System and method for making custom boxes for objects of random size or shape

• US 7,647,752 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Westrock Box On Demand LLC
• Original Assignee: Greg Magnell
• Inventors: Magnell, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Durand; Paul R
• Application Number:
  US11/776,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20080020916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 535/58, 535/64, 534/52, 534/56, 535/04, 534/98, 493/52, 493/84, 493/162
• US Class Current: 53/504
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 2210/04 Customised on demand packaging by determining a specific characteristic, e.g. shape or height, of articles or material to be packaged and selecting, creating or adapting a packaging accordingly, e.g. making a carton starting from web material
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/02 Machines characterised by incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 59/001 Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/043 for measuring length
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/046 for measuring width
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2433 for measuring outlines by shadow casting

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.

Claims

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.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the system for determining the dimensions of an object to be packaged includes:

a conveyor for moving the object; and

a plurality of light curtains through which the object passes.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, 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.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, including a tachometer synchronized to the conveyor enabling one of the light curtains to determine the length of the object.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carton is a corrugated carton.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carton-making system is supplied with a continuous feed of “

fanfolded”

raw material.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carton-making system is supplied with a continuous feed of sheet-fed raw material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein 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.

9. Custom carton-making apparatus, comprising:

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.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further including a tachometer synchronized to the conveyor enabling one of the light curtains to determine the length of the object.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the carton is a corrugated carton.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the carton-making system is supplied with a continuous feed of “

fanfolded”

raw material.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the carton-making system is supplied with a continuous feed of sheet-fed raw material.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein 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.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the carton is a corrugated carton.

16. Custom carton-making apparatus, comprising:

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.