Case erector apparatus

• US 20070072757A1
• Filed: 09/25/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prototype Equipment Co.
• Original Assignee: Prototype Equipment Co.
• Inventors: Goodman, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,510,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 493/313
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2100/00 Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2100/0024 having all side walls attached to the bottom
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 2120/30 collapsible; temporarily collapsed during manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/00 Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/0044 the boxes having their opening facing upwardly
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/78 Mechanically
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/80 Pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/802 for setting-up boxes having their opening facing upwardly
• CPC Class Codes: B31B 50/804 using two or more suction devices on a rotating element
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/265 Opening, erecting or setting-up boxes, cartons or carton blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/305 specially adapted for boxes, cartons or carton blanks

Abstract

A case erector is provided which is easily adaptable to different sizes and shaped of R.S.C. cases and the like. The case erector includes a case erector system including a pair of vacuum heads, the range and motion of each being actuated by linear servos. A first vacuum head travels in a longitudinal direction relative to the flow of cases through the case erector. A second vacuum head travels in a direction transverse to the flow of cases through the case erector. The action of the pair of vacuum heads and the motion thereof erects or expands the cases.

Claims

1. An apparatus for erecting cases, comprising:

a first vacuum head operatively controlled by a first mechanism;

a second vacuum head operatively controlled by a second mechanism;

said first mechanism being adapted to provide motion to said first vacuum head in a first direction through said apparatus and said second mechanism being adapted to provide motion to said second vacuum head in a second direction, wherein said second direction is transverse to said first direction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second mechanisms include servo mechanisms.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first vacuum head is adapted to attach to a first major case panel of the case and said second vacuum head is adapted to attach to a second major case panel opposite the first major case panel.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first vacuum head is adapted to move the first major case panel in an reverse flow direction along said first direction while said second vacuum head is adapted to move the second major panel of the case in a direction outward from said first direction along said second direction to erect the case.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first direction is longitudinal along a longitudinal direction of said apparatus and said second direction is transverse to said first direction.

6. An apparatus for erecting cases, comprising:

a frame having a longitudinal direction;

a case magazine mounted to said frame, said case magazine including a case magazine conveyor;

a case transfer system positioned adjacent the case magazine and adapted to receive cases from said case magazine conveyor, said case transfer system including a servo controlled case transfer vacuum head;

a first vacuum head operatively controlled by a first mechanism and adapted to move along a first direction, and positioned at a starting position to receive cases from said case transfer system; and

a second vacuum head operatively controlled by a second mechanism and adapted to move along a second direction wherein said second direction is transverse to said first direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first and second mechanisms include servo mechanisms.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first vacuum head is adapted to attach to a first major case panel of the case and said second vacuum head is adapted to attach to a second major case panel opposite the first major case panel.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first vacuum head is adapted to move the first major case panel in an reverse flow direction along said first direction while said second vacuum head is adapted to move the second major panel of the case in a direction outward from said first direction along said second direction to erect the case.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said first direction is along said longitudinal direction of said apparatus and said second direction is transverse to said first direction.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, including a retractable pin positioned at said starting position.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, including a side conveyor assembly positioned downstream from said first and second vacuum heads.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said side conveyor assembly includes a spaced pair of pivoting arms positioned downstream from said first and second vacuum heads to receive erected cases.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further including a pair of side belts, each of said pair of side belts being positioned on one of said pair of pivoting arms for conveying erected cases.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said pair of side belts function to convey erected cases through one or more case loading and case closing device.

16. A method of erecting a case, wherein the case includes a first major side panel and a second major side panel, comprising:

contacting an unexpanded case which has been staged with a first vacuum head;

applying a vacuum to the first vacuum head to attach the first vacuum head to the first major side panel;

advancing the unexpanded case to a case erector station by moving the first vacuum head in a first direction;

contacting the second major side panel with a second vacuum head;

applying a vacuum to the second vacuum head to fix the second vacuum head to the second major side panel;

moving the first vacuum head in a reverse flow direction; and

moving the second vacuum head in a second direction, the second direction being transverse to the first direction.