US 11,731,793 B2
Stretch wrapping machine with automatic load profiling
Patrick R. Lancaster, III, Louisville, KY (US); Michael P. Mitchell, Louisville, KY (US); and Richard L. Johnson, LaGrange, KY (US)
Assigned to Lantech.com, LLC, Louisville, KY (US)
Filed by Lantech.com, LLC, Louisville, KY (US)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/232,932.
Application 17/232,932 is a division of application No. 15/762,501, granted, now 11,034,470, previously published as PCT/US2016/053165, filed on Sep. 22, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/232,915, filed on Sep. 25, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0229843 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. B65B 11/02 (2006.01); B65B 57/12 (2006.01); B65B 57/16 (2006.01); B65B 11/04 (2006.01); B65B 57/14 (2006.01); B65D 71/00 (2006.01); B65B 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 11/025 (2013.01) [B65B 11/045 (2013.01); B65B 57/12 (2013.01); B65B 57/14 (2013.01); B65B 57/16 (2013.01); B65D 71/0088 (2013.01); B65B 2011/002 (2013.01); B65B 2210/04 (2013.01); B65B 2210/18 (2013.01); B65B 2210/20 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of controlling a load wrapping apparatus of the type configured to wrap a load on a load support with packaging material dispensed from a packaging material dispenser through relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load support, the method comprising:
sensing a plurality of points on a plurality of surfaces of the load using one or more sensors directed at the load, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of points are sensed by a first sensor positioned to sense one or more upwardly-facing surfaces of the load;
generating a surface model of at least a portion of the load based upon the sensed plurality of points, wherein the generated surface model identifies a top surface topography comprising a plurality of elevations for the load defined by the subset of points sensed on the one or more upwardly-facing surfaces of the load; and
controlling one or more control parameters for the load wrapping apparatus when wrapping the load based upon the generated surface model.