Automated furniture bagger and material therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11999515-B2
Application number	US-202217688737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2022
Priority date	Nov 1, 2016
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

Provided herein is a furniture wrapping system. The furniture wrapping system includes a film roll support configured to unroll a first film across a path of the furniture article in a first direction, such that the film roll support positions a film barrier across the path. The furniture wrapping system includes a conveyor mechanism configured to carry the furniture article along the path and into the barrier. The furniture wrapping system includes a sealer configured to extend across the path to form a seal such that the furniture article is partially enclosed in the first film.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A supply web of material, comprising:
a film layer; and
a foam layer overlaying the film layer;
wherein the material includes a first gusset comprising:
a first longitudinal fold, and
a second longitudinal fold parallel to, and folded in an opposite direction from, the first longitudinal fold, wherein opposing ends of the material face outwardly relative to the supply web.

2. The supply web of material of claim 1 , wherein opposing ends of the material are spaced apart from each other.

3. The supply web of material of claim 1 , wherein opposing ends of the material face away from each other.

4. The supply web of material of claim 1 , wherein:
the supply web of material is rolled to form a roll of web material; and
the first and second longitudinal folds wrap circumferentially around the roll.

5. The supply web of material of claim 4 , wherein the first gusset is disposed radially outwardly from the roll as the material is rolled.

6. The supply web of material of claim 1 , wherein the film layer and the foam layer are attached to one another at laterally opposing ends of the material.

7. The supply web of material of claim 1 , wherein the film layer and the foam layer are attached to one another with a pattern of seals disposed near one or more longitudinal edges of the foam layer.

8. The supply web of material of claim 1 , wherein the foam layer and the film layer are detached from each other in an unsealed area disposed between the longitudinal edges such that the film layer is able to slide with respect to the foam layer in the unsealed area.

9. The supply web of material of claim 1 , wherein the film layer is laterally wider than the foam layer.

10. The supply web of material of claim 1 , wherein the film layer and the foam layer each comprise a polymer material.

11. The supply web of material of claim 10 , wherein the film layer comprises a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and the foam layer comprises a low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

12. The supply web of material of claim 1 , further comprising a second gusset, the second gusset comprising:
a third longitudinal fold; and
a fourth longitudinal fold parallel to, and folded in an opposite direction from, the third longitudinal fold.

13. The supply web of material of claim 12 , wherein the first gusset and the second gusset have a similar width.

14. The supply web of material of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first transverse distance between the first longitudinal fold and the third longitudinal fold; and
a second transverse distance between the second longitudinal fold and the fourth longitudinal fold, wherein the first transverse distance is less than the second transverse distance.

15. A furniture wrapping system, comprising:
a conveyor mechanism configured to move a furniture article along a path;
the supply web of material as defined in claim 1 , wherein the supply web of material crosses the path of the furniture article to provide a film barrier across the path; and
wherein the conveyor mechanism is further configured to move the furniture article into the film barrier, causing the first gusset of the supply web of material to unfold as the furniture article intersects the film barrier and causing the unfolded web material to at least partially enclose the furniture article.

16. The furniture wrapping system of claim 15 , further comprising a first longitudinal sealer configured to form a first longitudinal seal to further enclose the furniture article.

17. The furniture wrapping system of claim 16 , wherein:
a portion of the conveyor mechanism comprises a first conveyor portion and a second conveyor portion;
the first conveyor portion and the second conveyor portion are separated by a gap; and
the first longitudinal sealer is disposed within or below the gap.

18. The furniture wrapping system of claim 16 , further comprising a second longitudinal sealer configured to form a second longitudinal seal to further enclose the furniture article, wherein the first and second longitudinal sealers are configured to form longitudinal seals above and below the furniture article.

19. The furniture wrapping system of claim 15 , wherein the supply web of material is fanfolded into a fanfold configuration.

20. The furniture wrapping system of claim 15 , wherein the supply web of material is rolled into a rolled configuration.

21. The furniture wrapping system of claim 15 , wherein:
the supply web of material comprises a first supply of first web material and a second supply of second web material; and
the furniture wrapping system further comprises a transverse sealing mechanism configured to seal the first web material to the second web material to form the film barrier across the path.

22. The furniture wrapping system of claim 21 , wherein:
the first supply and the second supply comprise a fanfold supply or a roll supply.

23. The furniture wrapping system of claim 21 , wherein the transverse sealing mechanism is movable to extend at least partially across the path to seal the first web material to the second web material.

Assignees

• Pregis Innovative Packaging Llc

Inventors

• Wetsch Thomas D

Classifications

• B65B11/50 Primary

  Enclosing articles, or quantities of material, by disposing contents between two sheets, e.g. pocketed sheets, and securing their opposed free margins (apparatus or devices for forming pockets in or from sheets, blanks or webs B65B47/00) · CPC title

• B32B3/02

  characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions {(non-uniform thickness B32B3/263)} · CPC title

• B32B5/18

  characterised by features of a layer {of} foamed material · CPC title

• B32B27/065

  of foam · CPC title

• B32B27/32

  comprising polyolefins {(comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30)} · CPC title