Stretch film wrapping and unwrapping for recycling and/or reuse applications

Abstract

A stretch wrapping apparatus, unwrapping apparatus, system, and/or method suitable for use in recycling and/or reuse applications associated with palletized loads that are wrapped with stretch film. In recycling applications, various unwrapping apparatus designs may be utilized to collect stretch film spirally wrapped around a load, generally by unwrapping the stretch film over the course of multiple revolutions. In reuse applications, various stretch wrapping apparatus designs may be used to wrap stretch film around a load in a manner that conditions the stretch film for reusability, while various unwrapping apparatus designs may be utilized to collect the stretch film from a load into a roll form that is suitable for use in wrapping other loads.

1 . An unwrapping apparatus, comprising:
 a collection roller rotatable about a first axis of rotation, the collection roller sized and configured to collect a plurality of lengths of stretch film, each length of stretch film of the plurality of lengths of stretch film collected from a respective load of a plurality of loads; and   a rotational drive configured to, for each respective load of the plurality of loads, generate relative rotation between the collection roller and the respective load about a second axis of rotation to collect the respective length of stretch film from the respective load with the collection roller over a plurality of relative rotations between the respective load and the collection roller.   
     
     
         2 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first axis of rotation is substantially parallel to the second axis of rotation while the rotational drive generates the relative rotation between the collection roller and the load. 
     
     
         3 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a rotating arm, wherein the collection roller is supported on the rotating arm and the rotational drive is configured to rotate the rotating arm around the load and about the second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         4 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a turntable supporting the load, wherein the collection roller is supported on a mast and the rotational drive is configured to rotate the turntable and thereby rotate the load about the second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first axis of rotation is substantially vertical and the collection roller is maintained at a predetermined elevation while unwrapping the stretch film from the load. 
     
     
         6 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the length of stretch film collected from each respective load of the plurality of loads is spirally wrapped around the respective load throughout a wrapped region of the respective load, and the collection roller has a length along the first axis of rotation that is at least as long as a distance between opposing edges of the wrapped region of each respective load of the plurality of loads. 
     
     
         7 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the length of stretch film collected from each respective load of the plurality of loads is spirally wrapped around the respective load, and the collection roller has a length along the first axis of rotation that is at least about twice the width of the length of stretch film collected from each respective load. 
     
     
         8 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a film guide disposed proximate an end of the collection roller and configured to redirect stretch film collected from at least one of the plurality of loads to within a predetermined region of the collection roller. 
     
     
         9 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the collection roller is further pivotable between unwrapping and unloading positions about a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis of rotation, and the first axis of rotation is substantially parallel to the second axis of rotation when the collection roller is in the unwrapping position. 
     
     
         10 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the collection roller includes a stretch film removal end that allows removal, from the collection roller, of a roll of stretch film collected on the collection roller through axial movement of the roll of stretch film along the first axis of rotation and in a direction of the stretch film removal end of the collection roller. 
     
     
         11 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a roller drive configured to drive rotation of the collection roller;   a drive member operably coupled to the roller drive; and   a driven member operably coupled to the collection roller, the driven member configured to engage the drive member when the collection roller is in the unwrapping position such that operation of the roller drive causes rotation of the collection roller, and to disengage from the drive member when the collection roller is in the unloading position.   
     
     
         12 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the driven member is disposed at the stretch film removal end of the collection roller and is sized to pass through an interior channel of the roll of stretch film during removal of the roll of stretch film from the collection roller. 
     
     
         13 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second axes of rotation are substantially vertical, and the roller drive and drive member are positioned proximate a top of the collection roller when the collection roller is in the unwrapping position. 
     
     
         14 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the roller drive comprises a motor and is independently controlled from the rotational drive. 
     
     
         15 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a roller bracket configured to rotatably support a first end of the collection roller for rotation of the collection roller about the first axis of rotation; and   a roller support configured to pivotably support the roller bracket for pivoting of the collection roller between unwrapping and unloading positions about a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis of rotation;   wherein when the collection roller is in the unwrapping position, the roller bracket is configured to support an opposing second end of the collection roller, and the roller bracket is configured to disengage from the second end of the collection roller when the collection roller is in the unloading position to allow removal, from the collection roller, of a roll of stretch film collected on the collection roller through axial movement of the roll of stretch film along the first axis of rotation and in a direction of the second end of the collection roller.   
     
