System and associated method for digital scoring of carton blanks

Abstract

A method and system for digitally scoring a substrate prior to completing a carton blank is disclosed. After digitally printing a substrate, it is processed through a series of scoring wheels, male on top, female wheel on bottom. The scoring wheels (and transfer belts which help move the substrate through the wheels) are controlled from the same computer file used to create the graphic image. Subsequent to the first scoring sequence, the substrate is turned 90 degrees and a second scoring sequence takes place. After the scoring sequences have been performed, the substrate continues to the laser die cutter where the same computer or digital file determines where to physically cut the sheet into a carton blank.

Claims

1. A method for digitally scoring a carton blank substrate comprising the steps of: inputting digital input into a controller in communication with a scoring assembly and a carton blank substrate turning assembly to produce a desired scoring pattern on the carton blank substrate according to the digital input; communicating at least selected portions of the digital input to the scoring assembly; conveying the carton blank substrate to and between the scoring assembly and the carton blank substrate turning assembly; scoring a first set of score lines in a first direction on the carton blank substrate with the scoring assembly according to the digital input; turning the carton blank substrate while within the scoring assembly with the carton blank substrate turning assembly from a first orientation to a second orientation; and scoring a second set of score lines in a second direction on the carton blank substrate with the scoring assembly according to the digital input.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the scoring steps further comprise scoring first and second sets of score lines, respectively, which are each generally linear.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second scoring step further comprises scoring the second set of score lines generally perpendicular to the first set of score lines.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the turning step further comprises turning the carton blank substrate about 90 degrees.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the scoring and turning steps are performed in the relative order as recited in claim 1.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the scoring steps are performed with a plurality of scoring members.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of scoring members are arranged in a plurality of pairs of the scoring members; wherein each pair of scoring members further comprises a female scoring member contacting a first face of the carton blank substrate and a male scoring member contacting a second face of the carton blank substrate, the male and female scoring members of each pair of scoring members being positioned opposite from one another and cooperating to score the carton blank substrate.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising: rotating at least some of the plurality of scoring members during engagement with the carton blank substrate.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising: adjusting components of the scoring assembly in a lateral direction to position at least some of the first and second sets of score lines on the carton blank substrate according to the digital input.

10. A method for digitally scoring a carton blank substrate comprising the steps of: inputting digital input into a controller in communication with a scoring assembly and a carton blank substrate turning assembly to produce a desired scoring pattern on the carton blank substrate according to the digital input; communicating at least selected portions of the digital input to the scoring assembly; conveying the carton blank substrate in a generally downstream direction along a longitudinal centerline of and to and between the scoring assembly and the carton blank substrate turning assembly; scoring a first set of score lines in a first direction on the carton blank substrate with the scoring assembly according to the digital input; turning the carton blank substrate while within the scoring assembly with the carton blank substrate turning assembly from a first orientation to a second orientation; and scoring a second set of score lines in a second direction on the carton blank substrate with the scoring assembly according to the digital input.

11. A method for digitally scoring a carton blank substrate comprising the steps of: inputting digital input into a controller in communication with a scoring assembly and a carton blank substrate turning assembly to produce a desired scoring pattern on the carton blank substrate according to the digital input; communicating at least selected portions of the digital input to the scoring assembly; conveying the carton blank substrate in a generally downstream direction to and between the scoring assembly and the carton blank substrate turning assembly; scoring a first set of score lines in a first direction on the carton blank substrate with the scoring assembly according to the digital input; turning the carton blank substrate while within the scoring assembly with the carton blank substrate turning assembly from a first orientation to a second orientation; and scoring a second set of score lines in a second direction on the carton blank substrate with the scoring assembly according to the digital input.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a flow chart according to one aspect of this invention;

(3) FIGS. 1A-1C are plan views of the output from the respective steps of FIG. 1;

(4) FIGS. 2A-2C are sequential top plan views a lower bed of one embodiment of a system for digitally scoring of carton blanks according to this invention with an upper bed of the system removed for clarity;

(5) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2A showing both the upper and lower beds of the system; and

(6) FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary hardware and software environment suitable for implementing the system of one embodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) A system 10 according to various embodiments of this invention is intended primarily for folding cartons which could be used with cans or bottles, and other types of cylindrical containers, used to contain soft drinks, beverages or beer. Other items constructed from paperboard can also readily make use of this invention. According to an embodiment of the invention, the cans are packaged in a carton that is fully enclosed, except for appropriate dispenser or carrying openings. A blank 12 for forming a carton is illustrated in FIG. 1C according to one embodiment. The blank 12 is formed from a foldable sheet of material, such as paperboard. Examples of cartons formed from such blanks are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,127,925; 8,118,212; 7,614,543; 5,947,367 and 5,682,984, each of which is incorporated by reference herein.

