Stretch wrapping machine with automatic load profiling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034470-B2
Application number	US-201615762501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A method, apparatus and program product perform automatic load profiling to optimize a wrapping operation performed with a stretch wrapping machine. Automatic load profiling may be performed, for example, to determine a density parameter for a load that is indicative of load stability such that one or more control parameters may be configured for a wrapping operation based upon the density parameter. Automatic load profiling may also be performed, for example, to detect a load with a nonstandard top layer, e.g., a load with a top or slip sheet, a load with an easily deformable top layer, a load with a ragged top surface topography and/or a load with an inboard portion, such that a top layer containment operation may be activated during wrapping to optimize containment for the load.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of a type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support, the method comprising:
determining a density parameter for the load prior to wrapping the load, the density parameter describing a characteristic of the load prior to wrapping that is based on a relationship between a size of the load and a weight of the load; and
controlling one or more control parameters for the load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load based upon the determined density parameter for the load, wherein controlling the one or more control parameters for the load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load based upon the determined density parameter for the load includes determining a stability for the load based upon the determined density parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the one or more control parameters for the load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load based upon the determined density parameter for the load includes determining a containment force requirement for the load based upon the determined density parameter.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the one or more control parameters for the load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load based upon the determined density parameter for the load includes determining a wrap force or a number of layers of packaging material to be applied to the load based upon the determined density parameter.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sensing a plurality of points on a plurality of surfaces of the load using one or more sensors directed at the load and generating a surface model of the load based upon the sensed plurality of points; and
determining a verticality of at least one side of the load based upon the generated surface model.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the one or more control parameters for the load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load based upon the determined density parameter for the load includes selecting or configuring a wrap profile for the load based upon the determined density parameter for the load.

6. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of a type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support, the method comprising:
determining a dimension of the load;
determining a density parameter for the load prior to wrapping the load using the determined dimension of the load, the density parameter describing a characteristic of the load prior to wrapping that is based on a relationship between a size of the load and a weight of the load, wherein determining the density parameter for the load includes calculating a ratio between the determined dimension of the load and the weight of the load; and
controlling one or more control parameters for the load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load based upon the determined density parameter for the load.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining a weight parameter of the load, wherein determining the density parameter includes determining the density parameter using the weight parameter.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the weight parameter of the load includes measuring a weight of the load using a weight sensor.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the dimension of the load includes determining a volume of the load from a length, a width and a height of the load.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the load includes an inboard portion, and wherein determining the volume from the length, the width and the height of the load includes determining the volume from a plurality of lengths, widths and heights of the load.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sensing a plurality of points on a plurality of surfaces of the load using one or more sensors directed at the load and generating a surface model of the load based upon the sensed plurality of points, wherein the generated surface model identifies a top surface topography comprising a plurality of elevations for the load, and wherein determining the volume includes determining the volume based upon the generated surface model.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a digital camera, a range imaging sensor or a three-dimensional scanning sensor.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more sensors includes first and second height sensors operatively coupled for substantially vertical movement with the packaging material dispenser and respectively configured to detect elevations for a main body and an inboard portion of the load.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the dimension of the load includes determining the height of the load.

15. The method of claim 6 , wherein controlling the one or more control parameters for the load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load based upon the determined density parameter for the load includes determining a containment force requirement for the load based upon the determined density parameter.

16. The method of claim 6 , wherein controlling the one or more control parameters for the load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load based upon the determined density parameter for the load includes determining a wrap force or a number of layers of packaging material to be applied to the load based upon the determined density parameter.

17. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
sensing a plurality of points on a plurality of surfaces of the load using one or more sensors directed at the load and generating a surface model of the load based upon the sensed plurality of points, wherein the generated surface model identifies a top surface topography comprising a plurality of elevations for the load; and
determining whether the load has a nonstandard top layer based upon the generated surface model.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining whether the load has an inboard portion based upon the generated surface model.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising determining dimensions of the inboard portion of the load based upon the generated surface model.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising activating a top layer containment operation when wrapping the load based upon determining the load has a nonstandard top layer.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising selecting the activated top layer containment operation from among a plurality of top layer containment operations based upon the generated surface model.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of top layer containment operations includes a cross wrap containment operation and a U wrap containment operation.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein selecting the activated top layer containment operation from among the plurality of top layer containment operations includes selecting between the cross wrap containment operation and the U wrap containment operation based upon at least one dimension of an inboard portion of the load determined from the generated surface model.

24. The method of claim 20 , further comprising controlling one or more control parameters for the top layer containment operation based upon

Assignees

• Lantech Com Llc

Inventors

• Lancaster Iii Patrick R
• Mitchell Michael P
• Johnson Richard L

Classifications

• B65B2210/18

  the web dispenser being mounted on a rotary ring · CPC title

• B65B57/12

  and operating to control, or stop, the feed of wrapping materials, containers, or packages · CPC title

• B65B11/045

  by rotating platforms supporting the articles · CPC title

• B65B2011/002

  Prestretching mechanism in wrapping machines · CPC title

• B65B57/16

  and operating to stop, or to control the speed of, the machine as a whole · CPC title