A carton bottoming machine and a method of bottoming

Abstract

The application relates to a carton bottoming forming machine, which comprises a frame, a storage mechanism, a conveying mechanism for conveying a carton to be unfolded, an unfolding mechanism for adsorbing the carton to be unfolded to a bottoming position and unfolding, and a bottoming mechanism located below the unfolding mechanism and used for bottoming the unfolded carton; the carton to be unfolded comprises a wing component with a random direction; the conveying mechanism comprises a conveying shaft, a conveying component moving left and right on the conveying shaft, a left suction disc component installed on both sides of the conveying component and used for conveying the carton to be unfolded to the unfolding mechanism, and a right suction disc component used for conveying the bottomed carton to a finished product storage mechanism. The carton bottoming forming machine can randomly arrange the cartons to be bottomed, the bottomed cartons can be placed with the front faces upward to facilitate an operator to place articles in the cartons synchronously, and the carton bottoming forming machine is fully automatic and intelligent, and fundamentally solves the problem that the paper box placing direction needs to be unified during use of the bottoming machine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a paper box bottom forming machine and its bottom forming method, belonging to the technical field of paper box bottom forming machines. Background Technology

[0002] Cardboard boxes are now ubiquitous in our lives, with the interlocking self-locking bottom cardboard box being the most mainstream type currently on the market. These boxes typically have similar bottom flap structures, requiring the flaps to be folded up in a specific sequence before the flap's front tongue is pressed into the bottom structure to lock it in place. This process is generally referred to as bottom locking, and currently, bottom locking is often done by cardboard box locking machines or manually.

[0003] Currently, most bottom-fastening machines on the market only operate in one specific direction, requiring the cardboard board material to be fed in a specific orientation. None of these machines possess the ability to recognize the orientation of the cardboard box after it has been opened; they are only suitable for bottom-fastening boxes with a fixed orientation. When the box's orientation changes, the system cannot recognize the change and make corresponding adjustments. If the machine continues operating as before, the bottom structure of the box will be damaged. Therefore, the entire bottom-fastening system still relies on manual labor. The box must be manually aligned before being placed into the feed inlet (the die-cutting plate used in box production must also be fixed). This process works fine for neatly aligned cardboard boards, but when the orientation is disrupted, manual intervention is required.

[0004] Currently, very few bottom-fastening machines on the market achieve the effect of recognizing the direction of objects. They generally use image scanning to determine the orientation. A camera scans the current image information, which is then uploaded to the control system. The control system uses algorithms to reconstruct and analyze the image data to determine the specific situation of the surface scanned by the camera. However, this method is costly, energy-intensive, and relatively complex in machine structure. Furthermore, the harsh environment of industrial production can easily cause camera blurring, leading to abnormal data acquisition from the cardboard box. Additionally, this method is costly to develop. Therefore, most bottom-fastening machines on the market currently do not have a cardboard box orientation determination process.

[0005] Many product manufacturers now use small cardboard boxes for packaging, and these boxes often employ a snap-on bottom packaging method. However, most existing small cardboard box packaging relies on manual snap-on bottom assembly, which is inefficient, costly, and occupies a large area of ​​the production line. Chinese patent CN218171538U discloses an automatic box folding machine, applied in the field of cardboard box folding devices. The key technical points of the solution are: it includes a frame, a carrier plate fixed on the frame, and a support frame fixed above the carrier plate. The carrier plate is provided with several openings and sliding holes. A feeding component is slidably connected to the support frame, and a picking component is provided below the feeding component. The picking component is vertically slidably connected to the carrier plate. Extrusion mechanisms are provided on both sides of the picking component, and the extrusion mechanisms slide horizontally on the carrier plate. A paper folding mechanism is provided on one side of the extrusion mechanism. The technical solution of the aforementioned patent is that the cardboard boxes to be snapped are placed from top to bottom. The bottom cardboard box is unfolded by the suction cup, and then snapped shut by a cylinder and a push plate. Finally, the processed cardboard box is blown down into the collection bin through a blower. The opening of the processed cardboard box faces right, and the snapping is done on the left side. This has two disadvantages: 1. The feeding is flat and relies on gravity to make the boxes fall to the suction cup below. When the boxes are light or there are only a few boxes left, the suction cup below may not be able to hold properly, requiring manual intervention, which increases manpower. Also, the cardboard boxes to be snapped shut from top to bottom have a limited capacity (limited height); 2. The discharge is flat and the orientation is wrong, requiring manual alignment before items can be placed, and it is difficult to achieve automated connection after this process.