(8) Referring to FIG. 1, a flow chart showing generally the steps according to one embodiment of this invention is shown. Initially, a substrate 14 is printed, digitally or otherwise, 16 with appropriate graphics 18 on a print side 20 of the substrate. The substrate 14 also has an opposite non-print side 21. Digital printing on substrates is well known in the art. A next step according to a method of one embodiment of this invention is to digitally score 22 the printed substrate 14 with the appropriate score or fold lines 24 for erecting the desired carton from the carton blank 12. The process of digitally scoring 22 the substrate 14 into a scored sheet 26 as shown in FIG. 1B will be discussed herein below with respect to FIGS. 2A-3. In various embodiments of this invention, the fold lines 24 may extend across the entire length or width of the substrate 14, just at or beyond the perimeter of the carton blank 12 or combinations of these arrangements.

(9) Those skilled in the art readily appreciate that there is a wide variety of techniques to produce a fold in a substrate such as a sheet of paperboard as one example.

(10) A good functional fold occurs when the paperboard delaminates in the crease into as many thin, undamaged layers as possible. Ply bond strength must be a compromise, so that delamination occurs easily in a crease while the structure holds together in other areas.

(11) Moreover, the substrate 14 may be subject to various other processes in accordance with embodiments of this invention which may or may not result in a fold, such as embossing. The Paperboard Packaging Council (www.ppcnet.org) defines embossing generally as raising areas of a design above the flat surface of carton blanks. They also define a score generally as a crease along which the adjacent elements of a die cut carton blank are folded without cracking or breaking to form a carton. Likewise, they define creasing generally as the production of the score or folding line in a sheet. These and other terms are collectively referred to herein as a score, scoring or variations of such terms as applied to a substrate which may or may not result in a fold in the carton blank and may or may not include a penetration or cut through the structure of the substrate 14.

(12) After the substrate 14 is digitally scored 22, the scored sheet 26 is, in one embodiment, digitally cut 28 via a laser into the shape of the carton blank 12 as shown in FIG. 1C. While the sequential steps of printing 16, scoring 22 and cutting 28 a substrate are shown in one particular order in FIGS. 1-1C, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that these steps may be performed in a different order, combined and/or additional steps may be included throughout the process according to various embodiments of this invention.

(13) Referring to FIGS. 2A-2C, one system 10 for digitally scoring the substrate 14 according to this invention is shown in which the substrate 14 is sequentially processed through the system 10 in FIGS. 2A-2C. The system 10 includes an upper bed 29 and a lower bed 31 as shown in FIG. 3 with the substrate 14 passing generally between the beds 29, 31. The lower bed 31 is built upon a generally rectangular frame 30 according to one embodiment with an upstream end 32 of the frame 30 located opposite a downstream end 34 of the frame 30 and lateral side edges 36, 36 extending between the upstream and downstream ends. The view of the system shown in FIGS. 2A-2C is the lower bed 31 of the system 10 with the upper bed 29 of the system 10 removed in FIGS. 2A-2C for clarity. The upper and lower beds 29, 31 of the system 10 are shown in the cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2A and FIG. 3. A number of shafts 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52 extend between the opposed lateral sides 36 of the frame 30 and are spaced from the upstream end 32 to the downstream end 34 as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C.

