WO2017039500A1

WO2017039500A1 - Plant wrapping device and method

Info

Publication number: WO2017039500A1
Application number: PCT/SE2015/050918
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan Olsson
Original assignee: Bjorkemar Construction & Consulting Bcc AB
Current assignee: Bjorkemar Construction & Consulting Bcc AB
Priority date: 2015-09-01
Filing date: 2015-09-01
Publication date: 2017-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 2018-03-01

Abstract

A plant wrapping device (1) including a plant holder (3) with a generally cylindrical wrapping portion (3A) and an open plant introduction top portion (3B), a support unit (4) for supporting introduced plants (P) to be wrapped, a wrapping rod (11) extending up from the support unit in a wrapping start position, a film material roll (5) for dispensing a web of film material therefrom, a film material gripper unit (6), and a film material cutter, wherein the film material gripper unit has a film material nip for releasably clamping the film material at a free end thereof, the film material gripper unit is displaceable between a film gripping position outside the plant holder and a film applying position inside the plant holder and the film material gripper unit is moveable between a lower film material engagement position and an upper re-gripping position above the film material web. A plant wrapping method is also provided.

Description

TITLE: PLANT WRAPPING DEVICE AND METHOD TECHNICAL FIELD

This technology generally concerns the wrapping of bundled plants for transport purposes.

BACKGROUND

For the appropriate and secure transport of young plants from plant nurseries etc. for repotting or planting out, it is normal practice to bundle a number of plants together as they are removed from cells of growing trays or the like. Specifically, a number of plants having been removed from tray cells are bundled with their root balls, consisting of roots and substrate/soil, close together. The bundled plants are wrapped by some means in order to keep them together and with the root balls intact during transport and handling. A presently preferred wrapping material is a thin film web of e.g. plastic foil that is stored on rolls of material. The film web material is wound from the rolls and is wrapped around at least the root ball parts of the bundled plants. Basically the film web may have been wrapped manually around the plant parts but this would have been a very cumbersome, time-consuming and thus expensive application procedure. Automation of the process would therefore appear to be a preferred user request, but no practical and useful equipment and/or procedure appear to have been developed within this field.

Common problems that have been associated with previous attempts to automate the plant wrapping procedure have been to achieve a secure manipulation and final application of the thin film web around the plant parts, to securely cut off the film web after application and to then appropriately and controlled present a new film web end for a next plant part wrapping procedure.

SUMMARY

It is a general object to eliminate the discussed inconveniences, problems and concerns within the above indicated technical field.

In particular it is an object of the invention to suggest an improved plant wrapping device for wrapping bundled plants. In particular it is another object of the invention to suggest an improved method of wrapping bundled plants.

These and other objects are met by the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.

In a first aspect the technology relates generally to a plant wrapping device for wrapping parts of a number of bundled plants with a film material web. The plant wrapping device includes a plant holder having a generally cylindrical wrapping portion and an open plant introduction top portion, a support unit for supporting introduced plants to be wrapped, a wrapping rod ex- tending up from the support unit in a wrapping start position, a film material roll for dispensing a web of film material therefrom, a film material gripper unit, and a film material cutter. In a basic configuration of the wrapping device the film material gripper unit has a film material nip for releasably clamping the film material at a free end thereof. The film material gripper unit is displaceable between a film gripping position outside the plant holder and a film applying position inside the plant holder and the film material gripper unit is also moveable between a lower film material engagement position including the film material gripping and applying positions and an upper re-gripping position above the film material web.

