box is placed in the machine following which all operations are automatic. As the box is automatically advanced to a ready-to-wrap position, its length, width and height are automatically measured. Paper is withdrawn from a roll supply and automatically cut to a size calculated to wrap the box. The paper is automatically applied to wrap four sides of the box without causing the box to tilt or tumble. The ends are then automatically processed by folding and sealing of flaps, whereupon a neatly wrapped box is ejected from the machine.
Claims39
A package wrapping machine for boxes of arbitrary size and comprising in combination,
- an infeed section including at least one roll of wrapping paper mounted to unwind the paper therefrom,
- an input section for accepting a box of arbitrary size and determining the dimensions thereof,
- a programmed cutter for cutting a sheet of paper from the roll having dimensions adequate to wrap the box,
- an adhesive applicator for automatically applying adhesive to the box in a position to accept a leading edge of the cut sheet,
- wrapping means for attaching the leading edge of the sheet to the adhesive on the box, for wrapping the box with the sheet and for attaching the trailing edge of the sheet over the leading edge, thereby to overwrap four sides of the box,
- finger, adhesive applicator and wiper means for folding and sealing flaps at the remaining two ends of the box, thereby to produce a fully and automatically wrapped box.
A method of automatically wrapping a box of arbitrary size in a machine having a plurality of paper supplies and a processor controlled cutter, the method comprising the steps of:
- placing a box of arbitrary size in an arbitrary position in the machine,
- operating a computer controlled pusher to advance the box to a ready-to-wrap position,
- automatically measuring the length, width and height of the box as it is advanced to the ready-to-wrap position,
- selecting one of the paper supplies and cutting from the supply a sheet of paper having dimensions calculated to wrap the box,
- adhesively securing the leading edge of the sheet to the box and, without tumbling the box, overwrapping the paper around four sides thereof leaving two edges with unfolded flaps extending therefrom,
- relatively advancing the box and a set of folding fingers so that the unfolded flaps engage the fingers and two short flaps are folded against the box edge,
- folding the two remaining long flaps and applying adhesive to fold and seal the flaps on the edge, thereby to produce a neatly wrapped package without the need for human intervention.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.