Wrapping machine with tape applicator

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wrapping machine including a tape applicator and configured to apply wrapping material, such as paper wrapping material, to a palletized load and to apply tape to the wrapping material and the load and / or the pallet to secure the wrapping material to the load and / or the pallet.

Description

WRAPPING MACHINE WITH TAPE APPLICATORPriority

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 382,158, filed November 3, 2022, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to wrapping machines for wrapping loads with wrapping material, and more particularly to wrapping machines including tape applicators for securing the wrapping material to the load or to the pallet supporting the load.Background

[0003] Packaging lines include one or more of several different types of unitizing systems that unitize a load of goods by securing the goods together and, in certain applications, to a pallet. These unitizing systems include stretch-wrapping machines that use rolls of plastic stretch film to unitize a load of goods. Typical stretch-wrapping machines include a film carriage on which a replaceable roll of stretch film is mounted. To wrap the load of goods, the film carriage rotates relative to the load, or the load rotates relative to the film carriage (depending on the type of stretch-wrapping machine) while the film carriage vertically moves relative to the load. This relative movement pulls the stretch film from the roll and applies it to the load in a spiral pattern. Str etch- wrapping machines can include pre-stretch assemblies that pre-stretch the stretch film along its longitudinal axis after it is pulled off of the film roll and before it is applied to the load. Pre-stretching the film before applying it to the load has several benefits, including increasing the film’s containment force such that the applied film tends to “contract” around the load to better unitize it and to avoid slipping off the load.

[0004] While str etch- wrapping machines are proven stalwarts in the industry, there is a desire to, where appropriate, reduce the use of plastic stretch film without negatively affecting the unitization of the load. Paper wrapping material is one recyclable, eco-friendlyalternative to plastic stretch film. One problem with using paper wrapping material is that, unlike stretch film, the paper wrapping material is not elastic (or is minimally elastic) and cannot be pre-stretched. This lack of pre-stretch renders the applied paper wrapping material susceptible to slipping off the load in certain instances.Summary

[0005] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wrapping machine including a tape applicator and configured to apply wrapping material, such as paper wrapping material, to a palletized load and to apply tape to the wrapping material and the load and / or the pallet to secure the wrapping material to the load and / or the pallet.Brief Description of the Figures

[0006] Figure 1 is a perspective view of one example embodiment of a wrapping machine of the present disclosure.

[0007] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing certain components of the wrapping machine of Figure 1.

[0008] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the film carriage of the wrapping machine of Figure 1 showing the tape applicator.

[0009] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the film carriage and the tape applicator of Figure 3 showing the tape applicator in a tape-application configuration.

[0010] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the film carriage and the tape applicator of Figure 3 showing the tape applicator in a tape-application configuration.

[0011] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the film carriage and the tape applicator of Figure 3 showing the tape applicator between the tape-application configuration and a tapecutting configuration.

[0012] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the film carriage and the tape applicator of Figure 3 showing the tape applicator after it has moved from the tape-application configuration to the tape-cutting configuration.

[0013] Figure 8 is another perspective view of the film carriage and the tape applicator of Figure 3 showing the tape applicator in the tape-cutting configuration.

[0014] Figure 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing wrapping material and tape being applied to a load on a pallet.Detailed Description

[0015] While the systems, devices, and methods described herein may be embodied in various forms, the drawings show, and the specification describes certain exemplary and nonlimiting embodiments. Not all of the components shown in the drawings and described in the specification may be required, and certain implementations may include additional, different, or fewer components. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components; the shapes, sizes, and materials of the components; and the manners of connections of the components may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims. Unless otherwise indicated, any directions referred to in the specification reflect the orientations of the components shown in the corresponding drawings and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Further, terms that refer to mounting methods, such as mounted, connected, etc., are not intended to be limited to direct mounting methods but should be interpreted broadly to include indirect and operably mounted, connected, and like mounting methods. This specification is intended to be taken as a whole and interpreted in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure and as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0016] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wrapping machine with a tape applicator and configured to apply wrapping material, such as paper wrapping material, to a palletized load and to apply tape to the wrapping material and the load and / or the pallet to secure the wrapping material to the load and / or the pallet. In the embodiment described below, the tape is a single sided tape having adhesive on its an inner side, though it may be any other suitable tape (such as double-sided tape) in other embodiments. The wrapping material may be any other suitable wrapping material (such as plastic stretch film) in other embodiments. The widths of the wrapping material and the tape can vary in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0017] Figures 1 to 9 show one example embodiment of the wrapping machine 10 of the present disclosure. The wrapping machine 10 includes a wrapping-machine frame 20, awrapping-assembly support 30, a support actuator 40, a wrapping assembly 100 including a tape applicator 200, an operator interface 500, and a controller 600.

