Apparatus and method for inserting thermal insulating box liners

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11897225-B2
Application number	US-202318105596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2023
Priority date	Feb 4, 2022
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for assembling thermally insulated containers are disclosed. In one example, an apparatus for inserting a first insulating liner panel and a second insulating liner panel into a rectangular box to form a thermally insulated container includes a first station with a flap opening assembly, a second station with a first liner panel insertion assembly for inserting a first liner panel within the box, and a third station with a second liner panel insertion assembly for inserting a second liner panel within the box. A box transfer system is configured to transfer the box between the first station, the second station, and the third station. A flap guide system maintains the at least two of the lid flaps of the box in the open configuration as the box is transferred from the first station to the third station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus for inserting a first insulating liner panel and a second insulating liner panel into a rectangular box to form a thermally insulated container, the box having a closed end, four sidewalls, an interior volume, and at least two lid flaps, the apparatus comprising:
a first station comprising a flap opening assembly for directing the at least two of the lid flaps of the box to an open configuration;
a second station comprising a first liner panel insertion assembly for inserting the first liner panel within the box, wherein in an inserted configuration a first segment of the first liner panel is positioned adjacent the closed end of the box, and a second segment of the first liner panel is positioned adjacent a first of the four sidewalls of the box;
a third station comprising a second liner panel insertion assembly for inserting the second liner panel within the box, wherein in an inserted configuration a first segment of the second liner panel is positioned adjacent a second of the four sidewalls of the box, a second segment of the second liner panel is positioned adjacent a third of the four sidewalls of the box, and a third segment of the second liner panel is positioned adjacent a fourth of the four sidewalls of the box;
a box transfer system configured to transfer the box between the first station, the second station, and the third station; and
a flap guide system for maintaining the at least two of the lid flaps of the box in the open configuration as the box is transferred from the first station to the third station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second station further comprises a first liner panel magazine assembly configured to receive a stack of first liner panels and to selectively provide a lowest one of the first liner panels from the stack of first liner panels to the second station.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first liner panel magazine assembly comprises:
a platform for supporting the stack of first liner panels;
first and second magazine sidewalls separated by a sidewall distance to define a liner panel loading chamber therebetween, each one of the first and second magazine sidewalls having at least one roller-receiving slot defined therethrough;
at least one first roller mounted to a first drive shaft positioned outside the first magazine sidewall and having a portion thereof aligned with a respective one of the at least one roller-receiving slot;
at least one second roller mounted to a second drive shaft positioned outside the second magazine sidewall and having a portion thereof aligned with a respective one of the at least one roller-receiving slot; and
at least one actuator configured to rotate the first and second drive shafts in opposite directions;
wherein as the first and second drive shafts are rotated:
a perimeter of each of the at least one first roller and the at least one second roller cyclically projects inwardly through the respective one of the at least one roller-receiving slot and into the liner panel loading chamber to frictionally engage, respectively, a first side edge and a second side edge of at least one first liner panel in the stack of first liner panels and urge the engaged at least one first liner panel upwardly.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first and second drive shafts are eccentric, and the at least one first roller and the at least one second roller are each generally circular.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one first roller and the at least one second roller are eccentric.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the perimeter of the at least one first roller and the perimeter of the at least one second roller each comprise a rubberized outer surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second station comprises a panel engagement mechanism configured to selectively engage an end segment of the lowest first liner panel in the stack of first liner panels.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first liner panel magazine assembly further comprises:
an advancement mechanism provided on an upper surface of the platform, the advancement mechanism comprising:
a raised projection configured to be selectively reciprocated between a retracted configuration, in which the raised projection is positioned distal from an outer end of the stack of first liner panels, and an advanced configuration in which the raised projection has moved towards the box located at the second station,
wherein as the raised projection moves towards the advanced configuration, the raised projection is configured to abut an outer edge of the lowest first liner panel in the stack of first liner panels, thereby displacing the lowest first liner panel towards the box.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one actuator configured to rotate the first and second drive shafts and the advancement mechanism are synchronized such that as the engaged at least one first liner panel us urged upwardly, the raised projection is moved towards the advanced configuration.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third station further comprises a second liner panel magazine assembly configured to receive a stack of second liner panels and to selectively provide a lowest second liner panel from the stack of second liner panels to the third station.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the third station comprises a folding assembly configured to fold end segments of the second liner panel inwardly towards a central segment of the second liner panel prior to the insertion of the second liner panel within the box.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the folding assembly comprises a frame and first and second folding projections extending outwardly from the frame towards a pickup position for the second liner panel, the first and second folding projections being spaced horizontally from each other.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the third station comprises a panel engagement mechanism, the panel engagement mechanism comprising:
a vacuum plate configured to selectively engage the central segment of the second liner panel at the pickup position; and
at least one motion actuator configured to convey the vacuum plate from the pickup position to a position proximate the frame of the folding assembly;
wherein as the panel engagement mechanism conveys the central segment of the second liner panel from the pickup position to the position proximate the frame of the panel folding assembly, the first folding projection directs a first end segment to fold towards the central segment to form an acute angle between the first end segment and the central segment, and the second folding projection directs a second end segment to fold towards the central segment to form an acute angle between the second end segment and the central segment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the third station comprises a packing ram configured to be lowered towards the box, wherein, as the packing ram is lowered, the packing ram is configured to abut an edge of at least one of the first, second, and third segments of the second liner panel to urge the second liner panel to an inserted configuration within the box.

15. An assembly for inserting a liner panel into a box, the assembly comprising:
a panel engagement mechanism configured to selectively engage an end segment of the liner panel and convey the engaged liner panel from a pickup position to an insertion position where the engaged end segment overlies an open end of the box; and
a guide positioned underneath the panel engagement mechanism and extending from a

Assignees

• Cascades Canada Ulc

Inventors

• Taillon Martin
• Provencher Simon
• Damphousse Tommy
• Ebacher Dominic

Classifications

• B31B50/81 Primary

  Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings · CPC title

• B31B50/005 Primary

  involving a particular layout of the machinery or relative arrangement of its subunits · CPC title

• B31B50/06

  from stacks · CPC title

• B31B50/07

  by air pressure or suction · CPC title

• B31B50/78

  Mechanically · CPC title