[0006] This patent specifically addresses this issue with a truly comprehensive compatibility design. Comprehensive compatibility means that boxes within a standard size range can operate normally regardless of orientation or whether the two sides are the same size. Furthermore, boxes can be randomly placed without affecting normal operation. The bottom-folding box machine designed using this structural concept achieves excellent compatibility at a relatively low cost. It can be electrically adjusted to the appropriate position without manual structural adjustments (such as tightening screws). Compared to previous products, it is more convenient, faster, more efficient, and saves more manpower! Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention provides a fully automatic and intelligent cardboard box bottom forming machine and its bottom forming method that can randomly arrange cardboard boxes to be bottomed, and allows the cardboard boxes to be placed face up after bottoming, making it convenient for the operator to place the items inside the boxes simultaneously. It fundamentally solves the problem of needing to unify the direction of cardboard box placement during the use of bottom forming machines. The function is simple to implement and easy and reliable to execute.

[0008] A paper box bottom-fastening forming machine includes a frame, a storage mechanism located on one side of the frame for storing paper boxes to be unfolded, a conveying mechanism for conveying paper boxes to be unfolded, an unfolding mechanism for adsorbing the paper boxes to be unfolded to the bottom-fastening position and unfolding them, and a bottom-fastening mechanism located below the unfolding mechanism for fastening the unfolded paper boxes to the bottom; the paper box to be unfolded includes a rocking wing assembly with random orientation.

[0009] The conveying mechanism includes a conveying shaft, a conveying assembly that moves left and right on the conveying shaft, a left suction cup assembly installed on both sides of the conveying assembly for conveying the cardboard box to be unfolded to the unfolding mechanism, and a right suction cup assembly for conveying the cardboard box with the bottom closed to the finished product storage mechanism.

[0010] The unfolding mechanism includes an unfolding device that can be moved left and right to adjust its position so that the center of the cardboard box to be snapped is aligned with the center of the snapping mechanism, an unfolding suction cup assembly installed on the unfolding device and used to attach the cardboard box to be unfolded by the left suction cup assembly to the snapping position, and a folding plate assembly installed on the unfolding device and used to unfold the cardboard box to be unfolded.

[0011] The bottom-fastening mechanism is located below the bottom-fastening position; the bottom-fastening mechanism includes a hollow square mounting platform, a moving component that drives the mounting platform to move horizontally so that the center of the cardboard box to be fastened corresponds to the center of the mounting platform, and a cardboard box bottom-fastening component symmetrically installed on the four sides of the mounting platform and inclined to the mounting platform; the cardboard box bottom-fastening component includes an actuating cylinder assembly and an actuating bracket assembly installed at the front end of the actuating cylinder assembly for sequentially folding the cardboard box flaps; a fifth actuating bracket for folding the cardboard box flaps and a top-bottom cylinder that can rotate to change the direction of the fifth actuating bracket are installed in the hollow part of the mounting platform, and the fifth actuating bracket is installed at the front end of the top-bottom cylinder.

[0012] The rocker assembly includes a first rocker, a second rocker, a third rocker, and a fourth rocker.

[0013] The storage mechanism includes left and right baffles for fixing the sides of the cardboard box to be unfolded and a rear baffle for preventing the cardboard box from tipping over and for pushing the cardboard box forward.

[0014] The frame includes a support plate, the conveying mechanism and the unfolding mechanism are located above the support plate, and the bottom fastening mechanism is located below the support plate.

[0015] The bottom-locking mechanism is also equipped with a sensor for identifying the specific direction of each rocker in the rocker assembly.

[0016] The cardboard box to be snapped in includes a rocker arm assembly (four flaps) with random orientation; after the actuating cylinder assembly extends, the actuating bracket assemblies mounted on top of the cylinder, which contact the four flaps of the cardboard box, all point towards the bottom center point of the cardboard box, but the four flap components do not interfere with or contact each other. This design allows the cardboard box to be arranged in any of four directions.

[0017] The installation platform has a fifth actuator bracket for folding the cardboard box flaps and a top and bottom cylinder that can rotate to change the direction of the fifth actuator bracket. The fifth actuator bracket (top plate) is installed at the front end of the top and bottom cylinder.

[0018] The installation platform is mounted on the bottom-fastening machine via a fixed bracket assembly. The moving assembly includes two pairs of linear bearing assemblies installed at the lower end of the installation platform to support its stable linear movement. A linear track is installed between each pair of linear bearing assemblies, and the linear track passes through the linear bearing assemblies and is mounted on the fixed bracket assembly. The lower end of the installation platform also has a first motor and a lead screw connected to the first motor and driving the installation platform to move. The direction and distance of movement of the installation platform can be determined by the first motor driving the horizontal lead screw.

[0019] The first motor is fixed on the fixed bracket and drives the lead screw to rotate. The lead screw drives the lead screw nut to move, which in turn drives the mounting platform to move. The mounting platform then drives all the cylinders on it to move. The final execution effect is that when the motor moves, it causes the center points of all actuators to move relative to the fixed bracket. A position sensor is installed between the fixed bracket and the platform to identify whether the structure has reached the designated position.

[0020] The tilt angle between the cardboard box bottom fastening assembly and the mounting platform is 40°-50°, preferably 45°.

