System and method for producing a disposable/recyclable pallet
AssigneeCoors Global Properties, Inc.
InventorPhilip J. Lucas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure is directed to a system and method for producing a load of packages supported by a disposable/recyclable pallet. The system may comprise at least one palletizing station for producing a plurality of unwrapped palletized tiers of packages, a horizontal wrapping station for producing at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages, a stacking station for stacking the unwrapped palletized tiers of packages on the horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages, and a base applicator for fixedly applying a base to a bottom surface of the horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages.
Claims41
A system for producing a load of packages supported by a disposable/recyclable pallet, comprising:
- a) at least one palletizing station comprising at least one palletizer producing a plurality of unwrapped palletized tiers of packages;
- b) a horizontal wrapping station located downstream from said at least one palletizing station, said horizontal wrapping station comprising at least one horizontal stretch wrapper, said at least one palletizing station and said horizontal wrapping station producing at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages;
- c) a stacking station located downstream from and accessible to said horizontal wrapping station and said at least one palletizing station, said stacking station comprising a lift which receives said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages and said plurality of unwrapped palletized tiers of packages, said plurality of unwrapped palletized tiers of packages being stacked on one another and on said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages;
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- d) a base applicator which fixedly applies a base to a bottom surface of said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages, thereby producing said disposable/recyclable pallet.
A system for producing a load of packages supported by a disposable/recyclable pallet comprising at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages and a base, said system comprising:
- a) a first palletizing station comprising at least one palletizer;
- b) a horizontal wrapping station located downstream from said first palletizing station, said horizontal wrapping station comprising at least one horizontal stretch wrapper having at least one supply of flexible film, said palletizer of said first palletizing station and said horizontal wrapping station producing said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages, said flexible film being wrapped around a first horizontal axis and a second horizontal axis of said horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages, said first horizontal axis being generally perpendicular to said second horizontal axis;
- c) a second palletizing station comprising at least one palletizer producing a plurality of unwrapped palletized tiers of packages;
- d) a stacking station located downstream from and accessible to said horizontal wrapping station and said second palletizing station, said stacking station comprising a lift which receives said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages and said plurality of unwrapped palletized tiers of packages, said plurality of unwrapped palletized tiers of packages being stacked on one another and on said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages;
- and
- e) a base applicator which holds said base and fixedly applies said base to a bottom surface of said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages.
A system for producing a load of packages supported by a disposable/recyclable pallet, comprising:
- a) means for palletizing said packages to produce palletized tiers of packages;
- b) means for wrapping flexible film around a first horizontal axis and a second horizontal axis of at least one of said palletized tiers of packages to produce at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages;
- c) means for stacking multiple unwrapped palletized tiers of packages on said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages, thereby producing said load of packages;
- and
- d) means for fixedly applying a base to a bottom surface of said horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages, thereby producing said disposable/recyclable pallet for supporting said load of packages.
A method for producing a load of packages supported by a disposable/recyclable pallet, comprising:
- a) at at least one palletizing station, arranging packages into a plurality of unwrapped palletized tiers of packages;
- b) at a horizontal wrapping station, wrapping at least one of said unwrapped palletized tiers of packages with flexible film around a first horizontal axis and a second horizontal axis to produce at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages, said first horizontal axis being generally perpendicular to said second horizontal axis;
- c) stacking said plurality of unwrapped palletized tiers of packages on said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages to produce said load of packages;
- and
- d) fixedly applying a disposable/recyclable base to a bottom surface of said at least one horizontally wrapped palletized tier of packages to produce said disposable/recyclable pallet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.