Downstream tail adherence operation for stretch wrapping machine

Abstract

A method and load wrapping may utilize a flow device disposed downstream of a wrap position at which the load is wrapped to direct a flow of fluid towards a packaging material tail to increase adherence of the packaging material tail to the side of a load after the load has been wrapped and conveyed away from the wrap position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of wrapping a load, the method comprising:
 while the load is disposed in a wrap position, dispensing a web of packaging material to the load with a packaging material dispenser and generating relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load about an axis of rotation to wrap the web of packaging material around the load;   while the load is disposed in the wrap position, severing the web of packaging material to form a packaging material tail extending from a corner of the load;   moving the load away from the wrap position after severing the web of packaging material; and   after moving the load away from the wrap position, directing a flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position adjacent to a side of the load to increase adherence of the packaging material tail to the side of the load.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein directing the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail includes generating the flow of fluid to engage the packaging material tail throughout a target area that is substantially upstream of an end of the packaging material tail. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein directing the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail further includes establishing lateral fluid flow along the side of the load from the target area towards the end of the packaging material tail to deter separation of the end of the packaging material tail from the load. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the target area is at least about 2 inches upstream of the end of the packaging material tail. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein directing the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail is performed using a flow device configured to direct the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail at an angle relative to the side of the load. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the angle is substantially orthogonal relative to the side of the load. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the angle is an acute angle of greater than about 45 degrees relative to the side of the load. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the flow device comprises a flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower configured to generate the flow of fluid to have, throughout the target area, a velocity of at least about 20 miles per hour. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower is configured to generate the flow of fluid to have a velocity of at least about 50 miles per hour proximate an outlet of the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower is positioned less than about 12 inches from the side of the load when generating the flow of fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower includes an outlet with a vertically-oriented flat profile. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower includes:
 a housing extending along the longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet;   an axial fan blade disposed in the housing and configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis;   a fan motor coupled to the axial fan blade and configured to rotate the axial fan blade about the longitudinal axis at a rate at or greater than about 10,000 RPM; and   a plurality of stabilizing vanes extending between the axial fan blade and the outlet of the housing and configured to stabilize fluid flow downstream of the axial fan blade.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein moving the load away from the wrap position after severing the web of packaging material including moving the load on a conveyor. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the flow device is disposed adjacent to the conveyor. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 pausing movement of the conveyor after moving the load away from the wrap position when the load has reached a predetermined position relative to the flow device, wherein directing the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail is performed while movement of the conveyor is paused; and   resuming movement of the conveyor after directing the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising moving an outlet of the flow device with the conveyor, wherein directing the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail is performed during movement of the load on the conveyor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the flow of fluid is a third flow of fluid, the method further comprising:
 after severing the web of packaging material and while the load is still in the wrap position, directing a first flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position generally upstream of a free end of the packaging material tail and at an acute angle relative to the side of the load while the free end of the packaging material tail is unsupported to cause the packaging material tail to come into contact with the side of the load; and   once the free end of the packaging material tail comes into contact with the side of the load and while the load is still in the wrap position, directing a second flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail at a second angle relative to the side of the load that is substantially orthogonal relative to the side of the load.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the flow of fluid is a second flow of fluid, the method further comprising:
 after severing the web of packaging material and while the load is still in the wrap position, directing a first flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position generally upstream of a free end of the packaging material tail and at an acute angle relative to the side of the load while the free end of the packaging material tail is unsupported to cause the packaging material tail to come into contact with the side of the load.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising, once the free end of the packaging material tail comes into contact with the side of the load and while the load is still in the wrap position, mechanically wiping the packaging material tail against the side of the load. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow of fluid includes heated air. 
     
     
         21 . A method of wrapping a load, the method comprising:
 dispensing a web of packaging material to the load with a packaging material dispenser and generating relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load about an axis of rotation to wrap the web of packaging material around the load;   severing the web of packaging material to form a packaging material tail extending from a corner of the load; and   directing a flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position adjacent to a side of the load to increase adherence of the packaging material tail to the side of the load, wherein directing the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail includes generating the flow of fluid to engage the packaging material tail throughout a target area that is substantially upstream of an end of the packaging material tail.   
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for adhering a packaging material tail to a load after the load is wrapped a web of packaging material while the load is disposed in a wrap position and a packaging material tail is formed by severing the web of packaging material while the load is in the wrap position, the apparatus comprising:
 a conveyor configured to move the load away from the wrap position; and   a flow device positioned downstream of the wrap position and configured to direct a flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position adjacent to a side of the load after the load has been moved away from the wrap position by the conveyor to increase adherence of the packaging material tail to the side of the load.   
     
