Box erector
First Claim
1. Apparatus for erecting a rectangular box from a folded knock-down box, said rectangular box having a pair of spaced apart sides, a pair of spaced apart ends, a pair of bottom end flaps and a pair of bottom side flaps, and a pair of top end flaps and a pair of top side flaps, said apparatus comprising:
- an inventory section which includes inventory means for maintaining a stack of said knock-down boxes with a top box in a pick-up position;
a transfer section which includes transfer means for engaging a first side of a top box which is disposed on top of said stack of knock-down boxes and picking up and transferring said top box to a box-opening position, and said transfer means includes box opening position, and said transfer means includes box opening means for engaging a second side of said top box and opening said box into an open rectangular box at said box-opening position;
a closure section which receives said rectangular box at a box closure position, and said closure section includes closure means for folding a pair of said end and side flaps of said box inward for closure;
said transfer means transferring said open rectangular box from said box-opening position to said closure section after said box has been opened and said transfer means rotating said first side of said box generally ninety degrees during transfer from said inventory section to said closure section; and
a taping section which includes taping means form securing said end and side flaps in a closed configuration to form a box enclosure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A box erector for erecting a box from a knock-down configuration into an open rectangular box is disclosed which includeds a frame (10) for an inventory section (20), a transfer section (22), a flap closure section (24), a taping section (26), and an exit section (28). A transfer arm (A) pivots to a pick-up position where a vacuum assembly (B) picks up a top box and pivots the top box to a box-opening position at approximately 79° from the pick-up position. At the box-opening position, the box is rotated 45° from its horizontal pick-up position, and first and second arms (78, 80) of vacuum assembly (B) open the box to a rectangular shape. Thereafter, the transfer arm moves the box to closure section (22). A drive belt (88) and drive pulleys (88a, 88b) rotate vacuum assembly (B) so that the box is vertically oriented when deposited at flap closure section (24). A pressure foot (92) extends into the box at the closure section and holds the box against the end flaps (29a) and side flaps (31a) as they are closed. The closed flaps are then moved across taping section (26) by horizontal movement of pressure foot (92). The flaps are taped closed, and the box is moved to exit section (28) where it is released upon demand from a product feed line.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. Apparatus for erecting a rectangular box from a folded knock-down box, said rectangular box having a pair of spaced apart sides, a pair of spaced apart ends, a pair of bottom end flaps and a pair of bottom side flaps, and a pair of top end flaps and a pair of top side flaps, said apparatus comprising:
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an inventory section which includes inventory means for maintaining a stack of said knock-down boxes with a top box in a pick-up position; a transfer section which includes transfer means for engaging a first side of a top box which is disposed on top of said stack of knock-down boxes and picking up and transferring said top box to a box-opening position, and said transfer means includes box opening position, and said transfer means includes box opening means for engaging a second side of said top box and opening said box into an open rectangular box at said box-opening position; a closure section which receives said rectangular box at a box closure position, and said closure section includes closure means for folding a pair of said end and side flaps of said box inward for closure; said transfer means transferring said open rectangular box from said box-opening position to said closure section after said box has been opened and said transfer means rotating said first side of said box generally ninety degrees during transfer from said inventory section to said closure section; and a taping section which includes taping means form securing said end and side flaps in a closed configuration to form a box enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. Apparatus for erecting a rectangular box from a folded knock-down box, said rectangular box having a pair of spaced apart sides, a pair of spaced apart ends, a pair of bottom end flaps and a pair of bottom side flaps, and a pair of top end flaps and a pair of top side flaps, said apparatus comprising:
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an inventory of stacked knock-down boxes having a top box in a pick-up position; a transfer means for picking up said top box and transferring said top box to a box-opening position; box opening means for opening said box into an open rectangular box at said box-opening position; a closure assembly which receives said rectangular box at a box closure position which includes closure means for folding a pair of said end and side flaps of said box inward for closure; said transfer means transferring said open rectangular box from said box-opening position to said closure section after said box has been opened; said transfer means includes a transfer arm, and transfer drive means for rotating said transfer arm through a prescribed angle between said box pick-up, box opening, and box closure positions; said transfer drive means includes first drive means for rotating said transfer arm means through a first prescribed angle between said box closure and pick-up positions, and for rotating said transfer arm through a second prescribed angle less than said first prescribed angle and in an opposite direction; and a vacuum assembly carried by said transfer arm for picking up at least one of said sides and ends of said top box; said transfer drive means includes a second drive means for rotating said vacuum assembly generally 90°
to rotate said box horizontally from said pick-up position to an erect vertical orientation at said closure position as said transfer arm rotates between said pick-up and closure positions. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification