1142results about "Wrapping with article rotation" patented technology

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dispensing a predetermined fixed amount of pre-stretched packaging material based upon load girth. A non-rotating ring carries a belt driven by a motor. A packaging material dispenser is mounted on a rotating ring, and the rotating ring may include a pulley that connects to the band, such that the rotating ring is driven by the drive belt. Based upon the girth of the load to be wrapped, an amount of pre-stretched packaging material to be dispensed for each revolution made by the rotating ring is determined. Good wrapping performance in terms of load containment (wrap force) and optimum packaging material use is obtained by dispensing a length of pre-stretched packaging material that is between approximately 90% and approximately 120% of load girth. Once the amount of packaging material to be dispensed per revolution is determined, a ratio of rotating ring drive to final pre-stretch surface speed (i.e., number of pre-stretch roller revolution / rotating ring rotation) can be set and mechanically controlled. Thus, for each revolution of the rotating ring and dispenser, a predetermined fixed amount of packaging material is dispensed and wrapped around the load. In an alternative embodiment, the ratio is electronically controlled.

An apparatus and method for wrapping a palletized load are provided. The apparatus preferably includes a film dispenser for dispensing a film web, at least one guide rollers configured to engage the width of the film web, and at least one roping element. The at least one roping element may be a cable rolling roper configured to roll a portion of the film web into a rolled cable of film. The apparatus may also include means for providing relative rotation between the load and the dispenser to wrap a roped portion of the film web around a base of the load / top portion of a pallet supporting the load.

A method, apparatus and program product monitor a wrap force during a wrap cycle to dynamically control the dispense rate of a packaging material dispenser to meet a desired containment force to be applied to a load. A conversion may be performed between wrap force and containment force for the monitored wrap force or a containment force parameter to facilitate the performance of a comparison between the monitored wrap force and a containment force parameter associated with the desired containment force to be applied to the load. A wrap force parameter may also be dynamically adjusted, and in some instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored wrap force, and may be used to meet a load containment force requirement for a load. In other instances, the dynamic adjustment may be responsive to monitored packaging material breaks to reduce the occurrence of packaging material breaks.

A wrapping apparatus and method utilize a corner geometry-based wrap control that controls the rate at which packaging material is dispensed at least in part based on the geometrical relationship between one or more corners of a load and a packaging material dispenser.

A wrapping apparatus and method utilize a corner rotation angle-based wrap control that controls the rate at which packaging material is dispensed based on the rotational position of one or more corners of the load during relative rotation established between the load and a packaging material dispenser. The locations of one or more corners on a load may be sensed or otherwise calculated, and when combined with a sensed or calculated rotational position of the load relative to a packaging material dispenser, the locations of the corners relative to the packaging material dispenser may be determined and utilized to control the dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser, e.g., by determining which corner is currently driving an effective consumption rate of the load and / or determining when to apply a controlled intervention to the load.