Provided herein is a machine for forming a container from a blank including a tray and a lid. The machine has an upstream end where the blank is loaded and a downstream end where the container is discharged and includes a frame, a pre-forming assembly, and a mandrel assembly. The pre-forming assembly is configured to partially form the lid and the tray by folding each of a plurality of side panels of the blank and further form the tray by partially folding a front panel assembly of the blank, the front panel assembly including a front panel and a roll-over panel. The mandrel assembly is mounted to the frame and configured to engage a bottom panel of the tray to form each of a plurality of corners of the tray and fold the roll-over panel to form a front wall of the container.

The technology described herein generally relates to an automated packaging apparatus and system that packages loose particles into a conical container as well as the final folded packages. More specifically, loose plant matter, such as crumbled dried leaves, are supplied to successive paper cones. The apparatus packs the crumbled leaves into the cones, closes the wide top portion of the cone into a precise shape, and then runs a quality control check to ensure that the final filled cone meets preset specifications.

The invention relates to a one piece blank of a corrugated cardboard sheet material designed for forming a belt intended to form a box having a length L, a width W and a height H, wherein this blank includes a main rectangular body (10) extending along a longitudinal direction and two protruding rectangular parts (11, 12) extending in a transverse direction and symmetrically with regard to the main body, so as to define two perpendicular branches, a first branch being defined by the main body and a second branch defined by the protruding parts, the main body (10) having a width (D1) larger than the length L and a length (D2) larger than at least twice the width W plus the height H (2W+2H) and each of the protruding parts having a length (d1) larger than the height H or the width W and a width (d2) larger than the width W or the height H.

The invention relates to a one piece blank of a corrugated cardboard sheet material designed for forming a belt intended to form a box having a length L, a width W and a height H, wherein this blank includes a main rectangular body (10) extending along a longitudinal direction and two protruding rectangular parts (11, 12) extending in a transverse direction and symmetrically with regard to the main body, so as to define two perpendicular branches, a first branch being defined by the main body and a second branch defined by the protruding parts, the main body (10) having a width (D1) larger than the length L and a length (D2) larger than at least twice the width W plus the height H (2W+2H) and each of the protruding parts having a length (d1) larger than the height H or the width W and a width (d2) larger than the width W or the height H.

The technology described herein generally relates to an automated packaging apparatus and system that packages loose particles into a conical container as well as the final folded packages. More specifically, loose plant matter, such as crumbled dried leaves, are supplied to successive paper cones. The apparatus packs the crumbled leaves into the cones, closes the wide top portion of the cone into a precise shape, and then runs a quality control check to ensure that the final filled cone meets preset specifications.

A method of forming a container from a blank of sheet material using a machine is provided. The method includes forming a corner wall by folding a first pair of a plurality of reinforcing panels inwardly towards a respective side panel and into face-to-face contact with a second pair of the plurality of reinforcing panels, rotating the side panels and end panels to be substantially perpendicular to a bottom panel such that an interior surface of at least one reinforcing panel of the plurality of reinforcing panels is in contact with an interior surface of the first side panel, and coupling at least one other reinforcing panel of the plurality of reinforcing panels to one of the end panels to form the container.

Folding apparatus (1) for folding sheet packaging elements (2), comprising main conveying means (12), configured to sequentially receive the packaging elements (2) from a feeding station (13) and to advance each packaging element (2) along a first path (A), forming means (15), carried by the main conveying means (12) and configured to cooperate in use with a first face (2b) of each packaging element (2) while the packaging element (2) is advanced along the first path (A), and folding means (18), advanced by auxiliary conveying means (16) along a second path (Q), having a first portion (Q1) distinct from the first path (A) and a second portion (Q2), which is in common with the first path (A) and along which the folding means (18) cooperate with a second face (2a), opposite the first face (2b), of each packaging element (2) to fold the packaging element (2) against the forming means (15).

Folding apparatus (1) for folding sheet packaging elements (2), comprising main conveying means (12), configured to sequentially receive the packaging elements (2) from a feeding station (13) and to advance each packaging element (2) along a first path (A), forming means (15), carried by the main conveying means (12) and configured to cooperate in use with a first face (2b) of each packaging element (2) while the packaging element (2) is advanced along the first path (A), and folding means (18), advanced by auxiliary conveying means (16) along a second path (Q), having a first portion (Q1) distinct from the first path (A) and a second portion (Q2), which is in common with the first path (A) and along which the folding means (18) cooperate with a second face (2a), opposite the first face (2b), of each packaging element (2) to fold the packaging element (2) against the forming means (15).

A method of forming a container from a blank of sheet material using a machine is provided. The blank includes a bottom panel, two side panels, two end panels, and a reinforcing panel assembly extending from a first side panel. The machine includes a hopper station, a corner post forming station, and a plunger station. The method includes rotating the reinforcing panel assembly upwardly toward the first side panel as the blank is transported from the hopper station to the corner post forming station, forming a corner wall and a reinforcing end tab by folding reinforcing panels about fold lines as the blank is transported through the corner post forming station, rotating the side panels and the end panels to be substantially perpendicular to the bottom panel by directing the blank through the plunger station, and coupling the reinforcing end tab to an end panel to form the container.

A conveyor of a cardboard-folding station receives a cardboard blank having a first portion, first and second lateral closing walls hinged thereto and facing upstream and downstream, respectively, an upper closing wall hinged to the second lateral closing wall and facing downstream, a third and a fourth lateral closing wall hinged and partly raised with respect to the first portion and projecting from sides of the conveyor. An article rests on the first portion, with four flanks or the article respectively facing the four lateral closing walls of the blank. At a first folding zone the third and fourth lateral closing walls are folded to cover the third and the fourth flanks of the article, and at a second folding zone the second lateral closing wall and the upper closing wall are folded to cover the article's second flank and its upper face.