Method and apparatus for erecting cartons and for order fulfilment and packing

A method of packing product orders, said method comprising:

• (a) receiving a plurality of bins in a first sequence, wherein each bin comprises at least one product in an order;
• (b) accessing a next request from said queue;
• (c) determining a size for a case from said next request;
• (d) based on said size, automatically adjusting components of a case forming apparatus to adapt said case forming apparatus to form said case of said size;
• (e) transferring a case blank for said case of said size from a particular repository to said case forming apparatus, said particular repository holding case blanks for cases of said size;
• (f) operating said case forming apparatus to form said case from said case blank in a second sequence;
• (g) transporting said case to a packing station with the corresponding bin for the order;
• (h) until said queue is empty, repeating (b) to (g) for a request in said queue next following said next request.

An order packing system for orders containing at least one product, the system comprising:

• a first conveyer operable to transport bins to a packing station in a first sequence, each of said bins containing an order comprising at least one product,
• a case construction apparatus, operable to construct cases from blanks of a plurality of sizes;
• a second conveyer operable to transport constructed cases from said case construction apparatus to said packing station;
• a controller operable to:
• cause said case construction apparatus to construct cases in a second sequence and to cause said second conveyor to transport said constructed cases, in said second sequence to said packing station, wherein sizes of constructed cases in said second sequence correspond to the sizes of said at least one product in each of said bins in said first sequence, and
• cause the first and second conveyor to deliver each bin in the first sequence at the packing station with its corresponding constructed case in the second sequence, such that said orders in said bins in said first sequence can be transferred sequentially to corresponding constructed cases in said second sequence.

A packaging method, comprising:

• (a) delivering a plurality of bins in a first sequence to a packing station, wherein each bin contains an order of at least one product;
• (b) accessing a request from a queue of requests, said queue of requests being generated based on said first sequence;
• (c) determining a size for a case based on said request;
• (d) based on said size, automatically adjusting one or more components of a case forming apparatus to adapt said case forming apparatus to form said case of said size;
• (e) transferring a case blank for said case of said size from a particular blank repository to said case forming apparatus, said particular blank repository holding case blanks for cases of said size;
• (f) operating said case forming apparatus to form said case from said case blank;
• (g) repeating (b) to (g) for each request in said queue;
• to create a second sequence;
• (h) delivering said cases in said second sequence to said packing station with the corresponding bin for the order, such that said bins are delivered to said packing station in said first sequence, in a manner that enables said orders in said bins in said first sequence to be transferred sequentially to corresponding formed cases in said second sequence.

A method of erecting a first case from a first knock-down blank have a first length L1 and after erecting said first case, erecting a second case from a second knock-down blank having a second length L2 that is a different length than L1, said method comprising:

• conveying a first knock-down blank to a pick-up position wherein said front edge of said first knock down blank is proximate to or in abutment with a facing surface of a front edge guide located at a first position;
• gripping a top side panel of said first knock-down carton blank at said pick-up location with an end effector of a movement apparatus;
• translating said first knock-down carton blank with said movement apparatus from said pick-up location to a position over a shuttle base of a shuttle;
• lowering said first knock-down carton blank with said movement apparatus onto said shuttle base of said shuttle, such that a bottom side panel of said knock-down blank abuts said base;
• gripping said bottom side panel of said first blank with a gripper of said shuttle base;
• raising a top side panel of said first knock-down carton blank while advancing said shuttle from a first start position in a horizontal direction so as to open said first knock-down carton blank into a first carton sleeve;
• adjusting the longitudinal position of said front edge guide;
• conveying a second knock-down blank to a pick-up position wherein said front edge of said second knock down blank is proximate to or abuts with said facing surface of a front edge guide located at a second position that is different than the first position;
• gripping a top side panel of said second knock-down carton blank at said pick-up location with said end effector of a movement apparatus;
• translating said second knock-down carton blank with said movement apparatus from said pick-up location to a position over said shuttle;
• lowering said second knock-down carton blank with said movement apparatus onto said base of said shuttle bed, such that a bottom side panel of said second knock-down blank abuts said base;
• gripping said bottom side panel of said second blank with a gripper of said base;
• raising a top side panel of said second knock-down carton blank while advancing said shuttle from a second start position in said horizontal direction so as to open said second knock-down carton blank into a second carton sleeve.

