Cushioning conversion system and method

Abstract

A packaging system includes a cushioning conversion machine for converting stock material into relatively low density cushioning material or dunnage and a packaging system controller. The packaging system controller provides packaging instructions related to a part or parts to be packaged and instructs the cushioning conversion machine to produce the cushioning material. In one aspect of the present invention the packaging system controller provides packaging instructions by retrieving a predetermined set of packaging instructions associated with a particular part. In another aspect of the present invention the packaging system controller provides packaging instructions by determining an optimized packaging methodology using one or more characteristics of the part or parts to be packaged. The packaging system also provides for automated inventory control and productivity monitoring.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION DATA [0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 049,346 filed on Jun. 11, 1997.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a cushioning conversion system which converts sheet stock material into cushioning material. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cushioning conversion system including a packaging controller, wherein the system is adapted to provide recommended packaging and / or packaging information to an operator based on the parts to be packaged, and further to provide for monitoring of packaging supply inventories. Features of the invention, however, have a more general application to packaging systems using various types of dunnage products and packaging supplies. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In the process of shipping a part from one location to another, a protective packaging material is typically placed in the shipping container to fill any voids, provide blocking and bracin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] The present invention provides a packaging system, components thereof and associated method which enable, inter alia, a) more efficient and / or effective packaging of a part or parts, b) more efficient and / or effective maintenance of packaging material inventories, c) more efficient and / or effective usage of packaging material, d) more efficient and / or effective usage of low cost, low skill labor for packaging of parts, e) more efficient and / or effective monitoring and / or analyzing of packaging operations, and f) more efficient and / or effective handling and / or monitoring of the part or parts being packaged. Any one or more of these objectives are met by one or more of the various aspects and / or features of the invention which are hereinafter more particularly detailed.

[0011] Provision is made for automatically supplying an operator or an automated packing system with a predetermined amount of packaging material along with detailed packaging instructions to provide for consistency in packaging known parts. Due to the provision of a predetermined amount of packaging material and detailed packaging instructions, high quality packaging can be provided without an operator possessing extensive packaging training. In addition, the packaging system ensures an improved packaging efficiency, thereby lowering packaging costs by eliminating waste while concurrently reducing shipping damage by ensuring an adequate amount and an effective utilization of the packaging material.

[0012] The packaging system according to a particular embodiment of the present invention relates to the packaging of a known item or a standard group of parts (e.g., a parts kit). The packaging system identifies the part or parts to be packaged and retrieves predetermined packaging instructions which are used to generate one or more pieces of packaging material of the proper length or amount (such as dunnage) and provide detailed operator packaging instructions which are displayed on a display monitor. By using the supplied packaging material along with the displayed detailed instructions, a consistent, highly efficient packaging process is effectuated independently of the experience level of the operator.

[0019] Thus, according to this aspect of the invention, the packaging system is capable of receiving an unknown part to be packaged and supplying an untrained operator with an appropriate amount of packaging material and detailed packaging instructions to provide an optimized packaging methodology, thereby providing high quality packaging which prevents product damage without incurring undesirable waste.

[0028] According to another particular embodiment of the present invention, the packaging system may include a pick list verification system. In cases where parts are picked by one individual and packaged by another, it is often required that the packer confirm that the picked items are consistent with the shipping order. The packaging system identifies all the parts that should be in the shipping order and evaluates each part, preferably with a reading device, to verify that the retrieved items match the items in the shipping order before the packaging system determines an optimized packaging methodology, thus saving time and money.

[0030] The expert system may represent the system knowledge in the form of if-then rules. Alternatively, the expert system may employ a cubing concept, wherein each part to be packaged occupies (when packaged) a cubic volume in the container. The expert system then analyzes the various cubes corresponding to the parts to be packaged and determines an optimized arrangement of cubes (i.e., parts) within the specified container, thus reducing an amount of necessary void fill, extra boxes, etc.

Problems solved by technology

While a cushioning conversion system, such as that described above, can provide a wide variety of pads of different lengths at the request of the operator to meet the differing requirements, it is often a time consuming process to determine for each part presented the best way to package the part and then to instruct the cushioning conversion machine to produce the required number of pads having the appropriate lengths.

Also, the reliability of the packaging operation is oftentimes dependent on the skill level of the operator, in particular the packer.

In the case of complex packaging systems involving the packaging of many different types of product with different packaging requirements, the necessary skill level may preclude the use of low cost, low skill packers (or operators in general).

These existing systems have been labor intensive and time consuming.

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