Clippers configured to operate with elastomeric clips, associated methods, systems and computer program products

A method of selectively attaching metallic or non-metallic clips using a common clipper, comprising:

• selectively feeding a spool and/or reel of attached elastomeric clips or a spool and/or reel of metallic clips along a static rail with a generally downwardly extending portion that merges into a laterally extending portion that merges into the punch path;
• forcing the clips to travel along the rail so that the laterally extending portion thereof delivers a forwardmost clip from the selected spool and/or reel through a window to a punch path;
• and
• punching a clip in the punch path onto a gathered portion of a target package so that the legs of the clip travel toward each other.

An automated or semi-automated clipper, comprising:

• a clip rail configured and sized to hold a plurality of unitary body non-metallic clips, each clip having a crown and opposing spaced apart first and second legs, the clip rail configured to define a portion of a clip travel path that merges into a punch path;
• a punch configured to controllably travel in the punch path to direct a clip in the punch path to span opposing sides of a trailing and/or leading edge portion of a target package;
• a die cooperatively aligned with the punch to deformably shape the clip in the punch path about the target package to thereby attach the clip thereto;
• and
• a knife member having an actuator associated therewith operatively associated with the punch, wherein the actuator is configured to advance and retract the knife member to sever the trailing and/or leading edge of the target package downstream of the attached clip, and wherein the actuator is configured to advance the knife member on a delay after the clip is attached to the target product thereby allowing the punch to forcibly hold the attached clip in the punch path against the die for a holding period so that the attached clip retains its deformed shape after the punch is retracted and the knife member severs the target package.

An automated or semi-automated clipper, comprising:

• a reel and/or spool of attached elastomeric unitary body clips, each clip having a crown and opposing spaced apart first and second legs;
• a clip rail in communication with the reel and/or spool of clips configured and sized to hold a plurality of the unitary body non-metallic clips, the clip rail configured to define a portion of a clip travel path that merges into a punch path;
• a punch configured to controllably reciprocally travel in the punch path to direct a clip delivered from the clip rail into the punch path to span opposing sides of a trailing and/or leading edge portion of a target package;
• and
• a die cooperatively aligned with the punch to deformably shape the elastomeric clip in the punch path about the target package to thereby attach the clip thereto.