(14) The system 10 also includes an upstream conveyor assembly 54 as well as a downstream conveyor assembly 56 for transporting the substrate 14 through the system 10 generally from the upstream end 32 to the downstream end 34. Each of the conveyor assemblies 54, 56 includes a pair of conveyor belts 58a, 58b and 60a, 60b which are each trained around upstream and downstream pulleys 62a, 62b, 64a, 64b, 66a, 66b, 68a, 68b. The upstream pulleys 62a, 62b of the upstream conveyor assembly 54 are each mounted for rotation on the same shaft 38 and the downstream pulleys 64a, 64b of the upstream conveyor assembly 54 are commonly mounted on the shaft 44. Similarly, the upstream pulleys 66a, 66b of the downstream conveyor assembly 56 are mounted on a common shaft 46 and the downstream pulleys 68a, 68b of the downstream conveyor assembly 56 are commonly mounted on the shaft 52. Each of the pulleys are positioned on the respective shaft by a carrier belt linear adjustment mechanism 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, each of which is mounted to the adjacent lateral side 36 of the frame 30 as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. Each carrier belt linear adjustment mechanism adjusts the lateral position of one of the pulleys as well as the associated conveyor belt trained around the pulley in a lateral position across the width of the system 10. The carrier belt linear adjustment mechanisms and other operations of the system 10 according to aspects of this invention are controlled by a controller 11 which receives position and other parameters for operation of the system 10 from a digital, computer input file.

(15) On the upstream shaft 38, 46 of each conveyor assembly 54, 56, a conveyor belt drive assembly 114 is mounted on the shaft and the pulleys mounted thereon to drive the conveyor belts in a generally continuous path for advancing the substrate through system 10.

(16) The upstream and downstream conveyor assemblies 54, 56 contact the non-print side 21 of the substrate 14 and advance the substrate 14 through the system 10 from the upstream end 32 to the downstream end 34 of the frame 30. To ensure appropriate contact and frictional engagement between the substrate 14 and the conveyor belts, each conveyor assembly includes a pair of upstream and downstream hold-down wheels 86a, 86b, 88a, 88b, 90a, 90b, 92a, 92b mounted on the upper bed 29 of the system 10 as shown in FIG. 2A in phantom lines and in FIG. 3 in cross-sectional view. During operation, the upper bed 29 is lowered toward the lower bed 31 by multiple hold-down screw assemblies 94 extending between the frames of the upper and lower beds 29, 31 as shown in FIG. 3. Upon actuation of the hold-down screw assemblies 94 and lowering of the upper bed 29 toward the lower bed 31, the hold-down wheels 86, 88, 90, 92 will sandwich the substrate 14 with the respective conveyor belts 58a, 58b, 60a, 60b to securely position and advance the substrate 14 through the system 10. The hold-down wheels 86, 88, 90, 92 engage the print side 20 of the substrate 14 and the conveyor belts 58, 60 engage the non-print side 21 of the substrate 14 in one embodiment of this invention. In alternative embodiments of this invention, conveyor belts may be utilized on both the top and bottom of the substrate 14 or on either the top or bottom of the substrate 14 to advance it through the system 10.

(17) As seen in FIGS. 2A-2C, the upstream conveyor assembly 54 is spaced in a longitudinal direction from the downstream conveyor assembly 56. A substrate rotating assembly 96 is positioned between the upstream and downstream conveyor assemblies 54, 56 as shown most clearly in FIG. 2A. In response to a signal from the controller 11, the substrate rotating assembly 96 rotates the substrate 14 approximately 90 degrees as shown by the arrow C in FIG. 2B. The substrate rotating assembly 96 in various embodiments according to this invention may be a gyro-box such as a Bobst mechanism, or a continuous motion robotic arm with or without a pneumatic suction engagement interface.

(18) To form the scores or fold lines 24 in the substrate 14, mating pairs of carton scoring wheel assemblies 100 are located on the shafts within the frames of the system 10. In one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C, four pairs of carton scoring members in the form of wheels 102a, 102b are located in the upstream portion boa of the system 10 and, likewise, four pair of carton scoring members in the form of wheels 104a, 104b are located in the downstream portion 10b of the system 10. Each carton scoring assembly 100 includes an upper male scoring wheel 102c or 104c mounted on a scoring wheel adjustment mechanism 106 for rotation on the upper bed 29 of the system 10. Each male scoring wheel 102c, 104c is positioned directly above a complementary female scoring wheel 102d, 104d on the lower bed 31 of the system 10. The four carton scoring wheel assemblies in the upstream portion boa of the system 10 can be implemented during the production of carton blanks 12 to produce four distinct and generally parallel score or fold lines 24 in the substrate 14. Similarly, the four downstream carton scoring wheel assemblies can likewise produce up to four distinct and parallel fold or score lines 24 in the substrate 14. As is evident in the substrate 14 as shown in FIG. 2B, after the substrate 14 has passed through the upstream portion boa of the system 10, four distinct score or fold lines 24 are formed in the substrate 14 and in the exemplary embodiment of the substrate 14 shown in FIG. 2B, those score or fold lines 24 separate the major panels 110 of the carton blank 12.

