Patent Publication Number: US-6656100-B1

Title: Apparatus and methods for finishing graphic containers

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to finishing graphic containers. More specifically, several aspects of the invention are directed toward methods and apparatus for forming folded containers with or without thin film coverings. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Containers, such as cartons and boxes for a variety of uses, are generally made from paper products or other types of materials. The containers are typically folded and glued so that they can be shipped to a product manufacturer in a flat configuration and then expanded to receive a product. Several types of containers have openings covered by thin transparent films to create windows (e.g., toy containers) or access openings (e.g., tissue boxes), but other types of containers are solid and do not have thin transparent films. In either application, a container “blank” is formed from a sheet with graphics and/or text by stamping the sheet to (a) cut the sheet into a desired pattern and (b) form fold lines on the sheet. The blanks are then subject to a finishing process to attach a thin transparent film to window openings, apply glue to selected areas of the blank, and fold the blank into a finished container. 
     Conventional processes for finishing graphic containers with transparent films use a window patch machine for attaching the film to the blank and a separate fold/glue machine for folding and gluing flaps or panels of the blank. Conventional window patch machines have a feeder, a timed-chain carrier for transporting blanks from the feeder, a pattern glue applicator synchronized with the timed-chain carrier, and a film applicator synchronized with the pattern glue applicator. Conventional window patch machines are initially configured to accommodate a particular blank, and then all of the blanks for a particular container are processed through the window patch machine to attach the transparent film to the blanks. The blanks to which the transparent film patches have been attached are then stored at a separate location to await processing through the fold/glue machine. 
     The fold/glue machine typically has another feeder, a plurality of belt drives, a plurality of fold panels, and a plurality of glue guns. The fold/glue machine has a pre-folding section, a back-folding section, and a final-folding section that each have a different configuration of belt-drives, glue guns, and fold plates for folding and gluing the flaps and/or panels of the blanks. The conventional window patch machines and conventional fold/glue machines accordingly operate completely independent from one another because they are separate machines that use separate feeders and separate transport systems to feed and convey blanks through each of the machines. 
     One concern of finishing graphic containers with transparent films is that conventional processes require two runs to produce a single finished container. It is time-consuming to use two separate runs because the window patch machines and the fold/glue machines must be configured separately before running the blanks through the machines. After processing the blanks through the window patch machine, the blanks are also manually transported and loaded into a separate feeder for processing through the fold/glue machines. Additionally, if both the window patch machines and the fold/glue machines are operated simultaneously, conventional processes generally require two operators to configure and operate the two separate machines. Therefore, conventional processes for finishing graphic containers with separate window patch machines and fold/glue machines are time consuming and inefficient. 
     Another manufacturing concern of conventional processes for finishing graphic containers is that they require a significant amount of floor space. Because the window patch machines and the fold/glue machines are separate from one another, the blanks are stored in separate stacks to await processing the separate window patch and fold/glue machines. The window patch and fold/glue machines must also have individual feeders dedicated to each machine. As a result, a significant amount of floor space is occupied by the additional stacks of blanks and the duplicity of feeders for the separate window patch and fold/glue machines. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an integrated apparatus for forming folded containers in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a top elevation view of the integrated apparatus of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation view illustrating a portion of an integrated apparatus for forming folded containers in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view illustrating a portion of an integrated apparatus for forming folded containers in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation view illustrating a portion of an integrated apparatus for forming folded containers in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following disclosure describes several embodiments of an integrated apparatus for forming folded containers. Many specific details of certain embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following description and in FIGS. 1-5 to provide a thorough understanding of these embodiments. A person skilled in the art, however, will understand that the present invention may have additional embodiments, or that the invention may be practiced without several of the details described below. 
     A. INTEGRATED CONTAINER FINISHING SYSTEMS WITH FILM ATTACHING UNITS AND FOLD/GLUE UNITS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view and FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an integrated apparatus  100  for forming folded containers in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the integrated apparatus  100  includes a film attaching unit  102 , a fold/glue unit  104 , and a transport system  106  extending through both the film attaching unit  102  and the fold/glue unit  104 . The film attaching unit  102  can apply a pattern of glue around an opening of a blank and attach a patch of a thin film to the pattern of glue. The fold/glue unit  104  can receive a blank to which the film patch has been attached directly from the film attaching unit  102  to fold and glue the blank into a finished container. The transport system  106  is common to both the film attaching unit  102  and the fold/glue unit  104  to provide a single-pass operation in which a blank is transported directly from the film attaching unit  102  to the fold/glue unit  104 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the film attaching unit  102  can include a feeder  110  at a feed end of the transport system  106 , a pattern glue applicator  120  operatively coupled to one section of the transport system  106  for applying glue to a blank, and a film applicator  130  operatively coupled to another section of the transport system  106  downstream from the pattern glue applicator  120 . The pattern glue applicator  120  can have a pattern wheel  122  with a glue surface (not shown in FIG. 1) configured in a desired pattern for applying a pattern of glue to a blank. In one embodiment for attaching a film patch to a blank to cover an opening, the pattern wheel  122  is synchronized with the transport system to apply a pattern of glue around the perimeter of the opening in the blank. The pattern glue applicator can alternatively have glue pens or guns that deposit glue in a manner similar to a dot-matrix printer or a jet printer. The embodiment of the film applicator  130  shown in FIG. 1 cuts and attaches a film patch to the blank. The film applicator  130  can also have several alternate embodiments. The film applicator  130 , for example, can alternatively receive pre-cut film patches that it places on the blanks. In general, the film applicator  130  is synchronized with the pattern glue applicator  120  to accurately press a patch of film onto the pattern of glue. Suitable pattern glue applicators  120  and film applicators  130  are available from P. E. Printech Equipment Inc. of British Columbia, Canada. 
