Patent Application

App. No. 14/749,940

Abstract

Claims (37)

1 . A method for maintaining an inventory of packaging supplies comprising:

receiving by a processing element an initial level of packaging supplies;

receiving by the processing element packaging data corresponding to current supply use by one or more packaging machines over a predetermined time period;

determining by the packaging machine whether a current level of packaging supplies is below a predetermined threshold; and

when the current level of packaging supplies is below a predetermined threshold, activating by the processing element a new order process.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the new order process comprises transmitting by the processing element a message to a user device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the new order process comprises transmitting by the processing element a new order submission to a packaging supply company.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising predicting by the processing element a future supply use for the one or more packaging machines and using the future supply use and the current supply to determine whether based on at least the current level of packaging supplies and a future predicted level of supplies the new order process should be initiated.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising analyzing by the processing element a typical time frame for order fulfillment to determine whether the new order process should be initiated.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the packaging data corresponding to current supply use during the predetermined time period by one or more packaging machines comprises at least one of number of packaging materials created, size of the packaging materials created, temperature of the one or more machines, a number of pump cycles for the one or more machines, and/or a number of motor activations for the one or more machines.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the new order process comprises displaying on a display screen a new order alert.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the current level of packaging supplies is estimated based on operating data over the predetermined time period.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, based on the new order process, packaging supplies are shipped.

10 . A machine for creating packaging materials and reordering supply materials comprising:

a supply material input for receiving raw supplies;

one or more machine components configured to convert the raw supplies into completed packaging materials;

a material output for outputting completed packaging materials created using the raw supplies; and

a processing element configured to receive data corresponding to one or more machine components, wherein the processing element determines using at least one of an initial raw supply level, a completed packaging materials level, one or more current packaging material orders, or historical operating parameters of the one or more machine components to determine if additional raw supplies are required.

11 . The machine of claim 10 , wherein when additional raw supplies are required the processing element transmits a new order alert to one or more user devices.

12 . The machine of claim 10 , wherein when additional raw supplies are required the processing element outputs a new order alert via an output device connected to the machine.

13 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein the output device is a display screen.

14 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein when additional supplies are required the processing element transmits a new order request to a raw supply vendor.

15 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein the raw supplies comprise at least one of foam precursors, paper, plastic film, or compressed air.

16 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein the historical operating parameters comprise at least one of number of completed packaging materials created in a predetermined time frame, operating time of the one or more components, a number of queues of items produces in a predetermined time frame.

17 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein the machine is a foam-in-bag machine and the raw supplies comprise one or more foam precursors.

18 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein the machine is a dunnage machine and the raw supplies comprise a paper product.

19 . The machine of claim 12 , wherein the machine is an inflated pillow machine and the raw supplies comprise plastic film.

20 . The machine of claim 12 , further comprising a controller connected to the machine and in communication with one or more sensors connected to the one or more components, wherein the processing element is incorporated into the controller.

21 . A foam-in-bag packaging system comprising:

a foam-in-bag machine; and

a portable computing device in electrical communication with the foam-in-bag machine, the portable computing comprising:

at least one processing element;

a touch sensitive display in communication with the at least one processing element; and

a network/communication interface in communication with the at least one processing element; wherein

the at least one processing element transmits a new order message via the network/communication interface to a user device to reorder raw supplies for use by the foam-in-bag machine based on at least one of number of bags created by the foam-in-bag machine over a predetermined time period, an initial inventory of raw supplies, one or more current bag orders, and a prediction of future bag orders.

22 . The foam-in-bag packaging system of claim 21 , wherein the user device is a supplier ordering system.

23 . The foam-in-bag packaging system of claim 22 , wherein the display outputs a new order alert notification when the processing element transmits the new order message.

Assignments (10)