Method and apparatus for closing a box

Abstract

An apparatus for closing a flap on an open end of a box may include a device having a slot and a mechanism operable to provide a relative motion between the slot and the flap. The relative motion may cause the flap to be received into the slot and the flap to be reoriented to a closed position. A method of closing an open end of a box being conveyed downstream, with the open end facing transversely, may include two operations. With a trailing minor flap on the open end being held in a substantially upstream-pointing open position, the opposing leading minor flap on the open end may be closed from a substantially downstream-pointing open position to a substantially upstream-pointing closed position. With the leading minor flap being held in the closed position, the trailing minor flap may be closed from the open position to a substantially downstream-pointing closed position.

1 . An apparatus for closing a flap on an open end of a box, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a device having a slot;   (b) a mechanism operable to provide a relative motion between the slot and the flap, the relative motion operable to cause the flap to be received into the slot to reorient the flap to a closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said flap is resilient and is operable to push against an interior surface of said device, and thereby to assist said flap in being received into said slot. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein during the relative motion between the slot and the flap of the box, said flap will be received into said slot and pivot about a first fold line of said flap to reorient the flap to the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the device and the slot are stationary and the flap moves relative to the device and slot during said relative motion. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the device and the slot move during said relative motion. 
     
     
         6 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A method of closing an open end of a box, said box being carried downstream by a conveyor with the open end facing transversely, the method comprising:
 (a) with a trailing minor flap on the open end of the box being held in a substantially upstream-pointing open position, closing the opposing leading minor flap on the open end of the box from a substantially downstream-pointing open position to a substantially upstream-pointing closed position; and   (b) with the leading minor flap being held in the substantially upstream-pointing closed position, closing the trailing minor flap from the substantially upstream-pointing open position to a substantially downstream-pointing closed position.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the closing of the leading minor flap is performed during conveyance of the box by the conveyor. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42  wherein the closing of the trailing minor flap is performed with the box being stationary on the conveyor. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising inhibiting egress of any contents of the box by substantially covering the open end of the box with a rail of the conveyance system during the closing of the leading minor flap. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45  wherein the closing of the leading minor flap is performed using a slot in the rail. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42  further comprising inhibiting egress of any contents of the box by substantially covering the open end of the box with a rail of the conveyance system during the closing of the trailing minor flap. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  wherein the closing of the trailing minor flap is performed using a slot in the rail. 
     
     
         49 . A method of packaging a product in a box, said box having an open end, said box being carried downstream from a product loading station to a flap closing station by a conveyor with the open end facing transversely, the method comprising:
 (a) at said loading station loading a product sideways through said open end of said box;   (b) moving said box with said loaded product on said conveyor downstream to said flap closing station;   (c) at said flap closing stations and with a trailing minor flap on the open end of the box in a substantially upstream-pointing open position, closing the opposing leading minor flap on the open end of the box from a substantially downstream-pointing open position to a substantially upstream-pointing closed position; and   (d) with the leading minor flap in the substantially upstream-pointing closed position, closing the trailing minor flap from the substantially upstream-pointing open position to a substantially downstream-pointing closed position.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the closing of the leading minor flap is performed during conveyance of the box by the conveyor. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49  wherein the closing of the trailing minor flap is performed with the box being stationary on the conveyor. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising inhibiting egress of any contents of the box by substantially covering the open end of the box with a rail of the conveyance system during the closing of the leading minor flap. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52  wherein the closing of the leading minor flap is performed using a slot in the rail. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising inhibiting egress of any contents of the box by substantially covering the open end of the box with a rail of the conveyance system during the closing of the trailing minor flap. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54  wherein the closing of the trailing minor flap is performed using a slot in the rail. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising inhibiting egress of the loaded product at the loading station from the box by substantially covering the open end of the box with a reciprocating plate that moves between a product loading position wherein product can be loaded into said box and a product blocking position wherein said product egress is inhibited. 
     
     
         57 - 77 . (canceled)