In accordance with a further aspect the technology relates to a method of wrapping plants in a web of film material dispended from a film material roll. The plants to be wrapped are introduced into a plant holder and are supported on a plant support unit. The film material is brought into the plant holder by a film material gripper unit and is held at the plants, whereupon the plants and a wrapping rod are rotated inside the plant holder to wrap the film material around the plant parts. Then the film material web coming from the film material rolls is cut and the wrapped plants are removed from the plant holder. In a basic configuration the film material gripper unit that releasably clamps an end of the film material is then extended with the clamped web of film material into the plant holder and the plant support unit is rotated to position the wrapping rod in a wrapping start position. The wrapping rod is extended up through the plant support unit adjacent the extended part of the film material in a position to catch the film material web when rotated. The plant support unit is rotated further, past the film material gripper unit, whereupon the film material gripper unit is retracted from the plant holder, its grip of the film material web is released and the plant support unit with the wrapping rod is rotated an optional number of turns inside the plant holder to apply a corresponding number of layers of film material around the plant parts. The film material gripper unit is then raised up to a level above an upper edge of the film material web and finally the film gripper is lowered again, straddling the film material web and clamping it.

Preferred further developments of the basic idea as well as embodiments thereof are specified in the dependent subclaims.

Advantages offered by the present technology, in addition to those described above, will be readily appreciated upon reading the detailed description of embodiments of the technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention and its further objects and advantages will be best understood by reference to the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a plant wrapping assembly having multiple plant wrapping devices of this technology arranged side by side;

Fig. 2A is a schematic top view of one of the plant wrapping devices of the assembly of

Fig. 1; Fig. 2B is a schematic side view of the plant wrapping device of Fig. 2A;

Fig. 3 A is a schematic and partial perspective view in greater detail of the plant holder and film material gripper unit of the wrapping device of Figs. 2 A and 2B; Fig. 3B is a schematic and partial top view in greater detail of the plant holder and film material gripper unit of the wrapping device of Figs. 2 A and 2B; is a partial perspective view in greater detail of the film material gripper unit of the wrapping device of Figs. 2A and 2B;

Fig. 5A-B are schematic views illustrating two operating sequences of the film material gripper unit of the wrapping device of Fig. 4; Fig. 6A-C are schematic views illustrating operating sequences of the plant wrapping device of Figs. 2A-B; and

Fig. 7 is a schematic flow diagram of a method of operating the plant wrapping device of

Figs. 2A-2B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The technology will now be explained with reference to exemplifying embodiments of a plant wrapping device and a method of operating the device that are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures. The embodiments serve to exemplify the use of the principles of the new technology in an application for wrapping forestry plants that have been brought together with their root balls close together. It shall be emphasized that the illustrations serve the purpose of describing a preferred embodiment of the technology and are not intended to limit the technology to details or to any specific field of application thereof.

To overcome disadvantages and problems that are normally encountered within this technical field and that were described in the introduction the present technology now suggests a novel approach for optimizing the plant wrapping procedure by enabling a quick and problem-free wrapping of plants with a web of thin film material. In essence this is achieved by improving the support and stability of the handling and application of the film material web by suggesting a unique combination of film material gripper unit control features and operational sequence steps. The unique design of the suggested configuration provides several essential advantages that include quick and secure wrapping film web guiding, handling and application. Compared to existing techniques this approach enables very high speed plant part wrapping increasing the plant wrapping capacity without risking increased production disturbance due to wrapping film web entanglement or guiding complication.

In Figs. 1 and 2A-2B is schematically illustrated a first exemplary embodiment of the application of the proposed technology to a plant wrapping assembly 100 having several parallel plant wrapping lines each configured specifically but not exclusively for wrapping bundled forestry plant parts. In Fig. 1 the assembly 100 is shown having four plant wrapping devices 1.1-1.4 supported in side-by-side relationship by an assembly frame 200. It should be realized, though, that in practical applications the assembly could include any appropriate and practical number of plant wrapping devices, from a single device and upwards, in dependence of the circumstances of the specific applications.

