Wrapping apparatus having top loading and threading dispenser

Abstract

A packaging material dispenser may include a roll carriage having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a base plate separating the upper portion from the lower portion. The packaging material dispenser may also include a packaging material dispensing assembly mounted on an upper surface of the base plate and defining at least a portion of a packaging material path. A first portion of the packaging material path may extend behind the packaging material dispensing assembly. The upper portion of the roll carriage may include an opening defining a packaging material path access area positioned to provide access to a top of the packaging material path. The packaging material dispenser may also include a packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism extending below the base plate.

1 . A packaging material dispenser comprising:
 a roll carriage having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a base plate separating the upper portion from the lower portion;   a packaging material dispensing assembly mounted on an upper surface of the base plate and defining at least a portion of a packaging material path, a first portion of the packaging material path extending behind the packaging material dispensing assembly;   the upper portion of the roll carriage including an opening defining a packaging material path access area positioned to provide access to a top of the packaging material path for insertion of packaging material into the packaging material path; and   a packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism extending below the base plate.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein packaging material in the first portion of the packaging material path extends behind one or more packaging material dispensing rollers of the packaging material dispensing assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 2 , wherein the packaging material path includes a second portion extending in front of the one or more packaging material dispensing rollers of the packaging material dispensing assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the opening extends between the packaging material dispensing assembly and a column on which the packaging material dispenser is movably mounted. 
     
     
         5 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 4 , wherein the base plate is cantilevered. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 1 , wherein the packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism includes a low profile housing. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 6 , wherein the packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism includes a sprocket coupled to a first packaging material dispensing roller of the packaging material dispenser assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 7 , wherein the packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism includes a drive belt coupling the sprocket to a packaging material dispensing assembly drive. 
     
     
         9 . A packaging material dispenser comprising:
 a roll carriage having an upper portion and a lower portion, and a base plate separating the upper portion from the lower portion;   a packaging material dispensing assembly mounted on an upper surface of the base plate and defining at least a portion of a packaging material path, an upstream portion of the packaging material path extending behind the packaging material dispensing assembly, and a downstream portion of the packaging material path extending in front of the packaging material dispensing assembly;   at least one of the upstream portion and the downstream portion being accessible for receiving packaging material via one or more passageways at the top of the roll carriage; and   a drive assembly for the packaging material dispensing assembly, the drive assembly extending below the base plate.   
     
     
         10 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein the upstream portion extends through a gap along a side of the packaging material dispensing assembly facing a surface of a column to which the packaging material dispenser is movable mounted. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 10 , wherein the downstream portion includes a space extending along a side of the packaging material dispensing assembly facing away from the column. 
     
     
         12 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the downstream portion has a serpentine shape. 
     
     
         13 . A packaging material dispenser comprising:
 a roll carriage having a base plate on which a packaging material dispensing assembly is mounted;   a packaging material path for packaging material being dispensed by the packaging material dispensing assembly, the packaging material path including a substantially U-shaped configuration including
 a first leg through which packaging material is drawn in a first direction, 
 a second leg through which packaging material is drawn in a second direction different than the first direction, and 
 a connecting portion connecting the first leg to the second leg, 
 wherein at least one of the first leg and the second leg is accessible for receiving packaging material via one or more passageways at a top of the roll carriage; and 
   a drive assembly for the packaging material dispensing assembly, the drive assembly extending below the base plate.   
     
     
         14 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the first direction is upstream. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein the second direction is downstream. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the second leg has a serpentine shape. 
     
     
         17 . A wrapping apparatus for wrapping a load, comprising:
 a packaging material dispenser including
 a roll carriage having a base plate on which a packaging material dispensing assembly is mounted, and 
 a packaging material path for packaging material being dispensed by the packaging material dispensing assembly, the packaging material path having a substantially U-shaped configuration; 
   a column on which the packaging material dispenser is movably mounted, wherein the base plate is cantilevered to provide a gap between the packaging material dispensing assembly and a surface of the column, providing access to at least a portion of the packaging material path for insertion of packaging material into the packaging material path; and   means for providing relative rotation between the packaging material dispenser and the load.   
     
     
         18 . The wrapping apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the gap extends between a top portion of the roll carriage and the surface of the column. 
     
     
         19 . A wrapping apparatus for wrapping a load, comprising:
 a packaging material dispenser including
 a packaging material dispensing assembly; 
 a roll carriage having a base plate on which the packaging material dispensing assembly is mounted, and 
 a packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism mounted below the base plate; and 
   a load support surface configured to support the load during wrapping, wherein the load support surface includes an opening configured to allow the at least a portion of the packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism to pass below the load support surface.   
     