[0021] The installation platform has a first top and bottom support plate and a second top and bottom support plate in its hollow part, and an upper connecting plate, a motor plate and a lower connecting plate are provided between the first top and bottom support plate and the second top and bottom support plate.

[0022] The top and bottom cylinders are mounted on a lead screw shaft. The other end of the lead screw shaft is provided with a threaded part. The threaded part passes through the upper connecting plate, the motor plate and the lower connecting plate and is connected to the lead screw nut. The lead screw shaft is driven to rotate by a second motor.

[0023] The lead screw shaft is fitted with a sliding bearing, a timing pulley, and an electric slip ring.

[0024] The fixed support assembly and mounting platform are equipped with position sensors that can detect whether the mounting platform has reached the designated position.

[0025] The actuator cylinder assembly and the top and bottom cylinders are equipped with magnetic sensors that detect the movement position of the cylinders during operation.

[0026] The contact surface of the execution bracket assembly that contacts the cardboard box is polished smooth, and the corners are rounded.

[0027] The actuators are all at an angle of about 45 degrees to the mounting platform. As long as the actuator centers of the four actuators are basically aligned with the center of the box, it can be guaranteed that the folds at the bottom of the cardboard box can be folded normally within the design range.

[0028] The mounting platform and the fixed bracket are connected by a linear bearing and are designed with a lead screw assembly. The mounting platform can adjust the cylinder center position in the linear direction by rotating the lead screw according to the size of the box.

[0029] Preferably, the top and bottom cylinders are mounted on a lead screw shaft, which is connected to the mounting platform via linear bearings, lead screw nuts, and connecting accessories. The lead screw can rotate to drive the top and bottom cylinders to adapt to boxes of different sizes and orientations.

[0030] The key feature of the above structure lies in the symmetrical compatibility during cylinder execution, with adjustment methods including, but not limited to, motor adjustment. This structure allows for automatic or manual adjustment of the entire cylinder assembly's center of motion, and the mounting platform moves only in one horizontal direction, exhibiting highly reliable mechanical stability. The top and bottom cylinders can rotate with the shaft; by controlling the movement sequence of the four symmetrical cylinders and the rotation direction of the top and bottom cylinders, arbitrary sequential operation in all four directions of the cardboard box can be achieved. Simultaneously, the cylinder positions are designed to be compatible with boxes of different sizes. This structure allows for electrically controlled position and sequence adjustments, ignoring compatibility issues caused by box orientation and size, providing full compatibility for bottom-folding box machines on the market. The mechanical structure is simple and reliable, with low inertia in the actuators, enabling high-speed bottom-folding actions. This structure offers faster speeds and greater compatibility than all similar products currently available, adapting to a wider range of compatibility without requiring structural component replacements.

[0031] The above structure is a universal structure; any box conforming to this standard can use this structure to perform the bottom-clamping action. The structure does not require replacement of structural components or manual modification to adapt to different boxes. To achieve this function, a machine-controlled motor moves the mounting platform, ensuring that the execution center points of the four actuators are roughly aligned with the center line of the bottom surface of the box to be folded. A relatively large margin of error is permissible for this alignment; the smaller the error, the better the execution effect and compatibility. Once the box to be folded is fixed, the machine identifies the orientation of the clamped box to determine the execution sequence of the actuators in this patented structure. The final step is the action of the top and bottom cylinders, whose direction can be adjusted by the motor before execution. The actuator accessories are used to make contact with the bottom of the box. These accessories must ensure that, for the smallest box size, the force point of the folded piece is at least one centimeter from the edge of the box when the fold is in place. As long as the center points are not significantly different (within half the size of the accessory's force-bearing surface), even large boxes can be folded normally; in fact, larger boxes tend to fold better. Magnetic sensors or delay effects are used to control the cylinder sequence, making the operation more stable.

[0032] A bottom-fastening method for a paper box bottom-fastening forming machine includes the following steps:

[0033] Step 1: Place a cardboard box to be unfolded with the wing assembly facing randomly into the storage mechanism. The cardboard box to be unfolded may have the first wing and the second wing facing forward, or the first wing and the fourth wing facing forward, or the second wing and the third wing facing forward, or the third wing and the fourth wing facing forward.

[0034] Step 2: The left suction cup component in the conveying mechanism moves to the front of the storage mechanism, and the left suction cup component adsorbs the paper box to be unfolded. The left suction cup component in the conveying mechanism drives the paper box to be unfolded to the front of the unfolding mechanism.

[0035] Step 3: The unfolding suction cup assembly in the unfolding mechanism adsorbs the cardboard box to be unfolded by the left suction cup assembly. During the adsorption process, the folding plate assembly unfolds the cardboard box from the outside to the inside.

[0036] Step 4: The bottom-locking mechanism uses sensors to identify the specific direction of each wing in the unfolded cardboard box wing assembly, thereby controlling the forward and backward movement of the support assembly.

