Box gluing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016229145-A1
Application number	US-201615099052-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 14, 2016
Priority date	Nov 13, 2008
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A box gluing device for attaching a glue tab of a box blank to an opposing panel when the box blank is folded so the glue tab is position at an edge of the box blank. The gluing device includes a support structure upon which a gluing apparatus and a support plate are mounted. The gluing apparatus a glue dispensing nozzle for applying glue on one or more surfaces of the box blank. The box blank can be moved through the gluing device to attach the glue tab to the opposing panel. As the box blank moves through the gluing device, a guide rail orients the glue tab in a desired manner while glue is applied to the box blank, and a roller assembly presses the glue tab and the opposing panel together with the glue therebetween. Alternatively, the gluing device can include a clamp arm that holds the box blank in place while glue is applied, and a folding bar that folds the glue tab onto the opposing panel after glue is applied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A gluing device, comprising:
a support structure; a support plate mounted on the support structure, the support plate being adapted to have packaging material positioned thereon; a clamp arm coupled to the support structure, the clamp arm being adapted to selectively and securely hold the packaging material in place on the support plate, wherein the clamp arm is adapted to hold the packaging material in place when the clamp arm is moved from a first position to a second position; a gluing apparatus movably mounted on the support structure such that the gluing apparatus can be selectively moved between a first position and a second position on the support structure, the gluing apparatus having a glue dispensing nozzle and a glue supply, wherein the gluing apparatus is adapted to apply glue to at least one surface of the packaging material, wherein the at least one surface is disposed adjacent an edge of the packaging material; and a folding bar hingedly coupled to the support structure, wherein the folding bar is adapted to fold a first portion of the packaging material onto a second portion of the packaging material to secure the two portions together.

2 . The gluing device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first portion or second portion of the packaging material comprises the at least one surface upon which glue is applied.

3 . The gluing device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more guide rails to facilitate ready alignment and positioning of the packaging material on the support plate.

4 . The gluing device of claim 1 , wherein the folding bar comprises one or more stops that facilitate proper positioning of the packaging material on the support plate.

5 . The gluing device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more stops are retractable within the folding bar.

6 . The gluing device of claim 1 , wherein the packaging material comprises at least one box blank, wherein the support plate and the clamp arm are sized and configured to simultaneously receive multiple box blanks.

7 . The gluing device of claim 1 , wherein the clamp arm is movably coupled to the support structure with one or more hinge couplings.

8 . The gluing device of claim 1 , wherein the gluing apparatus is disposed above the folding bar.

9 . The gluing device of claim 9 , further comprising a spring connected between the support structure and the clamp arm.

10 . A gluing device, comprising:
a support plate having a surface adapted to have packaging material positioned thereon; a clamp arm movable between a first position and a second position relative to the support plate, wherein the clamp arm is adapted to allow for positioning of the packaging material on the surface of the support plate when the clamp arm is in the first position, and wherein the clamp arm is adapted to selectively and securely hold the packaging material in place on the surface of the support plate when the clamp arm is in the second position; a gluing apparatus having a glue dispensing nozzle and a glue supply, wherein the glue dispensing nozzle is movably mounted over the surface of the support plate such that the glue dispensing nozzle can be selectively moved across the surface of the support plate, wherein the gluing apparatus is adapted to apply glue to a first surface of the packaging material, wherein the first surface is disposed adjacent an edge of the packaging material; and a folding bar hingedly coupled to the support plate, wherein the folding bar is adapted to fold a first portion of the packaging material onto a second portion of the packaging material with the glue disposed between the first and second portions to thereby secure the two portions together.

11 . The gluing device of claim 10 , wherein one of the first portion and the second portion of the packaging material comprises a glue tab of a box blank, and the other of the first portion and the second portion comprises a panel of the box blank.

12 . The gluing device of claim 10 , wherein the clamp arm includes a lever to facilitate movement of the clamp arm between the first position and the second position.

13 . The gluing device of claim 10 , wherein the folding bar comprises one or more stops that facilitate proper positioning of the packaging material on the surface of the support plate, wherein the one or more stops are retractable such that when the folding bar is rotated to fold the first portion of the packaging material onto the second portion of the packaging material, the one or more stop retract into the folding bar.

14 . The gluing device of claim 10 , wherein the packaging material comprises a box blank.

15 . A method for constructing a box, the method comprising:
providing a box blank having a plurality of side-by-side panels and a glue tab extending from one of the panels, wherein a crease or score is disposed between the side-by-side panels and the glue tab to facilitate folding of the box blank; folding the box blank into a generally rectangular shape along a crease or score so that the glue tab and an edge of a first panel are positioned adjacent one another and on a perimeter of the folded box blank; and securing the glue tab to the first panel, wherein securing the glue tab to the first panel comprises:
inserting the glue tab and the edge of the first panel into a gluing device;
moving the glue tab and the edge of the first panel through the gluing device;
orienting the glue tab in a desired orientation relative to the first panel as the glue tab and the edge of the first panel are moved through the gluing device;
applying glue between the glue tab and the edge of the first panel as the glue tab and the edge of the first panel are moved through the gluing device; and
compressing the glue tab against the first panel, with the glue therebetween.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein compressing the glue tab against the first panel comprises moving the glue tab and the first panel through a roller assembly.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein orienting the glue tab comprises folding the glue tab to form a substantially acute angle with the first panel.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein moving the glue tab and the edge of the first panel through the gluing device comprises moving the glue tab and the edge of the first panel through a channel that facilitates proper alignment of the box blank with a glue dispensing nozzle.

Assignees

• Packsize Llc

Inventors

• Pettersson Niklas
• Osterhout Ryan
• Kiessner Hanko

Classifications

• B31B2110/35

  rectangular, e.g. square · CPC title

• B31B50/62

  by adhesives · CPC title

• B31B50/626

  Arrangements for permitting the glue to set · CPC title

• B31B50/52

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

• B31B50/624 Primary

  Applying glue on blanks · CPC title