CARTON FLAP GRIPPING SYSTEM

• US 20070128898A1
• Filed: 02/14/2007
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wexxar Packaging, Inc. (Pro Mach Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wexxar Packaging, Inc. (Pro Mach Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sewell, Peter, Makar, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 7,316,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/135
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2100/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2120/30 collapsible; temporarily collapsed during manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/00 Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/004 Closing boxes
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/78 Mechanically

Abstract

A gripping system uses a pin mounting block having at least one passage for accommodating holding pins of a holding pin member that cooperate with a dome to hold a laminate ply there between, the improvement being a releasable latch positioned to engage the pin member and hold the pin member in an operative positions and being releasable to release the pin member. Various forms of pin members may be used. In a preferred form, a gripper is provided positioned adjacent to holding pins and moveable between a retracted position and an operative position wherein the gripper member grips the laminate ply.

Claims

1. A gripping system for equipment for handling panels formed by laminates having at least one surface ply, said gripping system comprising:

a pin mounting block on an operating panel of said equipment;

a pin member having a holding pin that terminates in a free end;

a dome positioned relative to said mounting block so that when said pin member is in operative position with said free end adjacent to said dome said holding pin adjacent said free end can cooperate with said dome to grip said surface ply therebetween;

gripper means positioned adjacent to said holding pin when said pin member is in said operative position, said gripper means having a gripping element; and

means for moving said gripping element between a gripping position impairing relative movement between said surface ply and said pin member and a release position.

2. The gripping system of claim 1, wherein said gripper element is said dome and wherein said means for moving moves said dome toward said holding pin when said gripping element is moved to said gripping position.

3. The gripping system of claim 1, wherein said gripper element comprises an impaling pin having a longitudinal axis traversing said panel and wherein said means for moving moves said impaling pin axially toward said holding pin when said gripping element is moved to said gripping position.

4. The gripping system of claim 3, wherein said impaling pin impales said surface ply when said gripping element is in said gripping position.

5. A gripping system for equipment for handling panels formed by laminates having at least one surface ply, said gripping system comprising:

a pin mounting block on an operating panel of said equipment;

a pin member having a holding pin that terminates in a free end;

a gripping element positioned relative to said mounting block so that when said pin member is in operative position with said free end adjacent to said gripping element said holding pin adjacent said free end can cooperate with said gripping element to grip said surface ply therebetween;

wherein said gripping element is moveable between a gripping position impairing relative movement between said surface ply and said pin member and a release position.

6. The gripping system of claim 5, wherein said gripping element is a dome and wherein said dome is moveable toward said holding pin when said gripping element is moved to said gripping position.

7. The gripping system of claim 5, wherein said gripper element comprises an impaling pin having a longitudinal axis traversing said panel and wherein said impaling pin is moveable axially toward said holding pin when said gripping element is moved to said gripping position.

8. The gripping system of claim 7, wherein said impaling pin impales said surface ply when said gripping element is in said gripping position.

11. The gripping system of claim 5, wherein said gripper element comprises an impaling pin having a longitudinal axis traversing said panel and moving said impaling pin axially toward said holding pin when said gripping element is moved to said gripping position.

12. The gripping system of claim 7 comprising impaling said surface ply when said gripping element is in said gripping position using said impaling pin.

9. A method of operating a gripping system for equipment for handling panels formed by laminates having at least one surface ply, said gripping system comprising:

mounting a pin mounting block on an operating panel of said equipment, the pin mounting block locating a pin member having a holding pin that terminates in a free end;

positioning a gripping element relative to said mounting block so that when said pin member is in an operative position with said free end adjacent to said gripping element said holding pin adjacent said free end can cooperate with said gripping element to grip said surface ply therebetween; and

moving said gripping element between a gripping position impairing relative movement between said surface ply and said pin member and a release position.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said gripping element is a dome and moving said dome toward said holding pin when said gripping element is moved to said gripping position.