Projecting containment force for load wrapping apparatus

• US 10,435,191 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lantechcom LLC (Lantech.com)
• Original Assignee: Lantechcom LLC (Lantech.com)
• Inventors: Lancaster, III, Patrick R., Mitchell, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, Michelle
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rushing-Tucker, Chinyere J
• Application Number:
  US14/877,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20160096645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 11/025 by webs revolving around stationary articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 11/045 by rotating platforms supporting the articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 11/585 to stacked articles, e.g. pallettised loads
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/16 the web dispenser travelling around the article along a non-rotating ring
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 41/12 Feeding webs from rolls
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/48 using reciprocating or oscillating pushers
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/04 and operating to control, or to stop, the feed of such material, containers, or packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/12 and operating to control, or stop, the feed of wrapping materials, containers, or packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/16 and operating to stop, or to control the speed of, the machine as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 57/18 causing operation of audible or visible alarm signals
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/001 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/003 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the packaging material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A method, apparatus and program product project a containment force to be applied to a load by a load wrapping apparatus prior to wrapping the load to facilitate proper configuration of the load wrapping apparatus for a wrapping operation.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support, the method comprising:

causing a graphical depiction of at least a portion of a load to be wrapped to be displayed on an operator interface;

causing a selected number of layers of packaging material to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction, wherein the selected number of layers of packaging material represents a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be dispensed throughout a contiguous region of the load such that the minimum number of layers of packaging material overlay at any point on the load within the contiguous region;

causing a selected wrap force to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction;

calculating, based upon the selected wrap force, the selected number of layers of packaging material, and a packaging material attribute for the packaging material, a projected containment force to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material;

causing the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface; and

in response to input data that alters the selected wrap force or the selected number of layers, recalculating the projected containment force and causing the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface, wherein recalculating the projected containment force and causing the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface are performed prior to performing any wrap operation with the load wrapping apparatus subsequent to causing the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser during the relative rotation based on the selected wrap force and the selected number of layers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the packaging material attribute comprises an incremental containment force (ICF).

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving input data associated with a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material; and

in response to input data that alters one of the selected wrap force or the selected number of layers, automatically altering the other of the selected wrap force or the selected number of layers based upon the load containment force requirement.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein automatically altering the other of the selected wrap force or the selected number of layers based upon the load containment force requirement is performed only when containment force monitoring is enabled, the method further comprising allowing the selected wrap force and the selected number of layers to be independently altered when containment force monitoring is disabled.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein causing the number of layers of packaging material to be displayed graphically includes displaying a number of parallel bars corresponding to the selected number of layers of packaging material to be displayed adjacent to the graphical depiction of the load, the method further comprising changing the number of parallel bars displayed adjacent to the graphical depiction of the load in response to altering the selected number of layers.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein causing the wrap force to be displayed graphically includes controlling a display characteristic of the load in the graphical depiction based upon the selected wrap force, the method further comprising varying the display characteristic of the load in response to altering the selected wrap force.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising calibrating the packaging material based upon a measurement of actual containment force and packaging material weight after a wrapping operation and determining the ICF for the packaging material from the actual containment force and packaging material weight.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining the ICF by applying a correction multiplier associated with a thickness of the packaging material to a baseline ICF associated with a default thickness.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining the ICF by performing a wrapping operation on a load and calibrating the packaging material based upon a containment force measured on the load after performing the wrapping operation on the load.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining the ICF by accessing a table of empirical test measurements.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining the ICF based upon a wrap force measured during a wrapping operation on a load.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the input data associated with the load containment force requirement is an indirect control parameter associated with a load stability type.

14. The method of claim 4, further comprising causing the load containment force requirement to be displayed with the projected containment force on the operator interface.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the containment force requirement is displayed only if containment force monitoring is enabled for the load wrapping apparatus.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein the selected wrap force and the selected number of layers of packaging material are associated with a wrap profile, and wherein causing the graphical depiction to be displayed is performed when setting up or configuring the wrap profile.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising monitoring the wrap profile to determine if the wrap profile is not meeting a containment force criteria associated with the wrap profile.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

associating a monitor action with the wrap profile; and

performing the monitor action in response to determining the wrap profile is not meeting the associated containment force criteria.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein monitoring the wrap profile includes monitoring changes to the wrap profile.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein monitoring the wrap profile includes monitoring a wrapping operation performed using the wrap profile.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining a lower wrap force limit based upon the containment force requirement; and

limiting operator altering of the selected wrap force based upon the lower wrap force limit.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein causing the selected wrap force to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction includes displaying a legend representing a range of wrap force values and graphically depicting the lower wrap force limit on the legend.

23. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

program code configured upon execution by the processor to control a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support by;

causing a graphical depiction of at least a portion of a load to be wrapped to be displayed on an operator interface;

causing a selected number of layers of packaging material to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction, wherein the selected number of layers of packaging material represents a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be dispensed throughout a contiguous region of the load such that the minimum number of layers of packaging material overlay at any point on the load within the contiguous region;

causing a selected wrap force to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction;

calculating, based upon the selected wrap force, the selected number of layers of packaging material, and a packaging material attribute for the packaging material, a projected containment force to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material;

causing the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface; and

in response to input data that alters the selected wrap force or the selected number of layers, recalculating the projected containment force and causing the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface, wherein recalculating the projected containment force and causing the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface are performed prior to performing any wrap operation with the load wrapping apparatus subsequent to causing the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is in a controller of the load wrapping apparatus, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a packaging material dispenser for dispensing packaging material to the load.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is in a device external to the load wrapping apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the device is a mobile device, a single-user computer or a multi-user computer.

27. A program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

program code stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to control a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support, wherein the program code is configured to control the load wrapping apparatus by;

causing a graphical depiction of at least a portion of a load to be wrapped to be displayed on an operator interface;

causing a selected number of layers of packaging material to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction, wherein the selected number of layers of packaging material represents a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be dispensed throughout a contiguous region of the load such that the minimum number of layers of packaging material overlay at any point on the load within the contiguous region;

causing a selected wrap force to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction;

calculating, based upon the selected wrap force, the selected number of layers of packaging material, and a packaging material attribute for the packaging material, a projected containment force to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material;

causing the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface; and

in response to input data that alters the selected wrap force or the selected number of layers, recalculating the projected containment force and causing the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface, wherein recalculating the projected containment force and causing the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface are performed prior to performing any wrap operation with the load wrapping apparatus subsequent to causing the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface.

28. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support, the method comprising:

causing a graphical depiction of at least a portion of a load to be wrapped to be displayed on an operator interface;

causing a value of a layer parameter to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction, wherein the value of the layer parameter represents a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be dispensed throughout a contiguous region of the load such that the minimum number of layers of packaging material overlay at any point on the load within the contiguous region;

causing a value of a wrap force parameter to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction;

calculating, based upon the wrap force parameter, the layer parameter, and a packaging material attribute for the packaging material, a projected containment force to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material;

causing the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface; and

in response to input data that alters the wrap force or layer parameter, recalculating the projected containment force and causing the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface, wherein recalculating the projected containment force and causing the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface are performed prior to performing any wrap operation with the load wrapping apparatus subsequent to causing the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the layer parameter specifies a combined thickness of packaging material to be applied to the load.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the layer parameter specifies a selected number of layers of packaging material to be used when wrapping the load.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

program code configured upon execution by the processor to control a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support, wherein the program code is configured to cause a graphical depiction of at least a portion of a load to be wrapped to be displayed on an operator interface, cause a value of a layer parameter to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction, cause a value of a wrap force parameter to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction, calculate, based upon the wrap force parameter, the layer parameter, and a packaging material attribute for the packaging material, a projected containment force to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material, cause the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface, and, in response to input data that alters the wrap force or layer parameter, recalculate the projected containment force and cause the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface, wherein the value of the layer parameter represents a minimum number of layers of packaging material to be dispensed throughout a contiguous region of the load such that the minimum number of layers of packaging material overlay at any point on the load within the contiguous region, and wherein the program code is configured to recalculate the projected containment force and cause the recalculated projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface prior to performing any wrap operation with the load wrapping apparatus subsequent to causing the projected containment force to be displayed on the operator interface.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the layer parameter specifies a selected number of layers of packaging material to be used when wrapping the load.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the packaging material attribute comprises an incremental containment force (ICF).

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the program code is further configured to receive receiving input data associated with a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material and, in response to input data that alters one of the wrap force or layer parameters, automatically alter the other of the wrap force or layer parameter based upon the load containment force requirement.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the program code is configured to automatically alter the other of the wrap force or layer parameter based upon the load containment force requirement only when containment force monitoring is enabled, and wherein the program code is configured to allow the wrap force and layer parameters to be independently altered when containment force monitoring is disabled.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the wrap force and layer parameters are associated with a wrap profile, and wherein the program code is configured to cause the graphical depiction to be displayed when setting up or configuring the wrap profile.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the program code is further configured to monitor the wrap profile to determine if the wrap profile is not meeting a containment force criteria associated with the wrap profile.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the program code is further configured to determine a lower wrap force limit based upon the containment force requirement and limit operator altering of the selected wrap force based upon the lower wrap force limit, and wherein the program code is configured to cause the selected wrap force to be used when wrapping the load to be displayed graphically in the graphical depiction by displaying a legend representing a range of wrap force values and graphically depicting the lower wrap force limit on the legend.