Wrapping machine with wrapping-material accumulators

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wrapping machine including wrapping-material accumulators configured to accumulate paper wrapping material WM from a paper-wrapping-material supply roll before the paper wrapping material is applied to the load, and then use the accumulated paper wrapping material on one or more of the wrapping-material accumulators to wrap the load.

Description

WRAPPING MACHINE WITH WRAPPING-MATERIAL ACCUMULATORSPriority

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 385,640, filed December 1, 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 that include wrapping-material accumulators.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 negativelyaffecting the unitization of the load. Paper wrapping material is one recyclable, eco-friendly alternative to plastic stretch film.

[0005] One problem with using paper wrapping material is that, unlike plastic stretch film, the paper wrapping material is not elastic (or is minimally elastic) and cannot be prestretched. Another problem with paper wrapping material is that it is difficult to unroll the paper wrapping material from a supply roll at relatively fast speeds (such as speeds that are comparable to the unrolling of the above-described plastic stretch films). One reason for this is that there is a higher level of friction between the layers of the paper wrapping material on such supply rolls. Another reason for this is that the supply rolls of the desired sizes can weigh hundreds of pounds (and potentially thousands of pounds), and it is extremely difficult to pull the paper wrapping material off of those large supply rolls at desired speeds without breaking the paper wrapping material.Summary

[0006] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wrapping machine including wrapping-material accumulators sized, positioned, oriented, and otherwise configured to accumulate wrapping material such as paper wrapping material from a paper-wrapping- material supply roll on the wrapping-material accumulators before the paper wrapping material is applied to the load, and then use the accumulated paper wrapping material on one or more of the wrapping-material accumulators to wrap the load.Brief Description of the Figures

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view of one example embodiment of load on a pallet that the wrapping machine of various embodiments of the present disclosure can wrap.

[0008] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing certain components of the wrapping machine of one example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 3 is a top perspective view of part of the wrapping assembly of the wrapping machine of Figure 1, shown with wrapping material accumulated on the wrappingmaterial accumulators.

[0010] Figure 4 is a top perspective view of the wrapping-material accumulators of Figure 3 shown without any wrapping material accumulated on the wrapping-material accumulators.

[0011] Figure 5 is a top view of the wrapping-material accumulators of Figure 3 shown without any wrapping material accumulated on the wrapping-material accumulators.

[0012] Figure 6 is a bottom view of the wrapping-material accumulators of Figure 3 shown without any wrapping material accumulated on the wrapping-material accumulators.

[0013] Figure 7 is a fragmentary bottom perspective view of parts of the wrappingmaterial accumulators of Figure 3 shown without any wrapping material accumulated on the wrapping-material accumulators.

[0014] Figure 8 is a bottom view of the wrapping-material accumulators of Figure 3 shown with wrapping material threaded through the wrapping-material accumulators prior to being accumulated on the wrapping-material accumulators.

[0015] Figure 9 is a bottom view of the wrapping-material accumulators of Figure 3 shown with wrapping material accumulated on the wrapping-material accumulators.Detailed Description

[0016] 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 awhole and interpreted in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure and as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0017] Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a wrapping machine with a plurality (here two) concentric wrapping-material accumulators sized, positioned, oriented, and otherwise configured to accumulate paper wrapping material from a supply roll before the paper wrapping material is applied to a load and then use the accumulated paper wrapping material on one or more of the wrapping-material accumulators to wrap a load. In various embodiments, the wrapping machine is configured to wrap the entire load and pallet without moving the supply roll vertically. In various such embodiments, the width of the paper wrapping material (and the corresponding height of the supply roll) is at least the height of the palletized load (which is many instances will have a height of approximately four feet (1.2192 meters)). Thus, the width of the paper wrapping material (and the corresponding height of the supply roll) will be at least four feet (1.2192 meters) in such embodiments. In various other embodiments, the wrapping machine is configured to wrap the entire load and pallet and can move the supply roll vertically. In such embodiments, the width of the wrapping material can be shorter than the height of the palletized load.

