Package definition system with non-symmetric functional elements as a function of package edge property

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9760659-B2
Application number	US-201414168514-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2014
Priority date	Jan 30, 2014
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A package generation system creates a package definition file for creation of a package flat. The file includes dimensions for cut lines along which the package will be separated from a two dimensional substrate. The flat includes facets and functional elements that connect the facets. The system will identify a pair of the functional elements that have a connecting relationship. The first facet of the pair is a tab structure having a symmetric design, and the second facet of the pair is a receiving structure. If the tab structure and receiving structure are connected to cut lines that intersect at a pivot point, the system will convert the definition of the tab structure from the symmetric design to a non-symmetric design. It will save dimensions for the edges and functional elements in the package design file with the non-symmetric design.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A package generation system, comprising:
a cutting device;
a processor;
a data storage facility containing a package design file comprising a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional structure having a plurality of facets, wherein the package design file comprises rules that:
define a plurality of cut lines, each cut line representing a line along which the three-dimensional structure will be separated from a two dimensional substrate;
identify a plurality of facets that are functional elements of the structure;
identify a pair of the functional elements that have a connecting relationship, wherein the first facet of the pair comprises a tab structure having a symmetric design and the second facet of the pair comprises a receiving structure, wherein the symmetric design comprises edges of the tab structure that are symmetric with respect to a central axis of the tab structure;
determine that the tab structure and receiving structure are each connected to cut lines that intersect each other at a pivot point;
convert a definition of the tab structure from the symmetric design to a non-symmetric design that includes edges of the tab structure that are not symmetric with respect to the central axis of the tab structure; and
save dimensions for the defined cut lines and the pair of functional elements to the package design file so that the definition of the tab structure includes the non-symmetric design; and

programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor and cutting device to access the package design file to apply a set of rules that apply the cut lines to the substrate.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to convert the definition of the tab structure to the non-symmetric design comprise instructions to use a location of the pivot point to define at least a portion of the tab structure using polar coordinates with respect to the pivot point.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions to define at least a portion of the tab structure using polar coordinates with respect to the pivot point comprise instructions to replace at least one straight edge of the tab structure with a curved edge, the coordinates of which exhibit a constant distance from the pivot point.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions to define at least a portion of the tab structure using polar coordinates with respect to the pivot point comprise instructions to replace at least one straight edge of the tab structure with a curved edge while maintaining a constant distance between a distal edge of the tab structure and the edge of the facet to which the tab structure is connected.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions to define at least a portion of the tab structure using polar coordinates with respect to the pivot point comprise instructions to:
define a plurality of critical points of the tab structure; and
replace at least one straight edge of the tab structure with a curved edge, while maintaining a constant distance between each critical point and the edge of the facet to which the tab structure is connected.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the instructions to define at least a portion of the tab structure using polar coordinates with respect to the pivot point comprise instructions to:
identify a first tab element of the tab structure that is positioned along an edge of the facet to which the tab structure is connected, the first tab element being positioned at a first distance from the pivot point;
identify a second tab element of the tab structure that is positioned along the edge at a second distance from the pivot point, wherein the first tab element and the second tab element have identical dimensions in the symmetric design, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance;
define a critical point on each of the first tab element and the second tab element; and
replace at least one straight edge of each of the first tab element and the second tab element with a curved edge, while maintaining a constant distance between each critical point and the edge of the facet to which the tab structure is connected.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to identify the pair of functional elements that have a connecting relationship comprise instructions to identify a set of locking tabs as the tab structure and identifying a set of receiving slots as the receiving structure.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions to identify the pair of functional elements that have a connecting relationship comprise instructions to identify at least one sliding tab as the tab structure and identifying an interior of a facet as the receiving structure.

9. A package generation system, comprising:
a cutting device;
a processor;
a data storage facility containing a package design file comprising a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional structure having a plurality of facets, wherein the package design file comprises rules that:
define a plurality of cut lines, each cut line representing a line along which the three-dimensional structure will be separated from a two dimensional substrate;
identify a plurality of facets that are functional elements of the structure;
identify a pair of the functional elements that have a connecting relationship, wherein the first facet of the pair comprises a tab structure having a symmetric design and the second facet of the pair comprises a receiving structure, wherein the symmetric design comprises edges of the tab structure that are symmetric with respect to a central axis of the tab structure;
determine that the tab structure and receiving structure are each connected to cut lines that intersect each other at a pivot point;
convert a definition of the tab structure from the symmetric design to a non-symmetric design that includes edges of the tab structure that are not symmetric with respect to the central axis of the tab structure; and
cause the cutting device to apply the defined cut lines to the substrate so that tabs are applied to the substrate with the non-symmetric design at the first facet.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to convert the definition of the tab structure to the non-symmetric design comprise instructions to use a location of the pivot point to define at least a portion of the tab structure using polar coordinates with respect to the pivot point.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to define at least a portion of the tab structure using polar coordinates with respect to the pivot point comprise instructions to replace at least one straight edge of the tab structure with a curved edge, the coordinates of which exhibit a constant distance from the pivot point.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to define at least a portion of the tab structure using polar coordinates with respect to the pivot point comprise instructions to replace at least one straight edge of the tab structure with a curved edge while maintaining a constant distance between a distal edge of the tab structure and the edge of the facet to which the tab structure is connected.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to define at least a portion of the tab structure using polar coordinates with respect to the pivot point comprise instructions to:
define a plurality of critical points of the tab structure; and
replace at least one straight edge of the tab structure with a curved edge, while maintaining a constant distance between each critical point and the edge of the facet to which the tab structure is connected.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Eschbach Reiner
• Morgana Stephen C

Classifications

• B31B2100/0026

  having two opposite first side walls attached to the bottom and the other side walls being attached to the first side walls · CPC title

• G06F30/00 Primary

  Computer-aided design [CAD] · CPC title

• B31B2100/00

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

• B31B50/734

  interengaging tongues and slots · CPC title

• B31B2110/35

  rectangular, e.g. square · CPC title