HK1231441B - Recipe controlled device for making packaging materials - Google Patents

Description

Method and apparatus for controlling a process for producing packaging material

Reference to related applications

This application claims priority to "requirement Controlled Device for labeling Materials" in accordance with 35 U.S. No.61/944,026, filed 2015, 2, month 24, as 35 u.s.c. 119(e), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for manufacturing an inflatable mat for use as packaging material.

Background

Various filling pads are well known for use in various packaging applications. For example, the filling pad is typically used as a void-fill package in a manner similar to or in place of foam particles, crumpled paper, and similar products. In addition, for example, a filling pad is often used as a protective packaging in place of a molded or extruded packaging component.

Typically, the gasket is formed from a film having two layers that are joined together by a seal. The seal may be formed simultaneously with filling to trap air therein, or prior to filling to define a film configuration having a fillable chamber. The fillable chamber can be filled with air or another gas, or can be subsequently sealed to inhibit or prevent the release of air or gas.

Such film configurations may be stored in rolls or fan-folded boxes (fan-folded) in which adjacent inflatable pads are separated from one another by perforations. In use, the film is filled into a configuration to form a pad, with adjacent pads or adjacent legs (stands) of the pads being separated from one another along the perforations.

Various film configurations are currently available. Many of these film configurations include sealing configurations that tend to waste material, inhibit separation of adjacent fill pads, and/or form fill pads that are susceptible to under-filling or leakage, thereby inhibiting utility.

The film is typically filled by pulling the film from a bulk of the film and passing it over or near a nozzle. The nozzles blow air between the films to form a filled mat. The two films are then bonded together by heating to form a seal that limits the escape of air. The film tends to be poorly aligned or has too much freedom (e.g., slack) to be efficiently delivered to the nozzle for filling. In addition, the film may stick to the machine surface due to the heat and pressure used in the process, or the film layer may tear while still hot and exiting the mechanism.

Disclosure of Invention

In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates generally to a filling and sealing machine and, more particularly, to a method of modifying one or more parameters of the machine. The method includes identifying a configuration of a supply material to be used with a filling and sealing machine, such as by receiving user input, automatically detecting a characteristic of the material, and/or receiving data regarding the characteristic of the material, such as from a sensor. Once the configuration of the supply material is identified, the method includes receiving a selection of a pre-stored recipe corresponding to the configuration of the supply material, wherein the recipe determines or sets values for one or more operating parameters of the machine.

In yet another embodiment, the present disclosure is generally directed to a method of modifying one or more parameters of a fill and seal assembly. The method includes selecting a predetermined recipe from a plurality of recipes and configuring the inflation and sealing assembly to operate in accordance with the predetermined recipe. The predetermined recipe includes settings for a plurality of components of the inflation and sealing assembly.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure is generally directed to a method of modifying one or more parameters of a machine. The method includes modifying a first parameter based on at least one of a material, a material size, a desired fill rate, a fill bag geometry, or a feed rate, analyzing a second parameter to determine whether the second parameter is functionally related to the first parameter, adjusting the second parameter to correspond to the modification of the first parameter if the second parameter is functionally related to the first parameter, and not adjusting the second parameter if the second parameter is not functionally related to the first parameter.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a method of making a packaging material. The method includes selecting at least one material parameter of the packaging material, determining a setting for a first machine parameter based on the at least one material parameter, adjusting the first machine parameter based on the setting, determining whether a second machine parameter should be adjusted based on the setting for the first machine parameter, and adjusting the second machine parameter based on the determination.

In another embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a fill and seal assembly. The assembly includes a spindle that receives a supply of material, a braking machine operatively connected to the spindle that selectively applies a frictional force to the supply of material, and a control system in communication with the braking mechanism, wherein the control system selectively varies the frictional force applied by the braking mechanism.

Drawings

FIGS. 1A-D are schematic illustrations of various embodiments of a flexible construct for use with a filling and sealing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a filling and sealing apparatus according to various embodiments;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a filling and sealing apparatus according to various embodiments;

figure 4 is a top right view along the axis Y of the material support of the filling and sealing device;

FIG. 5 is a right side view of a partially assembled system of the filling and sealing apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the partially assembled apparatus of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the material support and brake of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a right side view of the material support and brake of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is a right side view of the sealing mechanism of the apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a front right perspective view of a sealing mechanism of the apparatus of FIG. 2; and

fig. 11 is a front cross-sectional view of the control element after sealing taken along line XI-XI of fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a simplified block diagram of a control system for the inflation and sealing assembly.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a display of a control system displaying icons corresponding to one or more recipes processing different feed material configurations;

FIG. 14 is a front view of a roll of material for use with the inflation and sealing assembly including an identifier sensed by a sensor of the control system.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a method of modifying one or more machine parameters based on one or more material parameters; and

FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating a method of modifying one or more machine parameters in accordance with a modification of one machine parameter.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for converting unfilled material into a filled pad that can be used as a shock absorber or a protector for packaging and shipping goods. In some embodiments, the system may include a control system that determines the setting of one or more parameters based on the desired material to be filled, as well as the geometry of the filling pad, the rate of filling, and other material parameters. The control system may also be configured to selectively alter parameters of the packaging machine such as, but not limited to, adjusting the speed of one or more motors (e.g., a blower or drum motor), changing the temperature applied to the heating or sealing elements, changing the fill rate or speed, and controlling the braking force applied to the roll brake. This allows the control system to selectively modify the packaging machine based on the packaging material and other material characteristics. In other words, the control system can adjust the machine to suit the material configuration (i.e., the particular material properties of the film). Some examples of material properties include a particular material, shape, mat width, mat length, mat area, desired mat volume, desired fill level, and/or other properties of the inflatable mat.

The control system may refer to one or more recipes (recipes) storing settings of a plurality of machine parameters selected according to desired characteristics of the supplied packaging material. For example, where the inflatable cushion is given a first geometry using a particular type of material, the control system may access a recipe specifying the speed of the drum (dry) roller, the temperature of the heating element, the speed of the blower motor, etc. The control system may then automatically adjust parameters of the machine and/or, in some embodiments, provide instructions to the user to manually adjust these parameters. Once the parameters are adjusted, the packaging system can be operated to produce the desired package.

In some embodiments, the control system may analyze the data to determine the type of material and other material characteristics (e.g., the inflatable pad geometry). For example, a roll of material may include an identifier, such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), that specifies the type, size, or thickness of the material, the length, width, perforation pattern, and/or pre-seal pattern or other material characteristic. The control system analyzes the roll using one or more input sensors, such as an RFID scanner, to receive the RFID. Upon receipt of the RFID, the control system adjusts machine parameters based on data stored in the RFID. In some embodiments, the recipe may be stored on a machine part, or on a computing device in communication with the machine (e.g., over a network or WiFi). Alternatively or additionally, the RFID or other data on the volume may include settings for various parameters. In other words, the volume may include various settings for recipes or machine parameters that may be communicated to the control system prior to operation.

The control system may also be configured to alter the parameters of the assembly in response to changes or alterations in other parameters of the inflation and sealing assembly. In some cases, certain machine parameters may be correlated with each other, or related by one or more functions. For example, the speed of the reel motor may be directly related to the speed of the blower, the faster the reel motor rotates the sealing reel, the faster the blower motor must be in order to adequately fill the inflatable cushion as the speed of the reel increases. As another example, the speed of the spool can be related to the temperature setting of the heating element. In this example, as the web slows down, the temperature may need to be lowered because the material may pass the heating element more slowly. Other parameters include parameters of operation of the braking mechanism applied to the roller when unwinding the roller, such as the amount of braking friction or braking torque applied against the forward, unwinding direction of the roller, and parameters of operation of the drive mechanism, such as the ramp-up and ramp-down profile (profile) of the individual motors of the fill and seal assembly, among others.

With various interdependencies of machine parameters, the control system may automatically adjust the parameters based on changes in other parameters, or provide an output that allows the user to adjust the parameters. For example, if the user increases the speed of the reel motor, the control system may automatically adjust the application of the brake mechanism to slow the unwinding of the roller on the spindle (spindle), or may provide an output that alerts the user to adjust the friction force applied by the brake mechanism. In this manner, the control system may help avoid errors or problems with the filling and sealing assembly that may result from incorrectly adjusting various parameters. In addition, the control system may allow the inflation and sealing assembly to be more automated because the control system is able to determine the type of material loaded onto the mandrel, adjust the assembly according to the type of material, and then run the assembly without requiring a user to interact with the inflation and sealing assembly. The control system may also include one or more sensors for various components of the machine. This allows the control system to dynamically adjust the parameters based on the actual output of the parameters, as well as to dynamically adjust other parameters associated with the adjusted parameters. This helps to ensure that the inflation and sealing assembly is functioning as desired even when the selected parameters are adjusted.

According to various embodiments, the various systems discussed herein may operate with any of a variety of mechanisms or systems that convert unfilled material into filled flexible structures that may be used as shock absorbers or protectors for packaging and shipping goods. In particular, the mechanism before sealing and filling and the mechanism after sealing and filling may improve the overall efficiency and speed of the process of forming the filling pad. Prior to sealing and filling, the system may include a material support member that better stores, controls, and delivers material to the sealing and filling mechanism. After sealing and filling of the material, the material control element can better direct the material out of the system without damaging the seal or failing to remove the hotter material from the contact surface.

