BULK BIN FORMER APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20140073497A1
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wexxar Packaging, Inc. (Pro Mach Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wexxar Packaging, Inc. (Pro Mach Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Jindai, Mack, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,486,972 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 493/151
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2105/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by assembling separate sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2110/30 having a polygonal cross section
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/44 by plungers moving through folding dies
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/78 Mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/12 with end closures formed separately from tubular body

Abstract

A machine for automated construction of a bulk bin includes an erecting and construction station, a collapsed body blank supply station and a bottom blank supply station. A body bank pick mechanism picks a collapsed body blank from the collapsed body blank supply station and moves the collapsed body blank into the erecting and constructing station. A body blank opening assembly at the erecting and constructing station opens the collapsed body blank and forms an opened body blank. A bottom blank pick mechanism picks a bottom blank from the bottom blank supply station. A conveying device moves the bottom blank to the erecting and constructing station and beneath the opened body blank. A bottom blank fixing system applies the bottom blank to the opened body blank with flaps of the bottom blank secured to side walls of the opened body blank to produce an open bulk bin structure.

Claims

1. A method of forming a ready to use bulk bin, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an erecting and constructing station;

providing a collapsed body blank supply station adjacent a first side of the erecting and constructing station;

providing a bottom blank supply station adjacent a second side of the erecting constructing station;

picking a collapsed body blank from the collapsed body blank supply station and moving it to the erecting and constructing station, the collapsed body blank including multiple side walls that interconnect at fold lines;

opening the collapsed body blank at the erecting and constructing station to provide an opened body blank;

picking a bottom blank from the bottom blank supply station and moving it to the erecting and constructing station, the bottom blank including a main body and multiple flaps;

aligning the bottom blank with the opened body blank, the multiple flaps of the bottom blank having glue thereon;

moving a body blank support head into an open first end of the opened body blank and toward the bottom blank at a second end of the opened body blank;

engaging the bottom blank onto the second end of the opened body blank with the flaps of the bottom blank folded into position along side walls of the opened body blank such that the flaps are pressed against the side walls while the body blank support head is positioned to maintain position of the side walls during the pressing operation; and

disengaging the flaps when the flaps are sufficiently adhered to the side walls and moving the body blank support head outward of the first end to produce an open bulk bin structure that can be unloaded from the erecting and constructing station for use.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the body of the bottom blank is configured to hold the open bulk bin structure against collapse of the side walls.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

collapsed body blanks are arranged generally horizontally in a body blank stack at the body blank supply station;

the collapsed body blank is picked from a top of the body blank stack in a generally horizontal orientation and is reoriented to be in a generally vertical orientation at the erecting and constructing station;

bottom blanks are arranged generally horizontally in a bottom blank stack at the bottom blank supply station;

the body blank is picked from a bottom of the body blank stack in a generally horizontal orientation and remains in a generally horizontal orientation once moved to the erecting and constructing station.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

glue is applied to the flaps of the body blank as the body blank is moved from the body blank supply station to the erecting and constructing station.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

a body blank pick mechanism moves vertically upward from the body blank stack and then pivots toward the erecting and constructing station in order to reorient the collapsed body blank to the generally vertical orientation;

the body blank pick mechanism transfers the collapsed body blank to a blank opening assembly at the erecting and constructing station.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the blank opening assembly includes a first body blank holding mechanism and a second body blank holding mechanism arranged parallel to each other;

in the opening step the second body blank holding mechanism moves in a first direction away from the first body blank holding mechanism and the first body blank holding mechanism moves in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first open end is a top end, the first body blank holding mechanism and second body blank holding mechanism hold the opened body blank while the body blank support head is moved downward into the opened body blank.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the second end is a bottom end, a blank push up device at the erecting and constructing station includes flap fold plates that move upward to fold the flaps upward and then inward to engage the flaps to the side walls of the opened body blank.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the collapsed body blank supply station is offset from the body blank supply station by about ninety degrees.

12. The machine of claim 1 wherein the body blank pick mechanism includes:

an upright frame mounted for vertical movement up and down along a mast;

a swing frame pivotally mounted on the upright frame;

at least one L-brackets pivotally mounted to the lower end of the swing frame and supporting a suction cup assembly;

a first linear actuator connecting the swing frame to the free end of the L-bracket, operation of the first linear actuator pivots that suction cup assembly relative to the swing frame; and

a second linear actuator connecting the upright frame to the swing frame, operation of the second linear actuator pivots the swing frame about the upright frame.

