US 4,197,789 A · Tray in tray container forming

Abstract

A tray in tray container of corrugated board material is formed from a pair of pre-formed flat body blanks in a bi-level machine having vertically aligned upper and lower dies in which a mandrel reciprocates vertically. The inner body blanks and outer body blanks are stacked in feed hoppers adjacent the upper and lower dies, respectively, and individually stripped out of their respective hoppers into horizontally disposed positions over their respective dies, substantially simultaneously. The feed directions of the two hoppers are right angularly related to one another and glue stripes are applied to each of the body blanks during their transit from the hopper into the corresponding die. Descent of the mandrel initially forms the upper inner body blank into an erect tray configuration within the upper die and continued downward movement of the mandrel drives the completely formed and glued inner box into contact with the flat outer body blank, the latter then being formed and glued around the inner body blank during subsequent passage of the mandrel into the lower die.

Claims19

Dependent claims

The method of forming a tray in tray container from a flat inner body blank and a flat outer body blank,

the inner body blank having a bottom panel with an opposite pair of end wall portions, an opposite pair of side wall portions and a pair of marginal side flaps at opposite ends of each side wall portion,
the outer body blank having a bottom panel and at least an opposite pair of wall portions on opposite sides of the bottom panel,
said method including:
applying adhesive to the opposite side wall portions of the inner body blank;
relatively moving a mandrel and a first die means to form the inner body blank into an erected tray configuration around the mandrel with the bottom panel portion of the inner body blank in contacting registration with a bottom face of the mandrel and with an opposite pair of laminated end walls comprising the pair of opposite end wall portions and the marginal flaps of the side wall portions;
applying adhesive to the inside of the bottom panel of the outer blank,
moving the inner tray carrying mandrel into contacting registration of the bottom panel area of the inner tray onto the glue bearing surface of the bottom panel of the outer blank;
and erecting the wall portions of the outer blank around and onto corresponding walls of the previously erected inner tray by relative movement of the mandrel, inner tray and outer body blank and a second die means.

5 more elements

A machine for forming a tray in tray container from a pre-formed flat inner body blank and a pre-formed flat outer body blank comprising:

a frame;
a mandrel of rigidly fixed planform dimension mounted on said frame for axial reciprocation;
first and second die means centered on and spaced apart along the axis of reciprocation of said mandrel;
each of said first and second die means having sides in progressively stepped interfering alignment with different wall and flap portions of the inner body blank and outer body blank, respectively, and each of said die means defining a pair of opposite end openings for receiving bottom panel portions of the inner body blank and outer body blank, respectively, and for unimpeded reciprocation of said mandrel in said openings of said first and second die means;
said mandrel being adapted for said reciprocation through both said die means to completely form said container in a single cycle of reciprocation of said mandrel along said axis;
means for indexing a flat inner body blank in centered position of a bottom panel of the blank over said opening of said first die means;
means for indexing a flat outer body blank in centered position of a bottom panel of the blank over said opening of said second die means;
said mandrel and said first die means comprising co-acting means responsive to entry of said mandrel into said opening of said first die means to (a) progressively erect different wall and flap portions of the inner body blank around said mandrel and (b) to contract into mutual contact the glue joint areas of overlapping wall and flap portions of the inner body blank to make an erected and glued inner tray embracing and carried by said mandrel in continued movement towards said second die means;
said mandrel and said second die means comprising co-acting means responsive to entry of said inner tray carrying mandrel into said opening of said second die means to (a) progressively erect different wall portions of the outer body blank around the walls of the inner tray carried on said mandrel and (b) to contract into mutual contact the glue joint areas of overlapping wall portions of the inner and outer body blanks to make an outer tray laminated to the inner tray.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tray in tray container forming

Life of this patent

Tray in tray container forming

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19