Erecting aid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9725197-B2
Application number	US-201013264358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2010
Priority date	Apr 15, 2009
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

An erecting aid for packaging materials is described and may include a table portion and a panel. A panel may be coupled to one side of the table portion. The table portion and the panel can be configured such that the table portion and panel form an acute angle and the panel acts as a type of back support wall with respect to the table portion. A clamp may cooperate with the table portion to produce a clamping force. The clamping force may occur by biasing at least a portion of the clamp towards a relaxed, closed. The combination of the table, panel and biased clamp provide the forces necessary to stabilize a partially folded corrugated box during the erecting process such that the partially folded corrugated box is stabilized and maintained in a partially assembled state while the operator can use both hands to complete the erecting process.

First claim

We claim:

1. An erecting aid for erecting a box from a box template, comprising:
a planar table having a length extending between a proximal end and a distal end thereof and having an upper surface upon which a box template may be positioned;
a panel coupled to a side of said planar table at least partially between said proximal end and said distal end of said planar table, said panel having a proximal end, a distal end, a top edge, and a bottom edge, said panel extending upwardly relative to said upper surface of said planar table, said bottom edge of said panel being positioned closer to said upper surface than said top edge of said panel, said panel comprising a planar surface extending between said proximal end, said distal end, said top edge, and said bottom edge of said panel, said bottom edge of said panel being pivotally connected to said planar table such that an angle formed between said panel and said planar table is selectively adjustable such that an extent to which said top edge of said panel extends over said upper surface of said planar table is selectively adjustable; and
a clamp operatively associated with said planar table, said clamp comprising:
a first clamp portion, said first clamp portion being secured in a fixed and stationary position relative to said planar table and extending upwardly relative to said upper surface of said planar table such that said first clamp portion can engage a box template positioned on said upper surface of said planar table; and
a second clamp portion, said second clamp portion being movable along at least a portion of said length of said planar table between said proximal end and said distal end of said planar table and relative to said panel, said second clamp portion being continuously biased towards said first clamp portion in a manner that creates a clamping force between said first clamp portion and said second clamp portion;

wherein said planar table, said panel, and said clamp are configured to stabilize and maintain a box template in a partially assembled state during an erecting process that occurs on said planar table.

2. The erecting aid recited in claim 1 , wherein said panel is coupled to said side of said planar table such that said panel and said planar table form an acute angle.

3. The erecting aid recited in claim 2 , wherein said acute angle is in a range of between about 80 and about 87 degrees.

4. The erecting aid recited in claim 1 , further comprising one or more adjustable panel supports, wherein said adjustable panel supports enable the angle between said panel and said planar table to be selectively adjusted.

5. The erecting aid recited in claim 1 , wherein said second clamp portion is movable along said at least a portion of said length of said planar table in a direction parallel to a major surface of said panel.

6. The erecting aid recited in claim 1 , further comprising a track, said second clamp portion being configured to move at least partially along said track, whereby said track guides the movement of said second clamp portion along said at least a portion of said length of said planar table.

7. The erecting aid recited in claim 1 , wherein said second clamp portion is continuously biased by a spring loaded biasing mechanism.

8. The erecting aid recited in claim 6 , wherein said track is disposed below said upper surface of said planar table.

9. A corrugated box erecting aid, comprising:
a table having a length extending between a first end and a second end and having an upper surface upon which a partially folded corrugated box may be positioned;
a panel adjustably coupled to a side of said table, wherein said panel extends upwardly relative to said upper surface of said table such that said panel and said upper surface of said table form an acute angle, said panel having a proximal end, a distal end, a top edge, and a bottom edge, said bottom edge being disposed adjacent to said table and said top edge being disposed further from said upper surface than said bottom edge, said panel comprising a planar surface extending between said proximal end, said distal end, said top edge, and said bottom edge of said panel;
a track cooperating with said table and having a length extending along at least a portion of said length of said table between said first end and said second end; and
a clamp operatively associated with said track, said clamp comprising:
a stationary first clamp portion secured in a stationary position adjacent said first end of said table, said stationary first clamp portion extending upwardly relative to said upper surface of said table such that said stationary first clamp portion can engage a partially folded corrugated box positioned on said upper surface of said table;
a movable second clamp portion, said movable second clamp portion being biased towards said first end of said table and being selectively movable along said track towards said second end of said table, said movable second clamp portion being movable relative to and in a direction generally parallel to said panel, wherein said movable second clamp portion moves toward said second end of said table and away from said stationary first clamp portion as a partially folded corrugated box is inserted between said stationary first clamp portion and said movable second clamp portion; and
one or more clearance zones between said stationary first clamp portion and said table and between said movable second clamp portion and said table,

wherein said movable second clamp portion, said stationary first clamp portion, said table, and said panel are configured to collectively hold in place folded portions of a partially folded corrugated box.

10. The corrugated box erecting aid as recited in claim 9 , wherein said one or more clearance zones permit said stationary first clamp portion and said movable second clamp portion to compress two opposing side corrugated panels of said partially folded corrugated box such that said two opposing side corrugated panels hold a third corrugated portion in a folded position.

11. The corrugated box erecting aid as recited in claim 9 , wherein said movable second clamp portion further comprises a carriage, wherein said carriage interfaces with said track such that said movable second clamp is selectively movable along said track.

12. The corrugated box erecting aid as recited in claim 9 , further comprising a biasing mechanism that biases said movable second clamp portion toward said first end of said table, said biasing mechanism being operatively connected between said movable second clamp portion and a frame supporting said table.

13. The corrugated box erecting aid as recited in claim 12 , wherein said biasing mechanism is a spring or spring loaded device.

14. The corrugated box erecting aid as recited in claim 9 , wherein said acute angle is within a range of 75 degrees to less than 90 degrees.

15. The corrugated box erecting aid as recited in claim 9 , wherein said table, panel, track, and clamp collectively operate to enable assembly of a FEFCO 416, FEFCO 412 or RSC style box.

16. The corrugated box erecting aid recited in claim 9 , wherein said table, panel, track and clamp are configured for arrangement into a first setup arrangement, wherein the first setup arrangement facilitates assembly of a plurality of different styles and sizes of boxes.

17. A method of erecting a corrugated box, comprising:
providing an erecting aid comprising:
a generally planar table surface,
a panel disposed along and extending upwardly relative to an operative portion of said generally planar table

Assignees

• Pettersson Niklas
• Osterhout Ryan
• Packsize Llc

Inventors

• Pettersson Niklas
• Osterhout Ryan

Classifications

• B65B43/265 Primary

  Opening, erecting or setting-up boxes, cartons or carton blanks · CPC title

• B65B5/026

  for making trays · CPC title

• B65B43/39

  Opening-out closure flaps clear of bag, box, or carton mouth · CPC title

• B31B2120/20

  provided with two or more compartments · CPC title

• B31B2100/0024

  having all side walls attached to the bottom · CPC title