[0018] The wrapping-machine frame 20 is formed from multiple tubular and / or solid members (not individually labeled) and configured to support the other components of the wrapping machine 10. The wrapping-machine frame 20 defines a wrapping area within its interior and has an infeed area 20a at which a palletized load (such as load L on pallet P) is conveyed (such as via a conveyor C) into the wrapping area for wrapping and an outfeed area 20b at which the palletized load is conveyed (such as via the conveyor C) from the wrapping area after wrapping. The illustrated wrapping-machine frame 20 is merely one example configuration, and any suitable configuration can be employed.

[0019] The wrapping-assembly support 30 serves as the mount for the wrapping assembly 100 and is movably mounted to the wrapping-machine frame 20 (such as to one or more vertical members of the wrapping-machine frame 20) such that the wrapping-assembly support 30 is vertically movable relative to the wrapping-machine frame 20 between an upper position and a lower position.

[0020] The support actuator 40 is operably connected to the wrapping-machine support 30 and configured to move the wrapping-assembly support 30 relative to the wrappingmachine frame 20 between the upper and lower positions. In certain embodiments, the support actuator 40 includes one or more motors operably connected to the wrapping-assembly support 30 via one or more belt-and-pulley assemblies to move the wrapping-assembly support 30 between the upper and lower positions. In other embodiments, the support actuator 40 includes one or more pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders operably connected to the wrapping-assembly support 30 to move the wrapping-assembly support 30 between the upper and lower positions. These are merely examples, and the support actuator 40 can include any suitable actuator configured to move the wrapping-assembly support 30 between the upper and lower positions.

[0021] The wrapping assembly 100 is movably mounted to the wrapping-assembly support 30 such that the wrapping assembly 100 is rotatable relative to the wrapping-assembly support 30. The wrapping assembly 100 include a ring-shaped support (not shown), a carriage 120 (best shown in Figures 3 and 4), and a wrapping-assembly actuator 110 (Figure 2). The ringshaped support serves as the mount for the carriage 120 and is movably mounted to the wrapping-assembly support 30 such that the ring-shaped support (and the film carriage 100 andother components connected to the ring-shaped support) is rotatable relative to the wrappingassembly support 30. In this example embodiment, the ring-shaped support is movably mounted to the wrapping-assembly support 30 via multiple spaced-apart rollers (not shown) that are connected to the support and positioned on a track (not shown) on the wrapping-assembly support 30. The carriage 120 is fixedly connected to the ring-shaped support to move with the ring-shaped support (i.e., rotate relative to the wrapping-assembly support 30 and move vertically relative to the wrapping-machine frame 20). As shown in Figure 3, the film carriage 120 is configured to rotatably support a replaceable roll of wrapping material (such as paper film), and apply the wrapping material to the load L as the carriage 120 rotates on the ringshaped support around the load L. This is merely one example configuration of the wrapping assembly 100, and the wrapping assembly can be configured in other suitable manners.

[0022] The carriage 120 includes a carriage frame 130, film-reel supports 121a and 121b, multiple roller(s) (such as rollers 123a and 123b), and one or more actuators (not shown). The carriage 120 can be configured in any suitable to support and apply the wrapping material F from a wrapping material roll FR to the load L.

[0023] The carriage frame 130 is formed from multiple tubular and / or solid members (not individually labeled) and configured to support the other components of the film carriage 120. This is merely one example configuration, and any suitable configuration can be employed. The film-reel supports are mounted on the carriage frame 130 so the roll of wrapping material F can be rotatably mounted to the film-reel supports and applied to a load L from an upstream position to a downstream position as the wrapping assembly 100 rotates around the load L. As used herein, “downstream” means the direction of travel of the wrapping material F as the wrapping material is pulled off the wrapping material roll and “upstream” means the direction opposite the direction of travel of the wrapping material F as the wrapping material is pulled off the wrapping material roll. Specifically, the carriage frame 130 is configured to rotatably support a replaceable wrapping material roll FR to provide the wrapping material F after a filmunwinding actuator (not shown) pulls the wrapping material F from the wrapping material roll FR and applies it to the load L. In other embodiments, the film-unwinding actuator is not employed to pull the wrapping material F from the wrapping material roll FR and apply it to the load L.

