Stretch-Wrapped Pallet Load Shaping With Pre-Compression Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing packaging techniques for palletized loads, particularly those containing consumer paper products, face challenges with oversized or undersized loads that lead to deformation, crushing, increased shipping costs, and scuff damage due to mismatched lateral dimensions and excessive wrap forces.

Innovation Solution

Applying compressive forces across opposing sides of a palletized load before, during, or after stretch wrapping to achieve a desirable shape profile, allowing the load to recover to desired dimensions, thereby reducing the need for higher wrap forces and minimizing damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If higher wrap forces are used to secure oversized loads, then the load containment is improved, but the load deformation and crushing damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload containmentVSAvoidload deformation and crushing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The load is compressed in a first direction before wrapping to reduce its lateral dimensions. This preliminary compression action allows the use of lower wrap forces during the wrapping process, preventing deformation and crushing of the load while still achieving secure containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The lateral dimensions of the load are changed by applying compressive forces in a first direction before wrapping. This parameter change (reducing lateral dimensions) allows the wrapping process to use lower forces, thereby avoiding damage to the load while maintaining containment reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If higher wrap forces are used to secure undersized loads, then the load containment is improved, but the packaging material cost and wrapping complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload containmentVSAvoidwrapping parameters

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The load is compressed in a first direction before wrapping to adjust its dimensions. This preliminary action simplifies the wrapping process by reducing the lateral dimensions, which in turn reduces the complexity of wrapping parameters and material requirements while maintaining secure containment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Volume of moving object

If the load lateral dimensions are reduced to match pallet dimensions, then the space utilization is improved, but the load deformation risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespace utilizationVSAvoidload deformation

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The load is compressed in a first direction before wrapping to reduce its lateral dimensions to match the pallet. This preliminary compression, followed by wrapping with controlled forces, achieves optimal space utilization while minimizing the risk of load deformation through proper force control during wrapping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Shape

If the load is compressed beyond desired dimensions and then allowed to recover, then the desired shape profile is achieved, but the wrapping process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshape profileVSAvoidwrapping process

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The load is compressed in a first direction before wrapping to create the desired shape profile. The wrapping process is then performed with controlled forces that accommodate the compressed state, and the load is allowed to recover to its final dimensions. This approach achieves the desired shape while managing wrapping process complexity through systematic force control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method ensures secure and space-efficient wrapping by reducing the required containment force, minimizing load deformation and damage, and optimizing space utilization during shipping and storage.

Implementation Method 1

stretchable packaging material such as polyethylene packaging material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

applying a compressive force to opposing sides of the load along the first lateral direction to compress the load

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

allowing the load to recover in the first lateral direction such that the load has the first length in the first lateral direction after the load has been wrapped

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic Recovery: Elastic Recovery

Data Source

PatentUS20250361047A1Load shaping of stretch wrapped palletized loads

Publication Date: 2025.11.27 LANTECH COM LLC

AI summary

Compressive forces are applied across opposing sides of a palletized load either before, after, or during stretch wrapping to generate a load having a desirable shape profile once wrapped. The compressive forces may be used, for example, in some instances to overcompress a load in one or more lateral directions beyond desired finished dimensions, such that once the load is thereafter allowed to recover or relax, the load assumes the desired finished dimensions.