[0037] Step 5: The support assembly will sequentially attach the bottom of the rocker assembly to form the shape. The right suction cup assembly in the conveying mechanism will transport the bottom-attached cardboard box to the finished product storage mechanism, while simultaneously moving the next cardboard box to be unfolded to the front of the unfolding mechanism.

[0038] This patented bottom-fastening machine features a fully symmetrical bottom-fastening structure and a simple dual-path photoelectric sensor design, providing stable directional data acquisition and ease of implementation. Combined with the symmetrical bottom-fastening structure, it can automatically change the execution sequence of the bottom-fastening process to ensure boxes in different orientations are properly fastened, eliminating the need for manual intervention. It can even function normally when boxes are randomly placed. Compared to other bottom-fastening machines, this patented machine requires less than 30% of the material loading workload. For example, if one person needs to manage 5 machines with other machines, one person can manage 20 with this machine.

[0039] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0040] Currently, the folding and bottom-fastening machines on the market offer crude and simple discharge methods, generally achieved through the following solutions: 1. Blowing the finished box out with air; 2. Pushing the front box out by the processed product behind; 3. Pushing out with a cylinder; 4. Gravity ramp discharge. Boxes folded in these ways are piled up messily, with irregular discharge directions. When products need to be loaded into them, the boxes need to be picked up manually again, which may involve additional actions such as bending over and reaching, increasing production time. More importantly, most current folding and bottom-fastening machines discharge the boxes horizontally because the feeding is horizontal. This has two disadvantages: 1. The horizontal feeding relies on gravity to make the boxes fall to the suction cup below. When the boxes are light or there are only a few boxes left, the suction cup below may not hold properly, requiring manual intervention, increasing labor costs; 2. The horizontal and irregular discharge direction requires manual alignment before items can be placed, making it difficult to achieve automated connection after this process.

[0041] Using the snap-on bottom forming machine of this invention, the opened products are neatly arranged with their front faces upwards. Workers can directly place the items without any action, and it is also easier to connect to subsequent automated equipment such as robotic arms. Compared to the method of laying cardboard boxes flat, the materials of the snap-on bottom forming machine of this invention are stacked vertically, and the material bin can be set horizontally, which can store more cardboard boxes to be folded. This patent is preferably 3 times that of other machines! Because other snap-on bottom machines stack horizontally, the more boxes there are, the higher the material is stacked, and the more difficult it is to put in the boxes. This patent does not have this problem. To put in more boxes, you only need to lengthen the material bin of the box. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a paper box in a paper box bottom forming machine according to the present invention (1);

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a paper box in a paper box bottom forming machine according to the present invention (2);

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a paper box bottom forming machine according to the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the storage mechanism, conveying mechanism, and unfolding mechanism in a paper box bottom forming machine according to the present invention;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the storage mechanism in a paper box bottom forming machine according to the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the conveying mechanism in a paper box bottom forming machine according to the present invention;

[0049] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolding mechanism in a paper box bottom forming machine according to the present invention;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram (1) of the bottom-fastening mechanism in a paper box bottom-fastening forming machine of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram (2) of the bottom-fastening mechanism in a paper box bottom-fastening forming machine of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram (3) of the bottom-fastening mechanism in a paper box bottom-fastening forming machine of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 11 This invention provides a recommended installation method for the top and bottom cylinders and the top and bottom support plates in a paper box bottom forming machine.

[0054] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom-pushing mechanism in a paper box bottom-forming machine according to the present invention.

[0055] In the diagram: 1-Bearing plate; 1.1-Mounting platform; 1.2-First fixed bracket; 1.3-Second fixed bracket; 1.4-First top and bottom support plate; 1.5-Second top and bottom support plate; 1.6-Upper connecting plate; 1.7-Lower connecting plate; 1.8-Motor plate; 2.1-First actuator cylinder; 2.2-Second actuator cylinder; 2.3-Third actuator cylinder; 2.4-Fourth actuator cylinder; 2.5-Top and bottom cylinder; 3.1-First linear bearing; 3.2-Second linear bearing; 3.3-Third linear bearing; 4.1-First motor; 4.2-Second motor; 5.1-First actuator bracket; 5.2-Second actuator bracket; 5.3-Third actuator bracket; 5.4-Fourth actuator bracket; 5.5-Fifth actuator bracket; 6.1-Minimum box; 6.2-Maximum box;

[0056] 6.1.1 - Minimum box edge; 6.1.2 - Maximum box edge; 7.1 - First linear track; 7.2 - Second linear track; 7.3 - First optical axis; 7.4 - Second optical axis; 8.1 - Lead screw; 8.2 - Lead screw shaft; 10 - Sliding bearing; 11 - Electric slip ring; 13 - Lead screw nut; 14 - Linear bearing; 15 - Control panel; 16 - Frame; 17 - Storage mechanism; 18 - Conveying mechanism; 19 - Unfolding mechanism; 20 - Left and right baffles; 21 - Rear baffle; 22 - Left suction cup assembly; 23 - Conveying assembly; 24 - Right suction cup assembly; 25 - Conveying shaft; 26 - Folding plate assembly; 27 - Unfolding suction cup assembly; 28 - Mounting side plate; 29 - Moving cylinder; 30 - First rocker; 31 - Second rocker; 32 - Third rocker; 33 - Fourth rocker. Detailed Implementation