[0024] The wrapping machine 10 also includes a cutting-and-fixing device (not shown) supported by the wrapping-machine frame 20 and configured to, after a load L has been wrapped by the wrapping material F, cut the wrapping material F at a position between the load L and the wrapping assembly 50 to form a trailing end of the wrapping material F and to connect the trailing end of the wrapping material F to the wrapped load L to complete the wrapping process. Cutting the wrapping material F also creates a leading end of the wrapping material F. The cutting-and-fixing device is also configured to hold the leading end of the wrapping material after cutting the wrapping material F and to connect the leading end of the wrapping material F to the next load as it is being wrapped. The cutting-and-fixing device includes suitable sealing and cutting actuators 190 that are controlled by the controller. The cutting-and-fixing device can be any suitable cutting-and-fixing device, and the sealing and cutting actuators can be any suitable actuators.

[0025] As shown in Figures 4-9 the wrapping assembly 100 is configured to apply tape T from a tape roll TR to the wrapping material F and the load L and / or the pallet P to secure the wrapping material F to the load L and / or the pallet P during the wrapping process. The tape applicator 200 includes a support 210, a tape-roll holder 220, a tape guide 230, a tape cutter 240, and a tape-guide actuator 280. The tape applicator 200 can also include one or more tape holders as described below. The tape applicator 200 is movable between a tape-application configuration shown in Figures 4 and 5 and a tape-cutting configuration shown in Figures 7 and 8, as further described below.

[0026] The support 210 in this example embodiment is part of the carriage 120. The support 210 can alternatively be connected to or separate from the carriage 120. The tape-roll holder 220, the tape guide 230, the tape cutter 240, and the tape-guide actuator 280 are mounted to the support 210, and thus the support 210 supports the tape-roll holder 220, the tape guide 230, the tape cutter 240, and the tape-guide actuator 280. The support 210 can be alternatively sized, shaped, and otherwise configured in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0027] The tape-roll holder 220 includes a rotatable upright spindle. The spindle is freely rotatably mounted to the support 210 and configured to rotatably support a replaceable tape roll such as tape roll TR. The height of the spindle can vary depending on the width of the tape roll. The tape-roll holder 220 can be alternatively sized, shaped, and otherwise configured in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0028] The tape guide 230 includes an upper bracket 232, a lower bracket 234, and a cylindrical guide roller 238. The lower bracket 234 is pivotally mounted to the support 210 (such as by a pivot pin 239). The lower bracket 234 is spaced apart from the upper bracket 232, and the guide roller 238 is rotatably connected to and extends between the lower bracket 234 and the upper bracket 232. The guide roller 238 also fixedly connects the upper bracket 232 to the lower bracket 234. The guide roller 238 is configured to guide the tape T from the tape roll TR as the tape T is applied to the wrapping material F and the load L or pallet P. The tape guide 230 can be alternatively sized, shaped, and otherwise configured in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0029] The tape cutter 240 is also connected to and between the upper bracket 232 and the lower bracket 234 The tape cutter 240 includes a cutting edge 244 configured to engage and cut the tape T when the tape applicator 200 is moved from the tape-application configuration to the tape-cutting configuration as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The tape cutter 240 can include any suitable cutting edge 244 and can be alternatively sized, shaped and otherwise configured in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0030] The tape-guide actuator 280 includes an actuator 282, an arm 284 movable by the actuator 282, and a pivot member 286 connected to the end of the actuation piston 284 opposite the actuator 282. The pivot member 286 is pivotally connected to the upper bracket 232 of the tape guide 230 and configured to pivot the tape guide 230 and the tape cutter from the tape-application configuration (Figures 4 and 5) to the tape-cutting configuration (Figures 7 and 8). The actuator 282 can include a pneumatic cylinder, a solenoid, or other suitable mechanism that is configured to move the actuation piston 284 from a retracted position (Figures 4 and 5) to an extended position (Figures 7 and 8) under the control of the controller 600. In the retracted position (Figures 4 and 5) of the actuation piston 284, the pivot member 286 holds the tape guide 230 and the tape cutter 240 in suitable positions such that tape guide 230 can apply tape to the tape T to the wrapping material F and the load L and / or the pallet P. In the extended position (Figures 7 and 8) of the actuation piston 284, the pivot member 286 holds the tape guide 230 and the tape cutter 240 in suitable positions such that tape cutter 240 can cut the tape T applied to the wrapping material F and the load L and / or the pallet P. In this example embodiments, the movements of the tape-guide actuator 280 are directly controlled by the controller 600. In other embodiments, the tape-guide actuator 280 can include one or more biasing elements (such as one or more springs) that provide or assist in providing one or more of the movements of one or moreof the components of the tape guide actuator to one or more of the different configurations. The tape-guide actuator 280 can be alternatively sized, shaped, and otherwise configured in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0031] The tape applicator 200 can additionally include one or more tape holders (not shown) supported by the wrapping-machine frame 20. Such tape holders can be configured to, after the wrapping material F on a load L has been secured by the tape T and the tape T has been cut by the tape cutter 240, to hold a leading end of the tape T to connect the leading end of the tape T to the next load as it is being wrapped. In certain embodiments, the tape holder(s) can include one or more actuators (not shown) that are controlled by the controller.

