Packaging machine and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11701854-B2
Application number	US-202016814509-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 14, 2019
Publication date	Jul 18, 2023
Grant date	Jul 18, 2023

Abstract

A converting assembly performs a plurality of conversion functions on sheet material to convert the sheet material into packaging templates. The converting assembly includes a plurality of tool rollers. Each of the tool rollers has one or more conversion tools thereon. The one or more conversion tools on an individual tool roller are configured to perform a subset of the plurality of conversion functions that convert the sheet material into packaging templates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A converting assembly for performing a plurality of conversion functions, including cuts and creases, on sheet material to convert the sheet material into packaging templates, the converting assembly comprising:
a plurality of tool rollers comprising a first tool roller on a first axle and at least two tool rollers on a second axle, each of the tool rollers having one or more conversion tools thereon, the one or more conversion tools comprising one or more knives and/or creasing tools, the one or more conversion tools on an individual tool roller being configured to perform a subset of the plurality of conversion functions that convert the sheet material into packaging templates, the first tool roller being rotatable on or about the first axle and the at least two tool rollers being rotatable on or about the second axle, first and second tool rollers of the at least two tool rollers being configured to move symmetrically along the length of the second axle relative to a centerline of the converting assembly such that the first and second tool rollers of the at least two tool rollers simultaneously move away from one another towards opposing ends of the second axle or towards each other near the centerline of the converting assembly, the first and second tool rollers of the at least two tool rollers each comprise a longitudinal creasing tool configured to form a longitudinal crease in the sheet material as part of the conversion of the sheet material into packaging templates, third and fourth tool rollers of the at least two tool rollers on the second axle comprise a side trim knife configured to trim off excess side trim from the sheet material as part of the conversion of the sheet material into packaging templates; and
a control system configured to cause the symmetrical movement of the first and second tool rollers of the at least two tool rollers.

2. The converting assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of tool rollers are arranged in a series adjacent to one another such that the plurality of tool rollers engage the sheet material sequentially.

3. The converting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first tool roller is selectively rotatable on or about the first axle to selectively engage the one or more conversion tools thereon with the sheet material, and the at least two tool rollers on the second axle are selectively rotatable on or about the second axle to selectively engage the one or more conversion tools on the at least two tool rollers with the sheet material.

4. The converting assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first tool roller comprises one or more separation knives, the one or more separation knives being configured to transversely cut the sheet material into separate pieces that can be converted into separate packaging templates, wherein the separate pieces are arranged successively in a feeding direction of the sheet material.

5. The converting assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first tool roller further comprises one or more transverse creasing tools, the one or more transverse creasing tools being configured to form transverse creases in the sheet material as part of the conversion of the sheet material into packaging templates.

6. The converting assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first tool roller comprises one or more transverse creasing tools, the one or more transverse creasing tools being configured to form transverse creases in the sheet material as part of the conversion of the sheet material into packaging templates.

7. The converting assembly of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of tool rollers comprises at least two tool rollers on a third axle, the at least two tool rollers on the third axle being selectively rotatable on or about the third axle to selectively engage the one or more conversion tools on the at least two tool rollers on the third axle with the sheet material.

8. The converting assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least two tool rollers on the third axle comprise first and second tool rollers on the third axle, each of the first and second tool rollers on the third axle comprising one or more flap knives, the one or more flap knives being configured to form cuts in the sheet material to at least partially define flaps in the packaging templates.

9. The converting assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least two tool rollers on the third axle comprise first and second tool rollers on the third axle, each of the first and second tool rollers on the third axle comprising one or more longitudinal knives configured to form longitudinal cuts in the sheet material.

10. The converting assembly of claim 7 , wherein the at least two tool rollers on the third axle are configured to be selectively moved along a length of the third axle.

11. The converting assembly of claim 10 , wherein the at least two tool rollers on the third axle are configured to move symmetrically along the length of the third axle relative to a centerline of the converting assembly, such that the at least two tool rollers simultaneously move away from one another towards opposing ends of the third axle or towards each other near the centerline of the converting assembly.

12. The converting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second tool rollers of the at least two tool rollers are configured to be selectively moved along a length of the second axle.

13. The converting assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first tool roller is rotatable independent from the at least two tool rollers.

14. The converting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth tool rollers are configured to be selectively moved along a length of the second axle.

15. The converting assembly of claim 14 , wherein the third and fourth tool rollers are configured to move symmetrically along the length of the second axle relative to a centerline of the converting assembly.

16. The converting assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the third and fourth tool rollers comprises one or more additional knives that are configured to cut the excess side trim from the sheet material into smaller pieces.

17. The converting assembly of claim 16 , further comprising an attraction element configured to attract the smaller pieces of cut side trim to a desired area.

18. The converting assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more resilient members positioned adjacent to one or more of the one or more conversion tools, the one or more resilient members being configured to facilitate withdrawal of the one or more conversion tools from the sheet material after the one or more conversion tools perform the conversion functions on the sheet material.

19. The converting assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a drive belt, the drive belt being configured to assist with advancing the sheet material through the converting assembly.

20. The converting assembly of claim 19 , wherein the drive belt is configured to limit or prevent the sheet material from folding up or down as the sheet material advances through the converting assembly.

21. The converting assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more brushes positioned adjacent to at least one of the tool rollers, the one or more brushes being configured to limit or prevent the sheet material from folding up or down after the sheet material passes by the at least one of the tool rollers.

22. The converting assembly of claim 1 , further comprising one or more support rollers.

23. The converting assembly of claim 22 , wherein

Assignees

• Packsize Llc

Inventors

• Blomberg Johan
• Pettersson Niklas

Classifications

• B31B50/006 Primary

  Controlling; Regulating; Measuring; Improving safety · CPC title

• B31B50/042

  using rolls, belts or chains · CPC title

• B31B50/06

  from stacks · CPC title

• B31B2120/30

  collapsible; temporarily collapsed during manufacturing · CPC title

• B31B50/00 Primary

  Making rigid or semi-rigid containers, e.g. boxes or cartons · CPC title