[0018] Figures 2 to 9 show certain components of a wrapping machine 10 of one example embodiment of the present disclosure that can wrap a load on a pallet such as the load L on the pallet P shown in Figure 1. The wrapping machine 10 can include a wrapping-machine frame (not shown), a wrapping assembly (partially shown), a cutting-and-fixing device (not shown), an operator interface 500 (Figure 2), and a controller 600 (Figure 2).

[0019] The wrapping-machine frame can be formed from multiple tubular and / or solid members and is configured to support the other components of the wrapping machine. The wrapping-machine frame can define a wrapping area within its interior and can have an infeed area at which a palletized load (such as a load L on a pallet P) is conveyed (such as via a conveyor) into the wrapping area for wrapping and an outfeed area at which the palletized load is conveyed (such as via the conveyor C) from the wrapping area after wrapping. The wrappingmachine frame can have any suitable configuration.

[0020] The wrapping assembly 50 can be supported by the wrapping-machine frame. The wrapping assembly 50 includes a supply-roll carriage (not shown), a wrapping-materialunwinding actuator 58 (Figure 2), an inner wrapping-material accumulator 100, an innerwrapping-material accumulator actuator 200 (Figure 2), an outer wrapping-material accumulator 300, and an outer wrapping-material accumulator actuator 400 (Figure 2). For brevity, the inner wrapping-material accumulator 100 may sometimes referred to herein as the inner accumulator 100 or the accumulator 100, the inner wrapping-material accumulator actuator 200 may sometimes referred to herein as the inner accumulator actuator 200 or the accumulator actuator 200, the outer wrapping-material accumulator 300 may sometimes referred to herein as the outer accumulator 300 or the accumulator 300, and the outer wrapping-material accumulator actuator 400 may sometimes referred to herein as the outer accumulator actuator 400 or the accumulator actuator 400.

[0021] The wrapping assembly 50 is configured to rotatably support a replaceable roll of wrapping material such as the example paper wrapping-material supply roll R shown in Figure 3, provide the wrapping material WM (after the unwinding actuator 58 pulls it from the roll R) to the pre-winding inner and outer accumulators 100 and 300 such that the wrapping material WM can be accumulated on the inner and outer accumulators 100 and 300 prior to the wrapping material WM being applied to a load as further explained below.

[0022] In this example embodiment, the inner and outer wrapping-material accumulators 100 and 300 are each independently movably mounted to one or more supports (not shown) of the wrapping assembly 50 (such as via multiple spaced-apart rollers (not shown)) and positioned on a track (not shown) of the wrapping assembly 50.

[0023] The inner wrapping-material accumulator 100 is rotatably mounted (such as via bearings (not shown) to a support of the wrapping assembly so that the inner accumulator 100 can rotate about a rotational axis relative to the outer accumulator 300 and relative to such support. The inner accumulator 100 has a first diameter DI. The inner accumulator 100 includes a cylindrical guide support 110 and a plurality of evenly spaced-apart material guides 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142 fixedly connected to and downwardly extending from the guide support 110. The material guides 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142 are identical in this example embodiment, and thus for brevity only material guide 142 is described in detail herein. Material guide 142 includes a cylindrical head 142a fixedly connected to the bottom of guide support 110, a cylindrical shaft 142b fixedly connected to the head 142a and extending downwardly therefrom, and a cylindrical foot 142c fixedly connected to the shaft 142b and extending downwardly therefrom. The cylindrical head142a and the cylindrical foot 142c have the same diameter in this example embodiment, but their diameters may differ. The diameter of the cylindrical head 142a and the cylindrical foot 142c are larger than the diameter of the shaft 142b. The length of the shaft 142b is slightly greater than the width of the paper wrapping material WM such that the paper wrapping material WM can engage the shaft 142b between the head 142a and the foot 142c. Thus, the head 142a, the foot 142c, and the shaft 142 define an outer-wrapping-material-guide pocket (not labeled) sized to receive the wrapping material WM. The inner accumulator 100 further includes a material guide 144 that includes a cylindrical shaft 144b fixedly connected to the guide support 110 and extending downwardly therefrom. The length of the shaft 144b is greater than the width of the wrapping material WM such that the wrapping material can engage the shaft 144b. The material guide 144 is configured to guide the wrapping material WM as the wrapping material WM enters the wrapping area from the inner accumulator 100. In certain embodiments, the guide 144 can be in the form of a freely rotatable rotor. In certain embodiments, the guide 144 can be in the form of a driven rotatable rotor controlled by the controller 600.