[0032] The operator interface 500 is configured to receive inputs from an operator and, in certain embodiments, to output information to the operator. The operator interface includes one or more input devices configured to receive inputs from the operator. In various embodiments, the one or more input devices include one or more buttons (such as hard or soft keys), one or more switches, and / or a touch panel. In various embodiments, the operator interface 500 includes a display device configured to display information to the operator, such as information about the palletized load, the status of the wrapping operation, or the parameters of the wrapping machine 10. The operator interface can include other output devices instead of or in addition to the display device, such as one or more speakers and / or one or more lights. In certain embodiments, the operator interface 500 is formed as part of the wrapping machine 10 and is, for instance, mounted to the wrapping-machine frame 20. In other embodiments, the operator interface is remote from the wrapping-machine frame 20.

[0033] The controller 600 includes a processing device communicatively connected to a memory device. The processing device can include any suitable processing device such as, but not limited to, a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a digital-signal processor, one or more microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in association with a digital-signal processor core, one or more application-specific integrated circuits, one or more field-programmable gate array circuits, one or more integrated circuits, and / or a state machine. The memory device can include any suitable memory device such as, but not limited to, readonly memory, random-access memory, one or more digital registers, cache memory, one or more semiconductor memory devices, magnetic media such as integrated hard disks and / or removable memory, magneto-optical media, and / or optical media. The memory device stores instructionsexecutable by the processing device to control operation of the wrapping machine 10 (such as to carry out a wrapping operation, as described below).

[0034] The controller 600 is communicatively and operably connected to the support actuator 40, the wrapping assembly actuator 110, the sealing-and-cutting actuators 190, the tapeguide actuator 280 to control operation of these components in conjunction with the wrapping and taping operations, as described below. The controller 600 is communicatively connected to the operator interface 500 to: (1) receive signals from the operator interface 500 that represent inputs received by the operator interface 500; and (2) send signals to the operator interface 500 to cause the operator interface 500 to output (such as to display) information.

[0035] One example wrapping and taping operation in which the wrapping machine 10 is used to wrap a wrapping material F on the load L and to secure the wrapping material F with tape T is now partially described. The present disclosure contemplates that other wrapping and taping operations can be implemented by the wrapping machine of the present disclosure.

[0036] Initially, the wrapping-assembly support 30 is at its upper position and thus the wrapping assembly 100 attached thereto is in its upper position. Additionally, initially, the tape-guide actuator 280 holds the tape guide 230 and the tape cutter 244 in the tape-cutting configuration (Figures 7 and 8). This enables a load L to be moved by the conveyor C into the wrapping area of the wrapping machine 10. After a load L on a pallet P is positioned on the conveyor C in the wrapping area of the wrapping machine 10, the controller 600 controls the support actuator 40 to position the wrapping assembly 100 at position adjacent the top of the load L and begins the process of wrapping the load L with the wrapping material F held by the wrapping assembly 100. The wrapping assembly 100 under control of the controller 600 continues to wrap the load L with the wrapping material F until the wrapping material F reaches a bottom portion of the load L.

