Patent ID: 6418703
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
An apparatus for developing a case, said case having an openable and closeable case body with a hinge and a cover attached on outside front and rear faces of said case body, said apparatus comprising:a case unloading device adapted to unload said case from a case stacking station with a plurality of closed cases stacked at said case stacking station; a case opening device having a first suction cup movable in a vertical direction, second and third suction cups swingable in upward and downward directions, and a pair of claw members, said first suction cup adapted to hold said hinge of said case that has been unloaded from said case stacking station, said second and third suction cups adapted to hold said front and rear faces of said case, respectively, said claw members adapted to engage with two end faces of said case body and unlock said case body from a closed condition; and an insertion space forming device for forming a rhombic insertion space having a rhombic cross section between said case body and said cover, said insertion space forming device having a pair of contact members and a fourth suction cup, said contact members being adapted to contact the two end faces of said case body after it has been opened and to maintain said case body in a flat, reversed V-shaped cross section, and said fourth suction cup being adapted to maintain said cover in a V-shaped cross section, wherein said case unloading device, said case opening device and said insertion space forming device are adapted to transfer said case in substantially one same vertical plane.