     
         23 . An apparatus for wrapping a load, the apparatus comprising:
 a packaging material dispenser configured to dispense a web of packaging material to the load while the load is disposed in a wrap position;   a rotational drive configured to generate relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load about an axis of rotation while the load is disposed in the wrap position;   a cutting assembly configured to sever the web of packaging material to form a packaging material tail extending from a corner of the load while the load is disposed in the wrap position; and   a flow device positioned downstream of the wrap position and configured to direct a flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position adjacent to a side of the load and at an angle relative to the side of the load after the load has been moved away from the wrap position to increase adherence of the packaging material tail to the side of the load.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the flow device is configured to generate the flow of fluid to engage the packaging material tail throughout a target area that is substantially upstream of an end of the packaging material tail. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the flow device is further configured to establish lateral fluid flow along the side of the load from the target area towards the end of the packaging material tail to deter separation of the end of the packaging material tail from the load. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the target area is at least about 2 inches upstream of the end of the packaging material tail. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the angle is substantially orthogonal relative to the side of the load. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the angle is an acute angle of greater than about 45 degrees relative to the side of the load. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the flow device comprises a flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower configured to generate the flow of fluid to have, throughout the target area, a velocity of at least about 20 miles per hour. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower is configured to generate the flow of fluid to have a velocity of at least about 50 miles per hour proximate an outlet of the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower is positioned less than about 12 inches from the side of the load when generating the flow of fluid. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower includes an outlet with a vertically-oriented flat profile. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the flow stabilized high speed axial fan blower includes:
 a housing extending along the longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet;   an axial fan blade disposed in the housing and configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis;   a fan motor coupled to the axial fan blade and configured to rotate the axial fan blade about the longitudinal axis at a rate at or greater than about 10,000 RPM; and   a plurality of stabilizing vanes extending between the axial fan blade and the outlet of the housing and configured to stabilize fluid flow downstream of the axial fan blade.   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising a conveyor configured to move the load away from the wrap position after the cutting assembly severs the web of packaging material. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the flow device is disposed adjacent to the conveyor. 
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , further comprising a controller coupled to the conveyor and configured to:
 cause movement of the conveyor to be paused after moving the load away from the wrap position when the load has reached a predetermined position relative to the flow device;   activate the flow device to direct the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail while movement of the conveyor is paused; and   cause movement of the conveyor to be resumed after activation of the flow device to direct the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail.   
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein an outlet of the flow device is configured to move with the conveyor such that the flow device directs the flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail during movement of the load on the conveyor. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the flow of fluid is a third flow of fluid and the flow device is a third flow device, and the apparatus further comprises:
 a first flow device configured to, after the web of packaging material has been severed and while the load is still in the wrap position, direct a first flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position generally upstream of a free end of the packaging material tail and at an acute angle relative to the side of the load while the free end of the packaging material tail is unsupported to cause the packaging material tail to come into contact with the side of the load; and   a second flow device configured to, once the free end of the packaging material tail comes into contact with the side of the load and while the load is still in the wrap position, direct a second flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail at a second angle relative to the side of the load that is substantially orthogonal relative to the side of the load.   
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the flow of fluid is a second flow of fluid and the flow device is a second flow device, and the apparatus further comprises a first flow device configured to, after the web of packaging material has been severed and while the load is still in the wrap position, direct a first flow of fluid towards the packaging material tail from a position generally upstream of a free end of the packaging material tail and at an acute angle relative to the side of the load while the free end of the packaging material tail is unsupported to cause the packaging material tail to come into contact with the side of the load. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , further comprising a wiping assembly configured to, once the free end of the packaging material tail comes into contact with the side of the load and while the load is still in the wrap position, mechanically wipe the packaging material tail against the side of the load.