Apparatus and methods for finishing graphic containers

An integrated apparatus for forming folded containers, comprising:

• a film attaching unit having a pattern glue applicator for applying a pattern of glue to a blank and a film applicator operatively coupled to the pattern glue applicator to apply a film to the blank;
• a fold/glue unit configured to receive the blank directly from the film attaching unit, the fold/glue unit having a plurality of fold-members for folding portions of the blank and at least one glue gun for applying glue to portions of the blank;
• a blank transport system having a synchronized carrier to transport the blank through a portion of the film attaching unit and a plurality of non-synchronized carriers to transport the blank through the film attaching unit and/or the fold/glue unit without removing the blank from the transport system;
• at least a first non-synchronized carrier in the film attaching unit generally aligned with the synchronized carrier, the first non-synchronized carrier being a belt-carrier movable between a bypass position in which the first non-synchronized carrier transports the blank past the synchronized carrier without synchronizing the blank with the pattern glue applicator;
• a second non-synchronized carrier downstream from the synchronized carrier and in the region of the pattern glue applicator, the second non-synchronized carrier receiving the blank from either (a) the synchronized carrier for applying a pattern glue onto the blank or (b) the first non-synchronized carrier for passing the blank through the pattern glue applicator without applying a pattern of glue to the blank;
• and
• a plurality of non-synchronized carriers downstream from the film applicator in the fold/glue unit.

An integrated apparatus for forming folded containers, comprising:

• a film attaching unit having a pattern glue applicator for applying a pattern of glue to a blank and a film applicator operatively coupled to the pattern glue applicator to apply a film to the blank;
• a fold/glue unit configured to receive the blank directly from the film attaching unit, the fold/glue unit having a plurality of fold-members for folding portions of the blank and at least one glue gun for applying glue to portions of the blank;
• a blank transport system having a synchronized carrier to transport the blank through a portion of the film attaching unit and a plurality of non-synchronized carriers to transport the blank through the film attaching unit and/or the fold/glue unit without removing the blank from the transport system;
• a single feeder upstream from the film attaching unit, the single feeder providing blanks to the film attaching unit that are subsequently transported by the transport system to the fold/glue unit;
• and
• a first set of belt carriers including a feed belt carrier immediately downstream from the feeder and a first configurable belt carrier, the feed belt carrier and the first configurable belt carrier being over the synchronized carrier, and the first configurable belt carrier being moveable into (a) a bypass position to carry a blank past the synchronized carrier for bypassing the pattern glue applicator and the film applicator and (b) a synchronized position to feed the blank to the synchronized carrier for processing the blank through the pattern glue applicator and/or the film applicator.