Patent attributes
A robotic case packer is provided. The packer includes a case conveying apparatus, a case set up station, a case loading station, downstream of the case set up station, and a loaded case closure station, downstream of the case loading station, the case conveying apparatus receiving and conveying a case blank for case set up, case loading and loaded case closure operations, a process flow path as to case operations delimited by the case conveying apparatus. The case set up station, characterized by a case set up robot operable in a process flow path direction, secures a case blank from a source of case blanks and transfers the blank to the case conveying apparatus. The case loading station, characterized by a case loading robot operable across the process flow path direction, transfers an article group for case loading into a set up case conveyed by the case conveying apparatus. The case closure station, characterized by a loaded case closure robot operable in the process flow path direction, effectuates a compressed sealed closure of a loaded case conveyed by the case conveying apparatus.