A method of automatically erecting a carton from a carton blank comprising a pair of blanks, each blank including a side panel having substantially parallel first and second end edges and substantially parallel top and bottom edges extending substantially perpendicular to the end edges;
- an end panel having first and second side edges substantially parallel with the side panel end edges and having substantially parallel top and bottom edges, said end panel extending from said side panel with the end panel first side edge joined to the side panel second end edge to define a first 90° fold line and with the end panel top and bottom edges being extensions of the side panel top and bottom edges respectively;
- a top panel having first and second side edges substantially parallel with the side panel top edge, and having substantially parallel first and second end edges, said top panel extending from said side panel with the top panel first side edge joined to the side panel top edge to define a second 90° fold line and with the top panel first and second end edges being extensions of the side panel first and second edge edges respectively;
- a bottom panel having first and second side edges substantially parallel with the side panel bottom edge, and having substantially parallel first and second end edges, said bottom panel extending from said side panel with the bottom panel first side edge joined to the side panel bottom edge to define a third 90° fold line and with the bottom panel first and second end edges being extensions of the side panel first and second end edges respectively;
- a first, top fold-in panel having first and second end edges substantially parallel with the end panel top edge, and having substantially parallel first and second side edges, said first fold-in panel extending from said end panel with the first fold-in panel first end edge joined to the end panel top edge to define a fourth 90° fold line, with the first fold-in panel side edges being extensions of the end panel first and second side edges, respectively, and with the first fold-in panel first side edge joined to the top panel second end edge to define a first 180° fold line;
- a second, bottom fold-in panel having first and second end edges substantially parallel with the end panel bottom edge, and having substantially parallel first and second side edges, said second fold-in panel extending from said end panel with the second fold-in panel first end edge joined to the end panel bottom edge to define a fifth 90° fold line, with the second fold-in panel side edges being extensions of the end panel first and second side edges respectively, and with the second fold-in panel first side edge joined to the bottom panel second end edge to define a second 180° fold line;
- each fold-in panel having 180° fold lines extending from a point on the second end edge thereof substantially midway between the first and second side edges thereof to points at the intersections of the first end edge thereof and the first and second side edges thereof, the pair of blanks overlying each other with the end panel of one blank overlying a portion of and joined to the side panel of the other blank at their respective second side and first end edges and the fold-in panels of the one blank overlying portions of and joined to the top and bottom panels of the other blank at their respective second side and first end edges, the joined panels between the blanks defining further fold lines at their joined edges, said method comprising:
- positioning the carton blank on an erecting surface with a stop member adjacent the end panel of one of the blanks;
- advancing the carton blank in a first direction against the stop member with a first actuator to cause the blanks thereof to form 90° folds on the first 90° fold line, the first and second 180° fold lines and the further fold lines to partially erect a carton;
- applying suction beneath the bottom panel of the underlying one of the blanks;
- advancing the carton blank in a direction perpendicular to the first direction with a second actuator with the suction maintaining the bottom panel of the underlying one of the blanks substantially stationary to cause the blanks to form 90° folds on the 90° fold lines defined between the bottom panels and their adjoining side panels and between the bottom fold-in panels and their adjoining end panels and to form 180° folds on the 180° fold lines in the bottom fold-in panels and on the 180° fold lines and on the further fold lines defined between the bottom fold-in panels and their adjoining bottom panels to close the bottom of the partially erected carton;
- and
- sealing the bottom panels of the two blanks together.