초록 ▼

A smart mandrel for use with a container forming machine to form a Bliss style container having one or more structural columns in a side or end of the container. In the preferred embodiment, the mandrel has a frame, a female profile mechanism having a female forming tool fixedly supported by the fra

A smart mandrel for use with a container forming machine to form a Bliss style container having one or more structural columns in a side or end of the container. In the preferred embodiment, the mandrel has a frame, a female profile mechanism having a female forming tool fixedly supported by the frame, a male profile mechanism having a male forming tool slidably supported by the frame, an engaging mechanism to hold a side blank against the female forming tool and an actuating mechanism that moves the male forming tool into engagement with the female forming tool to form a column in the side blank. A mandrel carriage moves the formed side blank into engagement with a Bliss style body blank to form the desired container. The engaging mechanism comprises one or more suction cups and the actuating mechanism is a linear actuator having a pneumatic cylinder.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A mandrel for use with a container forming machine having a compression mechanism supported by a forming machine frame to form a container from a body blank and one or more side blanks in compression phase, said mandrel comprising: a mandrel frame having a plurality of frame

What is claimed is: 1. A mandrel for use with a container forming machine having a compression mechanism supported by a forming machine frame to form a container from a body blank and one or more side blanks in compression phase, said mandrel comprising: a mandrel frame having a plurality of frame members, said mandrel configured to move toward and away from said compression mechanism of said container forming machine; a female profile mechanism supported by said mandrel frame, said female profile mechanism having a female forming tool, said female profile mechanism configured to move with said mandrel; a male profile mechanism supported by said mandrel frame, said male profile mechanism having a male forming tool sized and configured to cooperatively engage said female forming tool, said male profile mechanism configured to move with said mandrel; means for engaging one of said side blanks against one of said female forming tool or said male forming tool; and means associated with one of said female profile mechanism or said male profile mechanism for actuating either of said female profile mechanism or said male profile mechanism so as to engage said male forming tool in said female forming tool with said side blank disposed therebetween to define a column in said side blank and maintaining said engaged position of the male and female forming tools while said shaped side blank is moved into position for the compression phase in the compression mechanism. 2. The mandrel according to claim 1, wherein said female profile mechanism is fixedly attached to said mandrel frame and said male profile mechanism is slidably attached to said mandrel frame, said actuating mechanism is associated with said male profile mechanism so as to move said male forming tool between a retracted position apart from said side blank and an extended position that engages said side blank and said female profile mechanism to form said column. 3. The mandrel according to claim 2, wherein said male profile mechanism comprises a pneumatic cylinder. 4. The mandrel according to claim 1, wherein said engaging means comprises one or more suction cups. 5. The mandrel according to claim 4, wherein said engaging means further comprises one or more static picks. 6. The mandrel according to claim 1, wherein said mandrel is attached to a mandrel carriage configured to move said mandrel toward said container forming machine so as to engage said one or more side blanks with said body blank. 7. The mandrel according to claim 1, wherein said male forming tool is configured with a generally V-shaped cross section having an apex that is received in said female forming tool. 8. The mandrel according to claim 1, wherein said female profile mechanism is mounted to a guide shaft supported by said mandrel frame. 9. The mandrel according to claim 1, wherein said male profile mechanism further comprises a cross-member interconnecting said actuating means and a plurality of male forming tools, said female profile mechanism comprising a plurality of female forming tools so as to form a plurality of said columns in said side blank. 10. A mandrel for use with a container forming machine having a compression mechanism supported by a forming machine frame to form a container from a body blank and one or more side blanks in compression phase, said mandrel comprising: a mandrel frame having a plurality of frame members, said mandrel configured to move toward and away from said compression mechanism of said container forming machine; a female profile mechanism fixedly supported by said mandrel frame, said female profile mechanism having a female forming tool, said female profile mechanism configured to move with said mandrel; a male profile mechanism having a male profile tool slidably supported by said mandrel frame, said male profile tool sized and configured to cooperatively engage said female forming tool, said male profile mechanism configured to move with said mandrel; means for engaging one of said side blanks against said female forming tool; and means operatively connected to said male profile mechanism for actuating said male profile mechanism so as to engage said male forming tool in said female forming tool with said side blank disposed therebetween to define a column in said side blank and maintaining said engaged position of the male and female forming tools while said shaped side blank is moved into position for the compression phase in the compression mechanism. 11. The mandrel according to claim 10, wherein said actuating mechanism comprises a linear actuator configured to move said male forming tool between a retracted position apart from said side blank and an extended position that engages said side blank and said female profile mechanism to form said column. 12. The mandrel according to claim 11, wherein said linear actuator is a pneumatic cylinder. 13. The mandrel according to claim 10, wherein said engaging means comprises one or more suction cups. 14. The mandrel according to claim 10, wherein said mandrel is attached to a mandrel carriage configured to move said mandrel toward said container forming machine so as to engage said one or more side blanks with said body blank. 15. The mandrel according to claim 10, wherein said male forming tool is configured with a generally V-shaped cross section having an apex that is received in said female forming tool. 16. The mandrel according to claim 10, wherein said female profile mechanism is mounted to a guide shaft supported by said mandrel frame. 17. A mandrel for use with a container forming machine having a compression mechanism supported by a forming machine frame to form a container from a body blank and one or more side blanks in compression phase, said mandrel comprising: a mandrel frame having a plurality of frame members, said mandrel configured to move toward and away from said compression mechanism of said container forming machine; a female profile mechanism mounted on a guide shaft fixedly supported by said mandrel frame, said female profile mechanism having a female forming tool, said female profile mechanism configured to move with said mandrel; a male profile mechanism having a male forming tool slidably supported by said mandrel frame, said male forming tool sized and configured to cooperatively engage said female forming tool, said male profile mechanism configured to move with said mandrel; one or more suction cups configured to hold one of said side blanks against said female forming tool; and a linear actuator operatively connected to said male profile mechanism, said linear actuator configured to move said male forming tool between a retracted position apart from said side blank and an extended position engaged with said female forming tool with said side blank disposed therebetween to define a column in said side blank and configured to maintain said engaged position of the male and female forming tools while said shaped side blank is moved into position for the compression phase in the compression mechanism. 18. The mandrel according to claim 17, wherein said linear actuator is a pneumatic cylinder. 19. The mandrel according to claim 17, wherein said mandrel is attached to a mandrel carriage configured to move said mandrel toward said container forming machine so as to engage said one or more side blanks with said body blank. 20. The mandrel according to claim 17, wherein said male forming tool is configured with a generally V-shaped cross section having an apex that is received in said female forming tool.