Methods and apparatus for evaluating packaging materials and determining wrap settings for wrapping machines
AssigneeLantech.com, LLC
InventorPatrick R. Lancaster, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of determining a wrap force or payout percentage at which to wrap a load with packaging material may include dispensing packaging material. The method may also include forming a tear in a portion of the packaging material. The method may further include identifying a first payout percentage at which the tear exhibits a first behavior. The method may also include identifying a second payout percentage at which the tear exhibits a second behavior. The method may further include selecting a third payout percentage between the first payout percentage and the second payout percentage, for wrapping the load.
Claims28
A method for determining a wrap force at which to wrap a load with packaging material, the method comprising:
- dispensing packaging material to a load;
- intentionally forming a tear in a portion of the packaging material;
- identifying a first wrap force at which the tear exhibits a first behavior;
- identifying a second wrap force at which the tear exhibits a second behavior;
- and
- selecting a first intermediate wrap force between the first wrap force and the second wrap force, for wrapping the load.
A method for determining a payout percentage at which to wrap a load with packaging material, the method comprising:
- dispensing packaging material to a load;
- intentionally forming a tear in a portion of the packaging material;
- identifying a first payout percentage at which the tear exhibits a first behavior;
- identifying a second payout percentage at which the tear exhibits a second behavior;
- and
- selecting a first intermediate payout percentage between the first payout percentage and the second payout percentage, for wrapping the load.
A method of determining a number of relative revolutions between a packaging material dispenser and a load for wrapping the load with a first packaging material, the method comprising:
- wrapping a test load with the first packaging material at a selected wrap force setting;
- determining an incremental force exerted by each wrap of the first packaging material on the test load;
- determining a partial containment force for a wrapped load at a selected area of the wrapped load;
- obtaining one or more characteristics of the load;
- obtaining one or more characteristics of the first packaging material;
- determining a total containment force for wrapping the load based on the partial containment force, the one or more characteristics of the load, and the one or more characteristics of the first packaging material;
- and
- determining the number of relative revolutions for wrapping the load based on the total containment force and the wrap force exerted by each wrap of first packaging material on the test load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.