US 2026/0151979 A1 · MULTI-PIECE CONTAINER FORMING SYSTEM

Abstract

A multi-piece container forming assembly is provided. The assembly has a mandrel movable by a ram assembly between a raised position and a lowered position, a container base panel loading assembly configured to deliver a container base panel below the mandrel, and a container side panel loading assembly. The container side panel assembly can include a hopper assembly arranged with an upward slope toward the mandrel and having a pusher plate configured to advance container side panels upward with a ratcheting motion toward the mandrel, and a pivotable side panel delivery assembly at the second upper end. The side panel delivery assembly can have a suction coupling member rotatable between a first position configured to couple to the container side panel located in the hopper assembly, and a second position configured to release the container side panel when in contact with the mandrel in the raised position.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A multi-piece container forming assembly, comprising:

a mandrel movable by a ram assembly between a raised position and a lowered position;
a container base panel loading assembly configured to deliver a container base panel below the mandrel;
and
a container side panel loading assembly, having:
a hopper assembly arranged with an upward slope toward the mandrel and having a pusher plate configured to advance a container side panel from a first lower end to a second upper end at a top of the upward slope nearest the mandrel;
and
a pivotable side panel delivery assembly at the second upper end and having a suction coupling member rotatable between a first position in which the suction coupling member is configured to couple to the container side panel located in the hopper assembly, and a second position in which the suction coupling member is configured to release the container side panel when adjacent to the mandrel in the raised position,
wherein moving the mandrel from the raised position to the lowered position forms the multi-piece container from the container base panel and the container side panel.

5 more elements

A container side panel loading assembly for a multi-piece container former, the container side panel loading assembly comprising:

a hopper arranged with an upward slope toward a mandrel;
a pusher plate movable along the hopper and configured to advance a container side panel from a first lower end of the hopper to a second upper end of the hopper at a top of the upward slope nearest the mandrel;
a pivotable side panel delivery assembly positioned at the second upper end and having:
a shaft rotatable by a motor;
and
an actuator rotatably fixed to the shaft and operable to translate a suction coupling member with respect to the shaft,
wherein the motor is operable to position the actuator in a first position in which the actuator translates the suction coupling member into contact with the container side panel located in the hopper, and in a second position in which the actuator translates the suction coupling member away from the container side panel after release and when the container side panel is adjacent to the mandrel.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-piece container forming system

Life of this patent

Multi-piece container forming system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23