US 12,304,680 B2
System and method for automatically packaging an item
Timothy Alan Talda, Renton, WA (US); and John Michael Moran, West Linn, OR (US)
Filed by IOW, LLC, Renton, WA (US)
Filed on Sep. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/941,544.
Application 17/941,544 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/514,005, filed on Oct. 29, 2021, granted, now 11,931,985.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/255,535, filed on Oct. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/261,297, filed on Sep. 17, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/153,918, filed on Feb. 25, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/111,544, filed on Nov. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0002096 A1, Jan. 5, 2023
Int. Cl. B65B 57/12 (2006.01); B65B 11/48 (2006.01); B65B 35/24 (2006.01); B65B 41/12 (2006.01); B65B 59/00 (2006.01); B65B 61/06 (2006.01); B65B 61/20 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 57/12 (2013.01) [B65B 11/48 (2013.01); B65B 35/24 (2013.01); B65B 41/12 (2013.01); B65B 59/001 (2019.05); B65B 61/06 (2013.01); B65B 61/20 (2013.01); B65B 2210/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of custom packaging a plurality of articles, said method comprising:
providing a system for automatically custom packaging each individual article of the plurality of articles;
feeding a packaging material from a packaging material source of the system to a packaging station of the system, wherein the packaging material is formed of at least a first layer of material and a second layer of material laminated together;
moving the plurality of articles along a first conveyor of the system and towards the packaging station;
scanning an individual article of the plurality of articles with a detecting device of the system prior to the individual article reaching the packaging station;
sending scanned data with respect to the individual article from the detecting device to a processor of the system;
calculating, with programming provided in the processor, a length of the packaging material required to package the individual article;
moving the packaging material from a unexpanded condition to an expanded condition to form expanded packaging material, wherein during expanding, the first layer expands in a horizontal direction and the second layer expands in a vertical direction in response to the first layer being expanded in the horizontal direction;
forming, with a former of the system in the packaging station, a package section from the expanded packaging material;
depositing the individual article into the package section; and
sealing, with a sealing mechanism of the system, the package section around the individual article to form a final package.