Machines, systems, and methods for assembling packaging cases
Systems, machines and methods for erecting cases or cartons from blanks using robotic arms, which includes a magazine of blanks, a robotic arm, a pair of side belts, an automated change-over in which posts of each robotic arm mate up to points on the magazine and side belts as well as a brake assembly to keep the magazine and side belts in place, and a drive controller to provide driven robotic arm movements. The robotic arms: pick the outermost case from the magazine, erect that case from its blank form, fold down the minor panels or flaps, and place the case as formed in the side belts. The robotic arms may automatically change over the machine, making the necessary adjustments, without direct user intervention, such that there is no manual change-over required when using cases of different size or type.
1 . A packaging system for erecting a carton from a folded case blank having joined side panels and end panels, and a lower foldable flap respectively depending from each of the side panels and end panels, the system comprising:
a first robotic arm comprising a multi-axis arm and mounted to a frame at an upper extremity thereof;
a second robotic arm comprising a multi-axis arm and mounted to the frame at an upper extremity thereof at a position spaced from the first robotic arm;
a controller in communication with the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm;
wherein the first robotic arm is configured to engage a first side panel of the folded case blank;
wherein the second robotic arm is spaced apart from the first robotic arm and independently controllable from the first robotic arm, the second robotic arm being configured to engage a second side panel of the folded case blank and separate second side panel from the first side panel while erecting the carton; and
a rail assembly, wherein the first and second robotic arms are configured to engage the lower foldable flaps to the rail assembly in a manner that automatically causes a first opposed pair of the lower foldable flaps to fold in sequence before a second opposed pair of the lower foldable flaps are automatically folded, thereby closing a lower side of the erected carton.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first opposed pair of the lower foldable flaps include a leading end flap and a trailing end flap when placed on the rail assembly, the first and second robotic arms and the rail assembly causing the trailing end flap to fold before the leading end flap.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the second pair of lower foldable flaps further include a pair of longitudinally extending major flap panels extending from first and the second side panels respectively, and wherein the rail assembly includes at least one actuator automatically folding at least one of the longitudinally extending major flap panels as the erected carton is moved along the rail assembly by at least one of the first and second robotic arms.
4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the rail assembly includes at least one element to keep the trailing flap from unfolding as the erected carton is moved along the rail assembly by at least one of the first and second robotic arms.
5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a magazine receiving a number of folded case blanks, wherein only the first robotic arm engages an outermost one of the number of folded case blanks in the magazine in order to remove the outermost one of the number of folded case blanks from the magazine.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the second robotic arm engages the second side panel only after the outermost one of the folded case blanks is entirely removed from the magazine by the first robotic arm.
7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first robotic arm includes a tool configured to attach partly to the first side panel and also to attach partly to the lower foldable flap depending from the first side panel, whereby the tool maintains the first side panel and the lower foldable flap in a coplanar relationship for placement onto the rail assembly.
8 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the magazine further includes a static stop and a driven stop to facilitate a removal of a folded case blank from the magazine.
9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a magazine including a first side wall, a second side wall and at least one conveyor assembly located between the first and second side wall; and
wherein a relative position of the first side wall, the second side wall and the at least one conveyor assembly is adjustable to receive a number of folded case blanks of respectively different size.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm is configured to automatically adjust the relative position of the first side wall, the second side wall and the at least one conveyor assembly in the magazine.
11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the magazine further includes at least one brake assembly to maintain a selected position of the first side wall, the second side wall and the at least one conveyor assembly in the magazine.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one brake assembly includes a spring-loaded air cylinder.
13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one conveyor assembly includes a rotatably mounted cylinder, a rotatable link, and a conveyor belt.
14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first side belt and a second side belt operable to square the side panels and end panels of the erected carton.
15 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to detect an angular orientation of at least one of the end panels, and a speed of at least one of the first side belt and the second side belt being adjustable to square the joined panels to extend orthogonally to one another in response to the detected angular orientation.
16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first side belt and the second side belt are adjustably positionable relative to one another.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm is configured to automatically adjust a relative position of the first side belt and the second side belt.
18 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising at least one brake assembly to maintain a position of the first side belt and the second side belt.
19 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a set of tools selectively connectable to the first robotic arm and the second robotic arm for respectively erecting differently dimensioned case blanks.
20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein each tool in the set of tools includes a plate and a number of vacuum cups supported by the plate to engage the case blank.