(19) In alternative embodiments of this invention, the system 10 may have different dimensions (i.e., wider for accommodating wider substrates) than those shown herein and the system 10 may include more or less scoring wheels arranged as needed in the system 10 for generating the desired fold lines in the substrate 14.

(20) After the substrate 14 is processed through the upstream portion boa of the system 10, it is rotated approximately 90 degrees by the substrate rotating assembly 96 and passed to the downstream portion 10b of the system 10 for creasing and generating fold lines 24 which are generally perpendicular to those shown in FIG. 2B. The crease, score or fold lines 24 generated in the downstream portion 10b of the system 10 in the exemplary carton blank 12 shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C separate the major panels 110 of the blank 12 from carton end flaps 112. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, only two of the carton scoring wheel mechanisms are utilized to create the fold lines 24 in the downstream portion 10b of the system 10. Note that the inactive carton scoring wheel mechanisms 104b, 104b are positioned outboard of the substrate 14 passing through the downstream portion 10b of the system 10 because only two fold lines 24 are required to be added to the substrate in the orientation of the substrate 14 in the downstream portion 10b.

(21) In a still further embodiment of this invention, the system 10 may include one or more further downstream sections with appropriate substrate rotating assemblies positioned between each pair of adjacent sections for manipulation of the substrate prior to entering the respective downstream section. Moreover, one or more of the sections could be utilized to make non-orthogonal or obtuse fold lines in relation to the fold lines 24 placed on the substrate in the upstream section boa and downstream section 10b shown in the FIGS. 2A-2C. This could be accomplished by rotation of the substrate 14 through an arc of less than or greater than 90 degrees. Movable or adjustable guide rails may be added to the system 10 to enable the placement of obtuse score lines as described.

(22) In still further embodiments of this invention, each male and female scoring wheel pair 102, 104 may function independently of other scoring wheel pairs in the system as needed for a particular application. The controller 11 may have any of the scoring wheel pairs 102, 104 engage and/or disengage the substrate 14 independently as required. This may be utilized to produce fold lines on the substrate which are continuous or discontinuous, extend entirely across the substrate 14 or only partially across the substrate 14 or other variations as needed.

(23) Each carton scoring wheel assembly is operatively coupled to a linear adjustment assembly 108 located laterally outboard of the frame 30 in the system 10 as shown in FIGS. 2A-2B. Each substrate scoring linear adjustment assembly 108 receives instructions from the controller to adjust the position of the male and female scoring wheel pairs 102, 104 laterally on the system 10 to the appropriate position for the desired score or fold lines 24 on the substrate 14. Two pair of carton scoring wheel assemblies are mounted on a single shaft as shown in FIGS. 2A-2B. However, the carton scoring wheel assemblies are controlled by individual substrate score linear adjustment assemblies 108 and therefore the position of each carton scoring wheel assembly can be individually adjusted according to the desired position of the resulting fold line 24 in the substrate 14 based on instructions from the controller 11.

(24) Now turning to FIG. 4, an exemplary hardware and software environment in conjunction with controller 11 is illustrated. For the purposes of the invention, controller 11 may represent practically any type of computer, computer system or other programmable electronic device, and will be referred to hereinafter as a computer for simplicity. It will be appreciated, however, that apparatus 50 may be implemented using one or more networked computers, e.g., in a cluster or other distributed computing system, or may be implemented within a single computer or other programmable electronic device, e.g., a desktop computer, laptop computer, handheld computer, cell phone, set top box, etc.

(25) Controller 11 typically includes a central processing unit 252 including at least one microprocessor coupled to a memory 254, which may represent the random access memory (RAM) devices comprising the main storage of computer 11, as well as any supplemental levels of memory, e.g., cache memories, non-volatile or backup memories (e.g., programmable or flash memories), read-only memories, etc. In addition, memory 254 may be considered to include memory storage physically located elsewhere in computer 11, e.g., any cache memory in a processor in CPU 252, as well as any storage capacity used as a virtual memory, e.g., as stored on a mass storage device 256 or on another computer coupled to computer 11. Computer 11 also typically receives a number of inputs and outputs for communicating information externally. For interface with a user or operator, computer 11 typically includes a user interface 258 incorporating one or more user input devices (e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a joystick, a touchpad, and/or a microphone, among others) and a display (e.g., a CRT monitor, an LCD display panel, and/or a speaker, among others). Otherwise, user input may be received via another computer or terminal.