Illustrative embodiments and examples are now described to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed apparatus. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the disclosed apparatus may be modified or varied to provide alternative embodiments of the apparatus for other applications, and that other additions and modifications may be made to the disclosed apparatus without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, features of the illustrative embodiments may be combined, separated, interchanged, and/or rearranged to generate other embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Various embodiments, examples, aspects, representations, and illustrations of the subject matter discussed herein can include embodiments, examples, aspects, representations, and illustrations disclosed in, for example, U.S. patent application No.13/844,741. Similarly, the subject matter discussed herein may also be incorporated into the various systems disclosed in the cited references. The various embodiments discussed or referenced herein are not in isolation, but may be combined with other embodiments in other referenced applications or various other embodiments disclosed herein. For example, the incorporated references variously describe filling mechanisms (e.g., differently configured nozzles, cutting devices, and blowers) and sealing mechanisms (e.g., differently disclosed sealing rolls), each of which may be used herein as a filling and sealing device for processing a web (web) to form a resulting filling mat.

Fig. 1A-1D illustrate schematic views of various embodiments of a flexible structure. As an example of a film structure that may be used with the various systems discussed herein, a flexible structure for an inflatable cushion, such as a multi-layer web 100 of film, is provided, it being apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that other film structures may be suitable for use with the systems discussed herein. In various examples, the tape includes a first film layer 105 having a first longitudinal edge 102 and a second longitudinal edge 104, and a second film layer 107 having a first longitudinal edge 106 and a second longitudinal edge 108. The second web layer 107 is overlappingly aligned with the first web layer 105, and may be generally coextensive (as shown in fig. 1A-1D) with the first web layer 105, i.e. at least the respective first longitudinal edges 102, 106 are aligned with each other, and/or the second longitudinal edges 104, 108 are aligned with each other. In some embodiments, the layers may partially overlap the inflatable regions in the overlap region. The layers may be joined to define a first longitudinal edge 110 and a second longitudinal edge 112 of the film 100. The first and second tape layers 105, 107 may be formed from a single piece of tape material, a flattened tube of tape material with an edge seam, or two pieces of tape material. For example, the first and second web layers 105, 107 may comprise a single sheet of web material (e.g., "c-fold film") folded so as to define the joined second edges 104, 108. Alternatively, for example, the first and second web layers 105, 107 may comprise a tube of web material (e.g., a flattened tube) cut along the aligned first longitudinal edges 102, 106. Further, for example, the first and second web layers 105, 107 may comprise two separate webs of material joined, sealed, or otherwise attached together along the aligned second edges 104, 108.

Tape 100 may be formed from any of a variety of tape materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such web materials include, but are not limited to, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA), metallocenes, polyethylene resins such as Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), and mixtures thereof. Other materials and configurations may be used. The disclosed web 100 may be rolled up on a hollow tube, solid core, or folded into a fan-fold box, or folded into another desired shape for storage and shipping.

As shown in fig. 1A-1D, tape 100 may include a series of transverse seals 118 arranged along the longitudinal extent of tape 100. Each transverse seal 118 extends from the longitudinal edge 112 toward the filling channel 114 and, in the embodiment shown, toward the first longitudinal edge 110. Each transverse seal 118 has a first end 122 proximate the second longitudinal edge 112 and a second end 124 spaced from the first longitudinal edge 110 of the film 110 by a transverse dimension d. Within the boundary formed by longitudinal seal 112 and a pair of adjacent transverse seals 118, a chamber 120 is defined.

Each transverse seal 118 embodied in fig. 1A-1D is substantially straight, extending generally perpendicular to the second longitudinal edge 112. However, it is to be appreciated that other arrangements of the transverse seals 118 are possible. For example, in some embodiments, the transverse seal 118 has a wave or zigzag pattern.

The transverse seal 118, as well as the longitudinal edges 110, 112 of the seal, may be formed by any of a variety of techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such techniques include, but are not limited to, adhesive, friction, welding (welding), fusion, heat sealing, laser sealing, and ultrasonic welding. A fill area, such as a closed passageway (passageway), may be provided, which may be a longitudinal fill channel 114. As shown in fig. 1, the longitudinal fill channel 114 is disposed between the second end 124 of the transverse seal 118 and the first longitudinal edge 110 of the film. The longitudinal filling channel 114 preferably extends longitudinally along the longitudinal side 110, and at least one end of the longitudinal filling channel 114, a filling opening 116 is arranged. The longitudinal fill channel 114 has a transverse width D. In a preferred embodiment, the transverse width D is substantially the same distance as the transverse dimension D between the longitudinal edge 110 and the second end 124. However, it is to be appreciated that in other configurations, other suitable lateral widths D may be used.

The second longitudinal edge 112 and the transverse seal 118 collectively define the boundaries of the inflatable chamber 120. In a preferred embodiment, the inflatable chamber 120 may also include an intermediate seal 128. The intermediate seals 128 may seal 105, 107 to each other at an intermediate region in the chamber 120. As shown in fig. 1, the opposing intermediate seals 128 are aligned across the chamber 120. The intermediate seal 128 creates a bendable wire that allows for the creation of a more flexible tape 100 that can be easily bent or folded. This flexibility facilitates the winding of film 100 around objects of regular and irregular shapes.

A series of tear lines 126 are disposed along the longitudinal extent of the film, the tear lines 126 extending across the first and second web layers of the film 100. Each transverse tear line 126 extends from the second longitudinal edge 112 towards the first longitudinal edge 110. Each transverse tear line 126 in tape 100 is disposed between a pair of adjacent cavities 120. Each of the tear lines 126 is preferably disposed between two adjacent transverse seals 118 and between two adjacent chambers 120, as shown in fig. 1. The transverse tear lines 126 facilitate separation of adjacent inflatable mats 120.

The transverse tear lines 126 may comprise various tear lines known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, in some embodiments, the transverse tear line 126 comprises a plurality of rows of perforations, wherein a row of perforations comprises alternating lands (lands) and slits (slits) spaced along the transverse extent of the row. The lands and slits may occur at regular or irregular intervals along the lateral extent of the row. Or, for example, in some embodiments, the transverse tear line 126 comprises a score line (score line) or the like formed in the web material.

The transverse tear lines 126 may be formed by various techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such techniques include, but are not limited to, cutting (e.g., techniques utilizing cutting or serrated elements such as bars, blades, pads, rollers, wheels, etc.) and/or scoring (e.g., techniques that reduce the strength or thickness of the material in the first and second web layers, such as electromagnetic (e.g., laser) scoring and mechanical scoring).

Referring now to fig. 2, an inflation and sealing apparatus 101 for converting a flexible structure, such as a web 100 of uninflated material, into a series of inflatable pillows or cushions 120 is provided as an example of an inflation and sealing apparatus that may be used with the various other systems disclosed herein. As shown in fig. 2, the unfilled web 100 may be a bulk supply of unfilled supply material. For example, the bulk of the unfilled material may be a roll of material 134, as illustrated in fig. 2 and 3. Tape 100 may be wound around inner support tube 133.

Filling and sealing apparatus 101 may include a number of material supports 136. A volume of unfilled material may be supported by a volume of material support 136. For example, the bulk material support may be a tray operable to hold unfilled material, which may be provided by a fixed surface or a plurality of rollers, for example. To hold a roll of material, the cradle may be recessed about the roller, or the cradle may be raised, with the roller overhanging the cradle. The bulk material support may comprise a plurality of rollers from which the web is suspended. The bulk material support may comprise a single roller that accommodates the center of a roll of web material 134. As illustrated in fig. 2-4, a roll of material 134 may be suspended over a number of material supports 136, such as a mandrel that passes through a core 133 of the roll of material 134. Typically, the core is made of paperboard or other suitable material. The material support 136 is rotatable about an axis Y.

After being pulled from a supply of unfilled material (e.g., roll 134), tape 100 may be suspended over guide 138. The guides provide support for web 100 as web 100 passes from the bulk of the unfilled material to sealing and filling mechanism 103, discussed in more detail below. The guide may be a fixed bar protruding from the support 141. As shown in fig. 2-4, the guides 138 may be rollers extending from a support 141. The guide 138 may have an axis X about which the guide 138 rotates. The guide 138 or axis X may extend generally perpendicularly from the support 141. Guide 138 guides web 100 away from the bulk of the unfilled material (e.g., rolls 134) and stably guides web 100 along material path "B" along which material is processed in longitudinal direction "a". Since large quantities of unfilled material may change position or size as the web 100 is continuously pulled from the bulk (e.g., the diameter of the roll 134 may decrease as the material is pulled), the guide may remain aligned with the sealing and filling mechanism, and preferably the upstream end of the filling tip 142, despite these changes. The guide 138 may be configured to limit slack in the material 134 between the fill nozzle 140 and the roll 134, which may help maintain any desired tension in the web of material 100.

