Method of and system for automatically packaging rolls

A system for automatically packaging various rolls having at least different roll widths, different roll diameters, or different package forms, said system comprising an apparatus comprising:

• a flanged member installing device for selecting flanged members corresponding to a roll and automatically installing the flanged members respectively on opposite ends of said roll;
• a tape member applying device for automatically applying a tape to an end of said roll in a transverse direction thereof;
• a packaging sheet working device for automatically processing a packaging sheet to dimensions corresponding to said roll;
• an applying mechanism for automatically applying the processed packaging sheet to the end of said roll with said tape;
• a packaging sheet takeup device for rotating said roll to automatically wind said packaging sheet around said roll, wherein said packaging sheet working device comprises a skirt joining mechanism for applying heat-shrinkable skirt members to respective opposite edges of a sheet;
• a packaging sheet bonding device having a plurality of heating heads selected so as to correspond to the diameter of said roll, for heating opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members on respective opposite edges of said packaging sheet wound around said roll;
• and
• a packaged state inspecting device for automatically inspecting a bonded state of the opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members,
• wherein the inspection comprises a measurement of an edge of the packaging sheet to an edge of a flange member on the corresponding side.

A method of automatically packaging various rolls having at least different roll widths, different roll diameters, or different package forms, said method comprising the steps of:

• selecting flanged members corresponding to a roll and automatically installing the flanged members respectively on opposite ends of said roll;
• automatically applying a tape to an end of said roll in a transverse direction thereof;
• automatically Processing a packaging sheet to dimensions corresponding to said roll;
• automatically applying the processed packaging sheet to the end of said roll with said tape;
• rotating said roll to automatically wind said packaging sheet around said roll;
• automatically producing said packaging sheet by applying heat-shrinkable skirt members to respective opposite edges of a sheet;
• selecting a heating head corresponding to the diameter of said roll, and heating, with said heating head, opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members on respective opposite edges of said packaging sheet wound around said roll to automatically bond the opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members to said roll;
• and
• automatically inspecting a bonded state of the opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members,
• wherein the inspection comprises measurements of a width and a height of the heat-shrinkable skirt member around the circumference of the flange member.

A system for automatically packaging various rolls having at least different roll widths, different roll diameters, or different package forms, said system comprising an apparatus comprising:

• a flanged member installing device for selecting flanged members corresponding to a roll and automatically installing the flanged members respectively on opposite ends of said roll;
• a tape member applying device for automatically applying a tape to an end of said roll in a transverse direction thereof;
• a packaging sheet working device for automatically processing a packaging sheet to dimensions corresponding to said roll;
• an applying mechanism for automatically applying the processed packaging sheet to the end of said roll with said tape;
• a packaging sheet takeup device for rotating said roll to automatically wind said packaging sheet around said roll, wherein said packaging sheet working device comprises a skirt joining mechanism for applying heat-shrinkable skirt members to respective opposite edges of a sheet;
• a packaging sheet bonding device having a plurality of heating heads selected so as to correspond to the diameter of said roll, for heating opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members on respective opposite edges of said packaging sheet wound around said roll;
• and
• a packaged state inspecting device for automatically inspecting a bonded state of the opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members,
• wherein the inspection comprises measurements of a width and a height of the heat-shrinkable skirt member around the circumference of the flange member.