Pallet wrapping film perforation system and method

Abstract

A pallet wrapping system with at least one spindle, a support bar, a perforation roller, and a pre-stretch machine. The support bar has a plurality of arms that are configured to receive stretch film from the at least one spindle and create banded edges on the stretch film as it passes through the plurality of arms. The pallet wrapping system is configured to form a reinforced stretch film using the plurality of arms and the stretch film from the at least one spindle. The perforation roller is configured to form a plurality of holes through the reinforced stretch film as the reinforced stretch film passes over the perforation roller. The pre-stretch machine is configured to receive the reinforced stretch film and stretch the reinforced stretch film prior to wrapping a palletized load with the reinforced stretch film.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A pallet wrapping system, comprising:
 a first spindle configured to receive at least a first roll of stretch film and a second roll of stretch film and allow stretch film from the first roll of stretch film and from the second roll of stretch film to unwind by rotating about the first spindle, wherein a stretch film path through the pallet wrapping system begins at the first spindle;   a support bar positioned along the stretch film path after the first spindle, the support bar having a plurality of arms coupled to the support bar and configured to receive stretch film from the first roll of stretch film and the second roll of stretch film and create a banded edge on the stretch film as the stretch film passes through the plurality of arms to form a first banded stretch film and a second banded stretch film;   a second spindle positioned along the stretch film path after the support bar, the second spindle configured to receive a third roll of stretch film and allow stretch film from the third roll of stretch film to unwind by rotating about the second spindle, wherein the pallet wrapping system is configured to layer the first banded stretch film and the second banded stretch film onto the third roll of stretch film of the second spindle to form a reinforced stretch film, wherein a gap separates the first banded stretch film from the second banded stretch film on the reinforced stretch film;   a perforation roller positioned along the stretch film path after the second spindle, the perforation roller comprising a plurality of perforation blades spaced along a length of the perforation roller and configured to form a plurality of holes through the reinforced stretch film in the gap between the first banded stretch film and the second banded stretch film as the reinforced stretch film passes over the perforation roller, wherein:
 each of the plurality of perforation blades is removably coupled to the perforation roller; 
 each of the plurality of perforation blades comprises a curved blade edge and a blade guard that is curved to match a curve of the perforation roller; and 
 each blade guard is configured to sit against the perforation roller when the perforation blade is installed in the perforation roller; and 
   a pre-stretch machine configured to receive the reinforced stretch film from the perforation roller and stretch the reinforced stretch film before the reinforced stretch film is wrapped around a palletized load.   
     
     
         2 . The pallet wrapping system of  claim 1 , wherein the perforation roller and the pre-stretch machine are positioned such that a path of the reinforced stretch film over the perforation roller changes direction by at least 90 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . A pallet wrapping system, comprising:
 at least one spindle configured to receive at least one roll of stretch film and allow stretch film from the at least one roll of stretch film to unwind when the at least one roll of stretch film rotates about the at least one spindle;   a support bar having a plurality of arms coupled to the support bar and configured to receive a first stretch film and a second stretch film from the at least one spindle and create banded edges on the first stretch film and the second stretch film as the first stretch film and the second stretch film pass through the plurality of arms to form a first banded stretch film and a second banded stretch film, wherein the pallet wrapping system is configured to layer the first banded stretch film and the second banded stretch film onto a third stretch film from the at least one spindle to form a reinforced stretch film;   a perforation roller configured to form a plurality of holes through the reinforced stretch film as the reinforced stretch film passes over the perforation roller; and   a pre-stretch machine configured to receive the reinforced stretch film and stretch the reinforced stretch film prior to wrapping a palletized load with the reinforced stretch film.   
     
     
         4 . The pallet wrapping system of  claim 3 , wherein a gap separates the first banded stretch film from the second banded stretch film on the reinforced stretch film and the plurality of holes are configured to extend through the stretch film in the gap between the first banded stretch film and the second banded stretch film. 
     
     
         5 . The pallet wrapping system of  claim 3 , the perforation roller comprising a plurality of perforation pins spaced along a length of the perforation roller and configured to form the plurality of holes through the reinforced stretch film. 
     
     
         6 . The pallet wrapping system of  claim 3 , the perforation roller comprising a plurality of perforation blades spaced along a length of the perforation roller and configured to form the plurality of holes through the reinforced stretch film. 
     
     
         7 . The pallet wrapping system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of perforation blades comprises a curved blade edge. 
     
     
         8 . The pallet wrapping system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of perforation blades is removably coupled to the perforation roller. 
     
     
         9 . The pallet wrapping system of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of perforation blades comprises a blade guard configured to sit against the perforation roller when the perforation blade is installed in the perforation roller, wherein each blade guard is curved to match a curve of the perforation roller. 
     
     
         10 . The pallet wrapping system of  claim 3 , wherein a path of the reinforced stretch film over the perforation roller changes direction by at least 90 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . A method of wrapping a palletized load with a pallet wrapping system, the method comprising:
 receiving a first stretch film, a second stretch film, and a third stretch film into the pallet wrapping system;   creating a banded edge on the first stretch film and the second stretch film to form a first banded stretch film and a second banded stretch film;   layering the first banded stretch film and the second banded stretch film onto the third stretch film to form a reinforced stretch film, wherein a gap separates the first banded stretch film from the second banded stretch film on the reinforced stretch film;   forming a plurality of holes through the third stretch film;   stretching the reinforced stretch film; and   wrapping a palletized load using the reinforced stretch film.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein stretching the reinforced stretch film comprises expanding the plurality of holes to a larger size. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of holes are formed through the third stretch film with a perforation roller of the pallet wrapping system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the plurality of holes through the third stretch film occurs after layering the first banded stretch film and the second banded stretch film onto the third stretch film to form the reinforced stretch film. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising changing direction of a path of the reinforced stretch film by at least 90 degrees as the reinforced stretch film passes over the perforation roller. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , the perforation roller comprising a plurality of perforation blades spaced along a length of the perforation roller, wherein forming the plurality of holes through the reinforced stretch film comprises cutting the plurality of holes through the reinforced stretch film with the plurality of perforation blades. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of perforation blades is removably coupled to the perforation roller. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of perforation blades comprises a curved blade edge. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of perforation blades comprises a blade guard configured to sit against the perforation roller when the perforation blade is installed in the perforation roller, wherein each blade guard is curved to match a curve of the perforation roller. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , the perforation roller comprising a plurality of perforation pins spaced along a length of the perforation roller and configured to form the plurality of holes through the reinforced stretch film.