[0057] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0058] Reference Figures 1-7 A paper box bottom-locking forming machine includes a frame 16, a storage mechanism 17 located on one side of the frame 16 for storing paper boxes to be unfolded, a conveying mechanism 18 for conveying paper boxes to be unfolded, an unfolding mechanism 19 for adsorbing the paper boxes to be unfolded to the bottom-locking position and unfolding them, and a bottom-locking mechanism located below the unfolding mechanism 19 for performing bottom-locking processing on the unfolded paper boxes; the paper boxes to be unfolded include a rocking wing assembly with random orientation; a control screen 15 is installed on the frame 16.

[0059] The conveying mechanism 18 includes a conveying shaft 25, a conveying assembly 23 that moves left and right on the conveying shaft 25, a moving cylinder 29 that provides power to the conveying assembly 23, a left suction cup assembly 22 installed on both sides of the conveying assembly 23 for conveying the cardboard box to be unfolded to the unfolding mechanism 19, and a right suction cup assembly 24 for conveying the cardboard box with the bottom closed to the finished product storage mechanism; the conveying shaft 25 is installed on the mounting side plate 28;

[0060] The unfolding mechanism 19 includes an unfolding device that can be moved left and right to adjust its position so that the center of the paper box to be snapped is aligned with the center of the snapping mechanism, an unfolding suction cup assembly 27 installed on the unfolding device and used to suction the paper box to be unfolded by the left suction cup assembly 22 to the snapping position, and a folding plate assembly 26 installed on the unfolding device and used to unfold the paper box to be unfolded.

[0061] Reference Figure 8-11 The bottom-fastening mechanism is located below the bottom-fastening position; the bottom-fastening mechanism includes a hollow square mounting platform 1.1, a moving component that drives the mounting platform 1.1 to move horizontally so that the center of the cardboard box to be fastened corresponds to the center of the mounting platform 1.1, and a cardboard box bottom-fastening component symmetrically installed on the four sides of the mounting platform 1.1 and inclined to the mounting platform 1.1; the cardboard box bottom-fastening component includes an actuating cylinder assembly and an actuating bracket assembly installed at the front end of the actuating cylinder assembly for sequentially folding the cardboard box flaps; a fifth actuating bracket 5.5 for folding the cardboard box flaps and a top-bottom cylinder 2.5 that can rotatably change the direction of the fifth actuating bracket 5.5 are installed in the hollow part of the mounting platform 1.1, and the fifth actuating bracket 5.5 is installed at the front end of the top-bottom cylinder 2.5. The actuator cylinder assembly includes a first actuator cylinder 2.1, a second actuator cylinder 2.2, a third actuator cylinder 2.3 and a fourth actuator cylinder 2.4, and the actuator support assembly includes a first actuator support 5.1, a second actuator support 5.2, a third actuator support 5.3, a fourth actuator support 5.4 and a fifth actuator support 5.5.

[0062] The rocker assembly includes a first rocker 30, a second rocker 31, a third rocker 32, and a fourth rocker 33.

[0063] The storage mechanism 17 includes left and right baffles 20 for fixing the sides of the cardboard box to be unfolded and a rear baffle 21 for preventing the cardboard box from tipping over and for pushing the cardboard box forward. The frame 16 includes a support plate 1, the conveying mechanism 18 and the unfolding mechanism 19 are located above the support plate 1, and the bottom-locking mechanism is located below the support plate 1. The bottom-locking mechanism is also equipped with a sensor for identifying the specific direction of each rocker arm in the rocker arm assembly.

[0064] The cardboard box to be snapped in includes a randomly oriented rocker assembly (four flaps). After the actuating cylinder assembly extends, the actuating bracket assemblies mounted on top of the cylinder, which contact the four flaps of the cardboard box, all point towards the bottom center point of the cardboard box, but the four flap components do not interfere with or contact each other. This design allows the cardboard box to be arranged in any direction. A fifth actuating bracket 5.5 for folding the cardboard box's rocker wings and a top-bottom cylinder 2.5 that can rotatably change the direction of the fifth actuating bracket 5.5 are installed in the hollow part of the mounting platform 1.1. The fifth actuating bracket 5.5 (top flap) is mounted at the front end of the top-bottom cylinder 2.5.

