System and method for making custom boxes for objects of random size or shape
View Patent ↗A system and accompanying method produces cartons for randomly sized and shaped objects or groups thereof by automatically measuring minimum bounding dimensions and transferring these dimensions to an automatic carton-making system. The system for determining the dimensions of an object to be packaged preferably includes a conveyor for moving the object, a vertically oriented light curtain to determine the height of the object, a horizontally oriented light curtain to determine the width of the object, and a tachometer synchronized to the conveyor enabling at least one of the light curtains to determine the length of the object. A computerized interface between the measurement apparatus and carton-making system may include an algorithm for virtually rotating the object to produce a carton just large enough to fit the object. The carton may be a corrugated carton or non-corrugated carton, and the carton-making system may be supplied with a continuous feed of “fanfolded” raw material or it may be sheet-fed. The system for determining the dimensions of an object to be packaged is capable of determining the dimensions of a group of objects to be packaged.
1. Custom carton-making apparatus, comprising:
a system for determining the three dimensions of at least one object to be packaged;
a carton-making system; and
a computerized interface between the system for determining the dimensions of the object and the carton-making system, the computer interface being operative to control the carton-making system to produce a carton having a height, a width and a length just large enough to fit the object; and
wherein the computerized interface includes an algorithm for virtually rotating the object to produce a carton just large enough to fit the object.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the system for determining the dimensions of an object to be packaged includes:
a conveyor for moving the object; and
a plurality of light curtains through which the object passes.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , including:
a vertically oriented light curtain to determine the height of the object; and
a horizontally oriented light curtain to determine the width of the object.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , including a tachometer synchronized to the conveyor enabling one of the light curtains to determine the length of the object.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carton is a corrugated carton.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carton-making system is supplied with a continuous feed of “fanfolded” raw material.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carton-making system is supplied with a continuous feed of sheet-fed raw material.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the system for determining the dimensions of an object to be packaged is capable of determining the dimensions of a group of objects to be packaged.
9. Custom carton-making apparatus, comprising:
a conveyor for moving at least one object to be packaged;
a plurality of light curtains through which the object passes for determining the dimensions of the object, including a vertically oriented light curtain to determine the height of the object and a horizontally oriented light curtain to determine the width of the object;
a carton-making system; and
a computerized interface between the light curtains and the carton-making system, the computer interface being operative to control the carton-making system to produce a carton with a height and width just large enough to accommodate the height and width the object or group of objects to be packaged; and
wherein the computerized interface includes an algorithm for virtually rotating the object or group of objects to produce a carton just large enough to fit the object or group of objects.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further including a tachometer synchronized to the conveyor enabling one of the light curtains to determine the length of the object.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the carton is a corrugated carton.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the carton-making system is supplied with a continuous feed of “fanfolded” raw material.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the carton-making system is supplied with a continuous feed of sheet-fed raw material.
14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the system for determining the dimensions of an object to be packaged is capable of determining the dimensions of a group of objects to be packaged.
15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the carton is a corrugated carton.
16. Custom carton-making apparatus, comprising:
a conveyor for moving an object or a group of objects to be packaged;
a vertically oriented light curtain through which the object or group passes to determine the height of the object or group; and
a horizontally oriented light curtain through which the object or group passes to determine the width of the object,
a tachometer synchronized to the conveyor enabling one of the light curtains to determine the length of the object or group,
a carton-making system; and
a computerized interface between the light curtains and the carton-making system, the computer interface being operative to control the carton-making system to produce a carton with a height, width and length just large enough to accommodate the height, width and length of the object or group of objects to be packaged; and
wherein the computerized interface includes an algorithm for virtually rotating the object or group of objects to produce a carton just large enough to fit the object or group of objects.