System and method for optimizing the height of a box for shipping
AssigneeRanpak Corp.
InventorsUwe Klarner, Remi Parisse, Jean-Yves Sia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for closing a shipping container that has a rectangular bottom wall, upstanding side walls extending from the periphery of the bottom wall, and an open top end, includes a sled capable of moving the container between a first station and a second station spaced from the first station, and a flap-folding assembly movable with the sled. The flap-folding assembly is configured to inwardly fold flaps of the container while the sled moves the container between the first station and the second station.
Claims17
1-19. (canceled)
A system for forming flaps in an open-topped, generally rectangular container having four upstanding side walls, comprising:
- a frame assembly movable vertically relative to a support for the container;
- and
- four fold-forming assemblies connected to the frame assembly and configured to form horizontal fold lines in respective side walls of the container;
- wherein the fold-forming assemblies are mounted to the frame assembly so as to be adjustable in respective orthogonal directions to accommodate a range of sizes of containers.
A method for adjusting a system for forming flaps in an open-topped, generally rectangular shipping container having four upstanding side walls for use with different size containers, the system including a frame assembly movable vertically relative to a support for the container;
- and four fold-forming assemblies connected to the frame assembly to form horizontal fold lines in respective side walls of the container, each of the fold-forming assemblies including opposing horizontal fold-forming members that are movable toward and away from each other to pinch the side wall therebetween to form a horizontal fold line that facilitates folding an upper portion of the side wall above the fold line relative to a lower portion of the side wall below the fold line from an upright orientation to a horizontal orientation;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- moving at least two of the fold-forming assemblies on the frame assembly in a direction toward or away from each other to accommodate a different size shipping container;
- and
- replacing opposing fold-forming members of two fold-forming assemblies to provide fold-forming members that extend a width of the side wall of the container in which a fold line is to be formed.
(canceled)
A method for closing an open-topped, generally rectangular shipping container having four upstanding side walls connected at respective corners where adjacent side walls meet, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) moving a support structure vertically relative to the container;
- (b) detecting a height of a tallest object inside the container;
- (c) vertically cutting the side walls adjacent each corner of the container simultaneously to a depth determined as a function of the detected height of the tallest object in the container;
- (d) forming horizontal fold lines in respective side walls of the container at a common height determined as a function of the detected height of the tallest object in the container;
- and
- (e) folding flaps formed by the vertical cutting and forming steps inwardly from an upright orientation toward a horizontal orientation.
A method as set forth in claim 26, wherein the applying step includes providing a lid that has tabs extending in orthogonal directions, and the securing step includes folding the tabs downward over the fold lines of the container and securing the tabs to respective side walls of the container.
28-34. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.