According to various embodiments, filling and sealing device 101 may include a support 141. Support 141 may include a base member 183 and a vertical member 186. Vertical member 186 may position inflation and sealing assembly 103, guide 138, and material support 136 relative to one another. The vertical member may be a flat wall. In various embodiments, the vertical member may have various shapes that may extend in various directions. The vertical member 186 may be a single component to which all of the components 103, 138 and 136 are attached. In this manner, the various components (the inflation and sealing assembly 103, the guide 138, and the material support 136) may have tolerances relative to one another that are based on tolerances during the formation of the single component. This allows very precise positioning of the individual components relative to each other. Alternatively, the vertical member 186 and the base member 183 may be a single component. For example, a piece of bent steel may form the vertical member 186 and the base member 183.

According to various embodiments, material support 136 may extend from support 141 at a different angle than the angle at which guide 138 extends from support 141. As described above, guide 138 may extend generally perpendicularly from support 141, while material support 136 may extend non-perpendicularly from support 141. In other embodiments, both the guide 138 and the material support 136 may extend non-perpendicularly from the support 141.

Fig. 4 illustrates a view of the filling and sealing device 101 along the axis Y. As shown here, the material support 136 is shown at its end, although in an isometric view illustrating the angular difference between the material support 136 and the guide 138, the length of the guide 138 is shown. It is worth noting here that the axis Y extends upwards compared to the axis X. Fig. 5 illustrates a front view showing the ends of the guides 138, in addition to illustrating an isometric bottom view of the material support 136. Likewise, axis Y extends upwardly compared to axis X. According to various embodiments, axes Y and X may be oblique axes (i.e., the axes may be neither parallel nor intersecting). The relative positions of these axes indicate the relative positions of the material support 136 and the guide 138. According to the embodiments discussed herein, material support 136 and guide 138 are rotatable about axis Y and axis X, respectively. The axis X may be perpendicular to the support 141 and the axis Y is not perpendicular to the support 141.

As illustrated in fig. 6, the axis Y or material support 136 may be disposed at an angle λ relative to the front wall 139 of the support 141. The angle λ may be greater than 90 °. For example, λ may be 70 ° to 140 °. In one example, λ may be about 100 °. However, the material support 136 and the guide 138 may be attached to different surfaces, or attached at different angles, such as both pointing upward with respect to the front wall 139 or both pointing downward with respect to the front wall. The angle between axis X and axis Y can be Θ when viewed from the side (e.g., fig. 6). Θ can be an angle between the axes from about 5 ° to about 70 °. Θ can be an angle between the axes from about 10 ° to about 45 °. According to various embodiments, web 100 may be passed through filling and sealing apparatus 101 along path E. As illustrated in fig. 3 and 4, film path E extends along nozzle 140. Axis Z is located where film path E follows nozzle 140. According to various embodiments, the nozzles 140 are directed in the same direction as the axis Y. For example, if the nozzle 140 is directed upward (e.g., away from the base 183), then the axis Y is directed upward. If the nozzle 140 is directed downward (e.g., toward the base 183), the axis Y is directed downward.

In various embodiments, tape 100 may pass over guide 138. In such an embodiment, material support 136 and axis Y may be angled relative to guide 138 such that material support 136 and axis Y point in the same direction as web 100 passes over guide 138. If web 100 passes over guide 138, material support 136 may be directed upward relative to guide 138. If web 100 passes under guide 138, material support 136 may be directed downward relative to guide 138.

According to various embodiments, tape 100 passes through inflation and sealing assembly 103 and extends away from inflation and sealing apparatus 101 in a transverse direction perpendicular to longitudinal direction a in which tape 100 exits inflation and sealing apparatus 101. The axis W may be aligned in the clamping zone 176 and extend in a transverse direction away from the filling and sealing device 101. The angle ω between the axis W and the axis Y may be an angle from about 5 ° to about 70 °. The angle ω between the axis W and the axis Y may be an angle from about 10 ° to about 45 °. The angle may be viewed in a longitudinal direction such as from the front of the filling and sealing device 101 as shown in fig. 6.

In some embodiments, axes Y and X may be parallel, e.g., both extend perpendicularly through support 141, both may extend downwardly, or both may extend upwardly. As indicated above, the axes Y and X may both extend downwardly or both extend upwardly non-parallel.

When web 100 is removed from material support 136 and positioned at a different angle than guide 138, web 100 includes a slight twist in the event that web 100 is removed from the bulk of the unfilled material (e.g., roll 134) and realigned on guide 138 and brought into contact with guide 138. Web 100 may be rolled tangentially off material support 136 to form a plane parallel to the axis of material support 136 (or a surface proximate to a plane tangential to the surface of roll 134). Tape 100 may also tangentially engage guide 138, forming a different plane (or a different plane approximately tangential to guide 138). The web may simply reflect a tangential plane as if it maintained tangential contact with material support 136 or guide 138, even though there is actually tension at one lateral end of web 100 and slack at the other lateral end of web 100. To accommodate both tangential contacts, tape 100 can be realigned or slightly twisted between material support 136 and guide 138. This realignment of tape 100 may result in such slight distortions that may affect the manner in which tape 100 contacts guide 138. In embodiments where angle λ is greater than 90 °, the slight twist causes web 100 to have more pressure on guide 138 immediately adjacent the connection between guide 138 and support 141. Tape 100 may have less pressure and less tension at the end of guide 138 distal from the connection between guide 138 and support 141. This contact configuration between tape 100 and guide 138 helps maintain alignment of the tape toward the sealing mechanism and limits the tendency of tape 100 to fade away from the end of guide 138 away from support 141. Additionally, the ends of the material support 136 may have a tendency to sag under gravity (e.g., under the weight of a roll of material 134 mounted thereon). Thus, in response to the material support 136 being constructed to extend perpendicularly from the support 141, the material support 136 and or axis Y tends to deflect downwardly when a roll of material 134 is mounted thereon. In this position, the opposite of the above effects occurs. At the end of guide 138 remote from support 141, tape 100 will press more into contact with guide 138. Conversely, the side of guide 138 proximate support 141 may have less pressure between guide 138 and tape 100 than the distal end of guide 138. As such, web 100 may tend to drift away from guide 138, become misaligned with the sealing and filling mechanism, or have slack between roll 134 and the sealing and filling mechanism. Thus, by constructing the material support 136 at a greater angle than the guides 138 as measured upward from the support 141 (see, e.g., fig. 6), sagging in the material support 136 and tension issues with respect to the guides 138 can be overcome, thereby improving entry of the web 100 into the sealing and filling mechanism.

According to various embodiments, nozzles 140 can not only fill web 100 at the lateral edges, but can also engage filling channels located at any lateral distance between the longitudinal edges; that is, the filling and sealing apparatus 101 fills the central passage with chambers on both lateral sides of the filling passage. Web 100 may be rolled off material support 136 and on guide 138 in a manner that aligns the central filling channel with nozzle 140.

As described above, in various embodiments, the material support 136 may comprise a mandrel 200. The spindle 200 may be axially aligned with the motor 220 along axis Y. The motor 220 and the spindle 200 may be connected by a bulkhead (bulkhead) connector. The bulkhead connector 222 may have a mounting face 223. The mounting surface may be attached to the back of the support 141 such that the motor 220 may be placed on one side and the spindle 200 may be placed on the other side, as illustrated in fig. 6. The mounting face 223 may be angled with respect to the axis Y such that the axis Y is not perpendicular thereto. For example, fig. 6 shows the mounting surface 223 parallel to the vertical plate 184. Thus, λ represents the angle between the mounting surface 223 and the axis Y. Mounting face 223 may instead be angled such that it tilts spindle 200 and motor 220 relative to support 141 when it is attached to the back of support 141. An example of such a configuration is illustrated in fig. 6 by angle λ, which may also represent the angle between the mounting surface 223 and the axis Y. The spindle 200 may be supported within a bulkhead connector 222 by bearings 214 and 224. The bearings 214, 224 allow the spindle 200 to rotate independently of the bulkhead connector 222 and ultimately independently of the support 141 to which the bulkhead connector 222 is attached. In various embodiments, the spindle may be supported on a shaft, a flat bearing, or directly by the motor. The mandrel 200 may be locked in place on the bulkhead connector 222 using the clips 226. The cover 228 and the pass-through plate connector 222 may form a housing around the motor 220.

The mandrel 200 may include two portions, a body portion 202 and a tip portion 204. The body portion 202 and the tip portion 204 may be formed of different materials. The mandrel 200 preferably has core support portions 206, and the core support portions 206 are circumferentially spaced from one another about the axis Y to form radially recessed regions 208 therebetween. The core support portion 206 projects radially from the axis Y higher than the surface of the mandrel 200 in the radial recessed region 208. The core-supporting portions may collectively define and lie along an imaginary cylindrical surface that closely corresponds to the hollow interior surface within the supply roll 134. If other shapes of cores are used, the core support portion can be arranged in other shapes. The core-supporting portion 206 may be curved circumferentially along the imaginary cylindrical surface, or may be flat, or have other shapes. The recessed regions 208 are arranged radially within the imaginary cylinder such that they do not contact the interior of the supply roll mounted on the spindle 200, either completely or for the most part. In the illustrated embodiment, the recessed region 208 has a substantially planar surface, although other configurations may be used.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the recessed region 208 is located below the imaginary cylinder 207, and the core support portion 206 generally follows the imaginary cylinder 207, although other shapes may be used. In this manner, the mandrel 200 may be generally triangular in shape with 3 core support portions 206, but alternatively may have 4, 5, or more core support portions, which may be evenly or unevenly distributed about the circumference of the mandrel. The core-supporting surface 206 preferably extends generally axially (transversely with respect to the material path or machine direction in the embodiment of fig. 2) relative to the mandrel to facilitate sliding the tape core 133 up and down the mandrel.

