Tray erector

An automated erector for erecting a tray having corners from a generally flat blank, the blank having a bottom panel bounded by end and side score lines, first and second end panels connected to the opposite ends of the bottom panel at the respective end score lines, first and second side panels connected to the opposite sides of the bottom panel at the respective side score lines, and corner webs adjacent each corner of the bottom panel between an adjacent end and side panel each corner web having a top lock, each of the first and second end panels having a flap panel flap panel connected to each end panel by a hinged fold joint having a retaining slit for receiving the top locks of the adjacent corner web, said erector comprising:

• (a) an inventory section including a hopper having bent flanges, a bottom guide and a tab stop capable of holding back a stack of blanks;
• (b) a construction section including a setup assembly and a locking assembly, said construction section capable of transforming the blank into the erected tray;
• (c) a transfer section that transfers a blank from said hopper to said construction section, said transfer section including a transfer mechanism to transfer the blank from a pick-up position to a release position;
• and
• (d) an exit section where the tray exits the automated erector;
• said setup assembly of said construction section (b) being capable of folding the first and second end panels of the blank approximately 90 degrees from the plane of the bottom panel about the respective end score lines, and being capable of folding the first and second side panels of the blank approximately 90 degrees from the plane of the bottom panel about the respective side score fines, wherein while the first and second end and side panels are being folded, the corner webs extend out to form corner flaps each having a top lock;
• said locking assembly of said construction section (b) incorporating actuators with flippers mounted on said actuators, said flippers being capable of folding the corner flaps against the folded end panels, wherein the folding of the corner flaps provide the tray with leakproof corners;
• and
• said locking assembly further incorporating a flap panel locking mechanism being capable of lowering the flap panel over the corner flaps so the top locks of the corner flaps are engaged in the retaining slit in the hinged fold joint.

A method of folding a generally flat blank into a tray having corners with an automated erector, the blank having a bottom panel bounded by end and side score lines, first and second end panels connected to the opposite ends of the bottom panel at the respective end score lines, first and second side panels connected to the opposite sides of the bottom panel at the respective side score lines, and corner webs adjacent each corner of the bottom panel between an adjacent end and side panel each corner web having a top lock, each of the first and second end panels having a flap panel, with a flap panel connected to each end panel by a hinged fold joint having a retaining slit for receiving the top locks of the adjacent corner web, said method comprising the steps of

• (a) providing an inventory of blanks in a hopper having bent flanges and a tab stop, said hopper capable of storing an inventory of stacked blanks, said tab stop extending into contact with a bottom blank of the stacked blanks, holding back the stack of stacked blanks;
• (b) transferring the bottom blank of the inventory of blanks to a construction section, said step of transferring using a transfer mechanism to transfer the blank from a pick-up position to a release position and a grasping mechanism to releasably grasp the bottom blank at the pick-up position, wherein said transfer mechanism transfers the bottom blank forward against said bent flanges of said hopper where said grasping mechanism releases the bottom blank at the release position;
• (c) folding the first and second end panels of the blank approximately 90 degrees from the plane of the bottom panel about the respective end score lines, and folding the first and second side panels of the blank approximately 90 degrees from the plane of the bottom panel about the respective side score lines, wherein while the first and second end and side panels are being folded, the corner webs extend out to form flaps each having a top lock;
• (d) folding the corner flaps against the folded end panels with flippers mounted on actuators panels, wherein the folding of the corner flaps provide the tray with leakproof corners;
• and
• (e) folding each flap panel downward over the corner flaps so the top locks of the corner flaps are engaged in the retaining slit in the hinged fold joint.

A method of foldably constructing a tray with an automated erector comprising the following steps:

• (a) providing a blank having leak-proof corner constructions, the blank having a bottom panel bounded by end and side score lines, first and second end panels connected to the opposite ends of the bottom panel at the respective end score lines, first and second side panels connected to the opposite sides of the bottom panel at the respective side score lines, and the leak-proof corner constructions, the corner constructions being corner webs adjacent each corner of the bottom panel between an adjacent end and side panel, each corner web having a top lock, each of the first and second end panels having a flap panel, with a flap panel connected to each end panel by a hinged fold joint having a retaining slit for receiving the top locks of the adjacent corner webs;
• (b) folding the first and second end panels and the first and second side panels of the blank with the automated erector, the automated erector folding the first and second end panels of the blank approximately 90 degrees from the plane of the bottom panel about the respective end score lines, and folding the first and second side panels of the blank approximately 90 degrees from the plane of the bottom panel about the respective side score lines, wherein while the first and second end and side panels are being folded, the corner webs extend out to form flaps each having a top lock;
• (c) folding the leak-proof corner constructions with the automated erector against the folded end panels such that the corner constructions remain leakproof upon folding;
• and
• (d) folding downward each flap panel, and over the corner flaps, with the automated erector so the top locks of the corner flaps are engaged in the retaining slit in the hinged fold joint.