Wrapping apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330830-B2
Application number	US-202118269075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2021
Priority date	Dec 23, 2020
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A wrapping apparatus for wrapping a load includes: a wrapper delivery apparatus rotatable around the load to be wrapped; an angular position sensor at least partially mounted to the wrapper delivery apparatus; and a wrapper delivery unit mounted to the wrapper delivery apparatus. The wrapper delivery unit has a servomotor, and a wrapper delivery unit controller in data communication with the angular position sensor and operatively connected to the servomotor. The wrapper delivery unit controller is configured to process data supplied by the angular position sensor and to control the servomotor based on the processed data.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wrapping apparatus for wrapping a load being one or more items placed on a supporting tray, the apparatus comprising:
a wrapper delivery apparatus rotatable around the load to be wrapped;
an angular position sensor at least partially mounted to the wrapper delivery apparatus;
a wrapper delivery unit mounted to the wrapper delivery apparatus, said wrapper delivery unit comprising a servomotor and a wrapper reel receiving unit arranged for mounting packaging material, said servomotor operatively connected to said wrapper reel receiving unit to drive a reel of said wrapper reel receiving unit in rotation,
a wrapper delivery unit controller in data communication with the angular position sensor and operatively connected to the servomotor, the wrapper delivery unit controller being configured to process data supplied by the angular position sensor to determine an angular position of the wrapper delivery apparatus around the load using said data and to control the servomotor based on the determined angular position of the wrapper delivery apparatus around the load.

2. The wrapping apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the wrapper delivery unit comprises a stretch roller and a stretch roller servomotor operatively connected to the stretch roller to engage the stretch roller in rotation.

3. A method for wrapping a load, said load being one or more items placed on a supporting tray, the method comprising:
engaging in rotation a wrapper delivery apparatus around the load, the wrapper delivery apparatus comprising an angular position sensor and a wrapper delivery unit with a servomotor, said servomotor operatively connected to a wrapper reel receiving unit to drive a reel of said wrapper reel receiving unit in rotation;
sending data collected by the angular position sensor to a wrapper delivery unit controller;
deriving an angular position of the wrapper delivery apparatus using data supplied by the angular position sensor; and
adjusting a speed of the servomotor driving the reel of the wrapper reel receiving unit as a function of the angular position of the wrapper delivery apparatus.

4. The method for wrapping a load as in claim 3 , further comprising obtaining an image from a load to be wrapped; deriving a wrapping path of a packaging material; and using the derived wrapping path for wrapping the packaging material around the load.

5. The method for wrapping as in claim 4 , wherein obtaining an image from the load comprises scanning the load and obtaining a 3D point cloud.

6. The method for wrapping as in claim 5 , further comprising image processing the obtained 3D point cloud and calculating a plurality of cross-sections extending perpendicular to a surface of the supporting tray.

7. The method for wrapping as in claim 4 , wherein from said image obtained from said load a wrapper stretch ratio is obtained, the method further comprising obtaining a wrapper demand; and adjusting a speed of at least one servomotor as a function of the wrapper stretch ratio and the wrapper demand.

8. The method for wrapping as in claim 4 , wherein said packaging material is stretchable cellulose-based paper stretchable from about 10% to about 30% of its length, having a thickness ranging between about 50 grams/square meter (g/m 2 ) to about 400 g/m 2 , and
wherein said packaging material is taken from a reel of packaging material, said reel being connected to a single reel servomotor.

9. The method for wrapping as in claim 3 , wherein the supporting tray comprises an item supporting portion and outer portions.

10. The method for wrapping as in claim 9 , wherein at least a part of opposing sides of the item supporting portion is trapezium-shaped.

11. The method for wrapping as in claim 10 , wherein on said trapezium-shaped part of said opposing sides cut-out portions are provided.

12. The method for wrapping as in claim 11 , wherein said cut-out portions have a stepwise inwardly decreasing length, said length being measured in a direction parallel to the opposing sides.

13. The method for wrapping as in claim 9 , wherein said supporting tray is a stack of superposed boards.

14. The method for wrapping as in claim 13 , wherein the supporting tray comprises a plurality of superposed boards comprising corrugated cardboards
wherein flutes of a first one of the corrugated cardboards are oriented in an orthogonal direction to flutes of a second one of the corrugated cardboards.

Assignees

• Univ Leuven Kath

Inventors

• Juwet Marc

Classifications

• B65B2210/18

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

• B65B2210/04

  Customised on demand packaging by determining a specific characteristic, e.g. shape or height, of articles or material to be packaged and selecting, creating or adapting a packaging accordingly, e.g. making a carton starting from web material · CPC title

• B65B45/00

  Apparatus or devices for supporting or holding wrappers during wrapping operation · CPC title

• B65B41/12

  Feeding webs from rolls · CPC title

• B65B11/025 Primary

  by webs revolving around stationary articles · CPC title