10. A machine for automated construction of a ready to use bulk bin, the machine comprising:

an erecting and construction station;

a collapsed body blank supply station alongside the erecting and constructing station;

a bottom blank supply station alongside the erecting and constructing station;

a body bank pick mechanism configured to pick a collapsed body blank from the collapsed body blank supply station and move the collapsed body blank into the erecting and constructing station;

a body blank opening assembly at the erecting and constructing station for opening the collapsed body blank and forming an opened body blank;

a bottom blank pick mechanism configured to pick a bottom blank from the bottom blank supply station;

a conveying device to move the bottom blank to the erecting and constructing station and beneath the opened body blank;

a bottom blank fixing system configured to apply the bottom blank to the opened body blank with flaps of the bottom blank secured to side walls of the opened body blank to produce an open bulk bin structure.

11. The machine of claim 10 wherein the body blank pick mechanism is configured to pick the collapsed body blank from a generally horizontal orientation atop a stack, and reorient the collapsed body blank into a generally vertical orientation as it is moved to the erecting and constructing station.

13. The machine of claim 10 wherein the bottom blank pick mechanism is configured to pick the bottom blank from a generally horizontal orientation at the bottom of a stack.

14. The machine of claim 13 wherein the bottom blank pick mechanism includes:

at least one slide frame having a suction cup assembly mounted thereto, the slide frame mounted for vertical movement;

a lever arm having a first end mounted for movement about a pivot axis and a second end linked to the slide frame, the lever arm having a roller located intermediate the first and second ends;

a rotatable eccentric plate having a peripheral surface along which the roller rides such that as the eccentric plate is rotated the second end of the lever arm moves up and down to move the slide frame up and its associated suction cup assembly up and down.

15. The machine of claim 10 wherein the body blank opening assembly includes:

a first gripping part that receives the collapsed body blank from the body blank pick mechanism, the first gripping part engaging one side of the collapsed body blank; and

a second gripping part that first moves toward the first gripping part and into engagement with an opposite side of the collapsed body blank and then moves away from the first gripping part in a first direction to open the collapsed body blank resulting in an opened body blank;

wherein the first gripping part moves in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction as the collapsed body blank is opened.

16. The machine of claim 10 wherein the bottom blank fixing system includes:

a body blank head mechanism that moves into an open end of the opened body blank and toward the bottom blank aligned with the opened body blank;

a bottom blank push device that folds flaps of the bottom blank alongside side wall portions of the opened body blank with the flaps and side wall portions pressed between surfaces of the bottom blank push device and surfaces of the body blank head mechanism.

17. The machine of claim 10, further comprising:

a line of glue applicators located along a path between the bottom blank supply station and the erecting and construction station for applying glue to flaps of the bottom blank as the bottom blank moves to the erecting and constructing station.

18. A fully automated method of forming a ready to use bulk bin, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an erecting and constructing station;

providing a collapsed body blank supply station adjacent the erecting and constructing station;

providing a bottom blank supply station adjacent the erecting constructing station;

moving a collapsed body blank from the collapsed body blank supply station to the erecting and constructing station, the collapsed body blank including multiple side walls that interconnect at fold lines;

opening the collapsed body blank at the erecting and constructing station to provide an opened body blank;

moving a bottom blank from the bottom blank supply station to the erecting and constructing station, the bottom blank including a main body and multiple flaps;

applying glue to the flaps as the bottom blank is moved from the bottom blank supply station to the erecting and constructing station;

aligning the bottom blank with the opened body blank;

engaging the bottom blank onto an end of the opened body blank such that the flaps of the bottom blank are folded into position alongside walls of the opened bottom blank and secured thereto.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:

collapsed body blanks are arranged generally horizontally in a body blank stack at the body blank supply station;

the collapsed body blank is picked from a top of the body blank stack in a generally horizontal orientation and is reoriented to be in a generally vertical orientation at the erecting and constructing station;

20. The method of claim 18 wherein:

a blank opening assembly includes a first body blank holding mechanism and a second body blank holding mechanism arranged parallel to each other;

in the opening step the second body blank holding mechanism moves in a first direction away from the first body blank holding mechanism and the first body blank holding mechanism moves in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.