Machine for overwrapping baggage (4) suitable for any mode of transport, in particular air travel, and successively comprising, upstream to downstream, a baggage arrival station (1) having an upstream entry conveyor (6) on which the baggage (4) to be wrapped is placed flat and a station (2) for forming a protective tubular enclosure of shrinkable thermo-plastic material over each baggage. The machine comprises an intermediate conveyor (7) for the enclosing operation and a shrinking tunnel oven (3) through which a downstream conveyor (8) extends, the endless conveyors (6, 7, 8) extending horizontally and being aligned and driven in the same direction, to enable the baggage to be fully wrapped at the outlet of the oven (3) after shrinkage of the plastic material. The machine is characterized in that a security control apparatus (19, 21) is placed in the baggage arrival station so that the inside of each baggage (4) which is placed flat on the upstream endless conveyor (6) is visually controlled before the tubular protective enclosure is applied.
A thermoshrinking tunnel oven for making thermoshrinking plastic material film packages comprises a bottom plate and a top plate having openings for allowing thermoshrinking hot air to pass therethrough, the cross-sections of the openings being controlled by perforated sliders which are independently slidably mounted on the plates. With respect to conventional tunnel ovens, the inventive tunnel oven and method have the advantage that they provide thermoshrinking material packages of even aspect and devoid of unevennesses.
A method of improving security of a luggage wrapping system. Firstly, apply at least one band around a piece of luggage. Secondly, apply a polymer plastic wrap to the luggage.
A method of protecting luggage from tampering includes steps of receiving a piece of luggage at a baggage check-in station (1302), and encoding passenger and routing information at the baggage check-in station onto an identification tag (1304). The identification tag is attached to the piece of luggage (1306). The piece of luggage is placed on a baggage conveyor and conveyed to a security inspection station inside a secure area that excludes all unauthorized s personnel (1308). The piece of luggage is conveyed on the baggage conveyor to a scanning station to detect and decode the passenger and routing information on the identification tag (1310). The piece of luggage is conveyed on the baggage conveyor to a wrapping station (1312). When an identification tag is detected, the method continues from step (1316), otherwise from step (1322). When the identification tag indicates that the piece of luggage is to be wrapped, the method continues from step (1320), otherwise from step (1322). The piece of luggage is wrapped automatically (1320). The piece of luggage is conveyed through the wrapping station to a baggage receiving station (1322).