Figs. 2A-2B are schematic top and side views of the proposed wrapping device 1 that includes a plant holder 3 with a generally cylindrical wrapping portion 3A, an open plant introduction top end portion 3B and an open bottom end portion 3C. In association with the plant holder 3 is provided a plant support unit 4 that serves to support several plants P, indicated schematically in Fig. 2B, that are introduced through the open plant introduction top end portion 3B and shall be wrapped into a single bundle. The plant support unit 4 includes a rotary plant work table 9 supporting the introduced plants P and being connected to and carried by a plant elevator assembly 10. The plant elevator assembly 10 is powered by a plant elevator motor 25 through a transmission 26 permitting movement of the plant work table 9 between an upper plant receiving and wrapping position I (Fig. 6A) at the open bottom end 3C of the plant holder 3, and a lowered plant removal position III (Fig. 6C) below said open bottom end 3C of the plant holder 3. The plant elevator motor 25 and transmission 26 also serve to rotate the plant elevator 10 with the plant work table 9 and simultaneously a wrapping rod 11 extending up from the support unit 4 work table 9 in a wrapping start position II (Fig. 6B, in which the plant holder 3 is shown with portions thereof cut away in order to clarify the position of the wrapping rod 1 1 in the wrapping start position II). When rotated the wrapping rod 11 inside the plant holder 3 catches a film material web 20 and winds it around the bundled plants P, as will be described in detail below. The web of film material 20 is dispensed from a rotatably supported film material roll 5 via guide rollers 27-30 (Fig. 3A). It will be realized that the mechanical configuration of the plant elevator assembly 10 and its drive 25, 26 as well as a guide roll configuration for the film material web from the film material roll 5 towards a below described film material gripper unit 6 is based on common knowledge and will not be described in detail.

The plant holder 3 wrapping portion 3A has an outer circumference 3D that is closed except for an open film material introduction area 3E and the film material gripper unit 6 and an associated film material cutter 14 (see e.g. Fig. 3A) are provided in association with said open film material introduction area 3E. In the illustrated embodiment one side edge of the wrapping portion 3A outer circumference 3D forming one side of the open film material introduction area 3E supports a swinging door 15 (see especially Fig. 4). This swinging door 15 is wide enough to cover and close the film material introduction area 3E of the cylindrical wrapping portion 3 A of the plant holder 3. In fact, in the illustrated embodiment, the swinging door 15 is slightly wider than the open film material introduction area 3E and is positioned inside the plant holder 3 in order to stop thinner plants from escaping from the plant holder 3 during the wrapping phases that will be explained more closely below. The swinging door 15 is connected to the side edge of the outer circumference 3D through a hinge 15A and is biased, exemplified by spring 15B, towards the opposite side edge of the wrapping portion 3 A outer circumference 3D to make contact therewith especially during said wrapping phases.

With specific reference to Fig. 4 the film material gripper unit 6 has a film material nip 12, 13 for releasably clamping the film material 20 at a free end thereof dispensed from the roll 5. The film material nip 12, 13 of the film material gripper unit 6 is adjustable by a gripper motor 7 between a closed film material 20 clamping state and an open re-gripping state and has a first adjustable clamping jaw 12 with a freely rotating roller 12A for guiding the film material 20 and a fixed, second clamping jaw 13 having a pivotally supported rubber clamping pad 13C. Thus, the fixed clamping jaw 13 includes a support 13A with a centrally pivotal attachment 13B for the rubber clamping pad 13C. The pivotal attachment 13B allows the rubber clamping pad 13C to always maintain an optimal engagement against the freely rotating roller 12A by compensating for any deformation caused by distortion and bending of any parts included in the film material gripper unit 6. The freely rotating roller 12A of the adjustable clamping jaw 12 may rotate around its central axis so that film material 20 will not tend to get stuck as the film material gripper unit 6 is opened to release its grip in the below described situation when the film material web 20 is wound around the bundled plants P.