(26) For additional storage, computer 11 may also include one or more mass storage devices 256, e.g., a floppy or other removable disk drive, a hard disk drive, a direct access storage device (DASD), an optical drive (e.g., a CD drive, a DVD drive, etc.), and/or a tape drive, among others. Furthermore, computer 11 may include an interface 260 with one or more networks 262 (e.g., a LAN, a WAN, a wireless network, and/or the Internet, among others) to permit the communication of information with other computers and electronic devices, e.g., one or more client computers 264 (e.g., for interfacing with agents 222, 224) and one or more servers 266 (e.g., implementing other aspects of 222, 224). It should be appreciated that computer 11 typically includes suitable analog and/or digital interfaces between CPU 252 and each of components 254, 256, 258 and 260 as is well known in the art. Other hardware environments are contemplated within the context of the invention.

(27) Computer 11 operates under the control of an operating system 268 and executes or otherwise relies upon various computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, etc., e.g., a call center application 270 (within which, for example, monitoring application 242 may be implemented). Moreover, various applications, components, programs, objects, modules, etc. may also execute on one or more processors in another computer coupled to computer 11 via network 262, e.g., in a distributed or client-server computing environment, whereby the processing required to implement the functions of a computer program may be allocated to multiple computers over a network.

(28) In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the invention, whether implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions, or even a subset thereof, will be referred to herein as computer program code, or simply program code. Program code typically comprises one or more instructions that are resident at various times in various memory and storage devices in a computer, and that, when read and executed by one or more processors in a computer, cause that computer to perform the steps necessary to execute steps or elements embodying the various aspects of the invention. Moreover, while the invention has and hereinafter will be described in the context of fully functioning controllers and computer systems, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various embodiments of the invention are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that the invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of computer readable media used to actually carry out the distribution.

(29) Such computer readable media may include computer readable storage media and communication media. Computer readable storage media is non-transitory in nature, and may include volatile and non-volatile, and removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer readable storage media may further include RAM, ROM, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other solid state memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD), or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by computer 11. Communication media may embody computer readable instructions, data structures or other program modules. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media may include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above may also be included within the scope of computer readable media.

(30) Various program code described hereinafter may be identified based upon the application within which it is implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature that follows is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature. Furthermore, given the typically endless number of manners in which computer programs may be organized into routines, procedures, methods, modules, objects, and the like, as well as the various manners in which program functionality may be allocated among various software layers that are resident within a typical computer (e.g., operating systems, libraries, API's, applications, applets, etc.), it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the specific organization and allocation of program functionality described herein.

(31) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the female scoring wheel 102d of each carton scoring wheel assembly 102a is in contact with the lower non-print side 21 of the substrate 14 and the male scoring wheel 102c of each scoring wheel assembly 102a engages the upper print side 20 of the substrate 14. One aspect of this invention is the ability to modify or change the particular configuration of the male and female scoring wheels 102c, 102d thereby providing for a variety of different crease and score lines 24, configurations, widths and geometries on the substrate 14. Advantageously, the position of the individual carton scoring wheel assemblies can be adjusted on the fly during operation of the system 10 for different scoring patterns for each substrate 14 while avoiding downtime and interruption of production of carton blanks 12.

(32) One aspect of this invention allows for the production of a variety of carton blanks 12 based upon algorithms input to the controller 11 whereby every carton for a production run can be slightly different in both print and size, yet still run through standard automatic filling equipment. In other words, random and/or programmed variation can occur within the confines of acceptable process variation, which results in mass production of different dimensioned carton blanks 12. For example, two adjacent pairs of the major panels no of a carton blank form a first pair of panels and combine to a certain total width and the remaining two of the major panels no of the carton blank combine to form a second pair of panels having the same total width; however, the individual dimensions of each panel in the first pair may be varied and the individual dimensions of each panel in the second pair may be varied from carton blank to carton blank. As such, each carton blank produced according to this aspect of this invention appears to be differently dimensioned from each other carton blank while all of the various carton blanks form a parallel-piped carton configuration and appear to be individually manufactured and not the result of a high-speed continuous digital printing, digital scoring and digital cutting continuous production process.

(33) From the above disclosure of the general principles of this invention and the preceding detailed description of at least one embodiment, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which this invention is susceptible.