Tray forming apparatus and method
OwnerRobert M. Herrininventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tray forming apparatus forms a blank into a tray having a double glued side wall construction for providing a desirable strength to the tray. A platen drives the blank through a forming rails which fold the blank into a partially formed tray having bottom, end and side walls, and inside corner supports formed about the platen. The platen is retracted prior to folding arms further extended portions of the partially formed tray. A compression plate and the folding arms are biased against adhesive portions of the tray for forming a fully formed tray having a double glued side wall construction.
Claims18
A method of forming a tray from a blank of sheet material, wherein the blank includes at least one bottom panel, two opposing side panels, two opposing end panels, a top panel extending from a first of the side panels, and an end fold portion extending from the top panel, the method comprising:
- rotating the end panels and the side panels into a generally orthogonal relationship with the bottom panel;
- rotating the top panel into a generally parallel relationship with the bottom panel;
- and
- rotating the end fold portion through a passage formed by a pair of opposing structural members into a substantially face-to-face relationship with a first of the end panels;
- wherein the blank further includes an inside corner support member extending from the first end panel, the method further comprising rotating at least a first portion of the inside corner support member into a generally orthogonal relationship with the first end panel.
A method of forming a tray from a blank of sheet material using a machine, wherein the blank includes at least one bottom panel, two opposing side panels, two opposing end panels, a top panel extending from a first of the side panels, and an end fold portion extending from the top panel, the method comprising:
- rotating the end panels and the side panels into a generally orthogonal relationship with the bottom panel;
- rotating the top panel into a generally parallel relationship with the bottom panel;
- and
- rotating the end fold portion through a passage formed by a pair of opposing plates into a substantially face-to-face relationship with a first of the end panels;
- wherein the blank further includes an inside corner support member extending from the first end panel, the method further comprising rotating at least a first portion of the inside corner support member into a generally orthogonal relationship with the first end panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.