U.S. patent application number 14/503712 was filed with the patent office on 2015-04-02 for systems and methods for packaging and distributing stretch film rolls.
This patent application is currently assigned to Paragon Films, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Paragon Films, Inc.. Invention is credited to Shaun Eugene Pirtle.
Application Number | 20150090626 14/503712 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52739032 |
Filed Date | 2015-04-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150090626 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pirtle; Shaun Eugene |
April 2, 2015 |
Systems and Methods for Packaging and Distributing Stretch Film
Rolls
Abstract
A method of bundling rolls of film together includes at least:
placing at least two rolls of film, each of the rolls comprising an
axis, an outer surface, and first and second ends, into tangential
contact with each other, so that the axes of the rolls are parallel
to each other; and securing said rolls together. A bundled package
includes at least: at least two rolls of film in tangential contact
with each other, each of said rolls having an axis, an outer
surface, and first and second ends, wherein the axes of said rolls
are parallel to each other; and a securing means for bundling the
at least two rolls together.
Inventors: |
Pirtle; Shaun Eugene;
(Coweta, OK) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Paragon Films, Inc. |
Broken Arrow |
OK |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Paragon Films, Inc.
Broken Arrow
OK
|
Family ID: |
52739032 |
Appl. No.: |
14/503712 |
Filed: |
October 1, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61885165 |
Oct 1, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/497 ; 53/397;
53/399 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 71/08 20130101;
B65B 61/14 20130101; B65B 13/022 20130101; B65B 13/02 20130101;
B65D 75/56 20130101; B65B 13/182 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/497 ; 53/397;
53/399 |
International
Class: |
B65B 13/02 20060101
B65B013/02; B65B 61/14 20060101 B65B061/14; B65D 71/08 20060101
B65D071/08; B65B 13/18 20060101 B65B013/18 |
Claims
1. A bundled package, comprising: at least two rolls of film in
tangential contact with each other, each of said rolls having an
axis, an outer surface, and first and second ends, wherein said
axes of said rolls are parallel to each other; and a securing means
for bundling said at least two rolls together.
2. The bundled package of claim 1, wherein said securing means is a
wrapping material, further wherein said wrapping material wraps
around a portion of said outer surfaces of said rolls, between said
first and second ends, approximately perpendicular to said axes of
said rolls, thereby securing said rolls together.
3. The bundled package of claim 2, wherein said wrapping material
is a stretch film.
4. The bundled package of claim 2, wherein said wrapping material
is a shrink film.
5. The bundled package of claim 2, wherein said wrapping material
is a compression band.
6. The bundled package of claim 2, further comprising a handle
connected to said wrapping material.
7. The bundled package of claim 6, further comprising a label
affixed to an outside surface of said wrapping material.
8. A method of bundling rolls of film together, comprising: placing
at least two rolls of film, each of said rolls comprising an axis,
an outer surface, and first and second ends, into tangential
contact with each other, so that said axes of said rolls are
parallel to each other; and securing said rolls together.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising wrapping a wrapping
material around a portion of said outer surfaces of said rolls,
between said first and second ends, approximately perpendicular to
said axes of said rolls.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising securing said rolls
together using a stretch film.
11. The method of claim 8, further comprising securing said rolls
together using a shrink film.
12. The method of claim 8, further comprising securing said rolls
together using a compression band.
13. The method of claim 8, further comprising connecting a handle
to said wrapping material.
14. The method of claim 8, further comprising affixing a label to
an outside surface of said wrapping material.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising wrapping said
wrapping material around said rolls five times.
Description
STATEMENT OF RELATED CASES
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of prior U.S.
provisional application No. 61/885,165, filed on Oct. 1, 2013, the
contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to stretch films,
and in a particular though non-limiting embodiment, to methods and
systems for packaging and distributing stretch film rolls via
bundling, without using excessive, additional packaging.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In the unitizing arena, stretch films are widely used to
secure loads. Stretch films are utilized in a variety of bundling
and packaging applications including securing boxes, merchandise,
produce, equipment, parts, and other similar items onto
pallets.
[0004] After manufacturing the stretch film and winding the
finished stretch film product onto rolls, stretch film
manufacturers package and ship the film rolls to their purchasers
through normal distribution channels, such as standard package
carriers, wherein the stretch film rolls may be flown and/or driven
to their final destination.
[0005] To prevent damage to the film rolls during shipping and
handling, which can result in rendering the film unusable, stretch
films manufacturers provide protection to the film rolls, such as
boxing and palletizing the rolls for shipment.
[0006] However, boxing and palletizing the rolls results in further
costs to produce, transport, and sell the product, due to the cost
of the packaging materials and the man-hours required to package
the rolls. It also results in an environmental impact, due to the
increased amount of materials used to ship the product. Most of the
products in the stretch film market use this type of packaging due
to the inability of the products to absorb even moderate abuse.
