Systems and methods for dynamic processing of objects using box tray assemblies

A box handling system comprising:

• a cardboard box having one or more outer flaps forming a closable top to the cardboard box;
• a box tray including a base and a side edge, the base including a top side and a bottom side, the top side forming a recessed portion to securely seat the cardboard box;
• a conveyor upon which the box tray is placed with the bottom side of the base in contact with the conveyor and with the cardboard box inserted in the recessed portion of the top side;
• an additional conveyor adjacent the conveyor;
• and
• a box kicker assembly adjustably placed on the side of the conveyor opposite the additional conveyor, the box kicker assembly including a rotatable arm aligned with the side edge to push the box tray from the conveyor to the additional conveyor.

A method of processing objects in a box handling system, the method comprising:

• placing a plurality of cardboard boxes on a respective plurality of box trays, the plurality of box trays being provided on a conveyor, wherein each box tray of the plurality of box trays are similarly shaped, each cardboard box of the plurality of cardboard boxes being held within a recessed portion of a corresponding box tray;
• positioning a box kicker assembly adjacent to a selected one of the plurality of cardboard boxes, the box kicker assembly aligned to contact a side edge of the corresponding box tray of the selected cardboard box;
• and
• discharging the selected one of the plurality of cardboard boxes with the corresponding box tray from the conveyor to an adjacent output conveyor using the box kicker assembly.