A box formed from a plastic corrugated material with soft score lines is provided. The soft score lines are formed to enable the top flaps of the box to lay substantially flat against the outer surface of the box when folded to an open position.

A sheet processor subjecting a sheet having been conveyed forward to processing along a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the sheet, includes: a processing unit performing the processing; and a receiving unit receiving the processing unit therein in a state capable of perfecting the processing on the sheet, and the processing unit includes a first processing tool 4A and a second processing tool 4B disposed to vertically oppose each other with a conveyance surface of the sheet disposed therebetween, and the receiving unit includes at least one receiver that removably receives the first processing tool 4A and the second processing tool 4B in the state capable of performing the processing on the sheet, with arbitrarily selected one of the first processing tool 4A and the second processing tool 4B disposed above the conveyance surface, and with arbitrarily selected another of the first processing tool 4A and the second processing tool 4B disposed below the conveyance surface.

A system for generating rules inserted into at least one pattern board including: a controller configured to generate at least one shape diagram, the controller also configured to determine number and measurement of crease rules to be generated based on the at least one shape diagram; a cutting station configured to receive and cut a first crease rule into the number and measurement of the crease rules; and a sorter configured to receive the crease rules from the cutting station and sort the crease rules according to the measurement of the crease rules, wherein the sorted crease rules are inserted into each of the at least one pattern board along with a cutting rule shaped by each of at least one bender.

A method of forming a board into a curved panel, including: providing a cutting tool having a support portion and a cutting portion, the cutting portion having a first cutting edge, and a plurality of second cutting edges disposed adjacent each other and recessed relative to the first cutting edge by a defined offset dimension; placing a corrugated board on the support portion such that a b-facing-layer is disposed facing the support portion, and an a-facing-layer is disposed facing the cutting portion; advancing the cutting portion toward the board such that the first cutting edge cuts completely through both the a-facing-layer and the b-facing-layer of the board, and the plurality of second cutting edges cut completely through the a-facing-layer, but not completely through the b-facing-layer; and, retracting the cutting portion away from the support portion and removing the panel to facilitate further manipulation of the panel into the curved panel.

A box formed from a plastic corrugated material with soft score lines is provided. The soft score lines are formed to enable the top flaps of the box to lay substantially flat against the outer surface of the box when folded to an open position.

A creasing plate (24) for creasing a sheet (12) from paper, cardboard, carton, foil or a similar material, the creasing plate (24) consisting of plastically deformable material and comprising at least one creasing projection (26) formed from a plurality of small, plastically deformed areas which merge into each other so as to form the creasing projection (26).

The present invention relates to material packaging made of corrugated cardboard sheet having a polygonal cross section, comprising lateral walls, a lower plane forming the bottom of the packaging, and an opposite upper plane. It comprises at least one portion (25, 26) projecting with respect to the upper plane. The bottom (30) comprises at least one surface portion (15, 16) that is cut out over a portion of the thickness of the cardboard sheet, is compressed and in the form of a non-through hollow, referred to as a hollow portion, the shape of which matches the projecting portion, in line with the latter and arranged to fit together with the projecting portion of the packaging below.

A plant for automated packaging of items in cardboard boxes includes a forming station of open sheet boxes starting from a cardboard web, an item introduction system, a box closing station, and a feeding system. A cutting and creasing system at the forming station produces a longitudinal elongate element defining the bottom and top walls and a first pair of side walls of the box, and transverse panels providing the second pair of side walls. A first gluing system bonds the transverse panels to the elongate element by applying hot-melt strips on the side edges of the elongate element, and a pair of suction-cup manipulators applies the transverse panels on the elongate element at the glue strips to obtain a cross-shaped blank. The closing station includes a folding and automatic gluing system that folds and bonds the side walls and the top wall of the box to produce finished packages.

The invention relates to a creasing machine having a creasing tool (14, 20, 21), a counter element (22, 23) cooperating with the creasing tool, and a transportation system (10) for advancing sheets (12) through a creasing area between the creasing tool (14, 20, 21) and the counter element (22, 23), the creasing tool having a creasing plate (24) provided with at least one creasing projection (26), characterized in that the creasing projection (26) on the creasing plate is constituted by a plurality of small, plastically deformed areas which merge into each other so as to form the creasing projection (26). The invention also relates to a creasing plate (24) adapted for being used in a creasing machine according to any of the preceding claims, the creasing plate (24) being made from sheet metal and comprising at least one creasing projection (26) formed from a plurality of small, plastically deformed areas which merge into each other so as to form the creasing projection. Further, the invention relates to a method for creasing sheets (12), in particular made from paper, cardboard or foil, comprising the following steps: data regarding folding creases (30) to be applied to the sheet (12) is provided. A control (60) determines if a suitable creasing plate (24) is available in an inventory or if a new creasing plate (24) is to be manufactured. Based on the determination of the control (60), either an existing creasing plate (24) is retrieved from the inventory (62) or a new creasing plate (24) is manufactured by using a punching module (40) for applying a plurality of small deformations to a creasing plate blank (24), the deformations constituting at least one creasing projection (26). The creasing plate (24) is mounted on a creasing tool (20, 21), and the creasing tool (20, 21) cooperates with a counter element (22, 23) for applying folding creases (30) to sheets (12) advanced through a creasing area between the creasing tool (20, 21) and the counter element (22, 23).

A punching tool comprising a punch (42) and a die (46), in particular for manufacturing a creasing plate (24), the die having a straight recess (50) for accommodating material deformed by the punch (42), characterized in that the die (46) has an outer contour which extends, adjacent the open end of the recess (50), at an angle of less than 90 with respect to the longitudinal direction of the recess (50).