Abstract:
A method for opening perforations in an perforated article having a perforated lid exerts an impact force on an end portion of the perforated lid. A separator member is used to capture the perforated lid and then retract for separating the perforated lid from the main portion of the article.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 09/430,455, filed Oct. 29, 1999, by John A. Spina, et al., and entitled, “Apparatus For Opening A Perforated Article, Such As A Corrugated Box;” and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/430,581, filed Oct. 29, 1999, by John A. Spina, et al., and entitled, “Apparatus And Method For Bursting Perforations On An Article.” 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to the field of perforated articles, and in particular to a method of bursting perforation in the article, such as a box, for accessing the interior without damaging the article. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Packages having perforations that must be broken to access the interior compartment are widely used in the product supply chain. The shipment of some photosensitive products, such as X-ray film, is widely accomplished in corrugated boxes having a perforated lid for accessing the X-ray film product therein. The perforations along the perforated lid and the main body of the corrugated box must be at least partially burst so that access to the product can be easily achieved. Presently, such perforations along the perforated lid are burst by any one of several ways including manually by hand or by equipment that applies opposing forces to an end of the corrugated box body and the perforated lid. In some instances, products such as X-ray film may be shipped in a corrugated box having the perforated lid pre-separated from the main body of the box. However, experience indicates that each of the aforementioned practices of shipping products in a package with a perforated lid has well known shortcomings and, therefore is undesirable for select applications, such as where an adhesive product label is used to rejoin the separated perforated lid with the main box body. 
     Removing the perforated box lid manually by hand is known to introduce unacceptable ergonomic problems for the operator. Suppliers who ship the corrugated boxes with the perforated lid removed introduce an expensive alternative because the product, i.e., the X-ray film, would have to be introduced into the box and then a product label applied. Moreover, in this latter instance, the perforated lid may not properly align with the main body of the corrugated box when it is desirable to reseal the box. 
     Known methods and apparatus for opening a lid of a box include that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,562, by Nagaoka et al., Nov. 8, 1994, and titled, “Method And Apparatus For Opening Lid Of Box” in which a gas is injected into the upper lid of the box that causes the lid to separate from the body of the box. Nagaoka et al., however, does not teach or suggest removing a perforated lid from a corrugated box. 
     Therefore, there persists a need for an apparatus and method for bursting perforations on an article, such as a corrugated box, that solves the aforementioned problems in the art. 
     Therefore, there persists a need for an apparatus and method for bursting perforations on an article, such as a corrugated box, that solves the aforementioned problems in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a method opening a perforated article by applying a controlled impact force to the perforations. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a method that uses dual burst members for bursting perforations arranged on the box. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide a method for bursting perforation includes applying a peel strip to the removed perforated lid so that the perforated lid can be reattached to the box for use by the end user. 
     To achieve one or more of the objects, features and advantages of the invention, there is provided a method of opening a perforated article having a main body portion and a perforated lid, said perforated lid being separable from said main body portion at perforations along the periphery of said main body portion, said method comprising the steps of: 
     arranging the article for exposure to an impact force; 
     providing a means for bursting said perforations by applying an impact force to a portion of said perforated article; 
     moving the means for bursting into engaging contact with at least an end portion of said perforated lid for at least partially bursting said perforations; 
     removing the means for bursting from said perforated lid after at least partially bursting said perforations; 
     moving a separator member into secure engaging contact with said perforated lid; 
     retracting said separator member having said perforated lid securely engaged thereto away from said at least partially burst perforations thereby separating said perforated lid from said main body portion along said at least partially burst perforations. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when taken in conjunction with the following description and drawings wherein identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical features that are common to the figures, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the apparatus of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an elevated side view of the apparatus with a burst member engaging the perforated lid; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevated side view of the apparatus with another of the burst members engaging the perforated lid; and, 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of showing the separator member engaging the perforated lid; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of an alternative embodiment having a single, rotatable burst member for bursting perforations; and 
     FIG. 6 is a partial side view of an alternative bursting member. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 14, apparatus  10  for bursting perforations  12  on an article, such as a corrugated box  14  for storing X-ray sheet film, is illustrated. Generally, corrugated box  14  has a main body portion  16  and a perforated lid  18  separable from the main body portion  16  at perforations  12  along the periphery of the main body portion  16 . Generally, apparatus  10  is used to separate or remove the perforated lid  18  from the main body portion  16 . In an alternative embodiment, apparatus  10  is used to detect the separation of the perforated lid  18  from the main body portion  16 . In yet another embodiment of the invention, apparatus  10  is used to replace the removed perforated lid  18  back onto a sleeve portion (not shown) of the main body portion  16  of the box to allow the perforated lid  18  to be easily removed by the end user. 