     
         20 . The wrapping apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the load support surface includes a rotatable turntable. 
     
     
         21 . The wrapping apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the load support surface includes a based configured to rotatably support the rotatably turntable. 
     
     
         22 . A packaging material dispenser comprising:
 a packaging material dispensing assembly;   a roll carriage having a base plate on which the packaging material dispensing assembly is mounted; and   a cover assembly including a door with a hinged end rotatably coupled to the roll carriage and a free end opposite the hinged end, the free end being configured to selectively engage a top portion of the roll carriage, wherein the door is configured to move between at least one open position and a closed position to position packaging material against the packaging material dispensing assembly.   
     
     
         23 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 22 , wherein the free end includes a first portion of a latch assembly. 
     
     
         24 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 23 , wherein the top portion of the roll carriage includes a second portion of the latch assembly configured to receive the first portion of the latch assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 22 , further including at least one idle roller rotatably mounted on the door. 
     
     
         26 . The packaging material dispenser of  claim 24 , wherein with the door in the closed position, the at least one idle roller is configured to press the packaging material against at least one packaging material dispensing roller of the packaging material dispensing assembly. 
     
     
         27 . A method for wrapping a load, comprising:
 inserting packaging material downward into a first portion of a packaging material path, the first portion extending behind one or more packaging material dispensing rollers of a packaging material dispensing assembly mounted on a base plate;   providing relative rotation between the packaging material dispensing assembly and the load; and   driving the packaging material dispensing assembly to dispense packaging material for wrapping the load using a drive assembly mounted below the base plate.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein inserting packaging material downward into a first portion includes inserting packaging material behind prestretch rollers of the packaging material dispensing assembly. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further including opening a door covering at least a portion of the packaging material dispensing assembly and inserting packaging material into a space between the open door and the one or more packaging material dispensing rollers. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further including closing the door to bring one or more idle rollers rotatably mounted on the door into engagement with the packaging material inserted into the space. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further including clamping the inserted packaging material between the one or more idle rollers and the one or more packaging material dispensing rollers. 
     
     
         32 . A method for wrapping a load, comprising:
 inserting packaging material downward into a packaging material path of a packaging material dispensing assembly mounted on a base plate of a roll carriage, wherein inserting includes
 inserting a first portion of packaging material downward into an upstream portion of the packaging material path behind the packaging material dispensing assembly, and 
 inserting a second portion of packaging material downward into a downstream portion of the packaging material path in front of the packaging material dispensing assembly; 
   providing relative rotation between the packaging material dispensing assembly and the load; and   driving the packaging material dispensing assembly to dispense packaging material for wrapping the load using a drive assembly mounted below the base plate.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein inserting a first portion of packaging material includes inserting the first portion into a gap between the packaging material dispensing assembly and a column on which the roll carriage is movable mounted. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein inserting a second portion of packaging material includes opening a door covering a side of the packaging material dispensing assembly to create a space, and inserting the second portion into the space. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further including closing the door to clamp the second portion of packaging material between one or more idle rollers rotatably mounted on the door and the packaging material dispensing assembly. 
     
     
         36 . A method for wrapping a load, comprising:
 inserting packaging material downward into a substantially U-shaped packaging material path of a packaging material dispensing assembly mounted on a base plate of a roll carriage, wherein inserting includes
 inserting a first portion of packaging material downward into a first leg of the packaging material path, through which packaging material is drawn in a first direction, and 
 inserting a second portion of packaging material downward into a second leg of the packaging material path, through which packaging material is drawn in a second direction different than the first direction; 
   providing relative rotation between the packaging material dispensing assembly and the load; and   driving the packaging material dispensing assembly to dispense packaging material for wrapping the load using a drive assembly mounted below the base plate.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein inserting a first portion of packaging material downward into a first leg includes inserting the first portion into a gap between the packaging material dispensing assembly and a column on which the packaging material dispensing assembly is movably mounted for vertical travel. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein inserting a second portion of packaging material downward into a second leg includes opening a door covering a side of the packaging material dispensing assembly to create a space between the door and the packaging material dispensing assembly, and inserting the second portion into the space. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further including closing the door to clamp the second portion of packaging material between one or more idle rollers rotatably mounted on the door and the packaging material dispensing assembly. 
     
     
         40 . A method for wrapping a load, comprising:
 dispensing packaging material with a packaging material dispensing assembly mounted on a base plate of a roll carriage;   driving the packaging material dispensing assembly to dispense packaging material with a packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism mounted below the base plate;   providing relative rotation between the packaging material dispensing assembly and the load; and   moving at least a portion of the packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism into an opening in a load support surface supporting the load such that the at least a portion of the packaging material dispensing assembly drive mechanism moves below the load support surface.