By providing recessed regions between the core support portions 206, the mandrel can be provided with a discontinuous support surface in which its contact area with the core 133 of the supply roll coil 134 can be reduced compared to conventional continuous-faced cylindrical mandrels. This reduces friction between the mandrel 200 and the core 133, allowing the core 133 to be more easily inserted and slid out of the mandrel 200. Additionally, commonly and as can be seen in fig. 4, the core 133 may be deformed, such as by damage during shipment of the supply roll 134. A damaged out-of-round core may be difficult or impossible to insert onto a perfectly cylindrical mandrel. The recessed areas 208 on the discontinuous mandrel surface accommodate the inward extending deformation of the core 133 between the core-supporting portions 206 so that a recessed or flattened core remains available. In this way, the core support surface 206a, b, c or the plurality of gripping elements 210 extending from the core support surface 206a, b, c may contact or occupy only a few of the outer core surface circumference. The plurality of contacts may contact a limited number of points within the inner surface of the hollow tube about which the web of material is wound. In various examples, the plurality of gripping elements 210 may extend beyond the generally cylindrical shape represented by line 207. The plurality of contacts may form a diameter around the mandrel that is greater than the size of the inner diameter of the inner support tube 133. This configuration allows the plurality of contacts to participate in an interference fit with the jellyroll 133 while the minimized peripheral surface portions 206a, b, c minimize other contact within the jellyroll 133. The clamping elements 210 are preferably biased outwardly and may resiliently move inwardly into the mandrel 200. This bias may be provided by a spring within the spindle. The outer surface of the clamping element 210 may be spherical, conical, or have another shape that preferably facilitates the sliding of the core 133 into and out of the mandrel during loading and unloading, and clamps the inner surface of the core 133 during use to help transfer torque from the mandrel to the roll of material, preferably from the brake 137 described below. Additionally, the chamfer (chamfer)204 at the top end portion 204 may reduce the amount of work required to insert the mandrel 200 into the inner support tube 133.

Referring back to fig. 2-6, the support member 136 may be coupled to a brake 137. The brake 137 prevents or inhibits the web material 100 from bunching up and maintaining a desired tension in the web material 100 as the web material 100 is unwound from the roll 134 and as the web material 100 is fed to and/or into the filling and sealing mechanism. The stopper 137 prevents or inhibits release of the unfilled bulk material from the support 136. For example, the brake 137 may inhibit free unwinding of the roll 134. The brake may also ensure that the roll of material 134 is unwound at a steady controlled rate. The brake 137 may be provided by any mechanism that provides control. For example, according to one embodiment, a spring-loaded belt or other friction mechanism may be used as a drag brake on the bulk material support 136. In another embodiment, the brake 134 may be a motor or other actuator that provides resistance to the rotation of the bulk material support 136 when unwinding the roll of material 134. As shown in fig. 7-8, the support element 136 is a spindle 200 that is axially connected to a brake that can function as a resistance mechanism. The resistance mechanism resists rotation of the support element 136 (e.g., the spindle 200). The resistance mechanism may be a motor 220 that controls the rotation of spindle 200 to control the advancement of web 100 by either positively driving the rotation of spindle 200 or retarding the rotation of spindle 200. The brake also increases the tension on the twisted web immediately adjacent the support 141 by resisting rotation of the mandrel 200, maintaining proper alignment with the inflation/sealing mechanism.

The inflation and sealing apparatus 101 is preferably configured to continuously inflate the web 100 as the web 100 is unwound from the roll 134. The roll of material 134 preferably contains a plurality of series of serially arranged chambers 120. To begin the manufacture of an inflatable pillow from web material 100, inflation port 116 of web 100 is inserted around an inflation assembly (e.g., inflation nozzle 140). In the embodiment shown in fig. 2, web 100 is preferably advanced over fill nozzle 140 with chamber 120 extending transversely with respect to fill nozzle 140 and outlet 146. An outlet 146, which may be disposed on a radial side and/or upstream tip of nozzle 140, for example, directs fluid from nozzle body 144 into chamber 120 to fill chamber 120 as web 100 advances along material path "E" in longitudinal direction "a". The inflated web 100 is then sealed in a sealing zone 174 by a sealing spool 166 to form a series of inflated pillows or cushions.

The side fill area 168 in the embodiment of fig. 3 is shown as the portion of the filling and sealing apparatus 101 along the path "E" adjacent the side outlet 146, where air from the side outlet 146 may fill the chamber 120. In some embodiments, the fill zone 168 is an area disposed between the fill tip 142 and an inlet clamp zone 176 described below. Tape 100 is inserted around inflation nozzle 140 at an inflation tip 142, which may be disposed at the forwardmost end of inflation nozzle 140. The filling nozzle 140 feeds fluid (e.g., pressurized air) along fluid path B through the nozzle outlet into the unfilled web material to fill the material into a filled pillow or pad 120. The fill nozzle 140 may include a nozzle fill channel fluidly connecting a fluid source and a nozzle outlet. It will be appreciated that in other constructions, the fluid may be other suitable pressurized gases, foams, or liquids. Fig. 3, 9, 10 and 11 illustrate various views of the filling and sealing apparatus 101. As described in various embodiments, the fluid source may be disposed behind the support 141 having the horizontal plate 183 and the vertical plate 184 or other structural support for the nozzle and seal assembly, preferably behind the fill nozzle 140. A fluid source is connected to the fluid filling nozzle line 143 to supply fluid to the fluid filling nozzle line 143. Tape 100 is fed over fill nozzle 140 and fill nozzle 140 directs the tape to fill and seal assembly 103. A drive mechanism, such as a driver or sealing drum 166 or drive roller 160, advances or drives web 100 in a downstream direction along material path "E" through filling and sealing apparatus 101.

According to various embodiments, the nozzle, blower seal assembly, and drive mechanism, as well as their various components or associated systems, may be constructed, arranged, and operated as disclosed in any of the various embodiments described in the cited references, such as U.S. patent application No.13/844,741. These embodiments may be incorporated into the filling and sealing apparatus 101 discussed herein, respectively.

After being fed through the web feed zone 164, the first and second web layers 105, 107 may be sealed together by the sealing assembly and then exit the sealing drum 166. The sealing spool 166 includes a heating element, such as a thermocouple, or other type of welding or sealing element, that melts, fuses, joins, bonds, or bonds the two tape layers 105, 107 together. Web 100 is continuously advanced through the sealing assembly along material path "E" such that web 100 passes over sealing drum 166 at sealing zone 174 to form a continuous longitudinal seal 170 along the web by sealing the first and second web layers 105, 107 together, and then web 100 exits the sealing zone at exit nip 178. The exit nip 178 is the area disposed downstream of the entrance nip 164 between the belt 162 and the seal drum 166, as shown in fig. 4. The sealing zone 174 is the area between the inlet nip 164 and the outlet nip 178 where the web 100 is sealed by the sealing spool 166. The longitudinal seal 170 is shown in phantom lines in fig. 1. The longitudinal seal 170 is preferably disposed at a transverse distance from the first longitudinal edges 102, 106, most preferably the longitudinal seal 170 is disposed along the opening 125 of each chamber 120.

As shown in fig. 4, the seal drum 166 is preferably disposed above the belt 162. Drive roller 160 is preferably positioned downstream of feed roller 158 and tensioner 156 with seal spool 166 between feed roller 158 and tensioner 156. Sealing spool 166 is arranged to vertically overlap feed roller 158, tensioner 156, and drive roller 160 with a portion of sealing spool 166 to cause belt 162 to deform at sealing zone 174, thereby being generally U-shaped. This shape increases the tension of belt 162 at sealing region 174, making gripping of web 100 between seal spool 166 and belt 162 at sealing region 174 easier. The illustrated construction of the inflation and sealing assembly 103 also reduces the amount of contact of the tape 100 during sealing, which reduces flexing of the inflation tape. As shown in fig. 7, the contact zone is a sealing zone 174 between the inlet clamping zone 164 and the outlet clamping zone 174.

in the illustrated embodiment, tape 100 enters the seal assembly at an entrance nip 176 at an angle that is downwardly inclined relative to horizontal, in addition, tape 100 exits the seal zone 174 at an angle that is upwardly inclined relative to horizontal such that tape 100 exits upwardly facing toward the user, the inflation and sealing apparatus 101 facilitates easy loading and removal of tape, as well as easy access to the tape, by inclining the entrance and exit ports as described herein, the inflation and sealing apparatus 101 can be disposed below the apparent flat line, such as on a table top, without the need for a tall stand, tape 100 is inclined downwardly into and upwardly from the seal assembly to form a material path "E" that curves at an angle α between the entrance nip 176 and the exit nip 174 (entrance nip 176 and exit nip 174 are described further below.) tape 100 is inclined downwardly into and upwardly from the seal assembly.

According to various embodiments, the seal assembly may be protected by a removable cover. Likewise, the belt mechanism (e.g., belt 162), tensioner 156, and feed roll 158 may also include a removable cover 173. This facilitates easy removal of the tape by the user, or elimination or repair of a jam within the machine.