[0024] The inner wrapping-material accumulator actuator 200 is operably connected to the inner wrapping-material accumulator 100 and specifically to the cylindrical guide support 110 thereof to rotate the entire inner accumulator 100 relative to the support of the wrapping assembly, the supply roll R, the outer accumulator 300, and the load L. In certain embodiments, the inner accumulator actuator 200 includes one or more motors operably connected to the guide support 110 of the inner accumulator 100 via one or more drive roller assemblies to rotate the inner accumulator 100. This is merely an example, and the inner accumulator actuator 200 can include any suitable actuator(s) configured to rotate the inner accumulator 100.

[0025] The outer wrapping-material accumulator 300 is rotatably mounted (such as via bearings) to the wrapping-machine support 30 so that the outer accumulator 300 can rotate about the same rotational axis as and relative to the inner accumulator 100 and relative to the wrapping-machine support 30. The outer accumulator 100 has a second diameter D2 that is greater than the first diameter DI of the inner accumulator 100. The outer accumulator 300 completely surrounds the inner accumulator 100 in this example embodiment. The outer accumulator 300 includes a cylindrical guide support 310 and a plurality of evenly spaced-apart material guides 320, 322, 324, 326, 328, 330, 332, 334, 336, 338, 340, 342, 344, and 346 fixedly connected to and downwardly extending from the guide support 310. The material guides 320,322, 324, 326, 328, 330, 332, 334, 336, 338, 340, 342, 344, and 346 are identical in this example embodiment, and thus for brevity only material guide 346 is described in detail herein. Material guide 346 includes a cylindrical head 346a fixedly connected to the bottom of guide support 310, a cylindrical shaft 346b fixedly connected to the head 346a and extending downwardly therefrom, and a cylindrical foot 346c fixedly connected to the shaft 346b and extending downwardly therefrom. The cylindrical head 346a and the cylindrical foot 346c have the same diameter in this example embodiment, but their diameters may differ. The diameter of the cylindrical head 346a and the cylindrical foot 346c are larger than the diameter of the cylindrical shaft 346b. The length of the shaft 346b is slightly greater than the width of the paper wrapping material WM such that the wrapping material can engage the shaft 346b between the head 346a and the foot 346c. Thus, the head 346a, the foot 346c, and the shaft 346b define an outerwrapping-material -guide pocket for receiving the wrapping material WM. The outer accumulator 300 further includes material guide 348 that includes a cylindrical shaft 348b fixedly connected to the guide support 310 and extending downwardly therefrom. The length of the shaft 348b is greater than the width of the wrapping material WM such that the wrapping material can engage the shaft 348b. The material guide 348 is configured to guide the wrapping material WM as the wrapping material WM exits the outer accumulator 300 and move to the inner accumulator 100. The outer accumulator 300 and particularly the material guide 348 is configured to pull the paper wrapping material WM from the supply roll R to accumulate it onto the inner and outer accumulators 100 and 300 when the outer accumulator 300 is driven and the inner accumulator 100 is held stationary, as further described below. In various embodiments, the center of the material guide 348 is positioned radially inwardly of the centers of the rest of the material guides of the outer accumulator 300. In certain embodiments, the material guide 348 can be in the form of a freely rotatable rotor. In certain embodiments, the material guide 348 can be in the form of a driven rotatable rotor controlled by the controller 600.