     The embodiment of the fold/glue unit  104  shown in FIG. 1 is configured to receive the blank directly from the film attaching unit  102 . The fold/glue unit  104  can have several different sections for folding and gluing together different panels and flaps of the blank to form a container. In one embodiment, for example, the fold/glue unit  104  includes a prefolding section  140   a  that is one part of a backfolding section, a second folding section  140   b  that is another part of the backfolding section, and a final folding section  140   c . It will be appreciated that the fold/glue unit  104  can have other combinations of sections or a different configuration of sections. Each of these sections can have a plurality of glue-guns  142  (shown schematically) and fold-members  144  (also shown schematically), such as hooks, fold-plates and air nozzles. The glue-guns  142  and fold-members  144  in the sections  140   a-c  of fold/glue unit  104  can be configured according to the particular container to fold, glue and attach flaps or panels of the blank to one another. 
     Still referring to FIG. 1, the transport system  106  couples the film attaching unit  102  to the fold/glue unit  104  so that the integrated apparatus  100  can (a) attach a film to the blank and/or (b) fold the blank into a finished container in a single-run operation. The transport system  106  can include a plurality of non-synchronized carriers  160  and a synchronized carrier  180 . The non-synchronized carriers  160  and the synchronized carrier  180  can be configured to either pass a blank through the film attaching unit  102  without synchronizing the blank with either the pattern glue application  120  or the film applicator  130  for situations in which a film patch is not applied to the blank. The non-synchronized carriers  160  and the synchronized carrier  180  can also be configured to synchronize the blanks with the pattern glue applicator  120  for applying a pattern of glue to the blank and for attaching a film patch to the pattern of glue. In one embodiment, the synchronized carrier  180  is only in the film attaching unit  102  and the non-synchronized carriers  160  are in both the film attaching unit  102  and the fold/glue unit  104 . The glue-guns  142 , fold-members  144 , non-synchronized carriers  160  and the synchronized carrier  180  can be raised/lowered and moved side-to-side (FIG. 2) to configure the film attaching unit  102  and the fold/glue unit  104  for forming different types of blanks into containers. The non-synchronized carriers  160  can be belt-drives known in the art, and the synchronized carrier  180  can be a timed-chain carrier also known in the art. Several embodiments of the non-synchronized carriers  160 , the synchronized carrier  180 , the pattern glue applicator  120 , and the film applicator  130  are described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 3-5. 
     The integrated apparatus  100  can form containers having a film patch over an opening by placing a plurality of blanks in the feeder  110  and transporting the blanks through the film attaching unit  102  and the fold/glue unit  104  without removing the blanks from the transport system  106 . In one application, for example, a feed carrier defined by the non-synchronized carrier  160  adjacent to the feeder  110  transports a blank to the synchronized carrier  180 . The synchronized carrier  180  delivers the blank to the pattern glue applicator  120  in synchronization with the pattern wheel  122  to precisely apply a pattern of glue to the blank (e.g, around the perimeter of an opening). Another non-synchronized carrier  160  at the pattern glue applicator  120  transports the blank with the pattern of glue to the film applicator  130 , which applies a film patch to the glue around the opening. Still another non-synchronized carrier  160  immediately downstream from the film applicator  130  engages the blank and initiates the transport of the blank through the fold/glue unit  104 . The remaining downstream non-synchronized carriers  160  accordingly transport the blank through the glue guns  142  and the fold-members  144  of the sections  140   a-c  of the fold/glue unit  104  to fold and glue the panels and flaps of the blank together. As set forth in more detail below, the non-synchronized carriers  160  and the synchronized carrier  180  in the film attaching unit  102  of an embodiment of the integrated apparatus  100  can be configured with respect to the pattern glue applicator  120  and the film applicator  130  to: (a) bypass the pattern glue applicator  120  and film applicator  130  for delivering a blank directly from the feeder  110  to the fold/glue unit  104  in applications that do not apply a film patch to the blanks; (b) apply only a pattern of glue to the blank without applying a film patch to the blank; and/or (c) apply both a pattern of glue to the blank and a film patch to the patterned glue on the blank. 
