Patent ID: 7331154

Claim:
A box sealing apparatus for sealing a box having four top flaps initially disposed in an open position, said apparatus comprising: a conveying system configured to convey the box from a first end of the apparatus to a second end of the apparatus; a flap folding system configured to convey the top flaps of the box into folded and horizontal positions as the box is conveyed from a first end of the apparatus to a second end of the apparatus, the flap folding system comprising a first flap folding member configured to fold a fourth top flap of the box, a second flap folding member configured to fold a second top flap of the box, and a pair of oppositely disposed side flap folding members configured to fold a first and third top flaps of the box so as to abut each other, wherein each of the pair of oppositely disposed side flap folding members is twisted to have a vertical first end and a horizontal second end, and a mechanism for adjusting a vertical position of the horizontal second ends of the oppositely disposed flap folding members based on the height of the box without adjusting a vertical position of the vertical first ends; and a tape dispensing system configured to dispense tape across at least a portion of the third and fourth top flaps of the box in order to maintain the third and fourth top flaps in abutment with each other, thereby sealing the box.