According to various embodiments, one or more elements of inflation and sealing apparatus 101 may drive web 100 through the system. For example, the seal drum 166 may be connected to a motor that rotates it in the direction "F". Other elements, such as rollers 160, may also drive the system as described in various embodiments (see, for example, application No.13/844,741). In other embodiments discussed in the incorporated references, the roller 160 is represented as a drive roller; note, however, that the roller 160 may be an idler roller, or a drive roller. For example, the roller 160 may be connected to the same motor or the same drive mechanism associated with the sealing spool 166 that rotates the sealing spool 166. In other constructions, the seal drum 166 may be passive (e.g., an idler pulley), or actively driven by a motor. In one example, seal drum 166 may be passive, simply rotating with advancing web 100 or belt 162.

According to various embodiments, the filling and sealing device may have more than one belt. For example, one belt may drive each roller and a second belt may press the web against the seal spool. In various embodiments, the filling and sealing device may be devoid of a belt. For example, the sealing drum may squeeze the web against a stationary platform while driving the web through the filling and sealing apparatus. Other illustrations and embodiments of such structures are possible as disclosed in U.S. patent nos. 8,061,110 and 8,128,770 and application No.2011/0172072, both incorporated herein by reference.

Although some embodiments do not have a post-seal control element, the inflation and sealing assembly 103 shown in fig. 2 includes a plurality of post-seal control elements. In various embodiments, the post-seal control element may be a movable or stationary surface, a roller, or any device capable of contacting the belt 162 or web 100. For example, the post-seal control element may include a roller 160 as described above. Rollers 160 support web 100 exiting the filling and sealing assembly 103 and may guide the belt. As illustrated in fig. 9-11, the roller 172 may also be a post-seal control element. In various embodiments, there may be a single post-seal control element, such as roller 160, as described in the embodiments disclosed in the incorporated references (see, e.g., 13/844,741). In other embodiments, there may be multiple post-seal control elements, as shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 9-11. For example, a first post-seal control element (e.g., roller 172) may be disposed directly above a second post-seal control element (e.g., roller 160).

Two post-seal control elements (e.g., two rollers 160, 172) grip or compress web 100 such that belt 162 is adjacent to one or both of the surfaces of the two elements. Since the rollers 160, 173 are disposed directly downstream of the heated web (or other heating mechanism in other embodiments), they provide a cooling zone 179 disposed between the two rollers 160, 172. In this embodiment, the roller 160 acts as the main cooling roller because the sealing and cooling film is dragged around the roller 160. Nip rollers 172 hold the web in contact with the main chill roller 160 to help maintain pressure between the two film layers as the seal cools, thereby mechanically supporting the seal and surrounding area. In embodiments where belt 162 extends around roller 160, such as the one shown, the outer surface of the roller remains generally stationary relative to web 100, further helping to support the seal in a frangible state before it is sufficiently cooled. The rollers 160 are typically made of a hard and tough material, such as steel or aluminum, to withstand the pressure and heat from the belt 162, although in some embodiments, plastic or other materials may be used.

In various embodiments, a post-seal control element such as roller 172 may have a larger diameter region 171 opposite the belt than in the adjacent portion of nip roller 172. The annular ridge 171 allows contact with tape 100 while the adjacent smaller diameter portion of roller 172 remains free of tape 100, helping to prevent sticking of the hot tape. Roller 172 may be biased with respect to belt 162, web 100, and roller 160 using spring-loaded tensioner 169. The tension provided by the tensioner 169 further maintains the seal closed by the post-seal control element and can lift the pinch roller 172 off the web when desired. To prevent or mitigate the hot web 100 from sticking to the nip roller 172, the nip roller 172 is preferably made of, or has a surface of, a non-stick or low tack material such as Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or other suitable material. According to various embodiments, a post-seal control element, such as roller 160, may include a recessed annular surface 163. The recessed annular surface 163 may receive the belt 162.

As the web exits the nip 178 between rollers 160 and 172, there is a possibility that the hot film sticks to one of the rollers rather than exiting the apparatus cleanly. In various embodiments, elements may be provided that assist in separating the membrane from the post-seal control element. For example, the roller 172 may have an annular ridge 161, the annular ridge 161 extending beyond (proud) the belt 162 or the outer surface 167 of the roller 160 that supports the belt 162 against the web 100 or contacts the web 100. The ridge 161 may be annular or have another suitable shape and may extend around the roller to contact the web 100, preferably laterally adjacent the longitudinal seal on the inflated web 100, such as against the lateral ends of the inflated chambers 120 adjacent the longitudinal seal 112. At the clamping zone 178, the annular ridge 161 contacts the web 100, generally against the lateral sides of the filled chambers 120 where the chambers 120 have a degree of rigidity compared to the unfilled film due to the filled shape. The ridges form push-off assemblies that force web 100 away from roll 160. Such deflection may cause web 100 to move away from belt and/or roller 160, typically tearing away from belt and/or roller 160. Thus, the annular ridge 161 helps to automatically peel the tape 100 from the post-seal control element. Although described with respect to a roller, alternative embodiments may have a fixed ridge disposed adjacent roller 160 that guides the web away from the cylinder.

Non-stick material may alleviate this problem because of the tendency of heated tape 100 to stick to the post-seal control elements. For example, one or both post-seal control elements may be made of a material coated with a non-stick/low viscosity material such as Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), anodized aluminum, ceramic, silicone, and the like.

In the illustrated embodiment, the filling and sealing apparatus 101 further includes a cutting assembly 186 that cuts the web from the filling nozzle 140 when using a filling channel that receives the longitudinal filling nozzle 140 and is closed around the longitudinal filling nozzle 140. As with the other system components discussed herein, the cutting assembly may also be constructed, provided, or included in accordance with the various embodiments described in the above-incorporated references.

Control system and method for filling and sealing assembly

As described above, each filling and sealing assembly (such as the filling and sealing assemblies described above or similar to those described above) may include a control system that can store or otherwise access a recipe that automatically sets parameters of the machine to produce packaging material based on unfilled material loaded into the machine. Referring to fig. 12, the control system 1000 of the inflation and sealing assembly is discussed in more detail below. The control system 1000 may include one or more processing elements 1002, a display 1004, one or more storage components 1006, an input/output interface 1012, one or more sensors 1016, and a power supply 1014. The various components of the control system 1000 may communicate with other components via one or more system buses or other communication devices. Additionally, the control system 1000 may include and/or communicate with other components of the blower motor 1013, the braking mechanism 137, the heating element 177, and the filling and sealing assembly that may be tracked and/or modified by the control system 1000.

The processor 1002 or processing element 1002 may control one or more functions and/or operations of the control system 1000 and/or inflation and sealing assembly. The processing element 1002 may communicate directly or indirectly with most components of the control system 1000. The processing element 1002 may be any kind of electronic device capable of processing, receiving, and/or transmitting instructions. For example, the processing element 1002 may be a microprocessor or microcomputer. The terms "processor" and "processor element" as used herein are intended to encompass a single processor or processing unit, a plurality of processors or processing units, or other suitably constructed computing element.

The storage component 1006 may include one or more storage or memory components that store electronic data that may be utilized by the control system 1000 and/or the inflation and sealing assembly. For example, the memory 1006 may store electrical data or content, such as recipes or settings for the fill and seal assembly for the selected material, document files, audio files, and the like. For example, the memory 1006 may be a magneto-optical storage medium, a read-only medium, a random access memory, an erasable programmable memory, or a flash memory.

Input/output interface 1012 receives and transmits data and provides a connection to one or more components. For example, the input/output interface 1012 may receive user input through one or more input devices (e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, or the like), and may transfer data between the control system 1000 and other electronic devices (e.g., a computer, other control system, or the like). In addition, input/output interface 1012 may facilitate output to one or more output devices, such as a display 1004, speakers, headphones, or the like. The input/output interface 1012 may transmit and receive data in various ways over one or more networks (e.g., WiFi, ethernet, bluetooth), a cellular network, etc. The type of communication network may depend on a variety of different requirements, design parameters, etc., and thus the input/output interface 1012 may be modified as appropriate.

The power source 1014 can be virtually any device capable of providing power to the various components of the inflation and sealing assembly, as well as to the control system 1000. For example, power source 1014 may be a connection cable configured to connect the assembly to another power source (such as a wall outlet), and/or power source 1014 may be a battery, or other portable energy storage component.

Display 1004 provides visual output to control system 1000. In many embodiments, the display 1004 may be used to provide output to a user by displaying data, images, video, and the like. Additionally, the display 1004 may receive data input in conjunction with the input/output interface 1012. For example, the display 1004 may include one or more touch sensors (e.g., capacitive or resistive touch screens) that receive input from a user. The display 1004 may be virtually any kind of visual output device, such as, but not limited to, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, a plasma display, or the like. The type and size of the display 1004 may depend on the type of inflation and sealing assembly and the control system 1000.

The one or more sensors 1016 are sensing elements that can sense changes in one or more characteristics or parameters. For example, the sensors 1016 may include temperature sensors, image sensors (e.g., cameras), velocity or motion sensors, rotation sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, or the like. The sensors 1016 are configured to detect information corresponding to one or more components of the inflation and sealing assembly, information about the material loaded onto the mandrel 136 of the inflation and sealing assembly (e.g., one or more of the material properties), and/or data about other assemblies or the control system 1000. Thus, the sensors 1016 may be placed at various locations of the inflation and sealing assembly to provide the sensors 1016 with sufficient proximity or communication with the monitored component to detect its settings and/or operating parameters. For example, the heating element 177 may include a temperature sensor operatively connected to the heating element where the temperature sensor is capable of detecting the current temperature of the heating element.

