Reinforced stretch film and its method of production

Abstract

A method of producing a reinforced stretch film includes the steps of: providing an elongated base sheet of plastic stretch film having a longitudinal axis; forming a plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members; positioning the plurality of reinforcement members to the base sheet where the reinforcement members extend along the longitudinal axis of the base sheet; positioning a plurality of plastic film strip overlay over each of the reinforcement members where the overlays being parallel and spaced from one another; and attaching the overlays to the reinforcement members and to the base sheet to fixedly sandwich the reinforcement members between the base sheet and the overlays. Whereby, the reinforcement members comprising parallel, elongated reinforcement strips defining elongated spaces therebetween.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of producing a reinforced stretch film comprising the steps of:
 providing an elongated base sheet of plastic stretch film having a longitudinal axis;   forming a plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members;   positioning said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members on said elongated base sheet where said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members extending along the longitudinal axis of said elongated base sheet;   positioning a plurality of plastic film strip overlay over each of said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members where said plastic film strip overlays being parallel and spaced from one another; and   attaching said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet to fixedly sandwich said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members between said elongated base sheet and said narrow plastic film strip overlays;   whereby, said narrow plastic film strip overlays and said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members comprising parallel, elongated reinforcement strips defining elongated spaces therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch film of  claim 1  wherein said step of forming a plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members including randomly compressing a plurality of flat and narrow base plastic film strips by randomly compressing each of said flat and narrow, base plastic film strips by rotating a collector roll. 
     
     
         3 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch film of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and said plurality of plastic film strip overlays are formed from a master material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch film of  claim 3  wherein said master material being slit by a slitter unit to provide said base film strips of said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members, and said plurality of plastic film strip overlays. 
     
     
         5 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch film of  claim 3  wherein said master material being slit by a slitter unit at evenly spaced distances to provide said base film strips of said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and said plurality of plastic film strip overlays of equal widths. 
     
     
         6 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch film of  claim 1  wherein said step of positioning said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members to said elongated base sheet including attaching said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members to said elongated base sheet, where said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members being spaced from one another and disposed substantially parallel to one another. 
     
     
         7 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch film of  claim 6  wherein said step of positioning said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members to said elongated base sheet including attaching said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members to said elongated base sheet via a line of adhesive beads. 
     
     
         8 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch film of  claim 1  wherein said step of attaching said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet to fixedly sandwich said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members between said elongated base sheet and said narrow plastic film strip overlays including the steps of:
 holding said plastic film strip overlays onto said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet via static electricity; 
 laminating said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet; 
 sealing said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet via a sonic welder; or combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch film of  claim 8  wherein said step of attaching said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet to fixedly sandwich said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members between said elongated base sheet and said narrow plastic film strip overlays including the steps of:
 holding said plastic film strip overlays onto said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet via static electricity; 
 laminating said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet; and then sealing said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet via a sonic welder. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch film of  claim 1  wherein said base sheet being uncovered in said elongated spaces therebetween said parallel, elongated reinforcement strips defined by said narrow plastic film strip overlays and said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members. 
     
     
         11 . The method of producing a reinforced stretch of  claim 1  further comprising:
 transporting the elongated base sheet in a direction of movement corresponding to the longitudinal axis of said elongated base sheet; 
 said step of forming a plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members being completed simultaneously with the transport of said elongated base sheet; 
 where each of said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members is made by simultaneously randomly compressing said plurality of transported flat, narrow plastic film strips by randomly compressing each of said flat, narrow plastic film strip by simultaneously rotating said collector roll and employing a compressor nozzle during transport thereof; 
 said step of positioning said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members to said elongated base sheet being during transport of said elongated base sheet; 
 transporting said elongated base sheet and said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members attached thereto in the direction of movement to the longitudinal axis of said elongated base sheet; and 
 said step of attaching said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet being during transport of said elongated base sheet and said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members attached thereto. 
 
     
     
         12 . The reinforced stretch film obtained by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . The reinforced stretch film of  claim 12  wherein the stretch percent of said reinforced film being increased over the stretch percent of said elongated base sheet of plastic stretch film. 
     
     
         14 . Reinforced stretch film comprising:
 an elongated base sheet of plastic stretch film having a longitudinal axis; and   a plurality of elongated reinforcement strips extending along the longitudinal axis of said elongated base sheet, disposed substantially parallel to one another, and defining elongated spaces therebetween;   each elongated reinforcement strip comprising:
 a cord-like, elongated reinforcement member attached to said elongated base sheet and extending along the longitudinal axis of said elongated base sheet; and 
 a narrow plastic film strip overlay positioned over the cord-like, elongated reinforcement member thereof; 
 where, said narrow plastic film strip overlay being attached to the cord-like, elongated reinforcement member and to the elongated base sheet at opposed sides of said cord-like, elongated reinforcement member to fixedly sandwich the cord-like, elongated reinforcement member between the elongated base sheet and narrow plastic film strip overlay. 
   
     
     
         15 . The reinforced stretch material of  claim 14  wherein said plurality of cord-like, elongated reinforcement members being:
 a randomly compressed flat, narrow plastic film strip; and 
 spaced from one another and parallel. 
 
     
     
         16 . The reinforced stretch material of  claim 14  wherein said base sheet being uncovered in said elongated spaces therebetween said parallel, elongated reinforcement strips defined by said narrow plastic film strip overlays and said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members. 
     
     
         17 . The reinforced stretch material of  claim 14  further comprising a plurality of glue bead lines for attaching said cord-like, reinforcement members to said base sheet. 
     
     
         18 . The reinforced stretch material of  claim 14  wherein said narrow plastic film strip overlay being attached to the cord-like, elongated reinforcement member and to the elongated base sheet by a bond being:
 a lamination bond of said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet; and 
 a static electric seal of said plastic film strip overlays to said cord-like, elongated reinforcement members and to said elongated base sheet. 
 
     
     
         19 . The reinforced stretch film of  claim 14  wherein the stretch percent of said reinforced film being increased over the stretch percent of said elongated base sheet of plastic stretch film. 
     
     
         20 . The reinforced stretch film of  claim 19  wherein the stretch percent of said reinforced film being increased over the stretch percent of said elongated base sheet of plastic stretch film by up to 400 percent.