     One advantage of several embodiments of the integrated apparatus  100  is that it is expected to reduce labor costs and overhead for producing containers with film coverings. Unlike conventional processes that use separate window patch machines and separate fold/glue machines, several embodiments of the integrated apparatus  100  combine the film attaching unit  102  and the fold/glue unit  104  with a single transport system  106 . A single operator can accordingly simultaneously run the integrated apparatus  100  to perform both the window attaching and the folding/gluing operations for forming a container with a film patch over an opening in the container. Several embodiments of the integrated apparatus  100  are also expected to reduce the floor space required for producing containers with a thin film patch because a single feeder can provide blanks to both the film attaching unit  102  and the fold/glue unit  104 . Additionally, several embodiments of the integrated apparatus  100  provide an efficient use of floor space because they eliminate the need for storing stacks of blanks for processing through a separate fold/glue machine. Therefore, several embodiments of the integrated apparatus  100  are expected to reduce the labor costs and overhead for forming containers with thin film patches over openings. 
     Another advantage of several embodiments of the integrated apparatus  100  is that they are expected to reduce the processing time for fabricating containers with thin film coverings compared to conventional two-step finishing processes. By transporting the blanks along a single transport system  106  through both the film attaching unit  102  and the fold/glue unit  104 , several embodiments of the integrated apparatus  100  eliminate the process of manually transporting the blanks from one machine to another and loading the blanks into a feeder for a separate fold-glue machine. As a result, several embodiments of the integrated apparatus  100  are expected to significantly reduce the processing time for fabricating containers with film patches over openings. 
     B. SELECTIVELY CONFIGURABLE FILM ATTACHING UNITS 
     The integrated apparatus  100  is preferably configurable so that it can process blanks with or without film patches. FIG. 3 is a side elevation view and FIG. 4 is an isometric view partially illustrating an embodiment of the film attaching unit  102  for use in connection with the fold/glue unit  104  in an embodiment of the integrated apparatus  100 . Referring to FIG. 3, the non-synchronized carriers  160  in the film attaching unit  102  can comprise a feed carrier  160   a  that receives blanks from the feeder  110  (FIG.  1 ); a first configurable non-synchronized adjustable carrier  160   b  generally aligned with the synchronized carrier  180 ; a second configurable non-synchronized carrier  160   c  downstream from the synchronized carrier  180 ; and a third configurable non-synchronized carrier  160   d  at the beginning of the fold/glue unit  104  immediately downstream from the film applicator  130 . The non-synchronized carriers  160  can include a belt  162  wrapped around a plurality of guide rollers  164  with a belt tension roller  166 . The non-synchronized carriers  160  can also include a plurality of surface rollers  168  to press the belt  162  against the blanks in the transport system  106 . Additionally, the configurable non-synchronized carriers  160   b-d  can have lift assemblies  169  to selectively raise and lowered the carriers  160   b-d  for configuring the operation of the film attaching unit  102 . 
     In operation, the first configurable non-synchronized carrier  160   b  can be positioned in a lowered position (not shown) in which the belt  162  engages a blank in a manner to cause the blank to bypass the synchronized carrier  180 . The first configurable non-synchronized carrier  160   b  can also be positioned in a raised position in which the feeder carrier  160   a  delivers a blank to the synchronized carrier  180  for synchronizing the blank with respect to the pattern glue applicator  120  and the film applicator  130 . The belts  162 , the rollers  164 - 168 , and the lift assemblies  169  are known in the art of non-synchronized belt-type carriers. 
     The synchronized carrier  180  can have a timed-chain  182  wrapped around a plurality of guide sprockets  184 . The timed-chain  182  has a plurality of individual stops (not shown) that are configured to engage a blank and move the blank along the transport system  106  at known intervals. The synchronized carrier  180  can alternatively be a belt feed system similar to feed systems for automatic-feed copiers. As such, the synchronized carrier  180  can be any suitable carrier capable of receiving a blank and advancing the blank along the transport system at selected intervals. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 together, the pattern wheel  122  of the pattern glue unit has a pattern surface  124 . The pattern glue unit  120  of this embodiment also has a glue reservoir  126  and a pick-up wheel  128  in contact with glue in the glue reservoir  126 . In operation, the reservoir  126  deposits a layer of glue on the pick-up wheel  128 , which applies a layer of the glue to the pattern surface  124  on the pattern wheel  122 . The pattern surface  124  on the pattern wheel  122  is synchronized with the timed-chain  182  of the synchronized carrier  180  (FIG. 3) so that the pattern surface  124  applies a pattern of glue  195  (FIG. 4) around an opening  196  on a blank  197  (FIG.  4 ). 
