Apparatus and methods relating to corrugated materials, containers, and packaging

A machine configured to transition a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration, the machine comprising:

• (a) a backstop configured to halt forward movement of a box cutout in a plunging area;
• (b) one or more rotational fingers configured to effect folding of a box cutout disposed in the plunging area;
• (c) a plunger configured to apply force to a central portion of a box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect at least partial collapsing of that box cutout and downward movement of that box cutout, the plunger comprising a plunging head configured to engage such a box cutout;
• (d) a detector configured to detect the presence of a box cutout and trigger folding thereof by the one or more rotational fingers and plunging thereof by the plunger;
• (e) opposed grab wheels located below the plunging area, the grab wheels being configured to engage a box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, facilitate collapse of such box cutout, and propel such box cutout further downward;
• and
• (f) wherein the backstop is positioned relative to the plunger based on dimensions of a particular box cutout;
• and
• (g) wherein a length of the plunging head of the plunger corresponds to the length of a portion of a score line of the particular box cutout.

A method of transitioning a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration via a machine, the method comprising:

• (a) driving, via one or more drive wheels, a box cutout toward a plunging area;
• (b) detecting, via a first detector, the presence of the box cutout;
• (c) applying, via one or more glue applicators, glue to the box cutout;
• (d) facilitating halting, via a backstop, the movement of the box cutout when it is located within the plunging area;
• (e) detecting, via a second detector, the presence of the box cutout;
• (f) holding the box cutout in position with one or more clamps;
• (g) in response to the step of detecting, via the second detector, the presence of the box cutout, folding, via one or more rotational fingers, the box cutout;
• (h) after the step of folding the box cutout, applying downward force, via a plunger, to a central portion of the box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect at least partial collapsing of the box cutout and downward movement of the box cutout;
• (i) guiding, via one or more guide wheels located below the plunging area, the descent of the box cutout as the box cutout is being plunged by the plunger;
• (j) engaging, via opposed grab wheels located below the one or more guide wheels, the box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, the opposed grab wheels pressing opposite sides of the box cutout together and propelling the box cutout in a downward direction;
• and
• (k) effecting placement, using a collector, of the box cutout in a collection pen.

A method of transitioning a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration via a machine, the method comprising:

• (a) facilitating halting, via a backstop, movement of a box cutout when it is located within a plunging area;
• (b) detecting, via a second detector, the presence of the box cutout;
• (c) holding the box cutout in position with one or more clamps;
• (d) folding, via one or more rotational fingers, the box cutout;
• (e) applying downward force, via a plunger, to a central portion of the box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect at least partial collapsing of the box cutout and downward movement of the box cutout;
• (f) guiding, via one or more guide wheels located below the plunging area, the descent of the box cutout as the box cutout is being plunged by the plunger;
• and
• (g) engaging, via opposed grab wheels located below the one or more guide wheels, the box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, the opposed grab wheels pressing opposite sides of the box cutout together and propelling the box cutout in a downward direction.

A machine configured to transition a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration, the machine comprising:

• (a) one or more drive wheels configured to drive a box cutout towards a plunging area;
• (b) one or more freely rotating wheels, each freely rotating wheel being disposed directly above one of the one or more first drive wheels;
• (c) one or more glue applicators configured to apply glue to a box cutout;
• (d) a first detector configured to detect the presence of a box cutout and trigger application of glue thereto;
• (e) a backstop configured to halt movement of a box cutout in the plunging area;
• (f) a plunger located in the plunging area configured to apply force to a central portion of a box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect downward movement of such a box cutout;
• (g) a second detector configured to detect the presence of a box cutout and trigger plunging thereof by the plunger;
• (h) one or more structures positioned and configured to effect at least partial folding of a box cutout being plunged by the plunger;
• (i) one or more guide wheels located below the plunging area, the guide wheels being configured to guide a box cutout being plunged by the plunger;
• (k) opposed grab wheels located below the one or more guide wheels, the grab wheels being configured to engage a box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, facilitate collapse of such box cutout, and propel such box cutout further downward;
• and
• (l) a collector configured to collect a box cutout propelled downward by the grab wheels and place such collected box cutout in a collection pen;
• (m) wherein the backstop and one of the drive wheels are each positioned relative to the plunger based on dimensions of a particular box cutout;
• and
• (o) wherein a length of a plunging head of the plunger corresponds to the length of a portion of a score line of the particular box cutout.

A machine configured to transition a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration, the machine comprising:

• (a) a backstop configured to halt forward movement of a box cutout in a plunging area;
• (b) a plunger located in the plunging area configured to apply force to a central portion of a box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect downward movement of such a box cutout;
• (c) a detector configured to detect the presence of a box cutout and trigger plunging thereof by the plunger;
• (d) one or more structures positioned and configured to effect at least partial folding of a box cutout being plunged by the plunger;
• (e) opposed grab wheels located below the plunging area, the grab wheels being configured to engage a box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, facilitate collapse of such box cutout, and propel such box cutout further downward;
• and
• (f) wherein the backstop is positioned relative to the plunger based on dimensions of a particular box cutout;
• and
• (g) wherein a length of the plunging head of the plunger corresponds to the length of a portion of a score line of the particular box cutout.

