Package making – Partial cover application – Band or tube
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-08
2001-03-06
Johnson, Linda (Department: 3721)
Package making
Partial cover application
Band or tube
C053S138200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195968
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for wrapping a load by means of a flexible material. More specifically the invention relates to an apparatus for treating the two tails, or ropes, of a flexible wrapping material in a pallet wrapping machine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Pallet wrapping machines are well known in the art, and consist essentially of a frame on which is rotatably mounted a roll of flexible material. The flexible material is brought close to a load, usually conveyed by a conveyor to a wrapping area.
Presently, flexible material producers are marketing film material that can be stretched up to 300% of the original length, which creates considerable tension during the wrapping cycle (tension is created when the wrapping material is stretched because it is trying to get back to its original length).
Producers are also adding a tacky side to the material which helps one layer to stick to the one previously applied. Static is also produced when film is stretched which also helps to stick to the previously applied layer.
Another material that is frequently used in pallet wrapping machines is netting, commonly used for fresh fruits and vegetables. A few years ago, netting was not stretchable, but now netting producers are marketing netting that can be stretched up to 200%. Netting does not have a tacky side, nor does it produce enough static to make the web stick to the load. A load wrapped with netting would start unwrapping itself as soon as the web would be cut free to wrap a subsequent load.
Known in the art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,185 to Geisinger, which discloses a pallet wrapper including a mechanism to hold a portion of the flexible material in position prior to wrapping a load. The pallet wrapper includes an anvil member movable into a position against the side of the pallet, and a clamp movable with the anvil and adapted to hold the portion of the flexible material. Once the anvil and the clamp are positioned against the side of the pallet, wrapping of the pallet is effected by known means. After the pallet has been wrapped at least by covering with the flexible material the portion of the flexible material held by the clamp, the clamp is released and retracted and the wrapping of the pallet completed. After the pallet is completely wrapped, the clamp is moved back into position to clamp a roped section of the web adjacent the clamp and a securing mechanism is advanced to cooperate with the anvil to secure the web adjacent the clamp to the underlying roped layer of the web. A cut-off mechanism is advanced to cut the web between the clamp and the point of securement.
However, this pallet wrapper relies on the fact that there is a small amount of tension in the wrapping material to maintain the portion of the flexible material in position during transportation of the pallet. If the flexible material is stretchable netting in the Geisinger machine, this portion of the flexible material is loose, and can unwind during transport. Using the Geisinger machine with stretchable netting is not an efficient, nor satisfactory process, since the portion of the flexible material that is “held” by the wrapped flexible material will not stay in place, and the pallet will eventually become unwrapped.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for wrapping a load by means of a flexible material which ties a first and second rope portions together, preventing the flexible material from unwrapping itself. In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved with an apparatus comprising:
supplying means for supplying the flexible wrapping material as a rope or as a full web;
first positioning means for positioning a portion of a first rope supplied by the supplying means at a predetermined location;
means for effecting relative movement between the load and the supplying means to wrap the load by means of a full web supplied by the supplying means;
second positioning means for positioning a portion of a second rope supplied by the supplying means at the predetermined location;
fastening means for fastening together said portions of the first and second ropes at said predetermined location;
cutting means for cutting the second rope between the portion thereof that has been fastened and the supplying means; and
controlling means connected to the supplying means, the first and second positioning means, the means for effecting relative movement, the fastening means and the cutting means, for controlling operation thereof.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a method for wrapping a load, comprising the steps of:
(a) supplying a flexible material as a first rope having an end portion;
(b) positioning the end portion of the first rope at a predetermined location;
(c) after step (b), supplying the flexible material as a full web;
(d) wrapping the load by means of the full web;
(e) after step (d), supplying the flexible material as a second rope;
(f) extending a portion of the second rope at the predetermined location;
(g) fastening the end portion of the first rope to the portion of the second rope at the predetermined location;
(h) cutting a section of the second rope that is upstream to the predetermined location.
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Ditchburn Glen
Marois Yanick
Johnson Linda
Myers Bigel & Sibley & Sajovec
Wulftec International Inc.
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