In embodiments that include a sensor 1016 that detects information about the material used with the inflation and sealing assembly, the sensor 1016 may be used to analyze the material itself, one or more identifiers on the material, and/or the like. For example, the sensor 1016 may include a bar code scanner that can read a bar code imprinted on the material or packaging of the material. As another example, the sensor 1016 may include an RFID receiver/transmitter that receives data corresponding to an RFID tag or other identifier. Also for example, the sensors 1016 may include material sensors capable of determining the type, width, thickness, or other characteristics of the material to be used with the inflation and sealing assembly. The type of sensors 1016 and their locations may be altered as appropriate depending on the type of assembly, control system 1000, and/or materials.

The sensors 1016 may be configured to read data and/or machine parameters corresponding to the material directly from the material. Fig. 14 is a diagram illustrating a roll of material 1009 including an identifier 1010. Referring to fig. 14, the sensor 1016 is arranged in communication (e.g., optical and/or electrical communication) with the roll of material 1009. This allows the control system 1000 to determine the type of material, the amount of material remaining on a roll of material, one or more recipes associated with the material, or one or more machine parameters for the material by sensing the identifier 1010 using the sensor 1016. As a first example, the sensor 1016 may be an RFID reader and the identifier 1010 may be an RFID tag. As a second example, the sensor 1016 may be a barcode reader, or a Quick Response (QR) code reader, and the identifier 1010 may be a barcode or QR code. As a third example, identifier 1010 may be a printed or text recipe that includes a list of machine parameters (e.g., seal temperature, fill characteristics, etc.), and sensor 1016 may be a camera that captures the recipe and enters the recipe into control system 1000 using a text recognizer function.

An example of the use of the display 1004 to receive input to the control system 1000 will now be described. FIG. 13 is a front view of an exemplary display for the control system. Referring to fig. 13, the display 1004 includes output of one or more icons 1020, 1022, 1024. Each icon 1020, 1022, 1024 may correspond to a material, such as any name of the material (e.g., a trade name), a material type or characteristic (e.g., 10mm, polyethylene), a recipe name (which may be set to be similar to the trade name or name of the material), or other material identifier. The control system 1000 may receive user input indicative of the material loaded into or the type of material to be used with the inflation and sealing assembly. For example, by using his or her finger, or by using an input device (e.g., a stylus, capacitive touch screen, mouse, keyboard, etc.), the user may select one of the icons 1020, 1022, 1024 corresponding to the material to be used. As another example, the user may enter the recipe name directly into the control system. In some embodiments, control system 1000 may require a password, user identification, or other security feature before a recipe can be selected, or before any parameters can be adjusted manually or automatically. In some embodiments, the icon and/or recipe name may correspond to a material or material characteristic, e.g., the recipe name may be similar to the trade name of the material, or the recipe may be

In this example, processor 1002 may access recipes stored in storage component 1006 corresponding to each available material. In other words, the storage component 1006 may maintain parameter settings for the various components of the inflation and sealing assembly used when the assembly is utilized to inflate and seal selected materials. In this manner, the control system 1000 may automatically adjust the inflation and sealing assembly based on the material. Fig. 1A-1D illustrate top views of examples of materials comprising different fill configurations. Each material 1040, 1042, 1044, 1046 comprises a different sealing location at which the two films of each material are joined together. The location, size, geometry, etc. of the sealing locations define the pillow shape when the material 1040, 1042, 1044, 1046 is filled with the filling and sealing assembly. The pillows shown in fig. 1A-1D are merely examples, and many other pillows may be used.

The control system 1000 is configured to automatically adjust the components of the inflation and sealing assembly, as well as provide an output to a user indicating which components should be adjusted. In some embodiments, control system 1000 can adjust the settings of certain components that are not typically adjustable in conventional inflation and sealing machines. For example, the control system 1000 may adjust one or more parameters of the braking mechanism 137 corresponding to the spindle 136, which allows the frictional force applied to the roll of material to be adjusted. In addition, the control system 1000 may adjust the ramp up and ramp down profiles of the multiple motors of the inflation and sealing assembly, which allows the motors and various components to be customized with respect to the recipe of the material being processed and with respect to the operating conditions of the inflation and sealing mechanism.

The method of operating the inflation and sealing assembly is discussed in more detail below. FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a method of operating the inflation and sealing assembly. Referring to fig. 15, the method 2000 may begin at operation 2002 where the control system 1000 may determine the type of material loaded onto the mandrel 136. In some embodiments, one of the sensors 1016 of the control system 1000 may sense or receive data from the material to determine the type of material. In a first example, the sensor 1016 may scan a bar code embedded in, attached to, or otherwise connected to a roll of material, and the processor 1002 may analyze the bar code to determine the type of material and, optionally, the settings of one or more components of the inflation and sealing assembly. In a second example, the sensor 1016 may include an RFID receiver that may receive an RFID identifier attached to a roll or package of material, which the processor 1002 may use to determine information about the material. In a third example, the sensor 1016 may be a camera that captures an image of the material and/or material label (e.g., packaging) and the processor 1002 analyzes the photograph to determine the material. In a fourth example, control system 1000 may receive input from a user. In this example, a user may enter material data directly into the control system 1002 via the input/output interface 1012 (e.g., via a keyboard, a mouse selecting icons, or the like). In a fifth example, control system 1000 can receive material data from another computing device (e.g., via a network, server, or the like). The above list of examples is not exhaustive, but merely illustrative. Many other embodiments are conceivable.

Once the material is determined, method 2000 may proceed to operation 2004. At operation 2004, one or more parameters of the inflatable cushion or inflatable pillow may be determined. For example, the material may have a predetermined inflation design in which selected areas of the material are sealed together or opened to define an inflatable bag that expands when filled with air. In some examples, the pillow parameters may be predetermined based on the type of material, i.e., the pillow parameters may be included in the description of the material loaded onto the mandrel 136. After determining the filling pillow parameters (which may be included in operation 2002), the method 2000 may proceed to operation 2006.

At operation 2006, the control system 1000 determines a recipe for producing packaging material using the raw materials on the mandrel 136 with the filling and sealing assembly. The control system 1000 adjusts or modifies one or more components on the inflation and sealing assembly using the material information and/or inflation pillow parameters from operations 2002, 2004, respectively. For example, once the material or other identifier has been determined, the processor 1002 may retrieve a recipe for the selected material on the mandrel 136 from the storage component 1006. In some embodiments, the recipe may be directly input into control system 1000 (such as through an input/output interface, through display 1004 (e.g., a user selecting an icon corresponding to the material)) or the recipe may be tagged or otherwise connected to material 1009 itself (e.g., embedded as code, text, etc.).

The recipe includes information such as the speed of one or more motors (e.g., blower motor, reel motor, brake mechanism motor), the temperature of heating element 177, the wind speed or other setting of blower 1013, the fill rate, the ramp up speed of the motors, the heater ramp up temperature and profile, the initial tension setting of brake mechanism 137, the tension setting at the "stop" position of brake mechanism 137, the fill height of the fill pillow, blower start temperature of blower 1013 at start-up, initial temperature of seal drum 166/heating element 177, motor stop delay, ramp-up/ramp-down profile of one or more components (e.g., seal drum 166, blower 1013, brake mechanism 137, etc.), spacing chamber of material, fill volume, width and/or length of material, coating present on material (e.g., anti-blocking coating), and the like. In other words, the recipe includes a set or operating profile of the various components of the inflation and sealing assembly. Additionally, recipe data may include parameters for start-up, normal operation, and stop. For example, the parameters of each component may need to be changed according to the component warm-up time, operating parameters, and slow down time. The number of components adjusted may vary depending on the material, the type of fill and seal assembly, the speed of operation, the operating temperature, etc. Thus, the components listed herein as adjusted are merely illustrative.

In yet another embodiment, processor 1002 may analyze the material and filling pillow parameters to determine a recipe. In other words, by utilizing data regarding the material and filling pillow parameters, processor 1002 may generate recipes in real time or substantially real time. For example, the processor 1002 may determine certain characteristics or settings from the material information, i.e., the material has a thickness of X inches, and then will set a temperature in the heating and sealing element that will heat through that thickness. In another embodiment, processor 1002 may retrieve the recipe from storage component 1006, a network, a server, a material manufacturer's website, or virtually any other computing device. That is, recipes may be stored within control system 1000 and/or accessed by control system 1000.

To assist in understanding the present disclosure, the following examples are included to illustrate exemplary recipes that may be used by control system 1000. Of course, the examples set forth herein should not be construed as specifically limiting the present disclosure, and variations of the present disclosure that are now known or that later develop within the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the present disclosure as set forth herein and claimed below.

