Packaging system

• US 4,543,766 A
• Filed: 02/24/1983
• Issued: 10/01/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Premark FEG LLC (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hobart Corporation (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Boshinski, Edwin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crane, Daniel C.
• Application Number:
  US06/469,328
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 53/502, 53/504, 53/131, 53/137, 53/64, 53/66, 53/556, 177/165, 177/4, 346/9, 73/865 G, 33/494, 33/1 F, 156/385, 156/386
• US Class Current: 53/64
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 11/54 Wrapping by causing the wrapper to embrace one end and all sides of the contents, and closing the wrapper onto the opposite end by forming regular or irregular pleats
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/04 Customised on demand packaging by determining a specific characteristic, e.g. shape or height, of articles or material to be packaged and selecting, creating or adapting a packaging accordingly, e.g. making a carton starting from web material
• 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: B65B 59/02 Arrangements to enable adjustments to be made while the machine is running
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 9/36 Wipers; Pressers
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/40 with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight indicating means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; recording means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; computers in general G06

Abstract

A weighing scale and a label printer/applier are cooperatively combined with a wrapping machine to form a packaging machine into which a trayed commodity can be inserted and a wrapped and priced package removed. The weight of a trayed commodity is preferably determined as it is transported into the packaging machine. The tray size, known commodity and weight of the trayed commodity or package are utilized to determine the length and width of a sheet of film to be used to wrap the package. The package weight is passed to a label printer which calculates the price for the commodity being packaged, prints the label and passes it to a labeling head incorporated into a portion of the wrapping machine. The package weight is determined by subtracting a tare weight based on sensed package dimensions from the gross weight of the package to arrive at an accurate net pricing weight.

Claims

1. In a packaging machine comprising a stretch wrap station adjacent a feed-in tray and having means for prestretching film within a horizontal plane across an elevator which is movable along a vertical elevation path intersecting with said horizontal plane wherein packages which are to be wrapped and priced are transported from said feed-in tray to said elevator which in turn elevates the packages into a prestretched section of stretch film to thereby wrap and further stretch said film about said package, the improvement comprising:

weighing means for receiving packages to be wrapped and generating weight signals representative of the weights of said packages;

label generating means responsive to said weight signals for producing pricing labels for said packages; and

label handling means for conveying said labels to a position vertically above said elevator and to a position intersecting with said elevation path of said elevator whereby pricing labels are applied to said packages along the elevation path of said elevator.

2. The packaging machine of claim 1 wherein said weighing means comprises a weighing conveyor positioned between said feed-in tray and said elevator which further provides for transporting said packages to said elevator while weighing said packages.

3. The packaging machine of claim 1 wherein said packages comprise tray-supported commodities and said machine includes sensing means for determining the length and width of said tray-supported commodities entering said machine and further comprises control means for selecting the length and width of film to be used to wrap said tray-supported commodities in response to the sensed length, width and weight of said tray-supported commodities.

4. The packaging machine of claim 3 wherein said label generating means further calculates and compensates for the tare weight based on sensed tray dimensions.

5. In a packaging system comprising a film wrapping machine for wrapping known commodities supported upon trays of varying sizes in variously sized sheets of film, means for weighing trayed commodities and computation means for calculating the price to be charged for such trayed commodities based on the weights of the trayed commodities, the price per unit weight of the commodity and the tare weight, the improvement comprising:

control means comprising sensing means for determining the dimensions of said trays and generating package signals representative of said dimensions; and

said computation means comprising tare generating means coupled to said control means and responsive to said package signals for determining the tare weight to be used for calculating the price for said trayed commodities.

6. In apparatus for calculating the price of a trayed commodity based on the price per unit weight of the commodity, the weight of the trayed commodity and the tare weight, said apparatus comprising means for weighing the trayed commodity and means for calculating the price of the trayed commodity, the improvement comprising:

sensing means for determining the base dimensions of the tray supporting said trayed commodity and for generating package signals representative thereof; and

tare weight generating means for determining the tare weight in response to said package signals.

7. Apparatus for selecting the size of a sheet of wrapping material to be used for wrapping a known commodity supported upon a generally rectangular tray, said commodity substantially covering the entire surface of said tray, said apparatus comprising:

means for determining the base dimensions of said tray and for generating tray signals representative thereof;

scale means for determining the weight of said trayed commodity and for generating weight signals representative thereof;

computer control means responsive to said tray signals and said weight signals for ascertaining whether said trayed commodity weighs more than a predetermined weight which corresponds to a defined height of said known commodity supported upon a tray of the determined base dimensions of said tray;

a supply of wrapping material wider than said trayed commodity with a leading edge thereof positioned at a defined material drawing location; and

gripper means for drawing the leading edge of said wrapping material to a first location determined in accordance with said determined tray dimensions if the weight of said trayed commodity does not exceed said predetermined weight and to a second location a defined distance beyond said first location if the weight of said trayed commodity exceeds said predetermined weight to indicate that the height of said trayed commodity exceeds said defined height.