A case setup apparatus is generally provided. The apparatus is characterized by a robotic arm and a case engaging apparatus carried by the robotic arm. The case engaging apparatus is characterized by a picker arm assembly for picking a case blank from a source of case blanks, and a rack arm assembly for attaching to a picked case blank. The picker arm assembly is fixedly supported within the case engaging apparatus and the rack arm assembly is pivotably supported, relative to the picker arm assembly, within the case engaging apparatus. A flap folding subassembly is provided and translatably supported within the case engaging apparatus for reversible travel parallel to the picker arm assembly. The subassembly includes flap engaging members, a flap engaging member of the flap engaging members being forwardly extendable to disassociate adjacent flaps of a case blank in advance of folding a flap by the flap engaging members.

A container includes a cup formed to include and interior region and an insulated sleeve. The insulated sleeve is coupled to an outer surface of the cup.

A corrugated plastic box and a method for manufacturing a corrugated plastic box from a blank are provided. The method includes the steps of forming rounded edge seals on the perimeter edges of the blank, pre-sealing portions of the blank to form a plurality of areas in which major and minor flap slots and a glue tab are desired, ultrasonically scoring the blank to form a plurality of flap score lines, and cutting the blank through the plurality of pre-sealed flap slots and glue tab, leaving a sealed edge.

A foldable container moveable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration defining an interior area for holding bulk material is provided. The container includes opposed side panels and a bottom flap extending from a bottom edge of each side panel. A tab member extends from a distal end of each bottom flap and a tab finger extends from each tab member so as to define a hook at a distal end of each bottom flap. The hooks are interconnected so as to hingedly connect the distal ends of the bottom flaps together, thereby causing the bottom flaps to rotate between their respective stowed and deployed configuration positions as the end panels are translated between their respective stowed and deployed configuration positions. Locking tabs extending from distal ends of end flaps extend into the interior area of the container to secure the container in the deployed configuration.

An apparatus for cooked food includes a spatula assembly defining a plate having a plate first end portion, a plate second end portion, a plate cooking surface and a plate non-cooking surface. The plate first end portion is pivotally in attachment with a spatula assembly cross member of the spatula assembly. The plate is configured to move between a plate upper position and a plate lower position. The apparatus further includes a movable wiper assembly defining an elongated body having a movable wiper cleaning surface along the elongated body. The movable wiper assembly is positioned proximate to the plate and configured to have the movable wiper cleaning surface move across the plate cooking surface when plate is in the plate lower position.

A cutting station receives at an inlet a cardboard sheet having two transverse edges, two longitudinal edges, two longitudinal score lines, and four transverse score lines. The two longitudinal score lines define, a central sector between the two longitudinal score lines and two lateral sectors externally of the two longitudinal folding lines. A conveyor extending from the inlet to an outlet receives the cardboard sheet and conveys it in an advancement direction. For each, and by a flank of each, of the two sides of the conveyor are predisposed a first and a second cutting group configured for making transverse cuts on a respective one of the two lateral sectors of the cardboard sheet at the transverse score lines.

The present invention relates to a method for making packages (100) made of flexible material. The method comprises a first step which consists in providing a first strip (19) and a second strip (20) made of flexible material, positioned on top of each other along a conveying direction and preferably having the same width. Moreover, the method comprises a second step of securing the first strip (19) to the second strip (20) by means of a welding surface (24) which extends in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the first and the second strip (19, 20) for a first length (h4) which is less than the width (h3) of each of the first and the second strip (19, 20); wherein the welding surface (24) is positioned at a first side edge (39) of the first and the second strip (19, 20). In addition, the present invention also comprises a machine (200) which allows using such method.

Systems are provided for automatically optimizing packaging and dunnage for a group of objects. The systems calculate dimensions for a custom-made packaging template. The dimensions for the custom-made packaging template are adjusted to allow for a specific amount of dunnage. The systems generate a packaging command that causes a packaging-production machine to generate custom-made packaging templates based upon the calculated dimensions for the custom-made packaging template. The systems also generate a dunnage command that causes a dunnage-production machine to generate the specific amount of dunnage.

A method for forming a container from a blank assembly including a tray blank and lid blank includes folding a first portion of the blank assembly about at least a first face of a first mandrel to form a partially formed container, and transferring the partially formed container towards a second mandrel using a transfer assembly that extends through the first face of the first mandrel. The method also includes transferring the partially formed container from the first mandrel to the second mandrel along a pair of guide rails extending between the first mandrel and the second mandrel, wrapping a second portion of the blank assembly about at least a first face of the second mandrel to form the container, wherein the first face of the second mandrel opposes the first face of the first mandrel with respect to a vertical direction, and ejecting the container from the second mandrel.

A folding station includes an inlet and an outlet and is predisposed to receive at the inlet a cardboard blank having two transversal edges, two longitudinal edges, two longitudinal score lines, and four transverse score lines. The two longitudinal score lines define therebetween a central sector and also define two lateral sectors externally of the two longitudinal score lines. Cuts in the two lateral sectors define a series of flaps. The folding station further comprises a conveyor for transporting the cardboard blank in an advancement direction to a position, a first folding bar located by a flank of a first side of the conveyor at the position, and a second folding bar located by a flank of a second side of the conveyor at the position. The first folding bar and the second folding bar rotate to fold the flaps in the two lateral sectors onto respective portions of the central sector of the cardboard blank.