An apparatus for closing a flap on an open end of a box may include a device having a slot and a mechanism operable to provide a relative motion between the slot and the flap. The relative motion may cause the flap to be received into the slot and the flap to be reoriented to a closed position. A method of closing an open end of a box being conveyed downstream, with the open end facing transversely, may include two operations. With a trailing minor flap on the open end being held in a substantially upstream-pointing open position, the opposing leading minor flap on the open end may be closed from a substantially downstream-pointing open position to a substantially upstream-pointing closed position. With the leading minor flap being held in the closed position, the trailing minor flap may be closed from the open position to a substantially downstream-pointing closed position.

An automated method and system for packaging a stack of flexible articles (200) are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: loading, by a pair of end effectors (1a, 1b), the stack of flexible articles (200) into an erected box (100) having a first open end (101) and a second open end (102), wherein each open end (101, 102) has at least one flap (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108) that is movable between an open configuration where the flap (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108) is not covering an opening of the open end (101, 102) and a closed configuration where the flap (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108) covers the opening of the open end (101, 102), whereby the stack of flexible articles (200) is loaded in an offset position away from the first open end (101), leaving a first gap therebetween; moving, by a first flap closing mechanism (4), the flap (103, 104, 105) of the first open end (101) from the open configuration to the closed configuration; pushing, by a pushing mechanism (16), the stack of flexible articles (200) towards the first gap, thereby forming a second gap between the second open end (102) and the stack of flexible articles (200); and moving, by a second flap closing mechanism (6), the flap (106, 107, 108) of the second open end (102) from the open configuration to the closed configuration, wherein the first and second gaps are configured to prevent the flaps (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108) from being obstructed by the stack of flexible articles (200) while closing the flaps (103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108).

A packaging and cooking device includes a bottom, top and four side walls, each including a first fold line parallel to and slightly distant from the bottom, a second fold line parallel to the first line, two opposing side walls including two diagonal fold lines in the portion of the side walls located above the first line, the top including two flaps, each having a free edge and connected to two opposing side walls and a hooking system enabling flaps to be held in closed position. The hooking system includes a tab connected to the free edge of a first flap and a cut-out, provided in a second flap for inserting the tab in an insertion direction, the cut-out extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the insertion direction and including a projecting shape offset relative to the ends thereof and oriented in the direction opposite to the insertion direction.

A packaging and cooking device includes a bottom, top and four side walls, each including a first fold line parallel to and slightly distant from the bottom, a second fold line parallel to the first line, two opposing side walls including two diagonal fold lines in the portion of the side walls located above the first line, the top including two flaps, each having a free edge and connected to two opposing side walls and a hooking system enabling flaps to be held in closed position. The hooking system includes a tab connected to the free edge of a first flap and a cut-out, provided in a second flap for inserting the tab in an insertion direction, the cut-out extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the insertion direction and including a projecting shape offset relative to the ends thereof and oriented in the direction opposite to the insertion direction.

A device for cooking corn kernels for making popcorn comprising a non-folding volume and a folding volume. The folding volume is configured to take up at least two positions, a first position in which the folding volume is folded and a second position in which it is unfolded. The folding volume includes four walls and at least two walls include a diagonal fold. The device includes a top that delimits the folding volume in at least the second position. The top is formed by two flaps that are each secured to at least two side walls. The flaps are biased in the closed position and are opened by squeezing the vertical edges of the device together.

A device for cooking corn kernels for making popcorn comprising a non-folding volume and a folding volume. The folding volume is configured to take up at least two positions, a first position in which the folding volume is folded and a second position in which it is unfolded. The folding volume includes four walls and at least two walls include a diagonal fold. The device includes a top that delimits the folding volume in at least the second position. The top is formed by two flaps that are each secured to at least two side walls. The flaps are biased in the closed position and are opened by squeezing the vertical edges of the device together.

An automated method and system for packaging a stack of flexible articles are disclosed. The method comprises: loading, by a pair of end effectors, the stack of flexible articles into an erected box having a first open end and a second open end, leaving a first gap therebetween; moving, by a first flap closing mechanism, the flap of the first open end from the open configuration to the closed configuration; pushing, by a pushing mechanism, the stack of flexible articles towards the first gap, thereby forming a second gap between the second open end and the stack of flexible articles; and moving, by a second flap closing mechanism, the flap of the second open end from the open configuration to the closed configuration.

A device for cooking corn kernels for making popcorn comprising a non-folding volume and a folding volume. The folding volume is configured to take up at least two positions, a first position in which the folding volume is folded and a second position in which it is unfolded. The folding volume includes four walls and at least two walls include a diagonal fold. Additionally, each wall includes a first horizontal fold that is parallel to an edge of the device formed by the non-folding volume. In the first position the non-folding volume is limited one or more of the four walls. At least one opening, in at least one of the side walls, has a horizontal orientation in the first position and a vertical orientation in the second position. The opening does not intersect a diagonal fold.

A device for cooking corn kernels for making popcorn comprising a non-folding volume and a folding volume. The folding volume is configured to take up at least two positions, a first position in which the folding volume is folded and a second position in which it is unfolded. The folding volume includes four walls and at least two walls include a diagonal fold. Additionally, each wall includes a first horizontal fold that is parallel to an edge of the device formed by the non-folding volume. In the first position the non-folding volume is limited one or more of the four walls. At least one opening, in at least one of the side walls, has a horizontal orientation in the first position and a vertical orientation in the second position. The opening does not intersect a diagonal fold.

An apparatus for closing a flap on an open end of a box may include a device having a slot and a mechanism operable to provide a relative motion between the slot and the flap. The relative motion may cause the flap to be received into the slot and the flap to be reoriented to a closed position. A method of closing an open end of a box being conveyed downstream, with the open end facing transversely, may include two operations. With a trailing minor flap on the open end being held in a substantially upstream-pointing open position, the opposing leading minor flap on the open end may be closed from a substantially downstream-pointing open position to a substantially upstream-pointing closed position. With the leading minor flap being held in the closed position, the trailing minor flap may be closed from the open position to a substantially downstream-pointing closed position.