Devices, systems and processes for facilitating opening of boxes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11897652-B2
Application number	US-202017035966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2020
Priority date	Sep 29, 2020
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

An opening station for facilitating box opening may include a scanning station, an edge opening station, and a conveyor assembly. The scanning station is configured to measure a length “L”, height “H”, and/or width “W” of a substantially square box having a top, a bottom, two sides, and two edge portions. The edge opening station is configured to perform perforation operations on at least one of the two edge portions. A complete box opening system may include the scanning station, edge opening station, conveyor, and at least one of a top opening station and a side opening station.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, for facilitating automated opening of a box, comprising:
a scanning station configured to measure one or more of a length, height, and width of a box;
wherein the box has a length L, a height H, and a width W;
wherein the box is formed in substantially one of a square or rectangular configuration by:
a top portion;
a bottom portion;
wherein each of the top portion and the bottom portion having L by W dimensions;
two side portions having L by H dimensions; and
two edge portions having H by W dimensions;

an edge opening station configured to perform perforation operations on at least one of the two edge portions;
wherein the edge opening station further comprises:
an edge leading plate;
an edge trailing plate; and
wherein at least one of the edge leading plate and edge trailing plate further comprise an edge guide slot;

a first edge adjustment mechanism coupled to the edge leading plate and the edge trailing plate; and
a conveyor assembly configured to contact the bottom portion of the box and facilitate movement of the box through each of the scanning station and the edge opening station;
an edge perforating wheel;
an edge perforating wheel holding block coupled to the edge perforating wheel and configured to facilitate movement of the edge perforating wheel within the edge guide slot;
a second edge adjustment mechanism coupled to the first edge adjustment mechanism; and
a third edge adjustment mechanism coupled to the edge perforating wheel block and to the second edge adjustment mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a side opening station configured to perforate the side portion of the box; and
wherein the conveyor assembly is further configured to facilitate movement of the box through the side opening station.

3. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the first edge adjustment mechanism is an edge X axis adjustment mechanism;
wherein the second edge adjustment mechanism is an edge Y axis adjustment mechanism; and
wherein the third edge adjustment mechanism is an edge Z axis adjustment mechanism.

4. The system of claim 3 ,
wherein at least one the first edge adjustment mechanism, the second edge adjustment mechanism, and the third edge adjustment mechanism are configured to adjust positions of at least one of the edge leading plate, the edge trailing plate, and the edge perforating wheel during an edge opening station operational phase.

5. The system of claim 4 ,
wherein the edge opening station operational phase comprises at least one of:
an edge positioning phase;
an edge perforating phase;
an edge release phase; and
an edge propel phase.

6. The system of claim 5 ,
wherein during the edge positioning phase,
the first edge adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a distance Q between the edge leading plate and the edge trailing plate based on the length L and a longitudinal clearance margin C; and
the second edge adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the edge leading plate to a height R, where R is the height H of the box plus a first vertical clearance margin D.

7. The system of claim 5 ,
wherein during the edge perforating phase,
the first edge adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a distance Q between the edge leading plate and the edge trailing plate such that Q<=L;

the second edge adjustment mechanism is configured to a adjust the edge trailing plate to substantially a height R such that R H; and
the third edge adjustment mechanism is configured to move the edge perforating wheel a distance S along the width W of the box.

8. The system of claim 1
wherein the first edge adjustment mechanism applies an edge pinching pressure on the box during an edge perforating phase.

9. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the second edge adjustment mechanism applies an edge compression pressure on the box during an edge perforating phase.

10. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the third edge adjustment mechanism applies an edge perforation pressure on the box during an edge perforating phase.

11. A system, for facilitating automated opening of a box, comprising:
a scanning station configured to measure one or more of a length, height, and width of a box;
wherein the box has a length L, a height H, and a width W;
wherein the box is formed in substantially one of a square or rectangular configuration by:
a top portion;
a bottom portion;
wherein each of the top portion and the bottom portion having L by W dimensions;
two side portions having L by H dimensions; and
two edge portions having H by W dimensions;

an edge opening station configured to perform perforation operations on at least one of the two edge portions;
wherein the edge opening station further comprises:
an edge leading plate;
an edge trailing plate; and
wherein at least one of the edge leading plate and edge trailing plate further comprise an edge guide slot
a first edge adjustment mechanism coupled to the edge leading plate and the edge trailing plate; and
a conveyor assembly configured to contact the bottom portion of the box and facilitate movement of the box through each of the scanning station and the edge opening station;
an edge perforating wheel;
an edge perforating wheel holding block coupled to the edge perforating wheel and configured to facilitate movement of the edge perforating wheel within the edge guide slot;
a second edge adjustment mechanism coupled to the first edge adjustment mechanism;
a third edge adjustment mechanism coupled to the edge perforating wheel block and to the second edge adjustment mechanism;

a top opening station configured to perforate the top portion of the box; and
wherein the conveyor assembly is further configured to facilitate movement of the box through the top opening station.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a side opening station configured to perforate the side portion of the box; and
wherein the conveyor assembly is further configured to facilitate movement of the box through the side opening station.

13. The system of claim 11 ,
wherein the two edge portions of the box comprise at least one of cardboard, wood, plastic, metal, and glass material; and
wherein the edge opening station is further configured to perform the perforation operations on the two edge portions.

14. A device, for perforating an edge of a box, comprising:
a leading plate configured to first secure a box during a perforation operation;
wherein the box has a length L, a height H, and a width W;

a trailing plate configured to second secure the box during the perforation operation;
wherein the trailing plate further comprises a guide slot;

a perforating wheel configured to perforate the box during the perforation operation;
a first adjustment mechanism, coupled to and configured to adjust a distance between the leading plate and the trailing plate;
a second adjustment mechanism, coupled to the leading plate and the trailing plate, configured to adjust a first height of the leading plate and a second height of the trailing plate; and
a third adjustment mechanism configured to move the perforating wheel along the guide slot along a portion S of the width W of the box.

15. The device of claim 14 ,
wherein the first height and the second height are independently adjusted by the second adjustment mechanism.

16. The device of claim 14 ,
wherein the first adjustment mechanism applies a pinching pressure on the box during a perforating phase;
wherein the second adjustment mechanism applies an edge compression pressure on t

Assignees

• Dish Network Llc

Inventors

• Pollard Jr Jimmy A
• Morrison Zachary

Classifications

• B26F1/10

  Roller type punches · CPC title

• B26D5/007

  Control means comprising cameras, vision or image processing systems · CPC title

• B65B69/0041 Primary

  by puncturing · CPC title

• B26F1/24

  Perforating by needles or pins · CPC title

• B26F1/04

  with selectively-operable punches · CPC title