[0065] The installation platform 1.1 is mounted on the bottom-fastening machine via a fixed bracket assembly. The moving assembly includes two pairs of linear bearing assemblies mounted at the lower end of the installation platform 1.1 to support the stable linear movement of the installation platform 1.1. A first linear track 7.1 and a second linear track 7.2 are installed between each pair of linear bearing assemblies. The linear tracks pass through the linear bearing assemblies and are mounted on the fixed bracket assembly. The lower end of the installation platform 1.1 is also equipped with a first motor 4.1 and a lead screw 8.1 connected to the first motor 4.1 and driving the installation platform 1.1 to move. The direction and distance of movement of the installation platform 1.1 can be determined by the first motor 4.1 driving the horizontal lead screw 8.1. The fixed bracket assembly includes a first fixed bracket 1.2 and a second fixed bracket 1.3. The linear bearing assembly includes a first linear bearing 3.1 / 3.1, a second linear bearing 3.2, and a third linear bearing 3.3.

[0066] The first motor 4.1 is fixed on the fixed bracket and drives the lead screw 8.1 to rotate. The lead screw 8.1 drives the lead screw nut 13 to move, which in turn drives the mounting platform 1.1 to move. The mounting platform 1.1 then drives all the cylinders on it to move. The final execution effect is that when the motor moves, it causes the center points of all actuators to move relative to the fixed bracket. A position sensor is installed between the fixed bracket and the platform to identify whether the structure has reached the designated position.

[0067] The tilt angle between the cardboard box bottom fastening assembly and the mounting platform 1.1 is 40°-50°, preferably 45°.

[0068] The installation platform 1.1 has a hollow section with a first top and bottom support plate 1.4 and a second top and bottom support plate 1.5. An upper connecting plate 1.6, a motor plate 1.8, and a lower connecting plate 1.7 are located between the first top and bottom support plate 1.4 and the second top and bottom support plate 1.5. The top and bottom cylinder 2.5 is mounted on a lead screw shaft 8.2. The other end of the lead screw shaft 8.2 has a threaded portion that passes through the upper connecting plate 1.6, the motor plate 1.8, and the lower connecting plate 1.7 and connects to a lead screw nut 13. The lead screw shaft 8.2 is driven to rotate by a second motor 4.2. A first optical axis 7.3 and a second optical axis 7.4 are installed between the motor plate 1.8 and the upper connecting plate 1.6.

[0069] A sliding bearing 10, a synchronous pulley, and an electric slip ring 11 are fitted onto the lead screw shaft 8.2. The fixed support assembly and the mounting platform 1.1 are equipped with position sensors that can identify whether the mounting platform 1.1 has reached a designated position. The actuating cylinder assembly and the top and bottom cylinders 2.5 are equipped with magnetic sensors that detect the movement position of the cylinders during operation. The contact surface between the actuating support assembly and the cardboard box is polished smooth, and the edges are rounded. Each actuating cylinder forms an angle of approximately 45 degrees with the mounting platform 1.1. As long as the actuating centers of the four actuating cylinders are basically aligned with the center of the box, it can be ensured that the folds at the bottom of the cardboard box within the design range can be folded normally. The mounting platform 1.1 is connected to the fixed support via a linear bearing 14 and is designed with a lead screw 8.1 assembly. The mounting platform 1.1 can rotate the lead screw 8.1 according to the size of the box to adjust the cylinder center position in the linear direction.

[0070] The top and bottom cylinders 2.5 are mounted on the lead screw shaft 8.2. The lead screw shaft 8.2 is connected to the mounting platform 1.1 via linear bearings 14, lead screw nuts 13, and connecting accessories. The lead screw 8.1 can rotate to drive the top and bottom cylinders 2.5 to adapt to boxes of different sizes and orientations.

[0071] The key feature of the above structure lies in the symmetrical compatibility during cylinder execution, with adjustment methods including, but not limited to, motor adjustment. This structure allows for automatic or manual adjustment of the entire cylinder assembly's center point of motion, and the mounting platform 1.1 moves only in one horizontal direction, exhibiting highly reliable mechanical stability. The top and bottom cylinders 2.5 can rotate with the shaft; by controlling the movement sequence of the four symmetrical cylinders and the rotation direction of the top and bottom cylinders 2.5, the carton can operate in any order in four directions. Simultaneously, the cylinder positions are designed to be compatible with boxes of different sizes. This structure allows for electrically controlled position and sequence adjustments, ignoring compatibility issues caused by box orientation and size, providing full compatibility for bottom-folding box machines on the market. The mechanical structure is simple and reliable, with low inertia in the actuators, enabling high-speed bottom-folding actions. It boasts faster speeds and greater compatibility than all similar products currently available, adapting to a wider range of compatibility without requiring structural component replacements.