[0037] When the wrapping material F reaches a bottom portion of the load L and at a point before or after (in different embodiments) the wrapping assembly 100 applies the last wrap of wrapping material F to the load L, the controller causes the tape applicator 200 to apply the tape T from the tape roll TR to part of the wrapping material F and part of either the load L or pallet P on which the load L rests as generally shown in Figure 9. Specifically, after the leading end of the tape T is applied to wrapping material F, the controller 600 causes the actuator 282 of the tape-guide actuator 280 to retract the arm 284 which in turn retracts the pivot member 286.The retraction of the pivot member 286 causes the tape guide 230 and the tape cutter 244 to move from the to the tape-cutting configuration to the tape-application configuration.

[0038] During the application of the tape T, the controller 600 causes the tape-guide actuator 280 to maintain the actuation piston 284 in the retracted position such that the actuation piston 284 and the pivot member 286 maintain the tape guide 230 in the tape-application configuration shown in Figures 4 and 5. The controller 600 causes wrapping assembly 100 to continue to rotate around the load L and the tape applicator 200 with the tape guide 230 in the tape-application configuration to apply the tape T to the wrapping material F and the load L and / or the pallet P. After the tape applicator 200 has applied tape T to the wrapping material F and the entire load L and / or the pallet P, the controller 600 causes the tape-guide actuator 280 to cause the tape guide 230 move to the tape-cutting configuration to cut the tape T. Specifically, the controller 600 causes the tape-guide actuator 280 to extend the actuation piston 284 which causes the pivot member 286 to rotate the tape guide 230 from the tape-application configuration shown in Figures 4 and 5 to the intermediate position shown in Figure 6 and then to the tapecutting configuration shown in Figures 7 and 8. In this position, the tape cutter 240 engages the tape T and cuts the tape T. The tape-guide actuator 280 leaves the tape guide 230 in the tapecutting configuration for the next application of the tape to the next load.

[0039] One example of the relative positions of the wrapping material F and the tape T are shown in Figure 9. In other examples, the controller 600 can cause the tape applicator 200 to additionally and / or alternatively apply tape to the wrapping material F at a higher location relative to the load L to maintain the wrapping material F on the load L.

[0040] When the tape T is applied to the pallet P, the tape T adheres to a portion of such as a top portion of the pallet P and extends upward adjacent to the load L and on the wrapping material F, effectively reinforcing the junction where the wrapping material F is applied around and / or adjacent to the top edges of the pallet P (which can be sharp and can rip the wrapping material (such as the paper film)). In this position, the tape T either prevents this ripping, or if this ripping occurs, maintains the ripped wrapping material (such as the ripped paper film) in place (which includes substantially in place for purposes of this disclosure). This prevents the wrapping material F (such as the paper film) from being separated from the load L.

Claims

Claims1. A wrapping machine comprising: a wrapping assembly configured to apply a wrapping material to a load, the wrapping assembly comprising a tape applicator configured to apply a tape to the wrapping material, the tape applicator comprising a support, a tape-roll holder, a tape guide, a tape cutter, and a tapeguide actuator; and a controller configured to control the wrapping assembly and the tape applicator.

2. The wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the tape applicator is configured to apply the tape to the load.

3. The wrapping machine of claim 2, wherein the tape applicator is configured to apply the tape to a pallet supporting the load.

4. The wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the tape applicator is configured to apply the tape to a pallet supporting the load.

5. The wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the tape-roll holder includes a rotatable upright spindle freely rotatably mounted to the support.

6. The wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the tape guide comprises a lower bracket pivotally mounted on the support, an upper bracket, and a guide roller connected to and extending between the lower bracket and the upper bracket.

7. The wrapping machine of claim 6, wherein the tape cutter is connected to and between the upper bracket and the lower bracket.

8. The wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the tape applicator is movable between a tape-application configuration and a tape-cutting configuration.

9. The wrapping machine of claim 8, wherein the tape-guide actuator includes an actuator, an actuation piston extendable and retractable from the actuator, and a pivot member connected to the end of the actuation piston opposite the actuator, the pivot member connected to the tape guide to move the tape applicator between the tape-application configuration and the tape-cutting configuration.

10. The wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the tape-guide actuator includes an actuator, an actuation piston extendable and retractable from the actuator, and a pivot member connected to the end of the actuation piston opposite the actuator, the pivot member connected to the tape guide to move the tape applicator between a tape-application configuration and a tapecutting configuration.

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