A method of erecting a first case from a first knock-down blank have a first length L1 and after erecting said first case, erecting a second case from a second knock-down blank having a second length L2 that is a different length than L1;

• wherein said first blank has a crease line between a top side panel and a further side panel of said first knock down blank, wherein said further side panel is hingedly connected to said top side panel and to said bottom side panel of said first knock-down blank;
• wherein said second knock-down blank has a crease line between a top side panel and a further side panel of said second knock down blank, wherein said further side panel is hingedly connected to said top side panel and to said bottom side panel of said second knock-down blank;
• and wherein said method comprises:
• conveying a first knock-down blank to a pick-up position wherein said crease line of said first knock-down blank is aligned with a transverse axis;
• gripping a top side panel of said first knock-down carton blank at said pick-up location with an end effector of a movement apparatus;
• translating said first knock-down carton blank with said movement apparatus from said pick-up location to a position over said shuttle;
• vertically lowering said first knock-down carton blank with said movement apparatus onto said base of said shuttle bed, such that a bottom side panel of said knock-down blank abuts said base;
• gripping said bottom side panel of said first blank with a gripper of said base;
• raising a top side panel of said first knock-down carton blank while advancing said shuttle in a horizontal direction so as to open said first knock-down carton blank into a first carton sleeve;
• conveying a second knock-down blank to a pick-up position wherein said crease line of said second knock-down blank is aligned with said transverse axis;
• gripping a top side panel of said second knock-down carton blank at said pick-up location with said end effector of a movement apparatus;
• translating said second knock-down carton blank with said movement apparatus from said pick-up location to a position over said shuttle;
• vertically lowering said second knock-down carton blank with said movement apparatus onto said base of said shuttle bed, such that a bottom side panel of said second knock-down blank abuts said base;
• gripping said bottom side panel of said second blank with a gripper of said base;
• raising a top side panel of said second knock-down carton blank while advancing said shuttle in a horizontal direction so as to open said second knock-down carton blank into a second carton sleeve.

An apparatus for use in erecting a first case from a first knock-down blank have a first length L1 and after erecting said first case, erecting a second case from a second knock-down blank having a second length L2 that is a different length than L1, said apparatus comprising:

• a knock-down blank feeding apparatus operable to feed a first knock down blank and a second knock down blank to a pick up station;
• a shuttle having a bed with a horizontally extending base having base grippers;
• shuttle drive apparatus for driving said shuttle in a horizontal advancement direction;
• an end effector having end effector grippers;
• an end effector movement device for moving said end effector;
• a movable edge guide;
• a controller operatively associated with said movable edge guide, said shuttle drive apparatus, said end effector movement device and said grippers and configured to:
• operate said feeding apparatus to feed a first knock down blank to a pick-up position in which a leading edge abuts said movable edge guide;
• operate said movement device and said end effector to grip a top side panel of said first knock-down carton blank and move said first knock down blank and place said first knock-down carton blank on said horizontally extending base of said shuttle such that a bottom side panel of said first knock-down carton blank abuts said horizontally extending base;
• activate said base grippers to grip said bottom side panel of said first knock-down blank;
• operate said movement device to raise said top side panel of said first knock-down carton blank with said end effector while horizontally advancing said shuttle in order to open said first knock-down carton blank into a first carton sleeve;
• adjust the position of said movable edge guide;
• operate said feeding apparatus to feed a second knock down blank to a pick-up position in which a leading edge abuts said movable edge guide;
• operate said movement device and said end effector to grip a top side panel of said second knock-down carton blank and place said second knock-down carton blank on said horizontally extending base of said shuttle such that a bottom side panel of said second knock-down carton blank abuts said horizontally extending base;
• activate said base grippers to grip said bottom side panel of said second knock-down blank;
• operate said movement device to raise said top side panel of said second knock-down carton blank with said end effector while horizontally advancing said shuttle in order to open said second knock-down carton blank into a second carton sleeve.

Apparatus for use in erecting a carton, comprising:

• a shuttle having a bed with a horizontally extending base having base grippers;
• shuttle drive apparatus for driving said shuttle in a horizontal advancement direction;
• an end effector having end effector grippers;
• an end effector movement device for moving said end effector;
• a controller operatively associated with said shuttle drive apparatus, said end effector movement device and said grippers and configured to:
• operate said movement device and end effector to grip a top side panel of a knock-down carton blank and place said knock-down carton blank on said horizontally extending base of said shuttle such that a bottom side panel of said knock-down carton blank abuts said horizontally extending base;
• activate said base grippers to grip said bottom side panel of said blank;
• operate said movement device to raise said top side panel of said knock-down carton blank with said end effector while horizontally advancing said shuttle in order to open said knock-down carton blank into a carton sleeve.