[0072] The above structure is a universal structure. Any box conforming to this standard can use this structure to perform the bottom-clamping action. The structure does not require replacement of structural components or manual modification to adapt to different boxes. To achieve this function, a machine-controlled motor moves the mounting platform 1.1 to ensure that the execution center points of the four actuators are roughly aligned with the center line of the bottom surface of the box to be folded. A relatively large error is permissible for this alignment; the smaller the error, the better the execution effect and compatibility. Once the box to be folded is fixed, the machine identifies the orientation of the clamped box to determine the execution sequence of the actuators in this patented structure. The final step is the activation of the top and bottom cylinders 2.5. The direction of the top and bottom cylinders 2.5 can be adjusted by the motor before their activation. The actuator accessories are used to contact the bottom of the box. When the box is at least 6.1 in size, the force point of the folded piece should be at least one centimeter away from the edge of the box when the fold is in place. As long as the center points are not significantly different (within half the size of the accessory's force-bearing surface), even large boxes can be folded normally; in fact, larger boxes generally have better force resistance. Using magnetic sensors or delay effects to control the sequential flow of cylinders makes operation more stable.

[0073] A bottom-fastening method for a paper box bottom-fastening forming machine includes the following steps:

[0074] Step 1: Place a cardboard box to be unfolded with the wing assembly facing randomly into the storage mechanism 17. The cardboard box to be unfolded may have the first wing 30 and the second wing 31 facing forward, or the first wing 30 and the fourth wing 33 facing forward, or the second wing 31 and the third wing 32 facing forward, or the third wing 32 and the fourth wing 33 facing forward.

[0075] Step 2: The left suction cup assembly 22 in the conveying mechanism 18 moves to the front of the storage mechanism 17, and the left suction cup assembly 22 adsorbs the paper box to be unfolded. The left suction cup assembly 22 in the conveying mechanism 18 drives the paper box to be unfolded to the front of the unfolding mechanism 19.

[0076] Step 3: The unfolding suction cup assembly 27 in the unfolding mechanism 19 adsorbs the cardboard box to be unfolded by the left suction cup assembly 22. During the adsorption process, the folding plate assembly 26 unfolds the cardboard box to be unfolded from the outside to the inside.

[0077] Step 4: The bottom-locking mechanism uses sensors to identify the specific direction of each wing in the unfolded cardboard box wing assembly, thereby controlling the forward and backward movement of the support assembly.

[0078] Step 5: The support assembly will sequentially attach the bottom of the rocker assembly to form the shape. The right suction cup assembly 24 in the conveying mechanism 18 will transport the bottom-attached cardboard box to the finished product storage mechanism, and at the same time move the next cardboard box to be unfolded to the front of the unfolding mechanism 19.

[0079] This patented bottom-fastening machine features a fully symmetrical bottom-fastening structure and a simple dual-path photoelectric sensor design, providing stable directional data acquisition and ease of implementation. Combined with the symmetrical bottom-fastening structure, it can automatically change the execution sequence of the bottom-fastening process to ensure boxes in different orientations are properly fastened, eliminating the need for manual intervention. It can even function normally when boxes are randomly placed. Compared to other bottom-fastening machines, this patented machine requires less than 30% of the material loading workload. For example, if one person needs to manage 5 machines with other machines, one person can manage 20 with this machine.

[0080] For a deeper understanding of the design principles behind this structure, please refer to... Figure 12 In the diagram, the thicker lines represent two rectangular frames of different sizes. The smaller inner frame represents the center section of the smallest box (6.1) in the design dimensions, while the outer frame represents the center section of the largest box in the design dimensions. For better illustration of the design, the smallest box (6.1) has a smallest box edge (6.1.1), and the largest box (6.2) has a smallest box edge (6.1.2). Figure 12 The smallest box 6.1 and the largest box 6.2 are shown in cross-sectional view. The bottom right side of the fold shows the cylinder extending and the fold is folded. The lower left side of the largest box 6.2 and the smallest box 6.1 is shown as the position of the cylinder before it is folded and is about to extend. Figure 12 The two thin, cross-shaped lines indicate the required position of the box. The horizontal line represents the bottom plane of the box, and the intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines is the center point of the bottom plane. The core design concept is that regardless of the box's size, the folded edge will always fold towards the center point of the box's bottom surface. The edges of the bottom folds are also within a certain proportional range, with a certain width and a smooth, curved front end to accommodate a large range of movement. Regardless of the box's size, the cylinder will always push the edge towards the center point when it extends.

[0081] The term "bottom-fastening machine" is just a name. In this article, the terms "bottom-fastening machine," "forming machine," "forming machine," "paper box bottom-fastening forming machine," and "paper box bottom-fastening forming machine" all refer to a type of machine used to unfold and form bottom-fastening paper.

