Custom packaging systems with print capabilities

Abstract

A system forming packaging template or boxes from a sheet material includes an infeed and separation assembly, a print assembly downstream of the infeed and separation assembly, and a cut and crease assembly downstream of the print assembly. The system can also include an erecting assembly and an outfeed assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for forming packaging templates or boxes from a sheet material, the system comprising:
 an infeed and separation assembly;   a print assembly downstream of the infeed and separation assembly; and   a cut and crease assembly downstream of the print assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an erecting assembly downstream of the cut and crease assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the erecting assembly comprises a rotatable frame configured to fold a packaging template into a rectangular tube. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the frame comprises four corner posts that are selectively adjustable relative to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising an outfeed assembly downstream of the cut and crease assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the outfeed assembly comprises a transfer mechanism that is selectively movable between a position underneath the erecting assembly and a position laterally offset from the erecting assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the transfer mechanism comprises an attachment mechanism that is configured to selectively secure to a box. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to rotate to move the box from a first position to an upright position. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the infeed and separation assembly comprises an infeed changer that is configured to selectively advance different sheet materials. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the infeed and separation assembly comprises a separation mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the separation mechanism comprises a tool roller and a support roller, the tool roller comprising a separation knife. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the separation knife comprises a helical blade. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the print assembly is configured to selectively vary a printing placement of indicia on the sheet material. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the print assembly is configured to dynamically vary a size of indicia to be printed on the sheet material depending on the size of packaging template or box being formed. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cut and crease assembly comprises one or more sets of rollers, each roller set comprising a tool roller and a support roller. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a set of guides configured to facilitate transfer of the sheet material between the infeed and separation assembly and the print assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the print assembly comprises a conveyor with a flat upper surface, and wherein one guide of the set of guides extends over the flat upper surface of the conveyor. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a set of guides configured to facilitate transfer of the sheet material between the print assembly to the cut and crease assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein one guide of the set of guides extends over a flat upper surface of a conveyor of the print assembly. 
     
     
         20 . A system for forming packaging templates or boxes from a sheet material, the system comprising:
 a print assembly configured to print indicia on the sheet material, the print assembly being configured to selectively vary a printing placement of the indicia on the sheet material or dynamically vary a size of the indicia to be printed on the sheet material depending on the size of packaging template being formed; and   a cut and crease assembly configured to form cuts and/or creases in the sheet material to form the packaging templates.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the print assembly comprises a conveyor with a flat upper surface, the conveyor comprising a vacuum system to hold the sheet material on the flat upper surface. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the print assembly is configured to print indicia on a continuous length of the sheet material, and wherein the cut and crease assembly is configured to form separation cuts in the sheet material to cut the sheet material into individual box templates after the print assembly has printed the indicia on the sheet material. 
     
     
         23 . A system for forming packaging templates or boxes from a sheet material, the system comprising:
 a cut and crease assembly configured to form cuts and/or creases in the sheet material to form the packaging templates;   an erecting assembly downstream of the cut and crease assembly, the erecting assembly being configured to erect the packaging templates into at least partially erected boxes; and   an outfeed assembly adjacent to the erecting assembly, the outfeed system being configured to remove the at least partially erected boxes from the erecting assembly and transfer the removed at least partially erected boxes away from the erecting assembly.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the outfeed assembly comprises a transfer mechanism that is selectively movable between a position underneath the erecting assembly and a position laterally offset from the erecting assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the transfer mechanism comprises an attachment mechanism that is configured to selectively secure to the at least partially erected boxes. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to rotate to move the at least partially erected boxes from a first position to a second position.