A method of transitioning a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration via a machine, the method comprising:

• (a) driving, via one or more drive wheels, a box cutout toward a plunging area;
• (b) detecting, via a first detector, the presence of the box cutout;
• (c) applying, via one or more glue applicators, glue to the box cutout;
• (d) facilitating halting, via a backstop, the movement of the box cutout when it is located within the plunging area;
• (e) detecting, via a second detector, the presence of the box cutout;
• (f) in response to the step of detecting, via the second detector, the presence of the box cutout, applying downward force, via a plunger, to a central portion of the box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect at least partial collapsing of the box cutout and downward movement of the box cutout, the partial collapse being facilitated by one or more structures positioned and configured to effect at least partial folding of a box cutout being plunged by the plunger;
• (i) guiding, via one or more guide wheels located below the plunging area, the descent of the box cutout as the box cutout is being plunged by the plunger;
• (j) engaging, via opposed grab wheels located below the one or more guide wheels, the box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, the opposed grab wheels pressing opposite sides of the box cutout together and propelling the box cutout in a downward direction;
• and
• (k) effecting placement, using a collector, of the box cutout in a collection pen.

A method of transitioning a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration via a machine, the method comprising:

• (a) facilitating halting, via a backstop, movement of a box cutout when it is located within a plunging area;
• (b) detecting, via a second detector, the presence of the box cutout;
• (c) in response to the step of detecting, via the second detector, the presence of the box cutout, applying downward force, via a plunger, to a central portion of the box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect at least partial collapsing of the box cutout and downward movement of the box cutout, the partial collapse being facilitated by one or more structures positioned and configured to effect at least partial folding of a box cutout being plunged by the plunger;
• and
• (d) engaging, via opposed grab wheels located below the plunging area, the box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, the opposed grab wheels pressing opposite sides of the box cutout together and propelling the box cutout in a downward direction.

A machine configured to transition a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration, the machine comprising:

• (a) a backstop configured to halt forward movement of a box cutout in a plunging area;
• (b) a plunger located in the plunging area configured to apply force to a central portion of a box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect downward movement of such a box cutout;
• (c) a detector configured to detect the presence of a box cutout and trigger plunging thereof by the plunger;
• and
• (d) opposed grab wheels located below the plunging area, the grab wheels being configured to engage a box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, facilitate collapse of such box cutout, and propel such box cutout further downward;
• (e) wherein the backstop is positioned relative to the plunger based on dimensions of a particular box cutout;
• and
• (f) wherein a length of the plunging head of the plunger corresponds to the length of a portion of a score line of the particular box cutout.

A method of transitioning a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration via a machine, the method comprising:

• (a) facilitating halting, via a backstop, movement of a box cutout when it is located within a plunging area;
• (b) detecting, via a second detector, the presence of the box cutout;
• (c) in response to the step of detecting, via the second detector, the presence of the box cutout, applying downward force, via a plunger, to a central portion of the box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect at least partial collapsing of the box cutout and downward movement of the box cutout;
• and
• (d) engaging, via opposed grab wheels located below the plunging area, the box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, the opposed grab wheels pressing opposite sides of the box cutout together and propelling the box cutout in a downward direction.

A machine configured to transition a box cutout from a flat configuration to a collapsed configuration, the machine comprising:

• (a) a backstop configured to halt forward movement of a box cutout in a plunging area;
• (b) a plunger located in the plunging area configured to apply force to a central portion of a box cutout disposed below the plunger so as to effect downward movement of such a box cutout;
• (c) a detector configured to detect the presence of a box cutout and trigger plunging thereof by the plunger;
• and
• (d) opposed grab wheels located below the plunging area, the grab wheels being configured to engage a box cutout that has been plunged downward by the plunger, facilitate collapse of such box cutout, and propel such box cutout further downward.

A box cutout comprising:

• (a) a bottom panel;
• (b) a score line bisecting the bottom panel
• (c) a plurality of minor bottom score lines configured for folding of the box cutout;
• (d) four major bottom score lines configured for folding of the box cutout;
• (e) wherein the bottom panel of the box cutout is collapsed downward about the score line bisecting the bottom panel and the four major bottom score lines, but each of the minor bottom score lines is unbroken.

A box cutout comprising:

• (a) a bottom panel;
• (b) a score line bisecting the bottom panel
• (c) a plurality of minor bottom score lines configured for folding of the box cutout;
• (d) a plurality of major bottom score lines configured for folding of the box cutout;
• (e) wherein the bottom panel of the box cutout is collapsed downward about the score line bisecting the bottom panel and the plurality of major bottom score lines, but each of the minor bottom score lines is unbroken.