Patent ID: 7032361

Claim:
A method of automatically packaging various rolls having at least different roll widths, different roll diameters, or different package forms, said method comprising the steps of: selecting flanged members corresponding to a roll and automatically installing the flanged members respectively on opposite ends of said roll; automatically applying a tape to an end of said roll in a transverse direction thereof; automatically processing a packaging sheet to dimensions corresponding to said roll; automatically applying the processed packaging sheet to the end of said roll with said tape; rotating said roll to automatically wind said packaging sheet around said roll; automatically producing said packaging sheet by applying heat-shrinkable skirt members to respective opposite edges of a sheet; selecting a heating head corresponding to the diameter of said roll, and heating, with said heating head, opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members on respective opposite edges of said packaging sheet wound around said roll to automatically bond the opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members to said roll; and automatically inspecting a bonded state of the opposite outer edges of said heat-shrinkable skirt members, wherein the inspection comprises a measurement of an edge of the packaging sheet to an edge of a flange member on the corresponding side.