US 10,703,063 B2 · Container forming system and method

Abstract

A bulk bin forming system configured as a container forming cell includes a multi-axis robot to which is attached a multifunction tool. One or more collapsed card board boxes are located at a first station of the container forming cell adjacent the robot. The robot and multifunction tool are configured to operate to grasp and move an individual box, orient and pre-form the box by folding flaps at a second station of the cell, and then move the box to a third station of the cell to mount the box to a support configured as a pallet to thereby form a bulk bin or bulk box container referred to as a gaylord container. The tool may include vacuum grippers for grasping the boxes and staplers for securing the formed box to the pallet, and may also be used to fold the bottom flaps prior to mounting the box to the pallet.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of constructing a container, said method comprising:

using a single multi-axis robot arm to which an end effector comprising a tool is mounted to grasp a collapsed box from an input location, with the tool including a gripper for grasping a side panel of the collapsed box, wherein the box includes a plurality of side panels that are foldably connected together and wherein the tool grasps one of the side panels;
lifting the collapsed box with the robot arm to expand the box, wherein lifting the box at the grasped one of the side panels causes the box to expand;
folding flaps on an end of the expanded box with the robot arm;
placing the expanded box on a pallet with the robot arm with the folded flaps adjacent the pallet;
and
securing the expanded box while empty directly to the pallet through the folded flaps with the robot arm;
wherein a single expanded box is sized and secured to the pallet to form the container whereby goods may be placed into the expanded box.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Container forming system and method

Life of this patent

Container forming system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17