Systems and methods for creating a manufacturer's joint and closing a box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9227373-B2
Application number	US-201013514340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2010
Priority date	Dec 14, 2009
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A system is disclosed for sealing a manufacturer's joint and/or the ends of a customized box. The system includes at least a first arm spaced apart from a second arm. The arms are arranged so that an end flap of a box blank can be inserted between the arms to align the box blank relative to the arms and secure and maintain at least two side panels of the box blank in an adjacent position to form a manufacturer's joint. Methods for forming and sealing a manufacturer's joint and/or the ends of a customized box are also disclosed. Such methods, are designed to, for example, reliably form, close, and seal the manufacturer's joint and/or the ends of a customized box in a simplified manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for sealing portions of a box blank to form a box, comprising:
a first arm pivotable about a first axis; and
a second arm pivotable about a second axis, the second arm being spaced apart from the first arm in a direction that is parallel to at least one of the first axis and the second axis, wherein at least one end flap of a box blank is configured to be inserted into the space between the first arm and the second arm to align a portion of the box blank with the first arm, and at least one of the first arm and the second arm being configured to maintain at least two side panels of the box blank in an adjacent position to form a manufacturer's joint.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure, wherein the first and second arms are linked to the support structure and wherein the support structure is configured for supporting the box blank.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is part of a system that includes a tape dispenser configured to dispense an adhesive tape for taping the at least two adjacently positioned side panels of the box blank to form the manufacture's joint.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm includes a wheel coupled adjacent to an end thereof to facilitate insertion of the box blank under the at least one of the first arm and the second arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the system further includes a means for measuring a length of at least one tapable surface of the box blank, wherein the tape dispenser is operably coupled to the means for measuring a length of at least one tapable surface of the box blank.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the means for measuring the length of the at least one tapable surface is selected from a group consisting of an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an automated box cutting apparatus, a camera, and combinations thereof.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the means for measuring the length of the at least one tapable surface includes an ultrasonic sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the at least one tapable surface includes a manufacturer's joint for adjoining at least two adjacently positioned side panels of the box blank.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first arm or the space between the first arm and the second arm serves as a reference point for measuring the length of the manufacturer's joint using an ultrasonic sensor.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the at least one tapable surface includes at least two end flaps.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising a support surface, the first and second arms being linked to the support surface and the support surface being configured for supporting the box blank, the support surface including at least one indicia for measuring a length of tape sized for sealing the at least two end flaps.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are parallel and offset from one another.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first arm is pivotable about both the first axis and the second axis.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are collinear with one another.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure having a support surface for supporting the box blank, the first arm being linked to the support structure and extending a first distance across the support surface, and the second arm being linked to the support structure and extending a second distance across the support surface, the second distance being different than the first distance.

16. A system for sealing portions of a box blank to form a box, comprising:
a support structure having a support surface for supporting the box blank;
a first arm linked to the support structure, the first arm extending a first distance across the support surface;
a second arm linked to the support structure, the second arm extending a second distance across the support surface, the second distance being different than the first distance, the second arm being spaced apart from the first arm, wherein a first end flap of the box blank is configured to be inserted into the space between the first arm and the second arm to align a portion of the box blank relative to the first arm, at least one of the first arm and the second arm being configured to maintain at least two side panels of the box blank in an adjacent position to form a manufacturer's joint; and
a tape dispenser configured for dispensing a specific length of tape sized for taping at least a portion of the manufacturer's joint.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first arm and the second arm are pivotable about one or more parallel or collinear axes.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the tape dispenser is operably coupled to a measuring device that is adapted to measure the length of the portion of the manufacture's joint, the measuring device being selected from a group consisting of an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a box cutting apparatus, a camera, and combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the measuring device measures a length of a manufacturer's joint between the first end flap and a second opposing end flap.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first and second arms are coupled to a pivot arm.

21. The system of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first and second arms is pivotally coupled to the pivot arm.

22. The system of claim 20 , wherein the pivot arm is pivotally coupled to the support structure.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the support structure includes indicia for measuring a length of tape sized for sealing an end of the box.

24. A method for assembling a box, comprising:
providing a box blank having a plurality of side-by-side panels and an end flap extending from each of the side-by-side panels;
providing a sealing apparatus, including:
a support structure;
a first arm pivotally linked to the support structure and extending a first distance across the support structure; and
a second arm pivotally linked to the support structure and extending a second distance across the support structure, wherein the first arm and the second arm are spaced apart from each other and a first end flap of the box blank is configured to be folded up and inserted between the first arm and the second arm;

arranging the box so that at least two side panels are positioned adjacent to each other to form at least a portion of a joint;
inserting the box blank into the sealing apparatus with the first end flap between the first arm and the second arm and such that the first arm extends a first distance across the box blank and the second arm extends a second distance across the box blank so that the two adjacently positioned side panels are maintained in a desired position by the first arm and the second arm;
providing a selected length of tape sized for sealing the joint; and
sealing the joint with the length of tape.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein providing the selected length of tape sized for sealing the joint includes detecting the length of the joint and directing a tape dispenser to dispense a length of tape sized for sealing the joint.

26. The method of claim 24 , further comprising providing a tape dispenser.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the tape di

Assignees

• Pettersson Niklas
• Osterhout Ryan
• Packsize Llc

Inventors

• Pettersson Niklas
• Osterhout Ryan

Classifications

• B31B2100/00

  Rigid or semi-rigid containers made by folding single-piece sheets, blanks or webs · CPC title

• B31B50/726 Primary

  for uniting meeting edges of collapsed boxes · CPC title

• B31B50/004

  Closing boxes · CPC title

• B31B50/724

  Applying tapes on the corners of set-up boxes, e.g. involving setting-up · CPC title

• B31B2100/0022

  made from tubular webs or blanks, including by tube or bottom forming operations · CPC title