     
         16 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the roller bracket includes first and second bracket members coupled to one another and respectively configured to support the first and second ends of the collection roller, wherein the second bracket member is movable relative to the first bracket member to disengage from the second end of the collection roller when the collection roller is in the unloading position. 
     
     
         17 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the collection roller has a collapsible core that is configured to be in an extended configuration during operation of the rotational drive such that a roll of stretch film is collected on the collection roller during the relative rotation while the collapsible core is in the extended configuration, and is movable to a collapsed configuration to reduce a cross-sectional size of the collection roller and thereby allow for removal of the roll of stretch film from the collection roller through axial movement of the roll of stretch film along the first axis of rotation. 
     
     
         18 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the collection roller is further pivotable between unwrapping and unloading positions about a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis of rotation, the collection roller is configured in the extended configuration when in the unwrapping position, and the collection roller is configured to move to the collapsed configuration in response to movement of the collection roller to the unloading position. 
     
     
         19 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the collection roller is movable between the extended and collapsed configurations in response to movement of the roll of stretch film along the first axis of rotation. 
     
     
         20 . The unwrapping apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the collection roller includes a plurality of faces coupled to a shaft member through a plurality of collapsible couplers, wherein each collapsible coupler includes a track and a cam follower configured to follow the track, and wherein the track of each collapsible coupler includes an angled portion that includes both axial and radial components to move the plurality of faces both axially and radially when moving from the extended configuration to the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         21 . An unwrapping apparatus for unwrapping a load having stretch film spirally wrapped around the load, comprising:
 a collection roller rotatable about a first axis of rotation; and   a rotational drive configured to generate relative rotation between the collection roller and the load about a second axis of rotation to collect the stretch film with the collection roller over a plurality of relative rotations between the load and the collection roller;   wherein the collection roller includes a collapsible core that is configured to be in an extended configuration during operation of the rotational drive such that a roll of stretch film is collected on the collection roller during the relative rotation while the collapsible core is in the extended configuration, and is movable to a collapsed configuration to reduce a cross-sectional size of the collection roller and thereby allow for removal of the roll of stretch film from the collection roller through axial movement of the roll of stretch film along the first axis of rotation.   
     
     
         22 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . An unwrapping apparatus for unwrapping a load having stretch film spirally wrapped around the load, comprising:
 a collection roller rotatable about a first axis of rotation;   a rotational drive configured to generate relative rotation between the collection roller and the load about a second axis of rotation to collect the stretch film with the collection roller over a plurality of relative rotations between the load and the collection roller; and   a roller support configured to pivotably support the collection roller for movement between unwrapping and unloading positions about a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis of rotation, wherein when in the unwrapping position, the collection roller is oriented to collect the stretch film during the relative rotation between the collection roller and the load, and when in the unloading position, the collection roller is oriented for removal of the collected stretch film from the collection roller through axial movement of the collected stretch film along the first axis of rotation.   
     
     
         30 .- 45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . An unwrapping apparatus for unwrapping a load having stretch film spirally wrapped around the load throughout a wrapped region of the load, comprising:
 a collection roller rotatable about a first axis of rotation and having a length along the first axis of rotation that is at least as long as a distance between opposing edges of the wrapped region of the load; and   a rotational drive configured to generate relative rotation between the collection roller and the load about a second axis of rotation to collect the stretch film with the collection roller over a plurality of relative rotations between the load and the collection roller.   
     
     
         47 .- 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A method of unwrapping a plurality of lengths of stretch film from a plurality of loads, each length of stretch film of the plurality of lengths of stretch film spirally wrapped around a respective load of the plurality of loads, the method comprising, for each respective load of the plurality of loads:
 generating relative rotation between a collection roller and the respective load about a first axis of rotation; and   while generating the relative rotation, rotating the collection roller about a second axis of rotation over a plurality of relative rotations between the respective load and the collection roller to collect the respective length of stretch film from the respective load;   wherein the plurality of lengths of stretch film form a roll of stretch film collected on the collection roller, and wherein for a first load of the plurality of loads that is unwrapped after the respective length of stretch film for at least one other load of the plurality of loads has been collected onto the roll of stretch film on the collection roller, a leading end of the respective length of stretch film for the first load is secured to the roll of stretch film prior to generating the relative rotation between the collection roller and the first load such that rotation of the collection roller during the relative rotation winds the respective length of stretch film for the first load onto the roll of stretch film collected on the collection roller.   
     
     
         52 .- 252 . (canceled)