This configuration of the film material gripper unit 6 will require that the wrapping rod 11 is extended up from the support unit 4 work table 9 when it has been rotated with the plant support unit 4 to a wrapping start position II adjacent or, expressed otherwise just before, in the wrapping direction, the film material web that has been introduced into the plant holder 3 by the film material gripper unit 6 in a film applying position AP, as will be described below. In Figs. 5A-B the plant holder 3 is likewise shown with portions thereof cut away in order to show the displacement of the film material gripper unit 6. Specifically said drawing figures show that the film material gripper unit 6 is horizontally displaceable between a film gripping position GP outside the plant holder 3 and a film applying position AP inside the plant holder 3 and this movement is controlled by a gripper unit motor and transmission assembly 8. The gripper unit motor and transmission assembly 8 also controls the height of the film material gripper unit 6 by vertical movement thereof between low film gripping and film applying positions GP and AP, respectively, and a raised re-gripping position RP above the film material web. In the film material gripper unit 6 gripping position GP the swinging door 15 effectively blocks the open film material 20 introduction area 3E at the plant holder 3, securely blocking introduced plants P from falling out of the plant holder 3 during the plant wrapping phases or sequences. In its film applying position AP the film material gripper unit 6 is extended into the plant holder 3, positioning clamped film material 20 inside the plant holder 3 adjacent the introduced plants P. In the following the suggested process of wrapping several plants P, indicated schematically in Fig. 2B, into a single bundle will be generally described step by step, with reference to the schematic flow diagram of Fig. 7. In sequence step SI, with the plant elevator 10 and thus the plant work table 9 of the support unit 4 positioned at the plant receiving and wrapping position I in the plant holder 3, the plants P are introduced from above into the plant holder 3 through its open top end portion 3B. Then, with the plants positioned in the correct position the wrapping device 1 is activated to commence a wrapping sequence. The film material web is in sequence step S2 advanced from the film material roll 5 by the film material gripper unit 6, which is positioned in a plant gripping position GP and clamps the film material 20. At this stage the film material gripper unit is advanced to its innermost film applying position AP inside the plant holder, with the film material web 20 positioned so that it may be caught by the wrapping rod 1 1. It will be realized that during the movement of the film material gripper unit 6 towards the film applying position AP it will, in a simultaneous sequence step S3, contact the swinging door 15 and force it open against the force biasing it into contact with the plant holder 3. In sequence step S4 the wrapping rod 1 1 is then rotated clockwise until positioned immediately adjacent the film material in its wrapping start position II and is extended up through the plant support work table 9. In this position it is ready for catching the film material to start the wrapping when the plant work table 9 is rotated further. As the plant work table is rotated further the film material is pulled into the plant holder as the wrapping rod passes the film material gripper unit.

At this time the work table 9 in step S5 rotates further until the wrapping rod 1 1 has turned an appropriate distance inside the plant holder, e.g. about half a turn (approximately 180°) relative to the open film material introduction area 3E in the plant holder 3. In sequence step S6 the film material gripper unit 6 is retracted towards its plant gripping position GP thereby allowing the swinging door 15 close by the biasing force. This will close the open film material introduction area 3E in the plate holder 3 again. At the same time the film material gripper unit 6 releases its grip of the film material. Then, in step S7 the work table rotates further about 2.5 turns and then stops. In sequence step S8 the film material gripper unit 6 is now raised to a level above a top edge of the film material web 20. In sequence step S9 the film material gripper unit 6 is then lowered and straddles the film material 20 that already extends into the plant holder 3 and closes its nip 12, 13 again. In sequence step S10 a hot-wire film cutter 14 is advanced and burns off the film material web 20. In the last sequence step SI 1 the bottom 3D of the plant holder 3 opens so that the finished wrapped bundle of plants P may fall out of its own weight. The bottom 3D of the plant holder 3 is closed again and the device 1 is ready for a new sequence.

In detail, the method of wrapping plants P, specifically the plant root balls and a portion of the plant stem of multiple plants P being gathered together in bundles and then introduced into the plant holder 3, is performed by wrapping the plant parts in a web of film material 20 dispensed from a film material roll 5. A wrapping sequence is thus started by introducing plants P to be wrapped into the plant holder 3 through the open plant introduction top end portion 3B thereof and supporting them on the plant support unit 4, and specifically on its plant work table 9 in a plant receiving and wrapping position I inside the plant holder 3.

