System and method for making custom boxes for objects of random size or shape
First Claim
1. Custom carton-making apparatus, comprising:
- a system for determining the three dimensions of at least one object to be packaged;
a carton-making system; and
a computerized interface between the system for determining the dimensions of the object and the carton-making system, the computer interface being operative to control the carton-making system to produce a carton having a height, a width and a length just large enough to fit the object; and
wherein the computerized interface includes an algorithm for virtually rotating the object to produce a carton just large enough to fit the object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and accompanying method produces cartons for randomly sized and shaped objects or groups thereof by automatically measuring minimum bounding dimensions and transferring these dimensions to an automatic carton-making system. The system for determining the dimensions of an object to be packaged preferably includes a conveyor for moving the object, a vertically oriented light curtain to determine the height of the object, a horizontally oriented light curtain to determine the width of the object, and a tachometer synchronized to the conveyor enabling at least one of the light curtains to determine the length of the object. A computerized interface between the measurement apparatus and carton-making system may include an algorithm for virtually rotating the object to produce a carton just large enough to fit the object. The carton may be a corrugated carton or non-corrugated carton, and the carton-making system may be supplied with a continuous feed of “fanfolded” raw material or it may be sheet-fed. The system for determining the dimensions of an object to be packaged is capable of determining the dimensions of a group of objects to be packaged.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Custom carton-making apparatus, comprising:
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a system for determining the three dimensions of at least one object to be packaged; a carton-making system; and a computerized interface between the system for determining the dimensions of the object and the carton-making system, the computer interface being operative to control the carton-making system to produce a carton having a height, a width and a length just large enough to fit the object; and wherein the computerized interface includes an algorithm for virtually rotating the object to produce a carton just large enough to fit the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Custom carton-making apparatus, comprising:
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a conveyor for moving at least one object to be packaged; a plurality of light curtains through which the object passes for determining the dimensions of the object, including a vertically oriented light curtain to determine the height of the object and a horizontally oriented light curtain to determine the width of the object; a carton-making system; and a computerized interface between the light curtains and the carton-making system, the computer interface being operative to control the carton-making system to produce a carton with a height and width just large enough to accommodate the height and width the object or group of objects to be packaged; and wherein the computerized interface includes an algorithm for virtually rotating the object or group of objects to produce a carton just large enough to fit the object or group of objects. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Custom carton-making apparatus, comprising:
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a conveyor for moving an object or a group of objects to be packaged; a vertically oriented light curtain through which the object or group passes to determine the height of the object or group; and a horizontally oriented light curtain through which the object or group passes to determine the width of the object, a tachometer synchronized to the conveyor enabling one of the light curtains to determine the length of the object or group, a carton-making system; and a computerized interface between the light curtains and the carton-making system, the computer interface being operative to control the carton-making system to produce a carton with a height, width and length just large enough to accommodate the height, width and length of the object or group of objects to be packaged; and wherein the computerized interface includes an algorithm for virtually rotating the object or group of objects to produce a carton just large enough to fit the object or group of objects.
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Specification