Method and system for automatically forming packaging boxes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10155352-B2
Application number	US-201414764490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2014
Priority date	Jan 29, 2013
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

Method and system for automatically forming packaging boxes. At least four folding units each provided with a controllable gripping element support a custom sized blank supporting an article in a supporting station. The at least one of the folding units is configured for folding respective side and/or end panels of the blank upwardly. The at least four folding units comprise a front pair of folding units and a rear pair of folding units positioned at a longitudinal distance from the front pair of folding units, and the folding units of the front pair and the folding units of the rear pair are positioned at a respective transverse distance from each other. Said longitudinal distance and/or said transverse distance are adjustable.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for automatically forming packaging boxes, said method comprising:
providing at least four folding units at a supporting station, wherein the at least four folding units comprise a front pair of folding units and a rear pair of folding units positioned at a longitudinal distance from the front pair of folding units, wherein the folding units of the front pair are positioned at a transverse distance from each other, and wherein the folding units of the rear pair are positioned at a transverse distance from each other, wherein at least one of the folding units is provided with a controllable gripping element, and wherein each of the folding units is provided with a respective controllable end panel folding flap, a respective controllable side panel folding flap, and a respective controllable initiator;
placing a blank having a rectangular bottom panel and rectangular side and end panels and a plurality of corner panels onto the at least four folding units such that the folding units support the rectangular bottom panel;
activating the controllable gripping element into an operative mode gripping the bottom panel;
after activating the controllable gripping element, activating the controllable initiators to partly fold the corner panels;
after activating the controllable initiators, activating the controllable end panel folding flaps and the controllable side panel folding flaps to fold respective end and side panels of the blank upwardly, and
allowing the at least one gripping element during gripping of the rectangular bottom panel to move freely in a horizontal plane in order to be able to follow possible transverse movements of the rectangular bottom panel.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises activating the at least one gripping element into the operative mode before folding side and/or end panels of said blank upwardly and keeping the at least one gripping element in the operative mode at least until folding respective side and end panels of said blank upwardly has been completed.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein allowing the at least one gripping element during gripping of the rectangular bottom panel to move freely in a horizontal plane is only possible, after at least one of the folding flaps has started to fold a panel of the blank.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said longitudinal distance and/or said transverse distances are adjusted such that the folding units of the front and rear pair are each positioned in a location in which they are able to support a respective corner of the rectangular bottom panel.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein during adjusting the transverse distance between respective folding units of a pair of folding units the folding units are displaced symmetrically with regard to a central line between the folding units.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein adjusting the transverse distances between the folding units of the front pair and adjusting the transverse distance between the folding units of the rear pair is performed synchronously.

7. The method according to claim 4 ,
wherein the at least four folding units comprise a front pair of folding units and a rear pair of folding units positioned upstream at a longitudinal distance from the front pair of folding units seen in a conveying direction, wherein the folding units of the front pair are positioned at a transverse distance from each other, and wherein the folding units of the rear pair are positioned at a transverse distance from each other; and
wherein the method comprises adjusting said longitudinal distance and/or said transverse distances based on length and width dimensions, respectively, of a packaging box.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein adjusting the longitudinal distance between the rear and front folding units is performed during feeding of the blank into a supporting station, by starting displacement of the front pair of folding units towards a sealing station earlier than displacement of the rear pair of folding units.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
displacing the at least four folding units supporting the blank in a feeding direction towards the sealing station, and
folding side and end panels of the blank upwardly during said displacement of the folding units.

10. A system for automatically forming packaging boxes, said system comprising:
a control unit for controlling operation of the system;
at least four folding units at a supporting station, wherein the at least four folding units comprise a front pair of folding units and a rear pair of folding units positioned at a longitudinal distance from the front pair of folding units, wherein the folding units of the front pair are positioned at a transverse distance from each other, and wherein the folding units of the rear pair are positioned at a transverse distance from each other;
the folding units being configured for supporting a blank having a rectangular bottom panel and rectangular side and end panels such that the folding units support the rectangular bottom panel;
wherein at least one of the at least four folding units is provided with a controllable gripping element for gripping the bottom panel, wherein the control unit is configured for activating said controllable gripping element into an operative mode for gripping the bottom panel and for deactivating said controllable gripping element for releasing the bottom panel;
wherein the at least one of the folding units is configured for folding respective side and/or end panels of the blank upwardly;
wherein the at least one gripping element is suspended to move freely with respect to the folding units in a horizontal plane in order to be able to follow possible transverse movements of the rectangular bottom panel during gripping of the rectangular bottom panel; and
wherein each of the folding units is provided with controllable end panel folding flaps and/or controllable side panel folding flaps and/or a controllable initiator for initiating the folding of a corner panel.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said at least one gripping element is only able to move freely in a horizontal plane, after at least one of the folding flaps has started to fold a panel of the blank.

12. System according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one gripping element comprises a suction cup for exerting underpressure at a respective gripping position at an underside of the rectangular bottom panel, said suction cup being manufactured from flexible material.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the suction cup is suspended for being raised from a lower inoperative position to an operative position in contact with the bottom panel for gripping and supporting the bottom panel, wherein the control unit is configured for activating the suction cup before it contacts the bottom panel.

14. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the front pair of folding units are simultaneously drivable by a front motor from the supporting station towards a sealing station or away from the sealing station, wherein the rear pair of folding units are simultaneously drivable by a rear motor from the supporting station towards a sealing station or away from the sealing station, and wherein the front and rear folding units are coupled such that their transverse distance is simultaneously adjustable by a transverse motor, wherein the control unit is configured for adjusting said longitudinal distance and said transverse distance by controlling the front, rear and transverse motors suc

Assignees

• Neopost Tech

Inventors

• Sytema Herman
• Feijen Fransiscus Hermannus
• Huizinga Erik
• Eglence Muhamber
• De Jong Olaf

Classifications

• B31B1/52 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B31B50/52 Primary

  by reciprocating or oscillating members, e.g. fingers (by plungers moving through folding dies B31B50/44) · CPC title

• B65B2210/04

  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 title

• B31B2100/0024

  having all side walls attached to the bottom · CPC title

• B65B5/024

  for making containers from preformed blanks · CPC title