Stretch-hood machine for partially sealed stretch-hood
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a stretch-hood machine and method of operating a stretch-hood machine to wrap an item with tubular film. The method includes drawing tubular film from a roll of film and forming a first seal section at a first end of a section of the tubular film, where the first seal section extends across only a portion of a width of the tubular film so as to provide a partial seal with a first opening at the first end of the section of tubular film. Using reefing devices, the tubular film is lowered around the item to wrap the item within an interior of the tubular film. The first opening at the first end of the section of tubular film provides access between the interior of the tubular film and the exterior environment.
1 . A method of operating a stretch-hood machine to wrap an item with a tubular film, the method comprising:
drawing the tubular film from a roll of film;
forming a first seal section at a first end of a section of the tubular film, wherein the first seal section extends across only a portion of a width of the tubular film so as to provide a partial seal with a first opening at the first end of the section of the tubular film;
positioning the tubular film on a plurality of reefing devices;
reefing the tubular film onto reefing fingers of the reefing devices; and
lowering the reefing devices around the item to wrap the item within an interior of the tubular film, wherein the first opening at the first end of the section of the tubular film provides access between the interior of the tubular film and an exterior environment.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a second seal section at the first end of the section of the tubular film that is spaced apart from the first seal section by a gap so as to form the first opening between the first seal section and the second seal section.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a first part of the tubular film is folded to form a first gusset along a first side of the tubular film, and wherein at least a portion of the first seal section joins four layers of the tubular film formed by the first gusset.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first seal section extends across the entire folded first part of the tubular film from an outer edge of the tubular film to an inner folded edge of the first gusset.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein another portion of the first seal section extends inward from the first gusset and joins two opposing layers of the tubular film.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating the section of the tubular film from the roll of film after forming the first seal section at the first end of the section of the tubular film.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first seal section is formed by a sealing system including a first sealing unit strip.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first sealing unit strip includes a heating element.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first sealing unit strip has a length that is smaller than a width of the roll of film.
10 . A stretch-hood machine comprising:
a machine frame;
a wrapping carriage movable relative to the machine frame between upper and lower positions;
a plurality of reefing devices supported by the wrapping carriage and configured to wrap tubular film around an item;
a film-supply assembly configured to direct the tubular film to the reefing devices from a roll of tubular film having a first width; and
a sealing system comprising a first sealing unit strip having a length that is smaller than the first width of the roll of tubular film and configured to form a first seal section at a first end of a section of the tubular film that extends across only a portion of a width of the tubular film so as to provide a partial seal with a first opening at the first end of the section of the tubular film.
11 . The stretch-hood machine of claim 10 , wherein the sealing system includes a second sealing unit strip arranged to be in line with the first sealing unit strip and spaced apart from the first sealing unit strip by a gap.
12 . The stretch-hood machine of claim 11 , further comprising an additional sealing system including a continuous sealing unit strip having a length that is greater than a combined length of the first and second sealing unit strips and configured to form a seal section that extends across an entirety of the width of the tubular film.
13 . The stretch-hood machine of claim 12 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively activate:
the first and second sealing unit strips so as to form a partial seal across the tubular film with an opening therein, or
the continuous sealing unit strip so as to form a seal that extends across the entirety of the width of the tubular film.
14 . The stretch-hood machine of claim 11 , wherein the sealing system includes a third sealing unit strip arranged in line between the first sealing unit strip and the second sealing unit strip.
15 . The stretch-hood machine of claim 14 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively activate:
the first and second sealing unit strips so as to form a partial seal across the tubular film with an opening therein, or
the first, second, and third sealing unit strips so as to form a seal that extends across an entirety of the width of the tubular film.
16 . A stretch-hood machine comprising:
a machine frame;
a wrapping carriage movable relative to the machine frame between upper and lower positions;
a plurality of reefing devices supported by the wrapping carriage and configured to wrap tubular film around an item;
a film-supply assembly configured to direct the tubular film to the reefing devices from a roll of tubular film having a first width; and
a sealing system comprising first and second sealing unit strips that extend along a first line, are spaced apart along the first line by a gap, and are configured to provide a partial seal on the tubular film with an opening corresponding to the gap between the first and second sealing unit strips.
17 . The stretch-hood machine of claim 16 , further comprising an additional sealing system including a continuous sealing unit strip having a length that is greater than a combined length of the first and second sealing unit strips and configured to form a seal section that extends across an entire width of the tubular film.
18 . The stretch-hood machine of claim 17 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively activate:
the first and second sealing unit strips so as to form a partial seal across the tubular film with an opening therein, or
the continuous sealing unit strip so as to form a seal that extends across the entire width of the tubular film.
19 . The stretch-hood machine of claim 16 , wherein the sealing system includes a third sealing unit strip arranged in line between the first sealing unit strip and the second sealing unit strip.
20 . The stretch-hood machine of claim 19 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively activate:
the first and second sealing unit strips so as to form a partial seal across the tubular film with an opening therein, or
the first, second, and third sealing unit strips so as to form a seal that extends across an entire width of the tubular film.