Next, the film material gripper unit 4 that releasably clamps a free end of the film material web 20 is extended/advanced to a film applying position AP inside the plant holder 3 while simultaneously forcing open the swinging door 15 in order to free the open film material 20 introduction area 3E. A free end of the film material web 20 is thereby brought into the plant holder 3 by the film material gripper unit 6 so that it is positioned and held at the plants P. The film material web is advanced into the plant holder 3 by the film material gripper unit 6 from the film material roll 5, via guide rollers 27-30 that control the path of the film material web 20. The plant work table 9 of the support unit 4 is then rotated by means of the elevator 10 to position a wrapping rod 11 in a wrapping start position II wherein the wrapping rod 1 1 is extended up through the plant work table 9 by the plant elevator 10 and is thereby positioned in the plant holder 3 adjacent the extended part of the web of film material 20. By the above specified further rotation of the wrapping rod 11 past the film material gripper unit 6, with the wrapping rod 11 positioned inside the plant holder 3, the wrapping rod 11 catches the film material 20 and starts winding it around the bundled plant parts. The film material gripper unit 6 is then retracted to its plant gripping position GP, allowing the swinging door 15 to close the open film material 20 introduction area 3E again in order to block introduced plants from falling out through the open film material introduction area 3E of the plant holder 3. At the same time the film material gripper unit 6 releases its grip of the film material web 20. The plant elevator 10 with the plants P supported on the plant work table 9 and the wrapping rod 11 are rotated an optional number of turns inside the plant holder 3 to apply a corresponding number of layers of film material 20 around the plant parts, especially the lower plant root parts. Then the film material gripper unit 6 is raised up to a re- gripping position RP at a level above an upper edge of the film material web. Finally, the film material gripper unit 6 is lowered again, straddling the film material web 20 and clamping it.

When wrapping is completed the film material web 20 coming from the film material roll 5 is cut by moving a hot-wire film cutter 14 towards and through the film material web 20. The wrapped plants are finally removed from the plant holder 3 by removing the plant work table 9 by means of the plant elevator 10, thereby opening the bottom end portion 3C of the plant holder 3 to allow the wrapped plants to fall by gravity therefrom. In a presently particularly preferred embodiment the plant support unit 4, and its plant work table 9 are configured for movement inside the plant holder 3, movable between the plant receiving and wrapping position I at said open plant holder 3 bottom end portion 3C and a plant removal position III below the bottom end portion 3C. Finally, the plant support unit 4 with its plant work table 9 is displaced sideways, as exemplified by the arrow D in Fig. 6C, thereby completely opening the bottom end portion for the bundled and wrapped plants to fall out.

In alternative, but not specifically illustrated embodiments of the invention variations of the different illustrated parts of the device may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention. It shall also be emphasized that although the technology has been described and illustrated with specific reference to an application for wrapping forestry plant parts the invention is in no way restricted to such a specific application. The basic principles of the invention may be applied to other types of plants.

The technology has been described in connection with what is presently considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The technology is therefore intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. A plant wrapping device (1) including a plant holder (3) with a generally cylindrical wrapping portion (3A) and an open plant introduction top portion (3B), a plant support unit

(4) for supporting introduced plants (P) to be wrapped, a wrapping rod (11) extending up from the support unit in a wrapping start position (II), a film material roll (5) for dispensing a web of film material (20) therefrom, a film material gripper unit (6) and a film material cutter (14), characterized in that:

- the film material gripper unit (6) has a film material nip (12, 13) for releasably clamping the film material at a free end thereof;

- the film material gripper unit is displaceable between film gripping and plant blocking positions (GP and BP, respectively) outside the plant holder and a film applying position (AP) inside the plant holder; and

- the film material gripper unit is moveable between low film gripping and film applying positions and a raised re-gripping position (RP) above the film material web.

2. A plant wrapping device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the plant holder (3) wrapping portion (3A) has an outer circumference (3D) that is closed except for an open film material introduction area (3E), that a swinging door (15) is supported at one side edge of the film material introduction area and that the film material gripper unit (6) is displaceable towards and against the swinging door to open the film material (20) introduction area when advanced to its film applying position (AP) in the plant holder (3) to position clamped film material inside the plant holder adjacent the introduced plants (P) in the plant holder.

