Carton, a blank for producing a carton, and methods and apparatus for erecting, closing, and sealing a carton

Apparatus for closing and sealing a carton having a bottom surface, first and second side surfaces extending upwardly from first and second sides of the bottom surface respectively, first and second end surfaces extending upwardly from first and second ends of the bottom surface respectively and bridging opposite ends of the first and second side surfaces, first and second top panels extending upwardly from the first and second side surfaces respectively, and first and second fold-in panels extending upwardly from the first and second end surfaces respectively and bridging opposite ends of the first and second top panels, said apparatus comprising:

• means defining a movement path;
• a substantially V shaped centering member having two arms, with a central opening between the arms, each arm having a first end and a second end, the arm first ends being spaced apart to form the wide end of the V shape, with sufficient width to permit the carton to enter the central opening, and the arm second ends being connected together to form the point of the V shape;
• means pivotally mounting the centering member wide end above the movement path with the centering member point hanging down toward the movement path, to permit the carton to enter the central opening of the centering member so that the arms contact the carton to center the carton on the movement path and fold all the top panels over the carton simultaneously, with the carton fold-in panels folding inwardly beneath the top panels, thereby closing the top of the carton;
• a second substantially V shaped member having two arms, with a central opening between the arms, each arm of the second V shaped member having a first end and a second end, the arm first ends of the second V shaped member being spaced apart to form the wide end of the V shape, and the arm second ends of the second V shaped member being connected together to form the point of the V shape;
• means pivotally mounting the second V shaped member wide end above the movement path with the second V shaped member point hanging down toward the movement path;
• a sealing arm;
• means pivotally mounting the first end of the sealing arm above the central opening of the second V shaped member with the second end of the sealing member hanging down through the central opening of the second V shared member toward the movement path;
• and
• a seal dispenser mounted on the second end of the sealing arm to contact the closed top of the carton as the carton moves on the movement path and dispense a sealing material onto adjacent edges of the top panels, sealing the first and second top panels together to seal the closed carton.

A method of sealing a closed carton having a bottom surface, first and second side surfaces extending upwardly from first and second sides of the bottom surface respectively, first and second end surfaces extending upwardly from first and second ends of the bottom surface respectively and bridging opposite ends of the side surfaces, and first and second top panels extending over the carton from the first and second side surfaces respectively to close the top of the carton, said method comprising:

• providing a movement path beneath a central opening formed between the arms of a substantially V shaped member having two arms, each arm of the V shaped member having a first end and a second end, the arm first ends of the V shaped member being spaced apart to form the wide end of the V shape, and the arm second ends of the V shaped member being connected together to form the point of the V shape, the V shaped member wide end being pivotally mounted above the movement path, and the V shaped member point hanging down toward the movement path, the V shaped member further having a sealing arm with a first end pivotally mounted above the central opening of the V shaped member and a second end hanging down through the central opening of the V shaped member toward the movement path and having a seal dispenser thereon, said method comprising:
• advancing the closed carton along the movement path and beneath the central opening of the V shaped member to cause the seal dispenser to contact the closed top of the carton as the carton moves on the movement path and dispense a sealing material onto adjacent edges of the top panels, sealing the first and second top panels together to seal the closed carton.

Apparatus for sealing a closed carton having a bottom surface, first and second side surfaces extending upwardly from first and second sides of the bottom surface respectively, first and second end surfaces extending upwardly from first and second ends of the bottom surface respectively and bridging opposite ends of the first and second side surfaces, and first and second top panels extending over the carton from the first and second side surfaces respectively to close the top of the carton, said apparatus, comprising:

• means defining a movement path;
• a substantially V shaped member having two arms, with a central opening between the arms, each arm of the V shaped member having a first end and a second end, the arm first ends being spaced apart to form the wide end of the V shape, and the arm second ends being connected together to form the point of the V shape;
• means pivotally mounting the V shaped member wide end above the movement path with the V shaped member point hanging down toward the movement path;
• a sealing arm;
• means pivotally mounting the first end of the sealing arm above the central opening of the V shaped member with the second end of the sealing member hanging down through the central opening of the V shaped member toward the movement path;
• and
• a seal dispenser mounted on the second end of the sealing arm to contact the closed top of the carton as the carton moves on the movement path and dispense a sealing material onto adjacent edges of the top panels, sealing the first and second top panels together to seal the closed carton.