Patent ID: 9452852
Filing Date: 2016-09-27
CPC Classification: B65B

Claim Text:
1. A case sealer, comprising: a frame assembly having an infeed end and an outfeed end; a top head assembly coupled to move substantially vertically with respect to the frame assembly, the top head assembly having a first end corresponding to the infeed end and a second end corresponding to the outfeed end; a sensor positioned at the first end of the top head assembly for sensing a front face and a top face of a case to be sealed; a bottom drive coupled to the frame assembly and a top drive coupled to the top head assembly, the bottom drive configured to engage a bottom surface of a case and the top drive configured to engage a top surface of a case, wherein the bottom and top drives convey a case to be sealed past one or more tape cartridges associated with the frame assembly; and a controller for moving the top head assembly substantially vertically when the sensor senses the front face of the case and for preventing the substantially vertical movement of the top head assembly when the sensor senses the top face of the case, wherein the sensor includes a front sensing paddle for sensing the front face of the case and a top sensing paddle for sensing a top face of the case and the controller is configured to move the top head assembly substantially vertically in response to the front sensing paddle sensing the front face of the case, wherein the front sensing paddle is configured to be disposed in a front facing direction towards an infeed of the case sealer, and wherein the controller is configured to prevent substantially upward vertical movement of the top head assembly in response to the top sensing paddle sensing the top face of the case, wherein the top sensing paddle is configured to be disposed in a bottom facing direction behind the front sensing paddle.