US 4,685,275 A · Carton opening apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus is provided for opening folded open side carton blanks. The apparatus includes a first conveyor system for stripping blanks from a supply thereof at a first speed and for propelling the blanks downstream to a second conveyor system operating at a second speed greater than the first speed to accelerate the blanks and propel them to an unfolding station. The carton lower layer flaps are bent angularly downward. A pair of paddles having inclined leading edges rotate in horizontal planes to penetrate the space between the carton upper and lower layers and to lift the upper layer above the lower layer. The paddles also have bottom surfaces for holding the blank lower layer downwardly. The paddle tips travel at a faster speed than the second conveyor, so the tips slide forwardly to contact and push the blank leading panel forwardly to further unfold the flank. Simultaneously with the rotation of the paddles, a pocket conveyor positions a first flight bar to control the blank leading edge while the blank is undergoing the lifting and pushing by the paddles. A second flight bar on the pocket conveyor is positioned and is operated such that it contacts the trailing of the partially opened blank for propelling the blank leading edge against the first flight bar, thereby propelling the blank into a fully opened condition. The first and second flight bars may be on separate conveyors to thereby facilitate apparatus changeover to accommodate different size cartons. The apparatus further includes pusher means for continuously side loading articles into the cartons while imparting longitudinal motion to the articles.

Claims14

Dependent claims

Apparatus for opening folded open side cartons, the cartons being folded into blanks having leading and trailing edges and an upper layer having leading and top panels and a lower layer in facing contact with the upper panels and having trailing and bottom panels, each panel having a pair of oppositely extending flaps comprising:

a. horizontal rail means for supporting the lower layer panels of the folded blanks during longitudinal motion thereof downstream along an unfolding path;
b. storage means for storing a supply of folded blanks;
c. first conveyor means for propelling the blanks downstream along the horizontal rail means from the storage means at a first speed;
d. second conveyor means for accelerating the blanks to propel them downstream to an unfolding station at a second speed greater than the first conveyor means speed;
e. plow means at the unfolding station for restraining the blank lower layer flaps in an angular downward attitude;
f. expansion arm means at the unfolding station for positively restraining the blank bottom panel against the rail means and for simultaneously lifting the blank upper layer upwardly above the rail means and upwardly relative to the restrained lower layer;
and
g. third conveyor means downstream from the unfolding station operated in timed relation to the second conveyor means and to the expansion arm means for cooperating with the expansion arm means to unfold the blank at the unfolding station and for propelling open cartons downstream from the unfolding station.

5 more elements

a. horizontal rail means for supporting the folded blanks during longitudinal motion thereof downstream along an unfolding path;
b. storage means for storing a supply of folded blanks;
c. first conveyor means for propelling the blanks downstream along the horizontal rail means from the storage means at a first speed;
d. second conveyor means for accelerating the blanks to propel them downstream to an unfolding station at a second speed greater than the first conveyor means speed;
e. plow means at the unfolding station for restraining the blank lower layer flaps in an angular downward attitude;
f. expansion arm means at the unfolding station for restraining the blank bottom panel against the rail means and for lifting the blank upper layer relative to the lower layer, wherein the expansion arm means comprises:
i. a pair of shafts mounted for rotation on opposite sides of the rail means, each shaft having a vertical axis;
and
ii. a paddle extending from each shaft to rotate in a horizontal plane, each paddle having a bottom surface adapted to restrain the blank lower layer downwardly against the rail mcans during a portion of each paddle revolution and an inclined tip edge adapted to penetrate the blank between the upper and lower layers and to lift the upper layer upwardly relative to the restrained lower layer during a portion of each paddle revolution to thereby partially unfold the blank;
and
g. third conveyor means downstream from the unfolding station operated in timed relation to the second conveyor means and to the expansion arm means for cooperating with the expansion arm means to unfold the blank at the unfolding station and for propelling open cartons downstream from the unfolding station.

8 more elements

a. horizontal rail means for supporting the folded blanks during longitudinal motion thereof downstream along an unfolding path;
b. storage means for storing a supply of folded blanks;
c. first conveyor means for propelling the blanks downstream along the horizontal rail means from the storage means at a first speed;
d. second conveyor means for accelerating the blanks to propel them downstream to an unfolding station at a second speed greater than the first conveyor means speed;
e. plow means at the unfolding station for restraining the blank lower layer flaps in an angular downward attitude;
f. expansion arm means at the unfolding station for restraining the blank bottom panel against the rail means and for lifting the blank upper layer relative to the lower layer;
g. third conveyor means downstream from the unfolding station operated in timed relation to the second conveyor means and to the expansion arm means for cooperating with the expansion arm means to unfold the blank at the unfolding station and for propelling open cartons downstream from the unfolding station;
and
h. pusher means located downstream from the unfolding station for pushing complements of upright articles downstream in synchronization with an open carton and for simultaneously side loading the articles into the open sides of the unfolded cartons, the pusher means comprising:
i. pusher chain and sprocket means straddling the third conveyor means for propelling the pusher bar means downstream in synchronization with the cartons propelled by the third conveyor means, wherein the pusher chain and sprocket means comprise a pair of first pusher chains and associated sprockets that straddle the third conveyor means and a pair of second pusher chains and sprockets that straddle the pair of first chains and sprockets;
ii. pusher bar means for capturing the complements of articles, wherein the pusher bars comprise a first pusher bar attached to and extending between the pair of first pusher chains, and a second pusher bar attached to and extending between the pair of second pusher chains, the first and second pusher bars being spaced longitudinally with respect to each other to capture therebetween a complement of articles;
and
iii. guide means for directing the complements transversely inwardly as they are being propelled downstream by the pusher bar means, so that the articles enter the open side carton as the complements of articles are pushed downstream by the pusher bar means.

10 more elements

a. horizontal rail means for supporting the folded blanks during longitudinal motion thereof downstream along an unfolding path;
b. storage means for storing a supply of folded blanks;
c. first conveyor means for propelling the blanks downstream along the horizontal rail means from the storage means at a first speed, wherein the first conveyor means comprises:
i. at least one endless chain having a longitudinal upper run spaced below and parallel to the rail means;
and
ii. at least one lug joined to the chain and adapted to contact a stored blank trailing edge to strip the blank from the storage means and to propel the blank downstream;
d. second conveyor means for accelerating the blanks to propel them downstream to an unfolding station at a second speed greater than the first conveyor means speed;
e. plow means at the unfolding station for restraining the blank lower layer flaps in an angular downward attitude;
f. expansion arm means at the unfolding station for restraining the blank bottom panel against the rail means and for lifting the blank upper layer relative to the lower layer, wherein the expansion arm means comprises:
i. a pair of shafts mounted for rotation on opposite sides of the rail means at the unfolding station, the shafts having vertical axes;
and
ii. a paddle mounted to each shaft to rotate therewith in a horizontal plane, each paddle having a bottom surface for restraining the blank bottom panel against the rail means during a portion of each revolution of the shaft, each paddle having an inclined tip edge for sequentially contacting the blank top panel to lift it above the blank lower panel and contacting the blank leading panel to push it forwardly with respect to the bottom panel to thereby further unfold the blank during a portion of each revolution of the shafts;
and
g. third conveyor means downstream from the unfolding station operated in timed relation to the second conveyor means and to the expansion arm means for cooperating with the expansion arm means to unfold the blank at the unfolding station and for propelling open cartons downstream from the unfolding station.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Carton opening apparatus

Life of this patent

Carton opening apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14