AUTOMATED PACKING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

1 .- 22 . (canceled)

23 . A method of packing a container with a packing system, the method comprising:

determining a container volume of a container;

determining a content volume of a content of the container;

autonomously obtaining a void factor, wherein the void factor is associated with a portion of a void volume that is smaller than a packing element size of a packing element, and wherein the void factor is a number less than 1.0, wherein the void volume is determined from a difference between the container volume and the content volume;

calculating an average fill aspect ratio based on a largest dimension of the content divided by a smallest dimension of the content and decreasing the void factor if the calculated average fill aspect ratio is greater than a threshold value;

multiplying the void factor by the void volume to obtain a packing element volume requirement less than the void volume; and

automatically dispensing packing elements into the container up to the packing element volume requirement.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the packing element volume requirement comprises an angle of rotation of a rotary packing element expander.

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the packing element volume requirement comprises a number of linear oscillations of a reciprocating packing element expander.

26 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the packing element volume requirement is calculated as a number of packing elements having the packing element size.

27 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising calculating at least one of a pre-contents requirement and a post-vibration requirement of the container.

28 . The method of claim 23 , further comprising:

receiving a container pre-fill position signal from a pre-fill detector of the packing system when the container is in a pre-fill position in the packing system, wherein the pre-fill position is distinct from a fill position on the packing system; and

sending a start machine signal based at least in part on the container pre-fill position signal.

29 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising sending an agitate signature to a vibrating station operable to settle packing elements in the container.

30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the start machine signal is configured to initiate rotation of a rotary packing element expander.

31 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising sending a seal signal to a sealing station operable to seal the container.

32 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the void factor is obtained from a lookup table based at least in part on a filled ratio and the container volume.

33 . A system of packing a container, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory encoding computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, performing a method comprising:

identifying a packing element size of a packing element;

determining a container volume of a container;

determining a content volume of a content of the container;

autonomously obtaining a void factor, wherein the void factor is associated with a portion of a void volume that is smaller than a packing element size of a packing element, and wherein the void factor is a number less than 1.0, wherein the void volume is determined from a difference between the container volume and the content volume;

calculating an average fill aspect ratio based on a largest dimension of the content divided by a smallest dimension of the content and decreasing the void factor if the calculated average fill aspect ratio is greater than a threshold value;

multiplying the void factor by the void volume to obtain a packing element volume requirement less than the void volume; and

automatically dispensing packing elements into the container up to the packing element volume requirement.

34 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the packing element volume requirement comprises an angle of rotation of a rotary packing element expander.

35 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the packing element volume requirement comprises a number of linear oscillations of a reciprocating packing element expander.

36 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the packing element volume requirement is calculated as a number of packing elements having the packing element size.

37 . The system of claim 33 , further comprising calculating at least one of a pre-contents requirement and a post-vibration requirement of the container.

38 . The system of claim 33 , further comprising:

receiving a container pre-fill position signal from a pre-fill detector of a packing system when the container is in a pre-fill position in the packing system, wherein the pre-fill position is distinct from a fill position on the packing system; and

sending a start machine signal based at least in part on the container pre-fill position signal.

39 . The system of claim 38 , further comprising sending an agitate signature to a vibrating station operable to settle packing elements in the container.

40 . The system of claim 38 , wherein the start machine signal is configured to initiate rotation of a rotary packing element expander.

41 . The system of claim 38 , further comprising sending a seal signal to a sealing station operable to seal the container.

42 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the void factor is obtained from a lookup table based at least in part on a filled ratio and the container volume.