3. A plant wrapping device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the film material nip (12, 13) of the film material gripper unit (6) is adjustable between a closed film clamping state and an open re-gripping state and has an adjustable first clamping jaw (12) with a freely rotating roller (12A) for guiding the film material (20) and a fixed second clamping jaw (13) with a pivotally supported rubber clamping pad (13 A).

4. A plant wrapping device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the film material gripper unit (6) is horizontally displaceable between the low film gripping position (GP) outside the plant holder and the low film applying position (AP).

5. A plant wrapping device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the support unit (4) includes a rotary plant work table (9) supporting the introduced plants and movable between an upper plant receiving and wrapping position (I) inside the stationary plant holder and a lowered plant removal position (III).

6. A plant wrapping device (1) according to claim 5, characterized by a plant elevator (10) that is connected to the plant work table (9) and has a plant elevator motor (25) for movement of the plant work table inside the plant holder (3), movable between the plant receiving and wrapping position (I) towards the open bottom end portion (3C) of the plant holder and the plant removal position (III) below open bottom end portion (3C).

7. A plant wrapping device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the plant elevator motor (25) serves also to rotate the plant elevator (10) with the plant work table (9) and simultaneously the wrapping rod (1 1) inside the plant holder (3) so that the wrapping rod catches the film material (20) and winds it around the bundled plants (P).

8. A method of wrapping plants (P) in a web of film material (20) dispensed from a film material roll (5), whereby plants to be wrapped are introduced into a plant holder (3) and are supported on a plant support unit (4), the film material is brought into the plant holder by a film material gripper unit (6) and held at the plants, the plants and a wrapping rod (11) are rotated inside the plant holder to wrap the film material around the plant parts, the film material web coming from the film material roll is cut and the wrapped plants are removed from the plant holder, characterized by:

- extending the film material gripper unit releasably clamping an end of the film material to a film applying position (AP) inside the plant holder;

- rotating the plant support unit (4) to position the wrapping rod (11) in a wrapping start position (II);

- extending the wrapping rod up to the wrapping start position (II), through the plant support unit adjacent the extended part of the film material, to catch the film material web, and rotating the plant support unit further, past the film material gripper unit;

- retracting the film material gripper unit and releasing its grip of the film material web;

- and rotating the plant support unit with the wrapping rod an optional number of turns inside the plant holder to apply a number of layers of film material around the plant parts; - raising the film material gripper unit up to a re-gripping position (RP) at a level above an upper edge of the film material web; and

- lowering the film material gripper unit again, straddling and clamping the film material web.

9. A method according to claim 8, characterized by opening a swinging door (15) serving to block introduced plants (P) from falling out through an open side of the plant holder (3) during wrapping by the extension of the film material gripper unit (6) to the film applying position (AP) inside the plant holder and by allowing the swinging door to close and block introduced plants from falling out again by the retraction of the film material gripper unit.

10. A method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized by starting a wrapping sequence by introducing plants (P) and positioning them on the plant support unit (4) in a plant receiving and wrapping position (I) inside the plant holder (3) towards an open bottom end portion (3C) of the plant holder and by lowering them for removal by lowering the plant support unit to a plant removal position (III) below the open bottom end portion (3C) of the plant holder

11. A method according to any of claims 8 to 10, characterized by wrapping parts, specifi- cally the plant root balls and a portion of the plant stem, of multiple plants (P) being gathered together in bundles and then introduced into the plant holder (3).

12. A method according to any of claims 8-1 1, characterized by extending a hot-wire film cutter (14) towards and through the film material web (20) to cut it off.

13. A method according to any of claims 8-12, characterized by removing the plant support unit (4), specifically by displacing the plant support unit (4) sideways, thereby opening a bottom end portion (3C) of the plant holder (3) to allow wrapped plants (P) to fall by gravity therefrom.