Apparatus and method for folding lower retention flaps
AssigneeWestRock Packaging Systems, LLC
InventorsJean-Christophe Bonnain, Emmanuel Davaillon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system including a pair of prongs extending in a transverse direction, spaced apart from one another by a gap configured to receive carton blanks and product containers therein, and to crease retention flaps of the carton blank, wherein each prong travels along a cam path, a panel extending in a longitudinal direction in-between the pair of prongs configured to support the product containers and guide the retentions flaps, a pair of asymmetrical guide rails underneath the panel configured to alternatingly crease a first primary flap and a second primary flap of the carton blank, and a conveyor mechanism proximate to the panel configured to move they product container and a carton blanks along the panel.
Claims19
A system comprising:
- a pair of prongs extending in a transverse direction, spaced apart from one another by a gap configured to receive a carton blank and product containers therein, and to crease retention flaps of the carton blank, wherein each prong travels along a cam path;
- a panel extending in a longitudinal direction in-between the pair of prongs configured to support the product containers and guide the retention flaps,
- wherein the transverse direction is transverse to the longitudinal direction;
- a pair of asymmetrical guide rails underneath the panel configured to alternatingly crease a first primary flap and a second primary flap of the carton blank;
- and
- a conveyor mechanism proximate to the panel configured to move the product containers and a carton blank along the panel in the longitudinal direction.
A method comprising:
- guiding a pack of product containers partially surrounded by a carton blank along a pathway;
- folding a leading retention flap of a first lower flap of the carton blank;
- folding a leading retention flap of a second lower flap of the carton blank;
- folding a trailing retention flap of a first lower flap of the carton blank;
- folding a trailing retention flap of a second lower flap of the carton blank,
- wherein the retention flaps of each of the lower flaps are folded using a pair of retractable prongs extending in a transverse direction;
- folding the first lower flap of a carton blank using a first rail guide;
- folding the second lower flap of the carton blank using a second rail guide;
- passing the leading and trailing upper retention flaps of the first and second lower flaps in a folded condition into a gap between a pair of guide rails;
- interlocking the leading retention flap with a leading product container of a pack of containers;
- interlocking the trailing retention flap with a trailing product container of the pack of containers;
- and
- wrapping the carton blank around the pack of containers to package the product containers together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.