Auto-mask for packaging
AssigneeCo2 Packaging LLC
InventorJoseph Cicci
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for automatically attaching a decorative mask to an underlying tray, where the tray has apertures for the placement therein of customer products and the mask has apertures corresponding to those of the tray. The apparatus includes mechanisms for placing the masks and the trays along conveyor belts, for applying glue to the top surface of the tray for enabling the tray and mask to be attached, and sensing means for determining the respective locations of the trays and the masks to ensure precise registration of the apertures of the masks with the corresponding apertures of the tray.
Claims14
An apparatus for automating the attachment of a mask to a tray, where the tray has cut outs for the placement therein of customer products and the mask has cut outs corresponding to those of the tray, comprising:
- a speed controllable first conveyor belt for transporting the trays;
- a speed controllable second conveyor belt for transporting the masks;
- a tray feed mechanism for receiving trays and placing them sequentially onto the speed controllable first conveyor belt for transporting the trays;
- a mask feed mechanism for receiving masks and placing them sequentially onto the speed controllable second conveyor belt for transporting the masks;
- a gluing mechanism for applying glue to one of a bottom surface of the mask or a top surface of the tray;
- a tray edge detector responsive to sensing an edge of the tray for producing a signal indicative thereof;
- a mask edge detector responsive to sensing an edge of the mask for producing a signal indicative thereof;
- circuit means responsive to the signals produced by the tray and mask edge detectors for generating signals controlling the motion of the first and second conveyor belts to ensure alignment of the cut outs of the mask with the corresponding cut outs of the tray;
- wherein each tray includes:
- (a) a top central surface area of a width W and a length L, with said cut outs formed therein, having a front end and a rear end;
- (b) a front retractable extension flap of length Fd1 attached to and extending from said front end of the central surface area;
- and (c) a rear retractable extension flap of length Fd2 attached to and extending from the rear end of the central surface area;
- and
- wherein each mask has a surface area of a width W and a length L intended to be overlaid in alignment over the top central surface area of the corresponding tray;
- and
- wherein said apparatus includes an offset register adapted to receive the value of at least one of the length Fd1 and the length Fd2 and for supplying a flap control signal corresponding thereto to said circuit means;
- and
- wherein said circuit means includes a control mechanism responsive to said flap control signal for generating a signal to ensure alignment of the surface area of the tray with that of the mask and of the cut outs of the mask with the corresponding cut outs of the tray.
A method for automating attachment of a mask to a tray, where the tray has cut outs for the placement therein of customer products and the mask has cut outs corresponding to those of the tray, comprising steps of:
- automatically feeding the tray onto a speed controllable first conveyor belt for transporting the trays;
- automatically feeding the mask onto a speed controllable second conveyor belt for transporting the masks;
- applying glue to one of a top surface of the tray and a bottom surface of the mask;
- sensing an edge of the tray as it is moving along said first conveyor belt and producing a first signal indicative of the presence and location of the tray;
- sensing an edge of the mask as it is moving along said second conveyor belt and producing a second signal indicative of the presence and location of the mask;
- and
- feeding said first and second signals to a control mechanism for controlling the movement of the first and second conveyor belts to ensure alignment of the cut outs of the mask with the corresponding cut outs of the tray;
- and
- wherein each tray includes:
- (a) a top central surface area of a width W and a length L, in which said cut outs are formed, with a front end and a rear end;
- (b) a front retractable extension flap of length Fd1 attached to and extending from said front end of the central surface area;
- and (c) a rear retractable extension flap of length Fd2 attached to and extending from the rear end of the central surface area;
- and
- wherein each mask has a surface area of a width W and a length L intended to be overlaid in alignment over the top central surface area of the corresponding tray;
- and
- further including the step of:
- supplying the value of at least one of the length Fd1 and the length Fd2 to an offset register and generating a flap control signal corresponding thereto;
- and
- applying said flap control signal to said control mechanism to ensure alignment of the surface area of the tray with that of the mask and of the cut outs of the mask with the corresponding cut outs of the tray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.