[0026] The outer pe-winding accumulator actuator 400 is operably connected to the outer wrapping-material accumulator 300 and specifically to the cylindrical guide support 310 thereof to rotate the entire outer accumulator 300 relative to the wrapping-material carriage and the supply roll R supported by the wrapping-material carriage, the inner accumulator 100, and the load L. In certain embodiments, the outer accumulator actuator 400 includes one or more motors operably connected to the guide support 310 of the outer accumulator 300 via one ordriven roller assemblies (not shown) to rotate the outer accumulator 300. This is merely an example, and the outer accumulator actuator 400 can include any suitable actuator configured to rotate the outer accumulator 300.

[0027] The outer surfaces of the heads, shafts, and / or feet of one or more of the material guides of the inner and outer accumulators 100 and 300 can have a suitable coating (such as a low-friction coating) applied thereto to enable the paper wrapping material WM to readily slide on these material guides.

[0028] A generally annular gap exists between the inner and outer accumulators 100 and 300 to enable the wrapping material WM to pass between them and to enable each of the inner and outer accumulators 100 and 300 to independently rotate without interference from each other.

[0029] The cutting-and-fixing device 60 is supported by the wrapping-machine frame and in various embodiments supported by the inner accumulator 100. The cutting-and- fixing device 60 is configured to move in the area inside of the inner accumulator 100 between the inner accumulator 100 and the load L. The cutting-and-fixing device 60 is configured to, after a load L has been wrapped, cut the wrapping material WM at a position between the load L and the inner accumulator 100 to form a trailing end of the wrapping material WM and to connect the trailing end of the wrapping material WM to the wrapped load L to complete the wrapping process. Cutting the wrapping material WM also creates a leading end of the wrapping material WM. The cutting-and-fixing device 60 is also configured to or includes a holding device configured to hold the leading end of the wrapping material WM after cutting the wrapping material WM and to connect the leading end of the wrapping material WM to the next load as it is being wrapped. Alternatively, this holding device can be connected to the inner accumulator 100. The cutting-and-fixing device 60 can include suitable sealing and cutting actuators 68 that are controlled by the controller 600. The cutting-and-fixing device 60 can be any suitable cutting-and-fixing device, and the sealing and cutting actuators can be any suitable actuators.

[0030] 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 operatorinterface 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.

[0031] 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 instructions executable by the processing device to control operation of the wrapping machine 10 (such as to carry out a wrapping operation, as described below).

[0032] The controller 600 is communicatively and operably connected to the wrapping-material-unwinding actuator 58, the accumulator actuator 200, the accumulator actuator 400, and the sealing-and-cutting actuators 68 to control operation of these components in conjunction with the wrapping operation, 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.

[0033] An accumulation operation and then a wrapping operation in which the wrapping machine 10 is used to wrap a load L with wrapping material WM from the supply roll R to secure the load L to the pallet P is now partially described.

[0034] Generally, for a new supply roll R, the first step of the accumulation operation is for the paper wrapping material WM from the paper wrapping material supply roll R to be accumulated onto the outer accumulator 300 and the inner accumulator 100. In various embodiments this accumulation is performed fully automatically, in other embodiments this accumulation is performed partially manually and partially automatically, and in other embodiments, this accumulation is performed fully manually. In this example embodiment, as best shown in Figure 8, the leading edge of the paper wrapping material WM from the supply roll R is moved (pulled and guided) downstream adjacent to guide 346 and around guide 348 of the outer accumulator 300, then through the annular gap between the inner and outer accumulators 100 and 300, and then downstream adjacent to guide 142 and around guide 144 of the inner accumulator 100, and then inwardly of the inner accumulator 100 such that the leading end of the wrapping material WM extends inwardly of the inner accumulator 100. As used herein, “downstream” means the direction of travel of the wrapping material WM as the wrapping material is pulled off the supply roll R and “upstream” means the direction opposite the direction of travel of the wrapping material WM as the wrapping material is pulled off the supply roll R.

