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A machine for forming a case from a blank of sheet material includes a body, a mandrel mounted on the body and having an external shape complimentary to an internal shape of at least a portion of the case, a member mounted on the body adjacent the mandrel for applying a force to the blank for at lea

A machine for forming a case from a blank of sheet material includes a body, a mandrel mounted on the body and having an external shape complimentary to an internal shape of at least a portion of the case, a member mounted on the body adjacent the mandrel for applying a force to the blank for at least one of folding a portion of the blank around the mandrel, moving the blank, and securing portions of the blank together, and a servomechanism operatively connected to the member for driving and controlling movement of the member to apply the force to the blank.

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What is claimed is: 1. A machine for forming a case from a blank of sheet material, the blank having a plurality of panels including a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel for forming at least one of a back wall, a top wall, and a front wall of the case, the blank extending in a longitudi

What is claimed is: 1. A machine for forming a case from a blank of sheet material, the blank having a plurality of panels including a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel for forming at least one of a back wall, a top wall, and a front wall of the case, the blank extending in a longitudinal direction, said machine comprising: a frame; a mandrel fixedly mounted on the frame, said mandrel comprising a plurality of faces including seven faces along a cross section of the mandrel, the cross section defined by a center plane extending in the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to a first face of the mandrel, said mandrel faces defining an external shape complimentary to an internal shape of at least a portion of the case; a lifting mechanism comprising a pressure plate, the lifting mechanism configured to position the blank proximate the mandrel with the first panel substantially aligned with the first face of the mandrel, the pressure plate configured to direct the first panel toward the first face and hold the first panel against the first face; a body member movably mounted to the frame; a first rotating member rotatably mounted to the body member adjacent the mandrel for applying a controlled force to the blank for folding a portion of the blank around the mandrel including folding the second panel into face-to-face contact with second face of the mandrel and folding the third panel into face-to-face contact with a third face of the mandrel, the first rotating member applying the controlled force to the blank by rotating about a rotational axis; and a first servomechanism operatively connected to the first rotating member for rotating the first rotating member relative to the body member in a first direction at a first rotational speed and in a second direction opposite the first direction, the first servomechanism configured to control and vary the first rotational speed of the first rotating member to apply the controlled force to the blank to facilitate wrapping the second panel and the third panel around the mandrel. 2. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first servomechanism comprises an electric motor and a gear for controlling an amount of torque output by the electric motor. 3. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first rotating member is selectably positionable between an unengaged position relative to the body member wherein the first rotating member does not apply the controlled force to the blank and an engaged position relative to the body member wherein the first rotating member applies the controlled force to the blank. 4. A machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a presser assembly rotatably coupled to said frame, the presser assembly comprising a second servomechanism having an electric motor and an output shaft, the presser assembly further comprising: a first link mounted on the frame and connected to the output shaft for rotation with the shaft; a second link extending from the first link and having a first end rotatably connected to the first link and a second end opposite the first end; a third link having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the first end of the third link is rotatably mounted on said frame and the second end of the third link is rotatably connected to the second end of the second link; and a fourth link having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the fourth link is rotatably connected to the second end of the second link and the second end of the third link, and wherein the second end of the fourth link is connected to a presser plate such that rotation of the output shaft of the electrical motor causes relative movement between the first, second, third, and fourth links to move the presser plate between a first position and a second position. 5. A machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising an ejection member mounted on said frame adjacent an interior surface of the case, the ejection member configured to apply an ejection force to the interior surface of the case for ejecting the case from the mandrel. 6. A machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a second rotating member rotatably mounted adjacent the mandrel for applying a second force to the blank for folding a portion of the blank around the mandrel, the second rotating member selectably rotatable about a second rotational axis for a range of rotation from a first position to a second position, the second member comprising a tool that includes a shape that is complementary to an external shape of a portion of the case. 7. A machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein the blank further includes a fourth panel for forming a bottom wall of the case, and wherein the second rotating member further comprises an arm and the tool, the tool further comprises a first extension and a second extension that are rotatably coupled to the arm, the second extension rotatable towards the mandrel to wrap the fourth panel of the blank around the fourth face of the mandrel. 8. A machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: an adhesive dispenser configured to apply adhesive to a surface of the blank before the blank is folded; and a pusher assembly configured to guide the blank over the adhesive dispenser and position the blank with the adhesive proximate the mandrel. 9. A machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: a loading section configured to support the blank in a generally vertical position; and a gripping member configured to rotate the blank from the generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position, the blank positioned beneath the mandrel while in the generally horizontal position. 