A blank of sheet material for forming a container includes a front panel, a top panel, a rear panel, and a bottom panel coupled together in series by a plurality of generally parallel fold lines. The blank also includes a pair of front side panels extending from opposing side edges of the front panel, a pair of top side panels coupled to opposing side edges of the top panel, and a pair of bottom side panels coupled to opposing side edges of the bottom panel. A side tab extends from each bottom side panel along a tab perforation line. Each side tab is configured to couple to one of the front side panels in a face-to-face relationship. A face of each of the top panel, the bottom panel, the pair of top side panels, and the pair of bottom side panels is devoid of perforation lines extending therethrough.

The invention relates to a method for forming package bodies open at one end from package sleeves open at both ends for the manufacture of filled packages. In order to allow packages with a cross section which is neither square nor rectangular to be formed more simply and reliably, the package sleeves are kept ready for further processing in a stack, folded flat along at least two folded edges running in the longitudinal direction of the package sleeve, the flat-folded package sleeves are transferred in succession from the stack to a forming station, the package sleeves are unfolded in a forming station and the unfolded package sleeves are, in the forming station, pushed onto a mandrel in order to close, in particular seal, a longitudinal end of the package sleeve.

A method of at least partially erecting a carton with a carton forming system includes loading a blank in a blank infeed assembly, the blank having a plurality of panels and a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels. The method further includes positioning the blank on at least one conveyor assembly, operating the at least one conveyor assembly to move the blank in a downstream direction of the system toward a carton erection assembly, the carton erection assembly including an end flap engagement assembly positioned adjacent the at least one conveyor assembly, and rotating the end flap engagement assembly such that a portion of the end flap engagement assembly contacts and moves at least one end flap of the plurality of end flaps of the blank as the blank moves in the downstream direction.

A box-opening device is disclosed. The box-opening device includes a first holding part that holds a first surface and a second holding part that holds a second surface. The first surface is one of two adjacent surfaces of a folded corrugated cardboard sheet, and the second surface is the other of the two adjacent surfaces of the corrugated cardboard sheet. The box-opening device also includes a first holding part movement mechanism which changes a position of the first holding part with respect to the second holding part and thereby transforms the corrugated cardboard sheet into an opened state. The first holding part movement mechanism has a support member that supports the first holding part so that the part rotates on an arc track about a central axis of rotation that overlaps an imaginary line extending along a boundary line between the first surface and the second surface.

A box-opening device is disclosed. The box-opening device includes a first holding part that holds a first surface and a second holding part that holds a second surface. The first surface is one of two adjacent surfaces of a folded corrugated cardboard sheet, and the second surface is the other of the two adjacent surfaces of the corrugated cardboard sheet. The box-opening device also includes a first holding part movement mechanism which changes a position of the first holding part with respect to the second holding part and thereby transforms the corrugated cardboard sheet into an opened state. The first holding part movement mechanism has a support member that supports the first holding part so that the part rotates on an arc track about a central axis of rotation that overlaps an imaginary line extending along a boundary line between the first surface and the second surface.

Apparatus and methods for assembling thermally insulated containers are disclosed. In one example, an apparatus for inserting a first insulating liner panel and a second insulating liner panel into a rectangular box to form a thermally insulated container includes a first station with a flap opening assembly, a second station with a first liner panel insertion assembly for inserting a first liner panel within the box, and a third station with a second liner panel insertion assembly for inserting a second liner panel within the box. A box transfer system is configured to transfer the box between the first station, the second station, and the third station. A flap guide system maintains the at least two of the lid flaps of the box in the open configuration as the box is transferred from the first station to the third station.

Apparatus and methods for assembling thermally insulated containers are disclosed. In one example, an apparatus for inserting a first insulating liner panel and a second insulating liner panel into a rectangular box to form a thermally insulated container includes a first station with a flap opening assembly, a second station with a first liner panel insertion assembly for inserting a first liner panel within the box, and a third station with a second liner panel insertion assembly for inserting a second liner panel within the box. A box transfer system is configured to transfer the box between the first station, the second station, and the third station. A flap guide system maintains the at least two of the lid flaps of the box in the open configuration as the box is transferred from the first station to the third station.

A device for handling cardboard blanks comprises an erecting device with a plurality of engagement elements. The erecting device is configured to transition from a receiving configuration to a forming configuration. The erecting device is configured to move at least several of the engagement elements to transition from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration. In the receiving configuration, the erecting device is configured to receive a group of cardboard blanks each having a bottom region and side regions connected to the bottom region. The engagement elements are configured to erect the side regions of the cardboard blanks when the erecting device transitions from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration. The erecting device is configured to move the bottom regions of the cardboard blanks relative to each other when transitioning from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration.

A device for handling cardboard blanks comprises an erecting device with a plurality of engagement elements. The erecting device is configured to transition from a receiving configuration to a forming configuration. The erecting device is configured to move at least several of the engagement elements to transition from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration. In the receiving configuration, the erecting device is configured to receive a group of cardboard blanks each having a bottom region and side regions connected to the bottom region. The engagement elements are configured to erect the side regions of the cardboard blanks when the erecting device transitions from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration. The erecting device is configured to move the bottom regions of the cardboard blanks relative to each other when transitioning from the receiving configuration to the forming configuration.

A carton forming machine includes a carton blank push up device that receives a substantially horizontal folded carton blank and reorients the folded carton blank from the substantially horizontal orientation to an upright orientation below and in a first direction alignment with a carton opening mechanism. A carton blank positioning apparatus shifts the upright folded carton blank in a second direction, transverse to the first direction, below the carton opening mechanism to define a second direction position of the upright carton blank below the carton opening mechanism before the carton opening mechanism engages the upright carton blank for opening of the upright carton blank.