Systems and methods for packaging articles within a carton

Abstract

A flap folding mechanism includes a base. The flap folding mechanism also includes a backing plate, coupled to the base. The flap folding mechanism further includes a pair of flap folding fingers, coupled to the base. The flap folding mechanism additionally include a first actuator, configured to rotate the pair of flap folding fingers relative to the backing plate between a first rotational position and a second rotational position. The flap folding mechanism also includes a second actuator, configured to move the pair of flap folding fingers relative to each other between a closed position and an open position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system of packaging a group of articles, the system comprising:
 a conveyor configured to convey the group of articles and a blank, applied to the group of articles, along a packaging path;   a side panel folding mechanism, configured to fold a first side panel and a second side panel of the blank relative to a main panel of the blank, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path;   an end panel folding mechanism, configured to fold an end panel of the blank relative to the main panel of the blank, after the first side panel and the second side panel of the blank are folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path;   a corner panel folding mechanism, configured to fold a first corner panel and a second corner panel of the blank relative to the first side panel and the second side panel of the blank, after the end panel is folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path; and   a flap folding mechanism, configured to fold a flap of the blank relative to the end panel of the blank, after the first corner panel and the second corner panel of the blank are folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path,   wherein the flap is held between the end panel and the group of articles after the flap is folded.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flap folding mechanism comprises:
 a base;   a backing plate, coupled to the base;   a pair of flap folding fingers, coupled to the base;   a first actuator, configured to rotate the pair of flap folding fingers relative to the backing plate between a first rotational position and a second rotational position; and   a second actuator, configured to move the pair of flap folding fingers relative to each other between a closed position and an open position.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the base is movable relative to the blank; and   with the pair of flap folding fingers in the first rotational position, movement of the base relative to blank in a first direction is configured to position the backing plate in contact with the end panel of the blank such that the end panel is positioned between the backing plate and the group of articles.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein, with backing plate in contact with the end panel and the pair of flap folding fingers in the closed position, rotation of the pair of flap folding fingers from the first rotational position to the second rotational position is configured to fold the flap of the blank relative to the end panel of the blank such that the flap and the end panel are positioned between the pair of flap folding fingers and the backing plate. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein, with the pair of flap folding fingers in the second rotational position, movement of the pair of flap folding fingers from the closed position to the open position is configured to fold a pair of wing portions of the flap into an approximately coplanar relationship with a central portion of the flap. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein, with the pair of flap folding fingers in the closed position, rotation of the pair of flap folding fingers from the second rotational position to the first rotational position is configured to position the flap between the end panel and the group of articles such that the flap is held in position by the group of articles. 
     
     
         7 . A flap folding mechanism for folding a flap of a blank, applied to a group of articles, the flap folding mechanism comprising:
 a base;   a backing plate, coupled to the base;   a pair of flap folding fingers, coupled to the base;   a first actuator, configured to rotate the pair of flap folding fingers relative to the backing plate between a first rotational position and a second rotational position; and   a second actuator, configured to move the pair of flap folding fingers relative to each other between a closed position and an open position.   
     
     
         8 . The flap folding mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the base is movable relative to the blank; and   with the pair of flap folding fingers in the first rotational position, movement of the base relative to blank in a first direction is configured to position the backing plate in contact with an end panel of the blank such that the end panel is positioned between the backing plate and the group of articles.   
     
     
         9 . The flap folding mechanism of  claim 8 , wherein, with backing plate in contact with the end panel and the pair of flap folding fingers in the closed position, rotation of the pair of flap folding fingers from the first rotational position to the second rotational position is configured to fold the flap of the blank relative to the end panel of the blank such that the flap and the end panel are positioned between the pair of flap folding fingers and the backing plate. 
     
     
         10 . The flap folding mechanism of  claim 9 , wherein, with the pair of flap folding fingers in the second rotational position, movement of the pair of flap folding fingers from the closed position to the open position is configured to fold a pair of wing portions of the flap into an approximately coplanar relationship with a central portion of the flap. 
     
     
         11 . The flap folding mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein, with the pair of flap folding fingers in the closed position, rotation of the pair of flap folding fingers from the second rotational position to the first rotational position is configured to position the flap between the end panel and the group of articles such that the flap is held in position by the group of articles. 
     
     
         12 . The flap folding mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first actuator comprises:
 a first cam follower; 
 a first slide mechanism, coupled to the first cam follower and configured to be selectively positioned relative to the pair of flap folding fingers for control of rotation of the pair of flap folding fingers between the first rotational position and the second rotational position; and 
   the first cam follower is configured to engage a first drive cam to selectively position the first slide mechanism.   
     
     
         13 . The flap folding mechanism of  claim 12 , wherein the pair of flap folding fingers is biased in the first rotational position. 
     
     
         14 . The flap folding mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the second actuator comprises:
 a second cam follower; 
 a second slide mechanism, coupled to the second cam follower and configured to be selectively positioned relative to the pair of flap folding fingers for control of movement of the pair of flap folding fingers between the closed position and the open position; and 
   the second cam follower is configured to engage a second drive cam to selectively position the second slide mechanism.   
     
     
         15 . The flap folding mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the pair of flap folding fingers is biased in the closed position. 
     
     
         16 . A method for folding a flap of a blank, applied to a group of articles, the method comprising steps of:
 folding a flap of the blank relative to an end panel of the blank such that the flap is positioned between the end panel and the group of articles;   folding a pair of wing portions of the flap into an approximately coplanar relationship with a central portion of the flap; and   holding the flap in position by the group of articles.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving locking tabs of securing panels of the blank in a receiver of the end panel while folding the flap of the blank relative to the end panel of the blank. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of folding the flap of the blank relative to the end panel of the blank comprises:
 moving a backing plate of a flap folding mechanism in contact with the end panel of the blank; and   rotating a pair of flap folding fingers of the flap folding mechanism in a first rotational direction relative to the backing plate such that the flap and the end panel are positioned between the pair of flap folding fingers and the backing plate.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of folding the pair of wing portions of the flap into the approximately coplanar relationship with the central portion of the flap comprises moving the pair of flap folding fingers from a closed position to an open position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of holding the flap in position by the group of articles comprises:
 moving the pair of flap folding fingers from the open position to the closed position; and   rotating the pair of flap folding fingers in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction.