Sensor assembly and/or a case sealer utilizing a sensor assembly

1. A case sealer, comprising:

a frame assembly having an infeed end and an outfeed end;

a top head assembly coupled to move substantially vertically with respect to the frame assembly, the top head assembly having a first end corresponding to the infeed end and a second end corresponding to the outfeed end;

a sensor positioned at the first end of the top head assembly for sensing a front face and a top face of a case to be sealed;

a bottom drive coupled to the frame assembly and a top drive coupled to the top head assembly, the bottom drive configured to engage a bottom surface of a case and the top drive configured to engage a top surface of a case, wherein the bottom and top drives convey a case to be sealed past one or more tape cartridges associated with the frame assembly; and

a controller for moving the top head assembly substantially vertically when the sensor senses the front face of the case and for preventing the substantially vertical movement of the top head assembly when the sensor senses the top face of the case,

wherein the sensor includes a front sensing paddle for sensing the front face of the case and a top sensing paddle for sensing a top face of the case and the controller is configured to move the top head assembly substantially vertically in response to the front sensing paddle sensing the front face of the case, wherein the front sensing paddle is configured to be disposed in a front facing direction towards an infeed of the case sealer, and wherein the controller is configured to prevent substantially upward vertical movement of the top head assembly in response to the top sensing paddle sensing the top face of the case, wherein the top sensing paddle is configured to be disposed in a bottom facing direction behind the front sensing paddle.

2. The case sealer of claim 1 , further comprising a mast assembly disposed around the frame assembly and an actuating component coupled to the mast assembly, wherein the top head assembly is coupled to the actuating component, which moves the top head assembly substantially vertically with respect to the frame assembly.

3. The case sealer of claim 1 , further comprising a pack table abutting the infeed end of the frame assembly, moveable side rails at the infeed end of the frame assembly and the pack table that can be actuated inwardly to center the case, the pack table including a sensor disposed in front of the infeed end for detecting the case and actuating the side rails inwardly, and a mechanism for adjusting the position of the sensor with respect to the infeed end.

4. The case sealer of claim 3 , further comprising at least one mechanism for locking the top head assembly and/or the side rails at one or more specific positions for processing a batch of same size cases.

5. The case sealer of claim 1 , further comprising a limiter for controlling a minimum height of the top head assembly at a starting point.

6. The case sealer of claim 1 , further comprising a pack table abutting the infeed end of the frame assembly, moveable side rails at the infeed end of the frame assembly and the pack table that can be actuated inwardly to center the case, and a second sensor disposed at the pack table for detecting the case and actuating the side rails inwardly.

7. The case sealer of claim 1 , wherein a top head assembly actuating component is filled with air to lift the top head assembly vertically upward in response to the front sensing paddle being depressed by the front face of the case and contacting a first air limit switch, the top head assembly travels vertically downward in response to release of the front sensing paddle, and the top sensing paddle is depressed and contacts a second air limit switch in response to contacting the top face of the case, wherein the second air limit switch nulls out or bypasses the first air limit switch to prevent vertical upward movement of the top head assembly.

8. The case sealer of claim 1 , wherein a first regulator controls lifting pressure of the top head assembly by controlling air pressure within a top head assembly actuating component in response to the front sensing paddle sensing the front face of the case and a second regulator controls downward force of the top head assembly on the top face of the case by controlling air pressure within the top head assembly actuating component in response to the top sensing paddle sensing a top face of the case to prevent vertical upward movement of the top head assembly.