Patent ID: 7406809

Claim:
A method for checking wrapping material in a packaging machine comprising the steps of: supplying a wrapping material to a packaging machine; using an electrostatic charge emitter to electrostatically charge at least one predetermined portion of the wrapping material at a first operative station; and detecting the presence of electrostatic charges on the predetermined portion of the wrapping material at a second operative station; and discharging the electrostatic charges from the wrapping material; enveloping nredetermined oroducts in the wrappjng material at a user station; the steps of applying and detecting the electrostatic charges being effected along a feed oath upstream of the user station on a continuous strip of the wrapping material advancing along the feed path which extends through a flow compensating chamber and forms a loop of length variable within a predetermined range, the steps of applying and detecting the electrostatip charges being effected along the predetermined range governing the length of the loop and utilized to vary a length of the loop.