     The embodiment of the film applicator  130  shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 has a plurality of rollers  132  including a supply roller  132 a carrying a roll of film  134 , a plurality of idler rollers  132   b  to guide the film  134 , and a plurality of drive rollers  132 c to advance the film  134 . The film applicator  130  can also include a film cutter  135  having a blade  136  and a film applicator assembly  150 . As best shown in FIG. 3, the film applicator assembly  150  includes a perforated cylinder  152  that rotates about a shaft  153  having a blow-off section  154  and a vacuum section  155 . In operation, the vacuum section  155  of the shaft  153  draws a vacuum around a majority of the circumference of the perforated cylinder  152  to hold the film  134  against the perforated cylinder  152 . The cutting blade  136  of the film cutter  135  cuts a film patch  198  (FIG. 4) from the section of the film  134  held on the perforated cylinder  152  by the vacuum section  155 . As a leading edge of the film patch  198  moves under the shaft  153 , a blank  197  with a pattern glue  195  around an opening  196  is accordingly positioned under the perforated cylinder  152  in a synchronized manner so that the leading edge of the film patch  198  presses against the leading edge of the patterned glue  195 . The blow-off portion  154  of the shaft  153  drives the film patch  198  from the perforated cylinder  152  in synchronization with pressing the film patch  198  against the pattern glue  195  on the blank  197 . A blank  199  to which a film patch  198  has been attached accordingly exits the film applicator  130  and is transported by the third configurable non-synchronized carrier  160   d  (FIG. 3) to the pre-fold section  140   a  (FIG.  1 ). 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the film attaching unit  102  shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 from an opposite side such that the processing path P goes from left-to-right. In this configuration, the first configurable non-synchronized carrier  160   b  is in the lowered or bypass position in which it carries a blank past the synchronized carrier  180 . Additionally, the pattern glue applicator  120  and the film applicator  130  are in raised positions in which they cannot apply a pattern of glue or a film patch to a blank. In one embodiment of the bypass configuration or the pattern glue only configuration, the transport system  106  can also include a non-synchronized bearing unit  170  between  160   c  and  160   d . The non-synchronized bearing unit  170  has a plurality of bearing  172 . In operation the non-synchronized bearing unit  170  is lowered and the film applicator  130  is raised when the film application unit  120  does not attach a film patch to the blank. The non-synchronized bearing unit  170  is raised and the film applicator  130  is lowered to apply a film patch to the blank. FIG. 5 accordingly illustrates a configuration of the film attaching unit  102  in which the non-synchronized carriers  160   a-c  pass a blank through the film attaching unit  102  without either applying a glue pattern to the blank or attaching a film patch to the blank. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the film attaching unit  102  can accordingly be configured into (a) a bypass configuration, (b) a pattern glue configuration, and/or (c) a film application configuration. FIG. 5 illustrates the transport system  106  with the non-synchronized carriers  160   a-c , the synchronized carrier  180 , the pattern glue applicator  120 , and the film applicator  130  positioned to allow the blank to bypass the pattern glue applicator  120  and the film applicator  130 . This configuration is typically used in applications that do not apply a pattern of glue or a film patch to a container, such as containers that do not include windows. Referring to FIG. 3, the first configurable non-synchronized carrier  160   b  is raised so that a blank is controlled by the synchronized carrier  180  to synchronize the blank with the pattern glue applicator  120 . In this configuration, the pattern glue applicator  120  can apply a pattern of glue to the blank and the film applicator  130  can apply a film patch to the pattern of glue, or the pattern glue applicator  120  can apply a pattern of glue to the blank and the film applicator  130  can be in a raised position (not shown in FIG. 3) so that a film patch is not applied to the pattern of glue. 
     One advantage of the embodiment of the film attaching unit  102  shown in FIGS. 3-5 is that the transport system  106  can be configured to allow the integrated apparatus  100  to form either (a) a container with a film patch, (b) a container with a particular glue pattern that cannot be achieved with glue guns in the fold/glue unit  104 , or (c) a container without a film patch. The integrated apparatus  100 , therefore, is not limited to producing only containers that have transparent films, but it can also be used to produce other types of containers without transparent film patches. As a result, the integrated apparatus  100  provides a flexible machine that can be selectively configured to produce virtually any type of container, with or without film patches, in single-run processing. 
     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the pattern glue unit  102  can be a different type of mechanism that is capable of being synchronized with the blanks and depositing a pattern of glue. The synchronized carrier  180  can also be a different mechanism, or it can even be eliminated by substituting an optical timing system to activate and synchronize the pattern glue applicator  120  with the blank. Other embodiments can also have different types of fold/glue units with different configurations of sections. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.