Method of converting sheet material into a custom packaging template

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11247789-B2
Application number	US-202017023004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2020
Priority date	Dec 29, 2014
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus for converting a sheet material into packaging templates can include a converting machine that performs conversion functions, such as cutting, creasing, and scoring, on the sheet material. Items to be packed into boxes formed of the packaging templates can be used as the pattern for determining the location of performance of the conversion functions on the sheet material. Accordingly, no intermediate measuring of the items may be required prior to performance of the conversion functions. Instead, longheads can be positioned adjacent to opposing sides of the items and cross heads can be advanced inward to the positioned longheads.

First claim

I claim:

1. A method of converting sheet material into a packaging template for assembly into a box or other packaging material configured to receive one or more to-be-packaged items, the one or more to-be-packaged items having a plurality of outer dimensions including a height, a width, and a length, the method comprising:
placing in a receiving portion of a converting machine the one or more to-be-packaged items or one or more reference items, the one or more reference items having a plurality of dimensions that are substantially similar to the plurality of dimensions of the one or more to-be-packaging items, the converting machine comprising:
a converting assembly configured for receiving and converting the sheet material into the packaging template;
an advancing mechanism configured for advancing the sheet material through the converting assembly in a longitudinal direction;
a set of transverse conversion elements configured for performing one or more transverse conversion functions on the sheet material; and
a set of longitudinal conversion elements configured for performing one or more longitudinal conversion functions on the sheet material,

measuring at least one dimension of the one or more to-be-packaged items or the one or more reference items in the receiving portion, wherein measuring at least one dimension comprises:
selectively positioning a first of the set of longitudinal conversion elements at a position corresponding to a first side of the one or more to-be-packaged items or the one or more reference items; and
selectively positioning a second of the set of longitudinal conversion elements at a position corresponding to a second side opposite the first side of the one or more to-be-packaged items or the one or more reference items;

advancing the sheet material through the converting assembly to a first position;
performing one or more longitudinal conversion functions on at least one portion of the sheet material with the set of longitudinal conversion elements while advancing the sheet material through the converting assembly;
performing one or more transverse conversion functions on the sheet material at the first position with the set of transverse conversion elements;
advancing the sheet material through the converting assembly from the first position to a second position; and
performing one or more transverse conversion functions on the sheet material at the second position with the set of transverse conversion elements,
wherein each of the one or more transverse conversion functions and each of the one or more longitudinal conversion functions are selected from the group consisting of creasing, bending, folding, perforating, cutting, and scoring.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more longitudinal conversion functions comprises creasing, bending, folding, perforating, scoring, or partially cutting through the thickness of the sheet material and at least one of the one or more transverse conversion functions comprises cutting entirely through the sheet material in at least one dimension thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal conversion elements comprise a plurality of longheads each having one or more converting instruments for performing the one or more longitudinal conversion functions on the sheet material, the plurality of longheads being adapted to be selectively repositionable along the width of the converting assembly to permit the one or more longitudinal conversion functions to be performed at different positions along the width of the sheet material.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more converting instruments of the plurality of longheads is selected from the group consisting of a creasing element, a bending element, a folding element, a perforating element, and a scoring element such that at least one of the one or more longitudinal conversion functions comprises altering a configuration of a first portion of the sheet material without cutting entirely through the first portion.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more converting instruments of the plurality of longheads is selected from the group consisting of a cutting element, a blade, a knife, and a razor such that at least one of the one or more longitudinal conversion functions comprises altering a configuration of a first portion of the sheet material by cutting entirely through the first portion.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selectively positioning a third longitudinal conversion element of the set of longitudinal conversion elements at a position adjacent to the first longitudinal conversion elements and opposite the one or more to-be-packaged items or the one or more reference items and selectively positioning a fourth longitudinal conversion element of the set of longitudinal conversion elements at a position adjacent to the second longitudinal conversion element and opposite the one or more to-be-packaged items or the one or more reference items.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of transverse conversion elements comprises a plurality of crossheads each having one or more converting instruments for performing the one or more transverse conversion functions on the sheet material, the plurality of crossheads being selectively movable relative to the sheet material and along at least a portion of the width of the converting assembly in order to perform the one or more transverse conversion functions on the sheet material.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein performing the one or more transverse conversion functions on the sheet material comprises advancing the plurality of crossheads along at least a portion of the width of the converting assembly.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein advancing the plurality of crossheads comprises moving the plurality of crossheads from an outer position to an inner position, the inner position corresponding to the position of the first and second longitudinal conversion elements after selectively positioning the same.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein advancing the plurality of crossheads comprises moving one or more of the plurality of crossheads transversely across an entire width of the sheet material.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising retracting the one or more crossheads along at least a portion of the width.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the one or more converting instruments of at least one of the plurality of crossheads is selected from the group consisting of a cutting element, a blade, a knife, and a razor such that at least one of the one or more transverse conversion functions comprises altering a configuration of a second portion of the sheet material by cutting entirely through the second portion.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the one or more converting instruments of at least one of the plurality of crossheads is selected from the group consisting of a creasing element, a bending element, a folding element, a perforating element, and a scoring element such that at least one of the one or more transverse conversion functions comprises altering a configuration of a second portion of the sheet material without cutting entirely through the second portion.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheet material is fed underneath at least a portion of the receiving portion.

15. A method for using one or more to-be-packaged items or one or more reference items to form a custom packaging template for assembly into a six-sided box or other packaging configured to receive the one or more to-be-package

Assignees

• Packsize Llc

Inventors

• Pettersson Niklas

Classifications

• B31B50/18

  longitudinally · CPC title

• B65B43/24

  Breaking creases to facilitate setting-up cartons · CPC title

• B31B50/25

  Surface scoring · CPC title

• B65B67/10

  Wrapping-tables · CPC title

• B31B50/16

  Cutting webs · CPC title