A box transport rail 70 extending in the box transport direction Tb and a plurality of box transport shuttles 76 movably arranged on the box transport rail 70 to be movable in the box transport direction Tb, which is the movement direction of a packing box Bx, are provided. When located in the sheet feeder 81, the box transport shuttles 76 receive the sheet 9 while being apart from each other across an interval greater than the bottom sheet portion 91 of the sheet 9. During movement from the pushing unit 82 to the sealer 84, the box transport shuttle 76 arranged frontward in the box transport direction Tb is brought close to the bottom sheet portion 91 to reduce the angle of a part 93 frontward of the bottom sheet portion 91 in the box transport direction Tb relative to the bottom sheet portion 91.

A box transport rail 70 extending in the box transport direction Tb and a plurality of box transport shuttles 76 movably arranged on the box transport rail 70 to be movable in the box transport direction Tb, which is the movement direction of a packing box Bx, are provided. When located in the sheet feeder 81, the box transport shuttles 76 receive the sheet 9 while being apart from each other across an interval greater than the bottom sheet portion 91 of the sheet 9. During movement from the pushing unit 82 to the sealer 84, the box transport shuttle 76 arranged frontward in the box transport direction Tb is brought close to the bottom sheet portion 91 to reduce the angle of a part 93 frontward of the bottom sheet portion 91 in the box transport direction Tb relative to the bottom sheet portion 91.

A box forming carousel apparatus including a frame, a rotating carton retainer, a first side carton folding assembly, a second side carton folding assembly and an axle. The frame has a bottom, and first and second sides. The rotating carton retainer is rotatably coupled to the frame and has a plurality of slot assemblies radially spaced apart, each slot assembly having a leading wall, a following wall and a base wall. Each slot assembly structurally configured to retain a box therein. The first side carton folding assembly is structurally configured to fold a plurality of flaps of the box on a first side thereof. The second side carton folding assembly is structurally configured to fold a plurality of flaps of the box on a second side thereof. The axle extends between the first side and the second side of the frame spaced apart from the bottom of the frame.

A box forming carousel apparatus including a frame, a rotating carton retainer, a first side carton folding assembly, a second side carton folding assembly and an axle. The frame has a bottom, and first and second sides. The rotating carton retainer is rotatably coupled to the frame and has a plurality of slot assemblies radially spaced apart, each slot assembly having a leading wall, a following wall and a base wall. Each slot assembly structurally configured to retain a box therein. The first side carton folding assembly is structurally configured to fold a plurality of flaps of the box on a first side thereof. The second side carton folding assembly is structurally configured to fold a plurality of flaps of the box on a second side thereof. The axle extends between the first side and the second side of the frame spaced apart from the bottom of the frame.

A paper-based or paperboard-based container (100) for holding a pourable food product is described, the container comprising: a substantially planar bottom portion; a top portion arranged opposite the bottom portion and comprising a top panel and a top sealing region (126) forming a top seal of the container; and a wall portion extending between the bottom portion and the top portion and comprising a plurality of wall sections (108b, 108c) bordering the top panel and a longitudinal sealing band (14) extending between the bottom portion and the top portion and over at least one of the wall sections, wherein the top sealing region is folded onto said at least one of the wall sections comprising the longitudinal sealing band (14) and being attached thereto. A blank and a sleeve for producing the container is also described, as is a method for producing the container.

A paper-based or paperboard-based container (100) for holding a pourable food product is described, the container comprising: a substantially planar bottom portion; a top portion arranged opposite the bottom portion and comprising a top panel and a top sealing region (126) forming a top seal of the container; and a wall portion extending between the bottom portion and the top portion and comprising a plurality of wall sections (108b, 108c) bordering the top panel and a longitudinal sealing band (14) extending between the bottom portion and the top portion and over at least one of the wall sections, wherein the top sealing region is folded onto said at least one of the wall sections comprising the longitudinal sealing band (14) and being attached thereto. A blank and a sleeve for producing the container is also described, as is a method for producing the container.

A carrier (2) made of cardboard, paperboard or other lightweight foldable sheet material, comprises a top sheet (4) defining one or more pockets (20) for receiving one or more products and a bottom sheet (6) attached to the top sheet (4). The top sheet (4) comprises one or more respective sets (30) of flaps (32) for forming the respective pockets (20), each flap (32) being hingedly connected at a proximal end (36) to a top surface (38) of the top sheet (4) about a respective flap hinge line (40) defined around an upper edge (42) of the respective pocket (20) and folded about the respective flap hinge line (40) to define a pocket side wall. The top sheet (4) further comprises respective tabs (50) hingedly connected to distal ends (46) of the respective flaps (32) about respective tab fold lines (52) and folded about a respective tab fold line (52) so as to lie along a base of the pocket (20). The bottom sheet (6) is bonded to the respective tabs (50) in a face to face relationship to close at least a portion the base of the pocket (20).

A carrier (2) made of cardboard, paperboard or other lightweight foldable sheet material, comprises a top sheet (4) defining one or more pockets (20) for receiving one or more products and a bottom sheet (6) attached to the top sheet (4). The top sheet (4) comprises one or more respective sets (30) of flaps (32) for forming the respective pockets (20), each flap (32) being hingedly connected at a proximal end (36) to a top surface (38) of the top sheet (4) about a respective flap hinge line (40) defined around an upper edge (42) of the respective pocket (20) and folded about the respective flap hinge line (40) to define a pocket side wall. The top sheet (4) further comprises respective tabs (50) hingedly connected to distal ends (46) of the respective flaps (32) about respective tab fold lines (52) and folded about a respective tab fold line (52) so as to lie along a base of the pocket (20). The bottom sheet (6) is bonded to the respective tabs (50) in a face to face relationship to close at least a portion the base of the pocket (20).

An order management system and method for automated logistics based on-demand box supplying is disclosed. The system pre-estimates a dimension required by all of the merchandise according to an order data, and selects a sheet material according to the size to form a finished container. The dimension of the unfolded sheet material before folding into the finished container is quite small. In terms of warehouse space utilization, a space required by a single finished and folded box is able to stack dozens of sheet materials, so that the warehousing efficiency is greatly improved. By integrating with a box folding module and a sealing module, fully automated logistics can be achieved with human intervention.

An order management system and method for automated logistics based on-demand box supplying is disclosed. The system pre-estimates a dimension required by all of the merchandise according to an order data, and selects a sheet material according to the size to form a finished container. The dimension of the unfolded sheet material before folding into the finished container is quite small. In terms of warehouse space utilization, a space required by a single finished and folded box is able to stack dozens of sheet materials, so that the warehousing efficiency is greatly improved. By integrating with a box folding module and a sealing module, fully automated logistics can be achieved with human intervention.