[0035] The cutting-and-fixing device 60 can be employed to hold the leading end of the wrapping material WM at this point in the process. The cutting-and-fixing device 60 can hold the leading end of the wrapping material WM adjacent to the guide 144.

[0036] In this example embodiment, as best shown in Figure 9, the outer accumulator 300 is then rotated in a first direction (here counterclockwise when viewed from below the outer accumulator 300 such as shown in Figure 9) under the control of the controller 600 to accumulate the wrapping material WM around the inner accumulator 100. The rotation of the outer accumulator 300 is caused by the accumulator actuator 400 under the control of the controller 600. During this accumulation of the wrapping material WM on the inner accumulator 100, the inner accumulator 100 can be held stationary while the wrapping material WM passes through the outer accumulator 300 an onto the material guides 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142 of the inner accumulator 100 until the wrapping material WM is completely wrapped around the inner accumulator 100. In alternative embodiments, the inner accumulator 100 can be rotated in a second direction (here clockwise when viewed from below the accumulator 100) to accumulate the wrapping material WM around the inner accumulator100. During such accumulation, the wrapping material WM passes through the outer accumulator 300 until the wrapping material WM is completely wrapped around the inner accumulator 100.

[0037] In this example embodiment, as also shown in Figure 8, this rotation of the outer accumulator 300 is the first direction (here clockwise when viewed from below the accumulator 300) under the control of the controller 600 then accumulates the wrapping material WM on the material guides 320, 322, 324, 326, 328, 330, 332, 334, 336, 338, 340, 342, 344, and 346 of the outer accumulator 300. During this accumulation, the wrapping material WM is completely wrapped around the outer accumulator 300. Thus, the wrapping material accumulates on both accumulators 100 and 300 when the outer accumulator 300 rotates relative to the inner accumulator 100. In various embodiments, there is a simultaneous accumulation on these accumulators. The accumulation of the wrapping material WM on the inner and outer accumulators 100 and 300 can be performed in any suitable manner and with any suitable rotations of one or more of the accumulators 100 and 300 in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0038] At this point, the wrapping assembly 50 is ready to wrap a load on a pallet such as load L on pallet P. At this point, the cutting-and-fixing device 60 holds the leading end of the wrapping material WM in the same manner that the cutting-and-fixing device 60 would hold the leading end of the wrapping material WM after wrapping a previous load.

[0039] The wrapping process is thus now described. The controller 600 controls the movement of the load L on the pallet P through the infeed area and into the wrapping area of the wrapping machine 10. After the load L on the pallet P reaches the wrapping area, the controller 600 controls the positioning of either or both the load L on the pallet P or the appropriate components of the wrapping assembly 50 and such that the inner and outer accumulators 100 and 300 surround the load L and such that the cutting-and-fixing device 60 holds the leading end of the wrapping material WM to be in adjacent to or in contact with the load L.

[0040] The controller 600 then controls the inner accumulator actuator 200 to rotate the inner accumulator 100 in the first direction (here clockwise when viewed from below the accumulator 100) to wrap the load L with the paper wrapping material WM accumulated on the inner accumulator 100. More specifically, the controller 600 controls the inner accumulator actuator 200 to rotate the inner accumulator 100 in the first direction (here clockwise) to applythe accumulated paper wrapping material WM on the material guides 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138, 140, and 142 of the inner accumulator 100 onto the load L as the inner accumulator 100 rotates about the load L. The rotation of the inner accumulator 100 relative to the load L causes the wrapping material WM to be drawn off of the inner accumulator 100 and wrapped around the load L. In certain embodiments, the cutting-and-fixing device 60 can hold and release the leading end of the wrapping material WM at the appropriate time such that the wrapping material WM is securely wrapped around the load L. In this example embodiment, as the first accumulator 100 wraps the wrapping material WM around the load L, the controller 600 can cause the rotation of the outer accumulator 300 in either direction (here clockwise or counterclockwise when viewed from below the accumulator 300 such as shown in Figure 9) to maintain tension on the wrapping material WM.