[0082] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments. For those skilled in the art, various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and these variations still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A paper box bottom forming machine, characterized in that: The device includes a frame, a storage mechanism located on one side of the frame for storing the cardboard box to be unfolded, a conveying mechanism for conveying the cardboard box to be unfolded, an unfolding mechanism for adsorbing the cardboard box to be unfolded to the bottom-locking position and unfolding it, and a bottom-locking mechanism located below the unfolding mechanism for locking the unfolded cardboard box to the bottom; the cardboard box to be unfolded includes a rocking wing assembly with random orientation; The conveying mechanism includes a conveying shaft, a conveying assembly that moves left and right on the conveying shaft, a left suction cup assembly installed on both sides of the conveying assembly for conveying the cardboard box to be unfolded to the unfolding mechanism, and a right suction cup assembly for conveying the cardboard box with the bottom closed to the finished product storage mechanism. The unfolding mechanism includes an unfolding device that can be moved left and right to adjust its position so that the center of the cardboard box to be snapped is aligned with the center of the snapping mechanism, an unfolding suction cup assembly installed on the unfolding device and used to attach the cardboard box to be unfolded by the left suction cup assembly to the snapping position, and a folding plate assembly installed on the unfolding device and used to unfold the cardboard box to be unfolded. The bottom-fastening mechanism is located below the bottom-fastening position; the bottom-fastening mechanism includes a hollow square mounting platform, a moving component that drives the mounting platform to move horizontally so that the center of the cardboard box to be fastened corresponds to the center of the mounting platform, and a cardboard box bottom-fastening component symmetrically installed on the four sides of the mounting platform and inclined to the mounting platform; the cardboard box bottom-fastening component includes an actuating cylinder assembly and an actuating bracket assembly installed at the front end of the actuating cylinder assembly for sequentially folding the cardboard box flaps; a fifth actuating bracket for folding the cardboard box flaps and a top-bottom cylinder that can rotate to change the direction of the fifth actuating bracket are installed in the hollow part of the mounting platform, and the fifth actuating bracket is installed at the front end of the top-bottom cylinder.

2. The paper box bottom forming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rocker assembly includes a first rocker, a second rocker, a third rocker, and a fourth rocker.

3. The paper box bottom forming machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The storage mechanism includes left and right baffles for fixing the sides of the cardboard box to be unfolded and a rear baffle for preventing the cardboard box from tipping over and for pushing the cardboard box forward.

4. The paper box bottom forming machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The frame includes a support plate, the conveying mechanism and the unfolding mechanism are located above the support plate, and the bottom fastening mechanism is located below the support plate.

5. The paper box bottom forming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom-locking mechanism is also equipped with a sensor for identifying the specific direction of each rocker in the rocker assembly.

6. The paper box bottom forming machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The installation platform is mounted on the bottom fastening machine via a fixed bracket assembly. The moving assembly includes two pairs of linear bearing assemblies installed at the lower end of the installation platform. A linear track is installed between each pair of linear bearing assemblies. The linear track passes through the linear bearing assemblies and is mounted on the fixed bracket assembly. The lower end of the installation platform is also provided with a first motor and a lead screw connected to the first motor and driving the installation platform to move.

7. The paper box bottom forming machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The tilt angle between the cardboard box bottom fastening assembly and the mounting platform is 40°-50°.

8. The paper box bottom forming machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The installation platform has a first top and bottom support plate and a second top and bottom support plate in its hollow part, and an upper connecting plate, a motor plate and a lower connecting plate are provided between the first top and bottom support plate and the second top and bottom support plate.

9. The paper box bottom forming machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The top and bottom cylinders are mounted on a lead screw shaft. The other end of the lead screw shaft is provided with a threaded part. The threaded part passes through the upper connecting plate, the motor plate, and the lower connecting plate and is connected to the lead screw nut. The lead screw shaft is driven to rotate by a second motor. A sliding bearing, a synchronous pulley, and an electric slip ring are sleeved on the lead screw shaft. The fixed bracket assembly and the mounting platform are equipped with position sensors that can identify whether the mounting platform has reached the designated position. The actuator cylinder assembly and the top and bottom cylinders are equipped with magnetic sensors that identify the movement position of the cylinders during operation.

10. A method for fastening the bottom of a paper box based on any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Step 1: Place a cardboard box to be unfolded with the wing assembly facing randomly into the storage mechanism. The cardboard box to be unfolded may have the first wing and the second wing facing forward, or the first wing and the fourth wing facing forward, or the second wing and the third wing facing forward, or the third wing and the fourth wing facing forward. Step 2: The left suction cup component in the conveying mechanism moves to the front of the storage mechanism, and the left suction cup component adsorbs the paper box to be unfolded. The left suction cup component in the conveying mechanism drives the paper box to be unfolded to the front of the unfolding mechanism. Step 3: The unfolding suction cup assembly in the unfolding mechanism adsorbs the cardboard box to be unfolded by the left suction cup assembly. During the adsorption process, the folding plate assembly unfolds the cardboard box from the outside to the inside. Step 4: The bottom-locking mechanism uses sensors to identify the specific direction of each wing in the unfolded cardboard box wing assembly, thereby controlling the forward and backward movement of the support assembly. Step 5: The support assembly will sequentially attach the bottom of the rocker assembly to form the shape. The right suction cup assembly in the conveying mechanism will transport the bottom-attached cardboard box to the finished product storage mechanism, while simultaneously moving the next cardboard box to be unfolded to the front of the unfolding mechanism.

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