Method of erecting a case
By the method, a case having four sidewalls and at least four flaps at the bottom of the case is erected from a blank in a number of steps. The automated case erecting unit for use in erecting case blanks comprises a supporting device ( 9 ) and a picking and handling device ( 2 ), said picking and handling device being a robot with a robotic arm, wherein said robotic arm comprising a picking member ( 3 ) with a first leg and a second leg, which are placed perpendicularly and are locked in relation to each other, each leg comprising gripping means for picking up case blanks.
1. A method of erecting a case having four sidewalls and at least four flaps, the method comprising:
picking a blank in a flattened condition from a blank storage with a picking and handling device, the blank comprising four panels and at least four flaps;
moving the blank upwards causing the blank to assume an unflattened condition;
moving the unflattened blank to a supporting device, the supporting device comprising at least one transversally positioned gap and at least one gap positioned in the longitudinal direction of the supporting device;
moving the unflattened blank downwards such that a first flap is folded towards a first sidewall to form a partially folded case;
moving the partially folded case in the longitudinal direction of the supporting device to reach the transversally positioned gap;
moving the partially folded case downwards such that a second flap enters the transversally positioned gap;
moving the partially folded case in the longitudinal direction of the supporting device to fold the second flap towards a second sidewall;
moving the partially folded case substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the supporting device to fold a third flap towards a third sidewall;
moving the partially folded case upwards until a bottom edge of a fourth flap is lifted above the supporting device; and
moving the partially folded case substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the supporting device to fold a fourth flap towards a fourth sidewall, thereby providing a case in a folded condition.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
bringing the second panel of the unflattened blank into contact with a stop after the blank is in the unflattened condition, wherein the contact with the stop results in the unflattened blank assuming a substantially rectangular shape.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the blank is moved upward by lifting the blank substantially simultaneously at two adjacent panels.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein moving the unflattened blank downwards such that the first flap is folded towards the first sidewall comprises a sliding movement in the longitudinal direction of the supporting device.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
packing the case in the folded condition with one or more items.
6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:
placing the case on a pallet or a similar device in the folded condition.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the packing the case and placing the case on the pallet are performed substantially simultaneously.