Load Stability-Based Wrapping

Abstract

Control of a load wrapping apparatus may be based at least in part on the relative stability of a load, such as based upon one or more load stability types that categorize the relative stability of the load. A graphical depiction of a wrap profile may also be used in some instances to facilitate operator set up of the wrap profile.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of setting up a wrap profile prior to wrapping 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 plurality of controls to be displayed on an operator display, each of the plurality of controls associated with a different load stability type that categorizes the load based upon a relative stability of the load;   determining a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material in response to operator selection of one of the plurality of controls;   determining a corresponding wrap force parameter and a corresponding layer parameter for the load containment force requirement; and   storing the corresponding wrap force and layer parameters in a wrap profile for use in controlling a dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser during the relative rotation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of controls is a first plurality of controls, the method further comprising:
 causing a second plurality of controls to be displayed on the operator display, each of the second plurality of controls associated with a different axial load variability for the load;   determining an axial load variability for the load in response to operator selection of one of the second plurality of controls; and   accommodating the determined axial load variability for the load in the wrap profile.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of controls includes first, second and third controls that respectively represent the load not being inboard of a pallet, the load being moderately inboard of a pallet, and the load being extremely inboard of a pallet, wherein accommodating the determined axial load variability includes:
 in response to selection of the second control, configuring the wrap profile to reduce a wrap force for at least one wrap around a pallet; and   in response to selection of the third control, configuring the wrap profile to reduce a wrap force for at least one wrap around a pallet and to apply an additional band of packaging material around the load proximate a pallet.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of controls includes first and second controls that respectively represent the load having uniform layers and the load having irregular layers, and wherein accommodating the determined axial load variability includes configuring the wrap profile to reduce the corresponding wrap force in response to selection of the second control. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising causing a third plurality of controls to be displayed on the operator display, the third plurality of controls including first, second and third controls that respectively represent the load not being inboard of a pallet, the load being moderately inboard of a pallet, and the load being extremely inboard of a pallet each of the third plurality of controls associated with a different axial load variability for the load, and wherein accommodating the determined axial load variability includes:
 in response to selection of the second control of the third plurality of controls, configuring the wrap profile to reduce a wrap force for at least one wrap around a pallet; and   in response to selection of the third control of the third plurality of controls, configuring the wrap profile to reduce a wrap force for at least one wrap around a pallet and to apply an additional band of packaging material around the load proximate a pallet.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein causing the second plurality of controls to be displayed is performed before causing the third plurality of controls to be displayed, and wherein causing the third plurality of controls to be displayed is performed before causing the first plurality of controls to be displayed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each of the third plurality of controls includes a graphical representation of a load that graphically represents a different degree to which a load is inboard of a pallet, the method further comprising controlling the graphical representations of each of the third plurality of controls to graphically represent a uniform load or an irregular load based upon selection of a control among the second plurality of controls. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   program code configured upon execution by the processor to set up a wrap profile for use in controlling a load wrapping apparatus of a 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 processor configured to set up the wrap profile by:
 causing a plurality of controls to be displayed on an operator display, each of the plurality of controls associated with a different load stability type that categorizes the load based upon a relative stability of the load; 
 determining a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material in response to operator selection of one of the plurality of controls; 
 determining a corresponding wrap force parameter and a corresponding layer parameter for the load containment force requirement; and 
 storing the corresponding wrap force and layer parameters in a wrap profile for use in controlling a dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser during the relative rotation. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , 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. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is in a device that is separate from and in communication with the load wrapping apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of controls is a first plurality of controls, and wherein the controller is further configured to:
 cause a second plurality of controls to be displayed on the operator display, each of the second plurality of controls associated with a different axial load variability for the load;   determine an axial load variability for the load in response to operator selection of one of the second plurality of controls; and   accommodate the determined axial load variability for the load in the wrap profile.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second plurality of controls includes first, second and third controls that respectively represent the load not being inboard of a pallet, the load being moderately inboard of a pallet, and the load being extremely inboard of a pallet, wherein the controller is configured to accommodate the determined axial load variability by:
 in response to selection of the second control, configuring the wrap profile to reduce a wrap force for at least one wrap around a pallet; and   in response to selection of the third control, configuring the wrap profile to reduce a wrap force for at least one wrap around a pallet and to apply an additional band of packaging material around the load proximate a pallet.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the second plurality of controls includes first and second controls that respectively represent the load having uniform layers and the load having irregular layers, and wherein the controller is configured to accommodate the determined axial load variability by configuring the wrap profile to reduce the corresponding wrap force in response to selection of the second control. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause a third plurality of controls to be displayed on the operator display, the third plurality of controls including first, second and third controls that respectively represent the load not being inboard of a pallet, the load being moderately inboard of a pallet, and the load being extremely inboard of a pallet each of the third plurality of controls associated with a different axial load variability for the load, and wherein the controller is configured to accommodate the determined axial load variability by:
 in response to selection of the second control of the third plurality of controls, configuring the wrap profile to reduce a wrap force for at least one wrap around a pallet; and   in response to selection of the third control of the third plurality of controls, configuring the wrap profile to reduce a wrap force for at least one wrap around a pallet and to apply an additional band of packaging material around the load proximate a pallet.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the second plurality of controls to be displayed before causing the third plurality of controls to be displayed, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the third plurality of controls to be displayed before causing the first plurality of controls to be displayed. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each of the third plurality of controls includes a graphical representation of a load that graphically represents a different degree to which a load is inboard of a pallet, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the graphical representations of each of the third plurality of controls to graphically represent a uniform load or an irregular load based upon selection of a control among the second plurality of controls.\ 
     
     
         17 . A program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer readable medium; and   program code stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to set up a wrap profile for use in controlling a load wrapping apparatus of a 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 set up the wrap profile by:
 causing a plurality of controls to be displayed on an operator display, each of the plurality of controls associated with a different load stability type that categorizes the load based upon a relative stability of the load; 
 determining a load containment force requirement to be used when wrapping the load with packaging material in response to operator selection of one of the plurality of controls; 
 determining a corresponding wrap force parameter and a corresponding layer parameter for the load containment force requirement; and 
 storing the corresponding wrap force and layer parameters in a wrap profile for use in controlling a dispense rate of the packaging material dispenser during the relative rotation.