     Broadly defined apparatus  10  includes a frame  20  having a substantially flat, movable surface or platform  22  for supporting the box  14  with the perforations  12  exposed to receive an impact force. A clamp  24 , or other similar means, is used to secure the box  14  to the substantially flat, moveable surface or platform  22  while the box  14  is experiencing an impact force. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a first retractable burst member  26  and an opposed second retractable burst member or roller  28  are arranged on the frame  20  for vertical movements toward and away from one another along a common axis passing through the first and second burst members. In this configuration, first and second retractable burst members  26 ,  28  are each arranged on frame  20  for applying a predetermined impact force on an end portion  17  of the perforated lid  18 . 
     Alternatively, an air bladder  35  could be used to provide partially burst perforations, as shown in FIG.  6 . Air impacts, shown by arrows in FIG. 6, would have the same effect as the first and second retractable burst members  26 ,  28 . A stop member  13 , 15  may be used to stop the movement of either pneumatic cylinder  40 ,  50 , respectively, after the respective burst members  26 ,  28  engage the perforated lid  18 . 
     Referring again to FIG. 4, a retractable separator member  30  is arranged on the frame  20  for capturing the perforated lid  18  and then separating the perforated lid  18  from the main body portion  16  at the at least partially burst perforations  12 . In the preferred embodiment, separator member  30  comprises a first pneumatic cylinder  33  operably connected to a vacuum suction cup  36 . Vacuum suction cup  36  is also connected to a source of vacuum (not shown) for grasping an end portion  23  of the perforated lid  18 . 
     In FIGS. 1-3, means, such as second and third pneumatic cylinders  40 ,  50 , is operably connected to the first and second retractable burst members  26 ,  28 , respectively. Second pneumatic cylinder  40  moves the first retractable burst member  26  into engaging contact with end portion  17  of the perforated lid  18 . After burst member  26  applies a predetermined impact force on end portion  17 , second pneumatic cylinder  40  then retracts first burst member  26  vertically away from the perforated lid  18 . This impact force produces at least partially burst first perforations  46  on the article  14  near where the first retractable burst member  26  impacted the perforated lid  18 . Similarly, third pneumatic cylinder  50  is adapted to move second retractable burst member  28  into engaging contact with a predetermined impact force with an end portion  19  of perforated lid  18  opposite the end portion  17 . As a result of this force of impact, at least partially burst second perforations  48  are produced nearest the second retractable burst member  28 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-6, a vacuum sensor  56  is used to sense when the perforated lid  18  is actually separated from the main body portion  16  by the retractable separator member  30 . Vacuum sensor  56  is operably connected proximate to the vacuum suction cup  36 . 
     In operations, an article, for instance a corrugated box  14  having a perforated lid  18 , is transported to the apparatus  10  of the invention and positioned properly between the first retractable burst member  26 , the second retractable burst member  28 , and the retractable separator member  30 . A box clamp  24  may be used to hold the box  14  securely against the substantially flat moveable surface or platform  22 . As shown in FIG. 2, the first retractable burst member  26  is extended against an end portion  17  of the perorated lid  18 , breaking the top portions of perforations  12  and approximately 60% of the side portions perforations  12  of the perforated lid  18 , then retracted. As shown in FIG. 3, the second retractable burst member  28  is extended against an end portion  19  opposite end portion  17  of the perforated lid  18 , breaking the bottom perforations and the remaining side perforations, then retracted. Next, the separator member  30  is extended against the perforated lid  18  and vacuum is applied to the vacuum suction cup  36 . The separator member  30  is then retracted, breaking any residual fibers and separating the perforated lid  18  from the main body portion  16  of the box  14 . Once the separator member  30  is detected, retracted and vacuum is detected via the vacuum sensor  56 , separation of the perforated lid  18  from the main body portion  16  of box  14  has been achieved. If either vacuum sensor  56  or retraction sensor (not shown) for detecting retraction of the pneumatic cylinder  33  does not properly detect appropriate signals, the perforated lid  18  has not been separated and the process could be retried. However, once the perforated lid  18  is successfully separated, separator member  30  is extended, vacuum is turned off, the separator member  30  is retracted, and the perforated lid  18  is now in position to have a peel seal label (not shown) applied. 
     The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     PARTS LIST: 
       10  box bursting apparatus 
       12  perforations 
       13  stop member 
       14  corrugated box (article) 
       15  stop member 
       16  main body portion of box  14   
       17  end portion of the perforated lid  18  of box  14   
       18  perforated lid of box  14   
       19  end portion of the perforated lid  18  of box  14   
       20  frame 
       22  substantially flat moveable surface (platform) 
       23  end portion of the perforated lid  18   
       24  clamp 
       25  rotary mechanism 
       26  first retractable burst member (roller) 
       28  second retractable burst member (roller) 
       30  retractable separator member 
       35  first pneumatic cylinder 
       35  air bladder 
       36  vacuum suction cup 
       40  second pneumatic cylinder 
       46  partially burst first perforations 
       48  partially burst second perforations 
       50  third pneumatic cylinder 
       56  vacuum sensor