[0007] Pre-stretched and oriented films are becoming more popular
in the stretch film industry. Due to the incorporation of air into
the roll, pre-stretched and oriented films are more inherently
resistant to abuse than traditional stretch film products. These
types of products are able to undergo the rigors of being dropped
and general handling during transportation without losing their
ability to unwind and function properly. However, the incorporation
of air throughout the film roll also significantly lowers the
weight per volume of these products, resulting in a much higher
cost of shipping (i.e., shipping air with the film).
[0008] There are currently no known methods and systems for
bundling stretch film products that do not require the use of
expensive packing materials.
[0009] There is, therefore, a long-standing yet unmet need for
systems and methods for packaging and shipping stretch film rolls
in a more economical and environmentally friendly way, while still
ensuring the protection of the film rolls during shipment to the
end user.
SUMMARY
[0010] Bundled packages of film rolls and methods for bundling
rolls of film together are provided herein. A method of bundling
rolls of film together includes at least the following steps:
placing at least two rolls of film, each of the rolls comprising an
axis, an outer surface, and first and second ends, into tangential
contact with each other, so that the axes of the rolls are parallel
to each other; and securing said rolls together.
[0011] A bundled package includes at least the following: at least
two rolls of film in tangential contact with each other, each of
said rolls having an axis, an outer surface, and first and second
ends, wherein the axes of the rolls are parallel to each other; and
a securing means for bundling the at least two rolls together. In
some embodiments, the securing means is a wrapping material. The
wrapping material wraps around a portion of the outer surfaces of
the rolls, between the first and second ends, approximately
perpendicular to the axes of the rolls, thereby securing the rolls
together.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a bundled package of film rolls,
according to an example embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates the bundled package from FIG. 1, from a
top view, according to an example embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 3 illustrates a bundled package with a separate handle,
according to a further embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The following description is not to be taken in a limiting
sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating example
embodiments.
[0016] In certain embodiments, pre-stretched and oriented stretch
films provide an opportunity to package and distribute these
products in a novel system that minimizes the use of conventional
packaging systems.
[0017] According to example embodiments, bundling and shipping
stretch film rolls to the end user without excessive, additional
packaging results in improved economics and more
environmentally-friendly systems and methods.
[0018] In example embodiments, a securing means for bundling rolls
of film in tangential contact with each other together is
provided.
[0019] According to further example embodiments, an overwrap
bundling film is used to provide containment for the film
rolls.
[0020] According to still further embodiments, the system is able
to deliver the film rolls through ordinary distribution channels to
the end-user in a useable and functional manner.
[0021] Turning now to FIG. 1, the bundled package 100 has an inner
portion of the film rolls 101 wrapped together with a film web 102,
according to example embodiments.
[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in example embodiments, a single
wrap 103 around the middle of the rolls 101 serves as a handle.
[0023] In an alternative embodiment, an adhesive-backed tape is
used as a handle, which is applied directly to the film rolls 101
or the film web 102.
[0024] In certain embodiments, a tacky, clingy, or in some
embodiments, a non-slip film is utilized as a handle. In an example
embodiment, the tacky, clingy, or non-slip film is applied to the
rolls of film, and then over-wrapped with the bundling material
film web.
[0025] In further embodiments, a film with sufficient strength to
support the weight of the rolls without significant stretching or
breaking serves as a handle. In some embodiments, taping material
produced from nylon, polyester, polypropylene, or any web-backed
product is utilized.
[0026] In alternative example embodiments, the bundled package 200
comprises a plurality of portions of film rolls 201 wrapped
together with a film web 202, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0027] In other embodiments, a separate handle 203 is attached to
the bundled package 200 in a secondary operation. In still further
embodiments, a label 204 is affixed to the bundled package 200.
[0028] In still other embodiments, the bundling is accomplished via
a shrink wrap, similar to how paper towels are packaged for bulk
sale.
[0029] According to example embodiments, securing means for
bundling rolls of film together is a wrapping material. In some
embodiments, the wrapping material is a film web, tape, stretch
film, elastic film, or shrink film (IR, heat tunnel or heat gun
initiated). In other example embodiments, the wrapping material is
a compression band.
[0030] According to example embodiments, the bundling operations
are performed manually, semi-automatically, or fully automatically,
depending on the design and operation of the wrapping
equipment.
[0031] In example embodiments, the number of revolutions required
around the bundle is dependent on the thickness, toughness, and
modulus of the bundling material.
[0032] According to one example embodiment, a plurality of rolls of
oriented hand film are packaged on a semi-automated bundling
machine, utilizing an about 20 micron thick, about 4 inch wide
stretch bundling film to impart four to five wraps around the
rolls. In further example embodiments, four rolls of oriented hand
film are packaged together using film.
[0033] The foregoing specification is provided only for
illustrative purposes, and is not intended to describe all possible
aspects of the present invention. While the invention has herein
been shown and described in detail with respect to several
exemplary embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will
appreciate that minor changes to the description, and various other
modifications, omissions and additions may also be made without
departing from the spirit or scope thereof.
* * * * *