Mini case erector

A method of erecting a case with a case erector having an erection station, the case having four faces, a trailing flap, a leading flap, a top flap and a bottom flap, comprising the steps of:

• a. loading the case into the case erector where it is gravity fed to the erection station in a closed, vertical position;
• b. pulling the case from its closed, vertical position, opening and positioning the case at the erection station;
• c. folding the leading and trailing flaps inwardly while the case is at the erection station;
• d. folding the top flap downwardly while the case is at the erection station;
• e. advancing the case partially away from the erection station;
• f. folding the bottom flap as the case is being advanced from the erection station;
• and
• g. advancing the case from the erection station until it is ejected from the case erector.

An apparatus for erecting cases from flat blanks having leading and trailing minor flaps and top and bottom major flaps, the apparatus comprising:

• a. a frame having a deck, an input end, and an output end;
• b. a hopper attached to the frame and disposed at the input end of the frame, said hopper having a loading end, a feed end, and guide members arranged and configured to receive a plurality of the flat blanks;
• c. a vacuum arm attached to the frame and disposed near the feed end of the hopper, said arm having vacuum suction cups and means to supply a vacuum of air to pull the flat cases from the feed end of the hopper into a tubular configuration with four faces, one of said faces being against the deck;
• d. a trailing minor flap folder attached to the frame and arranged and configured to fold the trailing minor flap of a case after it has been pulled from the hopper, said trailing minor flap folder disposed on one side of the case puller near the feed end of the hopper;
• e. a leading minor flap folder attached to the frame and arranged and configured to fold the leading minor flap of a case after it has been pulled from the hopper, said leading minor flap folder disposed on the same side of the case puller as the trailing minor flap folder being positioned nearer the output end of the frame than the trailing minor flap folder;
• f. a top major flap folder attached to the frame and positioned above the deck near the feed end of the hopper for folding the top major flap after a case has been pulled from the hopper;
• g. a bottom major flap folder attached to the frame and disposed beneath the deck, said bottom major flap folder being arranged and configured to rise partially above the deck to fold the bottom major flap;
• h. a case pusher bar coupled to the frame for advancing a case out of the output end of the frame;
• and
• i. a tape applicator coupled to the frame and disposed above the deck adjacent to the bottom major flap folder, said applicator arranged and configured to apply a strip of pressure sensitive tape to across the major flaps, extending parallel to the deck.

An apparatus for erecting cases from flat blanks having a pair of minor flaps and a pair of major flaps, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a frame having a deck, an input end, and an output end;
• (b) a hopper attached to the frame, disposed at the input end of the frame, for holding a plurality of flattened case blanks, the hopper having a loading end and a feed end;
• (c) a case puller attached to the frame and disposed near the input end of said frame for pulling flattened cases one at a time from the feed end of the hopper into a tubular configuration with four faces, one of said faces lying on said deck, the puller being disposed beneath the deck when not actuated;
• (d) a trailing flap folder attached to the frame and disposed on one side of the case puller near the feed end of the hopper;
• (e) a leading flap folder attached to the frame and disposed on the same side of the case puller as the trailing flap folder nearer the output end of the frame than the trailing flap folder, the leading flap folder including means for moving beneath the deck when not actuated;
• (f) a top flap folder attached to the frame and positioned above the deck near the feed end of the hopper above the leading flap folder;
• (g) a bottom flap folder attached to the frame and disposed beneath the deck nearer the output end of the frame than the leading flap folder, said bottom flap folder being arranged and configured to rise partially above the deck to fold the bottom flap of said tubular case lying on said deck;
• and
• (h) a case advancement mechanism coupled to the frame for advancing cases from the input end to the output end of said frame beyond the leading flap folder.