In the following recipe, the names used relate to the following parameters. The DESC is a material identification (e.g., a trade name or description). SPEED is the SPEED setting of the seal spool 166 from 1-100 (e.g., 75 is 75% of the maximum SPEED). BLWER is the blower or air setting as a percentage of maximum airflow. TEMP is the temperature of the heating element, or other seal setting (in degrees Fahrenheit) in the recipe. BRAKE _ START is the steady state tension setting of the BRAKE mechanism, which is a percentage of the total braking force or torque. As described above, in some cases, the braking mechanism 137 may be a motor that rotates in the opposite direction as the reel motor. In these examples, the braking force may be a percentage (e.g., 1-100%) of the motor power applied to the braking mechanism 137. In examples where the braking mechanism is a friction element, the braking force may be determined as a position relative to the roll (furthest to nearest), or by another characteristic. BRAKE _ END is the braking tension of the BRAKE mechanism during "stop", which like BRAKE _ START may be a percentage of the motor speed, or another braking characteristic depending on the type of BRAKE mechanism used. BSTRT is the blower start temperature (in degrees fahrenheit). MSTRT is the motor start temperature (in degrees fahrenheit). MSTOP is the motor stop delay (in milliseconds).

MUP is the motor ramp-up section, MDWON is the motor ramp-down section, BUP is the blower ramp-up section, BDOWN is the blower ramp-down section, and BKEND is the brake mechanism ramp-up section when stopped. The ramp-up and ramp-down profiles are the profiles of the various components of the inflation and sealing assembly when activated and closed. For example, when the motor is first started, it may be necessary to rotate its drive shaft at a low speed for a selected period of time before the speed can be increased to a maximum or near maximum to avoid damage to the machine or other components arranged or connected with respect to the machine. This is because some motors may have different rotational parameters when powered up than when already running for a selected period of time. By using the ramp-up time, the control system can gradually increase the power of the motor to full speed. Similarly, if the motor suddenly stops rotating after the motor is rotating at full speed (or near full speed), the motor may be damaged. Thus, some recipes may include a ramp down profile that slowly reduces the power provided to the motor to gradually reduce the speed until the motor can be safely stopped completely. Ramp up and ramp down times and speeds can be determined not only by mechanical components, but also by material and recipe properties. For example, if the maximum speed required for a particular material is less than the typical operating speed, the ramp-up time of the motor may be increased. As another example, the weight of a roll of material may affect the ramp-up and/or ramp-down profile, e.g., heavier materials may require a longer and slower ramp-up process than lighter materials.

In the following recipe, ramp up and ramp down profiles are listed as a function of time and percent motor speed. For example, referring to the first exemplary recipe and MUP, at time 0, the motor speed is 0% of maximum, at 1300ms, the motor speed is 50% of maximum, at 2000ms, the motor speed is 80% of maximum, at 2800ms, the motor speed is 95% of maximum, and at 3200ms, the motor speed is 100%. In this example, the motor takes approximately 3200ms to ramp up the profile, bringing the motor to full speed. Referring to the MDOWN or motor ramp down profile in this recipe, the profile ramp down takes only 301ms, i.e., the motor ramp down profile is much faster than the motor ramp up profile. By altering the ramp up and ramp down profile of the various components of the inflation and sealing assembly based on the material being inflated and sealed, the inflation and sealing assembly can operate more safely, and the likelihood of damage to the various components (e.g., the motor) can be reduced because they can be sufficiently ramped up/down before reaching maximum speed and stop positions.

It should be noted that the above units and parameters are merely illustrative and may vary depending on the kind of machine, materials, etc. For example, in the recipe example provided below, a number of settings are selected as a percentage of the maximum level of the selected component. However, in other examples, the settings may be selected as absolute values (to which the temperature settings in the recipe example are set). Alternatively or additionally, the recipe may include a range of settings, for example, 50-60% of maximum speed, and control system 1000 may select the appropriate setting based on the current operating conditions.

A first example of a recipe that may be used to fill and seal the material 1046 illustrated in fig. 1D is provided below.

DESC＝Material 1

SPEED＝85

BLWER＝55

TEMP＝320

BRAKE_START＝5

BRAKE_END＝100

BSTRT＝295

MSTRT＝290

MSTOP＝400

MUP＝0，0，1300，50，2000，80，2800，95，3200，100，

MDOWN＝0，100，100，50，200，25，300，0，301，0，

BUP＝0，0，500，50，1850，70，3500，100，3600，100，

BDOWN＝0，100，5，50，25，0，26，0，27，0，

BKEND＝0，0，250，60，300，75，360，100，600，0，

A second recipe example is provided below. This method may be used to fill and seal the material 1042 shown in FIG. 1B.

DESC＝Material 3

SPEED＝65

BLWER＝100

TEMP＝330

BRAKE_START＝15

BRAKE_END＝90

BSTRT＝300

MSTRT＝320

MSTOP＝400

MUP＝0，0，2000，70，2500，95，2700，100，2800，100，

MDOWN＝0，100，150，90，250，75，300，40，500，0，

BUP＝0，0，1500，80，2000，95，2200，100，2300，100，

BDOWN＝0，100，5，50，25，0，26，0，27，0，

BKEND＝0，0，300，50，375，80，425，100，600，0，

Using a stored recipe, or otherwise accessing a recipe, control system 1000 can determine settings for one or more components of the inflation and sealing assembly. Referring back to fig. 15, at operation 2006, control system 1000 may not only determine a typical recipe for the material and inflation pillow parameters, but may also adjust the recipe based on the parameters of the inflation and sealing assembly. For example, if the recipe specifies a first temperature for the heating element 177, but the sealing web 166 is running slower than usual, the control system 1000 may adjust the temperature to compensate for the slower speed. As another example, the braking friction force applied by the braking mechanism 137 may be set to a first level, but if the roll of material has a diameter greater or less than a typical diameter or greater than the diameter used to create the recipe, the control system 1000 may dynamically adjust the braking friction force to compensate for such variations. Other changes to the parameters of the inflation and sealing assembly based on changes to one or more parameters according to interrelated functionality will be described in more detail below with reference to fig. 15.

It should be noted that in some embodiments, the inflation and sealing assembly may not identify any material parameters or pillow characteristics. In these embodiments, control system 1000 may determine the recipe by utilizing an identifier 1010 on material 1009 itself, or may access the recipe from any material name (e.g., a trade name) or the like utilizing a lookup table or other resource. In these embodiments, control system 1000 may access the recipes stored in memory via a network or the like without having to determine any parameters of the material itself.

With continued reference to FIG. 15, once a recipe is determined or otherwise accessed, method 2000 may proceed to operation 2008. In operation 2008, the various components of the inflation and sealing assembly are adjusted according to the recipe. In other words, the various components may be arranged in desired settings according to the data of the recipe. In one embodiment, the various components may be automatically adjusted by the control system 1000. However, in other embodiments, the selected component may need to be adjusted by the user. In these embodiments, the display 1004 or other output element provides an output to a user of the other computing device indicating the parameters that need to be manually altered. For example, the display 1004 may display a photograph or icon of the component with an indication of the settings that need to be adjusted.

In embodiments where the components of the inflation and sealing assembly may be adjusted by the control system 1000, the control system 1000 provides instructions regarding the settings for each component, which may then confirm that each component is set at a desired level.

After operation 2008, the method 2000 may proceed to operation 2010. At operation 2010, the inflation and sealing assembly is activated and thereby operated. In particular, the filling and sealing assembly is set into operation, feeding material from the mandrel through said assembly, thereby producing the packaging material. While the inflation and sealing assembly is in operation, the method 2000 may proceed to optional operation 2012. In operation 2012, the control system 1000 may receive feedback regarding the inflation and sealing assembly and/or the function of the various components of the inflation and sealing assembly. For example, one or more sensors may detect real-time operation of the machine or various components, such as the temperature of the heating/sealing elements, the speed of the motor, the applied braking friction, and so forth. Operation 2012 enables control system 1000 to receive real-time or substantially real-time feedback regarding the assembly.

After operation 2012, the method 2000 may proceed to operation 2014. At operation 2014, the control system 1000 determines whether any component or parameter of the inflation and sealing assembly should be adjusted. For example, using feedback from operation 2012 (e.g., sensor readings while the machine is running), the control system 1000 may determine that one or more components need to be adjusted. This feature allows the control system 1000 to dynamically adjust the inflation and sealing assembly during operation.

If one or more components should be adjusted in operation 2014, the method 2000 proceeds to operation 2016. In operation 2016, the control system 1000 changes parameters or components. Operation 2016 may be generally similar to operation 2008, but may be adjusted not only based on the recipe and materials, but also based on the real-time operation of the sealing and filling machine itself. For example, if a selected component is not functioning as intended, or should be changed depending on other components of the machine, then the component may be changed accordingly. As a specific example, if the motor is not operating at the planned speed (e.g., due to a fault or error), then the heating element may be turned down to account for the slower speed.

If the component does not need to be adjusted at operation 2014, or the component has been adjusted after operation 2016, the method 2000 may proceed to operation 2018. In operation 2018, the control system 1000 determines whether another roll of material is to be loaded onto the inflation and sealing assembly. If another roll of material is to be loaded, the method returns to operation 2002. However, if another roll of material is not loaded, then the method 2000 enters an end state.

Using the method 2000 and the control system 1000, the inflation and sealing assembly may adjust the parameters of the assembly to take into account not only the material to be inflated and sealed, but also the operating conditions of the assembly itself. This allows the filling and sealing assembly to produce packaging material more quickly and helps to avoid errors or other problems that may arise due to malfunctions in the machine or deviations from the expected performance of the individual components of the filling and sealing assembly.

