Box Forming Apparatus Flap Position Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing box forming apparatuses are not suited for opening flattened cardboard boxes of various sizes into tubular shapes, as they require a specific configuration that holds all flaps, limiting their versatility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A box forming apparatus equipped with a holding mechanism, a moving mechanism, and a control device that adjusts the position and angle of side panels and flaps to facilitate the transformation of flattened cardboard boxes of different sizes into tubular shapes, allowing for high-speed conversion without damaging the boxes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a configuration that holds all four side panels and four flaps is used, then the box opening operation is stable and reliable, but the device cannot handle flattened cardboard boxes of various sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The holding mechanism is divided into multiple independent holding members (first holding member, second holding member, third holding member, fourth holding member), each responsible for holding a specific side panel. This segmentation allows each member to be independently positioned and adjusted, enabling the mechanism to accommodate boxes of various sizes while maintaining reliable holding operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The holding members are made movable along the width direction of the flattened cardboard box through moving mechanisms. This dynamic capability allows the holding members to adjust their positions according to different box widths, providing versatility for handling various box sizes while maintaining stable holding during the opening operation.
2Productivity
If holding members are moved to open the flattened cardboard box, then the box transformation speed is improved, but flap position control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The position adjusting members are configured to adjust the positions of the flaps before and during the box opening operation. This preliminary action ensures that the flaps are properly positioned prior to the main opening movement, preventing flap misalignment even as the holding members move rapidly to transform the box shape.
Solution Approach 2:
Position adjusting members act as intermediary components between the moving holding members and the flaps. These intermediaries specifically control flap positions while the holding members move, decoupling the high-speed movement function from the precise position control function, thereby maintaining both speed and precision.
3Device complexity
If a simple holding mechanism is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to control side panel angles and prevent flap folding is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Each holding member is designed with multi-functionality: it can hold the side panel, move with the moving mechanism to change box shape, and work with the position adjusting member to control flap position. This universal design allows a relatively simple holding mechanism structure to achieve precise side panel angle control and flap position management through coordinated operation of its components.
Data Source
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AI summary
A box forming apparatus (10) that opens a flattened cardboard box (FB) to form a tubular cardboard box (TB) is equipped with a holding mechanism (40), a moving mechanism (45), and a control device (92), wherein the holding mechanism (40) has holding members (42b, 42a) that hold a first side panel (C11) and a second side panel (C12), the moving mechanism (45) moves front face lower holding members and front face upper holding members, the control device (92) controls the moving mechanism (45) so as to fold at least either one of the first side panel (C11) and the second side panel (C12) along a first fold portion (FP1) to thereby change the angle formed by the first side panel and the second side panel from 0° or 180° to an angle close to 90°, the holding mechanism (40) further has a position adjusting member (50), and when the holding members (42b, 42a) are moved by the moving mechanism (45) to open the flattened cardboard box, the position adjusting member (50), which adjusts the position of a first flap (C31) connected to the first side panel, adjusts the position of the first flap (C31) in such a way that the first flap (C31) connected to the first side panel (C11) is placed in a state in which it extends along the direction in which the first side panel (C11) extends or a state in which it is folded inward in a state the flattened cardboard box being opened.