Case erector and sealer apparatus

• US 7,828,708 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wexxar Packaging, Inc. (Pro Mach Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wexxar Packaging, Inc. (Pro Mach Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zoss, Jeremy, Huang, Jindai, Hung Lau, Alex Ching, Avery, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Desai; Hemant M
• Application Number:
  US12/244,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 534/58, 531/363, 531/364, 533/811, 535/65, 535/66, 493/65, 493/68, 493 70- 73, 493 79- 81, 493/124, 493/128, 493/130, 493315-317
• US Class Current: 493/80
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2100/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2100/002 characterised by the shape of the blank from which they are formed
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2120/30 collapsible; temporarily collapsed during manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/784 for setting up boxes having their opening facing upwardly
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/145 Feeding carton blanks from piles or magazines
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/265 Opening, erecting or setting-up boxes, cartons or carton blanks

Abstract

An automated case erecting apparatus for use in erecting case blanks includes a case blank feeder configured to hold a plurality of upstanding case blanks arranged face-to-face. The case blank feeder includes a path along which the case blanks are directed. A case erecting assembly receives a case blank from the case blank feeder at a case receiving location. The case erecting assembly includes a first arm carrying a first gripper element and a second arm carrying a second gripper element. The first arm and associated first gripper element are arranged and configured such that the first gripper element grips a first flap of the case blank. The second arm and associated second gripper element are arranged and configured such that the second gripper element grips a second flap of the case blank. The case erecting assembly is configured to move in a conveying direction from the case receiving location toward a case bottom fold and seal station to carry the gripped case blank toward the case bottom fold and seal station.

Claims

1. An automated case erecting apparatus for use in erecting case blanks, the apparatus comprising:

a case blank feeder configured to hold a plurality of upstanding case blanks arranged face-to-face, the case blank feeder including a path along which the case blanks are directed; and

a case erecting assembly that receives a case blank from the case blank feeder at a case receiving location, the case erecting assembly including a first arm carrying a first gripper element and a second arm carrying a second gripper element, the first arm and associated first gripper element arranged and configured such that the first gripper element grips a first flap of the case blank, the second arm and associated second gripper element arranged and configured such that the second gripper element grips a second flap of the case blank, the case erecting assembly configured to move in a conveying direction from the case receiving location toward a case bottom fold and seal station to carry the gripped case blank toward the case bottom fold and seal station,

wherein the first gripper element comprises a plurality of upwardly extending pin assemblies arranged on the first arm, and the second gripper element comprises a plurality of upwardly extending pin assemblies arranged on the second arm, and

wherein the case erecting assembly is positioned below the end of the path of the case blank feeder when in the case receiving location, the first flap is a bottom flap and the second flap is a bottom flap, free ends of pins of the pin assemblies of the first arm and second arm point upward to engage bottom edges of the first and second flaps.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the case blank is erected while the case erecting assembly moves toward the case bottom fold and seal station via pivoting of at least one of the first and second arms pivots from a case blank receiving orientation to a case blank erecting orientation.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein both the first arm and the second arm pivot from respective case blank receiving orientations to respective case erecting orientations as the case erecting assembly carries the gripped case blank in the conveying direction, the first flap is opposite the second flap.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the case erecting assembly includes a first orientation to handle right hand open style cases wherein a follower assembly including a downwardly extending follower pin such that as the case erecting assembly moves along the conveying direction, the follower pin moves within an elongate first cam track, interaction of the follower pin and the first cam track causes the first and second arms to pivot in a first direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the case erecting assembly includes a second orientation to handle left hand open style cases wherein the follower pin is positioned to move within an elongate second cam track that is spaced from the first cam track, interaction of the follower pin and the second cam track causes the first and second arms to pivot in a second direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second arms of the case erecting assembly are movable vertically, the case bottom fold and seal station includes opposed side conveyors, the case erecting assembly carries the gripped case blank to the case bottom fold and seal station and, upon transfer of the erected case blank to the side conveyors, the first and second arms of the case erecting assembly are moved vertically away from the erected case blank.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the case erecting assembly moves back toward the case receiving location as the transferred case blank is moved through the case bottom fold and seal station.

8. An automated case erecting apparatus for use in erecting case blanks, the apparatus comprising:

a case blank feeder configured to hold a plurality of upstanding case blanks arranged face-to-face, the case blank feeder including a path along which the case blanks are directed; and

a case erecting assembly that receives a case blank from the case blank feeder at a case receiving location, the case erecting assembly including a first arm carrying a first gripper element and a second arm carrying a second gripper element, the first arm and associated first gripper element arranged and configured such that the first gripper element grips a first case flap of the case blank, the second arm and associated second gripper element arranged and configured such that the second gripper element grips a second case flap of the case blank, where the second case flap is opposite the first case flap, the case erecting assembly configured to erect the case blank by pivoting both the first arm and the second arm from respective case receiving orientations to respective case erecting orientations,

wherein the first gripper element comprises a plurality of pin and dome assemblies arranged on the first arm, and the second gripper element comprises a plurality of pin and dome assemblies arranged on the second arm,

and wherein the case erecting assembly is positioned below the end of the path of the case blank feeder when in case receiving location and free ends of the pins of the pin and dome assemblies of the first arm and second arm point upward to engage bottom edges of the first and second case flaps.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each case receiving orientation is substantially perpendicular to a conveying direction from the case feeder to a case bottom fold and seal station, and each case erecting orientation is substantially parallel to the conveying direction.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the case erecting assembly moves forward as case bottom fold and seal station as the first arm and the second arm are pivoted.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the case erecting assembly includes an adjustment mechanism for simultaneously adjusting the position of the first arm and the second arm relative to a centerline of case erecting assembly for repositioning the first gripper element and the second gripper element to accommodate various sizes of case blanks.

12. An automated case erecting apparatus for use in erecting case blanks, the apparatus comprising:

a case blank feeder configured to hold a plurality of upstanding case blanks arranged face-to-face, the case blank feeder including a path along which the case blanks are directed; and

a case erecting assembly that receives a case blank from the case blank feeder at a case receiving location, the case erecting assembly including a first arm carrying a first gripper element and a second arm carrying a second gripper element, the first arm and associated first gripper element arranged and configured such that the first gripper element includes upwardly extending pins that engage a bottom edge of a first bottom case flap of the case blank, the second arm and associated second gripper element arranged and configured such that the second gripper element includes upwardly extending pins that engage a bottom edge of a second bottom case flap of the case blank, and at least one of the first arm and the second arm moves to erect the case.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the case erecting assembly is located lower than the path of the case blank feeder.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the case blank feeder includes a case blank push mechanism that moves the case downward from the path toward the case erecting assembly.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the path of the case blank feeder is downwardly inclined toward the location of the case erecting assembly.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the case blank feeder includes a case blank push mechanism that moves the case downward from the path and into engagement with the free ends of the pins.

17. An automated case erecting apparatus for use in erecting case blanks, the apparatus comprising:

a case blank feeder configured to hold a plurality of upstanding case blanks arranged face-to-face, the case blank feeder including a path along which the case blanks are directed; and

a case erecting assembly that receives a case blank from the case blank feeder at a case receiving location, the case erecting assembly including a first arm including a first plurality of pin and dome assemblies mounted thereon and a second arm including a second plurality of pin and dome assemblies mounted thereon, a multiplicity of the pin and dome assemblies of the first arm mounted for movement and selective positioning along a lengthwise slot of the first arm, a multiplicity of the pin and dome assemblies of the second arm mounted for movement and selective positioning along a lengthwise slot of the second arm.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein:

each pin and dome assembly of the multiplicity on the first arm includes a block structure to one side of the first arm, an adjustment post extending through the lengthwise slot of the first arm, and a grip head on the adjustment post, and

each pin and dome assembly of the multiplicity on the second arm includes a block structure to one side of the second arm, an adjustment post extending through the lengthwise slot of the second arm, and a grip head on the adjustment post.