[0041] In various embodiments, the controller 600 can cause rotation of the outer accumulator 300 to unload the wrapping material WM around the outer accumulator 300 onto the inner accumulator 100 for further wrapping of the load L (or subsequent wrapping of a subsequent load). In various embodiments, depending on the size of the loads and the accumulators, a greater length of wrapping material than the length of the wrapping material on the inner accumulator 100 may need to be used to wrap the load. The outer accumulator 300 can supply such extra wrapping material to the inner accumulator 300.

[0042] In various embodiments, after or during the accumulation of the wrapping material WM from the outer accumulator 300 to the inner accumulator 100, the controller 600 can cause further accumulation of the wrapping material WM on the outer accumulator 300 from the supply roll R. In various embodiments, after the wrapping material WM has been wrapped around the load L from the first accumulator 100, the controller 600 controls the cutting-and- fixing device 60 to release the trailing end of the wrapping material WM and move away from the load L.

[0043] In various embodiments, when the first accumulator 100 is empty, the controller 600 can cause the rotation of the outer accumulator 300 in the second direction (here counterclockwise when viewed from below the accumulator 300 such as shown in Figure 9) to accumulate the wrapping material WM around the outer accumulator 300 onto the inner accumulator 100 for further wrapping of the load L or for subsequent wrapping of a subsequent load. In such embodiments, after the accumulated wrapping material WM on the outeraccumulator 300 is accumulated on the inner accumulator 100, the controller 600 can cause further accumulation of the wrapping material WM on the outer accumulator 300 from the supply roll R.

[0044] In various other embodiments of the present disclosure, the wrapping machine includes a different quantity of concentric wrapping-material accumulators. In various such embodiments, the wrapping machine includes only one wrapping-material accumulator. In various other such embodiments, the wrapping machine includes three or more concentric wrapping-material accumulators.

Claims

Claims1. A wrapping machine comprising: a wrapping assembly comprising: a rotatable inner wrapping-material accumulator, and a rotatable outer wrapping-material accumulator surrounding the inner wrappingmaterial accumulator; and a controller configured to, prior to wrapping a load with wrapping material from a supply roll, cause the wrapping material to be fed through the outer wrapping-material accumulator and wrapped around the inner wrapping-material accumulator, and wrapped around the outer wrapping-material accumulator, and the controller configured to, for wrapping the load with the wrapping material cause the wrapping material to be applied from the inner wrapping-material accumulator to the load by rotating the inner wrapping-material accumulator about the load.

2. The wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, prior to wrapping the load with the wrapping material from the supply roll, cause the outer wrapping-material accumulator to rotate in a first direction to wrap the wrapping material around the inner wrapping-material accumulator.

3. The wrapping machine of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to, prior to wrapping the load with the wrapping material from the supply roll, cause the outer wrapping-material accumulator to rotate in the first direction to wrap the wrapping material around the outer wrapping-material accumulator.

4. The wrapping machine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to, prior to wrapping the load with the wrapping material from the supply roll, cause the outer wrapping-material accumulator to rotate in a first direction to wrap the wrapping material around the inner wrapping-material accumulator.The wrapping machine of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to, for wrapping the load with the wrapping material, cause the inner wrapping-material accumulator to rotate in the first direction. The wrapping machine of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to, for wrapping the load with the wrapping material, cause the inner wrapping-material accumulator to rotate in a second direction opposite the first direction. A wrapping machine comprising: a wrapping-machine frame; a wrapping assembly comprising an inner wrapping-material accumulator and an outer wrapping-material accumulator; and a controller configured to: cause wrapping material from a supply roll to be accumulated on the inner wrapping-material accumulator and on the outer wrapping-material accumulator, and cause the inner wrapping-material accumulator to rotate to wrap the wrapping material accumulated on the inner wrapping-material accumulator around a load.

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