In some embodiments, the control system 1000 may set and/or adjust one or more parameters based on interdependencies or correlations between two or more parameters. For example, in some cases, altering a first parameter may affect a second parameter, and if the second parameter is also not adjusted, the inflation and sealing assembly may not work as expected. The parameters may be related in a 1: 1 relationship, e.g., one parameter should be increased by the same amount as the other parameter is increased, the parameters may be related in a percentage relationship, e.g., one parameter should be increased by 20% while the other parameter is increased by 5%, the parameters may be related in an inverse relationship, e.g., one parameter is increased while the other is decreased, etc. The relevant parameters and their relationships may be varied depending on the geometry and construction of the inflation and sealing assembly, the type of material, the speed of operation, the operating environment, and other characteristics. Thus, the parameters and relationships recited herein are exemplary only and may be varied.

Methods of changing one or more parameters in accordance with changes in one or more other parameters are discussed in more detail below. FIG. 16 is a flow chart illustrating a method of adjusting parameters of the inflation and sealing assembly. Referring to fig. 16, method 3000 may begin at operation 3002. At operation 3002, a first parameter is altered on the inflation and sealing assembly. The parameters may be altered due to input of a recipe based on the material loaded onto the assembly, may be altered by a user, or may be otherwise altered. The parameters may be altered automatically or manually. Once the parameters are altered, the method 3000 may proceed to operation 3004. At operation 3004, the control system 1000 may determine whether there is a correlation parameter. In other words, the control system 1000 analyzes whether there is another parameter functionally related to the changed parameter. In this manner, the control system 1000 determines whether any relationship exists between the modified parameters and other parameters of the inflation and sealing assembly.

If there are relevant parameters in operation 3004, the method 3000 may proceed to operation 3010. At operation 3010, the control system 1000 evaluates the relevant parameters to determine whether the relevant parameters should also be adjusted. For example, the control system 1000 may analyze the amount of change in the first parameter to determine whether the range is sufficient to warrant a change to the second parameter. In this example, some adjustments to the first parameter may be small enough that adjustments to the second parameter may not be needed, even though the second parameter is functionally related to the first parameter.

If, in operation 3010, the second parameter should be adjusted, method 3000 may proceed to operation 3014. At operation 3014, relevant parameters are adjusted. In some embodiments, the control system 1000 may automatically change the relevant parameters. For example, the control system 1000 may change the signal provided to the assembly that will alter a parameter, such as the speed of the motor or the temperature of the heating element. In other embodiments, the control system 1000 may provide an output indicating to the user that the parameter needs to be adjusted. For example, control system 1000 may cause an alarm to be displayed on display 1004. The alarm may indicate the parameter to be changed and the amount of change or new settings. In these embodiments, the parameters may be adjusted manually by the user.

After the relevant parameters have been altered, method 3000 may proceed to operation 3016. At operation 3016, the control system 1000 determines whether there are any other relevant parameters. For example, typically one parameter may be functionally related to two or more parameters, such that when one parameter is changed, multiple other parameters may also need to be changed. As another example, the first parameter may be associated with a second parameter, and the second parameter may be associated with a third parameter. In this example, when the second parameter is adjusted according to the change to the first parameter, the third parameter may also need to be adjusted. If other relevant parameters are present, method 3000 may return to operation 3010. However, if no other relevant parameters exist, method 3000 may enter termination state 3018.

With continued reference to fig. 16, if no relevant parameters exist in operation 3004, or if relevant parameters are not adjusted in operation 3010, the method 3000 may proceed to operation 3006. At operation 3006, the control system 1000 may determine whether there are other changes to the system that should be evaluated. For example, if one or more parameters or components are not operating as desired, if materials change, and/or if operating environments change, the control system 1000 may need to re-evaluate whether other parameters should be changed.

If there are other changes to the system, method 3000 may proceed to operation 3008. At operation 3008, the control system 1000 determines whether any parameters should be altered based on these changes. If so, method 3000 returns to operation 3002. However, if the parameters do not need to be changed despite the changes to the system, or if there are no other changes to the system in operation 3006, then the method 300 enters a termination state 3018.

With the method 3000, the inflation and sealing assembly can be dynamically adapted to conditions during operation and to the adjustment parameters to compensate for adjustments in other parameters. For example, in some embodiments, the inflation and sealing assembly may implement a recipe that is stored in the storage component 1006 other computing device or identified by the material itself (e.g., via identifier 1010), which may include settings for some components but may not include settings for other components. Using method 3000, control system 1000 can determine changes to all parameters even if the parameters are not directly part of the recipe.

Any and all references explicitly identified in the specification of the present application are explicitly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The term "about" as used herein should generally be understood to refer to corresponding numbers and ranges of numbers. Moreover, all numerical ranges herein should be understood to include each integer within the range. The contents of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/844,741 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

While exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein, it should be appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art. For example, features of various embodiments may be used in other embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments which come within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (25)

1. A method of modifying one or more parameters of a film filling and sealing machine, comprising:

providing an apparatus configured to fill and seal a film to produce a packaging material;

providing a supply of film material;

identifying a configuration of the feed material;

selecting one of a plurality of pre-stored recipes based on a configuration of the supplied material, wherein the selected pre-stored recipe includes settings for one or more operating parameters of the machine; and

altering the setting of the one or more operating parameters according to the selected pre-stored recipe.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the feed material comprises one or more characteristics of the feed material.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more characteristics include a thickness of the feed material.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the configuration of the feed material comprises detecting the one or more characteristics of the feed material with a sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the configuration of the feed material comprises detecting material data attached to or embedded within the feed material with a sensor, the material data indicating the configuration of the feed material.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensor is a radio frequency identification sensor.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the material data is stored as a bar code or quick response code attached to the material.

8. A method of modifying one or more parameters of a fill and seal assembly, comprising:

identifying a configuration of the feed material;

selecting a predetermined recipe from a plurality of predetermined recipes based on the identified configuration, wherein each predetermined recipe of the plurality of predetermined recipes includes settings for one or more operating parameters of the inflation and sealing assembly; and

the inflation and sealing assembly is configured to operate based on the predetermined recipe.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising operating the inflation and sealing assembly with the settings based on the predetermined recipe.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the configuration of the feed material comprises:

displaying a plurality of icons on a display, each icon of the plurality of icons corresponding to one or more materials; and

a user input is received identifying a first icon of the plurality of icons.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user input is received via a display or via an input device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein:

identifying the configuration includes receiving a material input corresponding to the first material; and

selecting a predetermined recipe includes retrieving the predetermined recipe from a memory component based on the identified configuration.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the material input comprises:

scanning the first material with a radio frequency identification sensor; and

material data is retrieved from a radio frequency identification tag attached to the first material.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the material input comprises:

one or more material properties of the first material are detected with a sensor.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein:

identifying the configuration includes receiving a material input corresponding to the first material; and

selecting a predetermined recipe includes retrieving the predetermined recipe from a computing device based on the identified configuration.

16. A method of modifying one or more parameters of a filling and sealing machine configured to fill and seal a supply of film material to produce packaging material, the method comprising:

identifying a configuration of the feed material;

modifying a first parameter based on the identified configuration;

analyzing the second parameter to determine whether the second parameter is functionally related to the first parameter;

adjusting the second parameter to correspond to the modification to the first parameter if the second parameter is functionally related to the first parameter; and

if the second parameter is not functionally related to the first parameter, the second parameter is not adjusted.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the processing element analyzes the second parameter to determine whether the second parameter is functionally related to the first parameter.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein if the second parameter is functionally related to the first parameter, further comprising analyzing a first modification to the first parameter to determine a second modification to the second parameter, wherein the second modification is related to the first modification according to a predetermined function.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving material data comprising at least one of material, material size, desired fill rate, fill bag geometry, or feed rate; and

the material data is analyzed to identify the configuration of the feed material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the processing element receives the material data from an input/output component in electrical communication therewith.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the input/output component is at least one of a barcode scanner, a radio frequency identifier, a keyboard, a display screen, or a mouse.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the first parameter is a reel motor and the second parameter is a braking mechanism.

23. A method of operating a fill and seal assembly, comprising:

selecting at least one material parameter of the packaging material;

determining at least one of a ramp-up profile and a ramp-down profile of at least one component of the inflation and sealing assembly based on the at least one material parameter;

adjusting the assembly according to the determined at least one profile; and

operating the assembly according to the determined at least one profile.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one component is at least one of a reel motor or a braking mechanism.

25. A web filling apparatus comprising:

an inflation assembly configured to be interposed between first and second overlapping film layers of a web of material, the inflation assembly having a fluid conduit configured to direct fluid between the film layers to inflate the web;

a sealing mechanism that seals the film layers together to seal the fluid therein; and

a support element supporting an unfilled portion of the web of material; and

a controller in electrical communication with the inflation assembly and the support element, wherein the controller is configured to

Identifying a configuration of the feed material;

selecting a pre-stored recipe of a plurality of pre-stored recipes based on a configuration of the supplied material, wherein the selected pre-stored recipe includes settings for one or more operating parameters of the machine; and

altering the setting of the one or more operating parameters according to the selected pre-stored recipe.