10. A machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first servomechanism is configured to adjustably control the first rotating member by electrically controlling the movement of the first rotating member to apply a variable force to the blank. 11. A machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first servomechanism is configured to electrically control an angle between the first rotating member and the body member as the first rotating member is rotated by the first servomechanism between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position includes the first rotating member proximate the blank but not directly contacting the blank, and wherein the second position includes the first rotating member proximate the third face of the mandrel, the first rotating member wrapping the second panel and the third panel around the mandrel as the first rotating member rotates between the first position and the second position. 12. A machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein the third face of the mandrel is located opposite the pressure plate and extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to the pressure plate, and wherein the first servomechanism is further configured to electrically control an angle of rotation of the first rotating member in the first direction, the angle of rotation extending between a first position of the first rotating member and a second position of the first rotating member, wherein the first position includes the first rotating member proximate the blank but not directly contacting the blank, and wherein the second position includes the first rotating member proximate the third face of the mandrel, the first rotating member wrapping the second panel and the third panel around the mandrel as the first rotating member rotates between the first position and the second position. 13. A machine in accordance with claim 12 wherein the first rotating member comprises a first end rotatably mounted to the body member and a second end opposite the first end, the first servomechanism further configured to electrically control the angle of rotation of the first rotating member to position the second end of the first rotating member a predetermined distance from the third face of the mandrel, wherein the predetermined distance positions the third panel of the blank in face-to-face contact with the third face of the mandrel without the first rotating member contacting the mandrel. 14. A machine for forming a case from a blank of sheet material, the blank having a plurality of panels including a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel for forming at least one of a back wall, a top wall, and a front wall of the case, the blank extending in a longitudinal direction, said machine comprising: a frame; a mandrel fixedly mounted on the frame, wherein the mandrel comprises a plurality of exterior faces and being complimentary to an internal shape of at least a portion of the case; a lifting mechanism comprising a pressure plate, the lifting mechanism configured to position the blank proximate the mandrel with the first panel substantially aligned with a first face of the mandrel, the pressure plate configured to direct the first panel toward the first face and hold the first panel against the first face; a body member moveably mounted to the frame; a folding member rotatably mounted to the body member adjacent the mandrel for applying a force to the blank for folding a portion of the blank around the mandrel including folding the second panel into face-to-face contact with a second face of the mandrel and folding the third panel in face-to-face contact with a third face of the mandrel, the folding member applying the force to the blank by rotating about a rotational axis; and a first servomechanism operatively connected to the folding member for driving and controlling movement of the folding member relative to the body member to apply the force to the blank to wrap the second panel and the third panel around the mandrel, wherein the plurality of faces of the mandrel further comprises seven faces along a cross section of the mandrel, the cross section defined by a center plane extending in the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the first face of the mandrel. 15. A method for forming a case from a blank of sheet material using a machine, the blank including a plurality of panels including at least seven panels for forming at least one of a back wall, a top wall, and a front wall of the case, the blank extending in a longitudinal direction, the machine including a frame, a mandrel fixedly mounted on the frame, the mandrel comprising a plurality of faces including at least seven faces along a cross section of the mandrel, the cross section defined by a center plane extending in the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to a first face of the mandrel, the mandrel faces defining an external surface having a shape complimentary to an internal shape of at least a portion of the case, the machine further including a lifting mechanism comprising a pressure plate, the lifting mechanism configured to position the blank proximate the mandrel with a first panel substantially aligned with the first face of the mandrel, the machine including a body member moveably mounted to the frame and at least one rotating member rotatably mounted to the body member adjacent the mandrel, and a servomechanism operatively connected to the at least one rotating member, said method comprising: aligning the first panel of the at least seven panels of the blank with the first face of the at least seven faces of the fixed mandrel; directing the aligned first panel toward the first face of the at least seven faces of the mandrel by engaging the blank with the pressure plate of the lifting mechanism; securing the first panel of the at least seven panels of the blank against the first face of the at least seven faces of the mandrel with the pressure plate of the lifting mechanism; applying a controlled force to the blank with the at least one rotating member to fold at least a second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh panels of the at least seven panels of the blank into face-to-face contact with at least a corresponding second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh faces of the at least seven faces of the mandrel, the at least one rotating member applying the controlled force to the blank by rotating about a rotation axis; and rotating and controlling movement of the at least one rotating member relative to the body member in a first direction at a first rotational speed and in a second direction opposite the first direction with the servomechanism, the servomechanism controls the movement by varying the first rotational speed of the at least one rotating member to apply the controlled force to the blank to facilitate wrapping the at least seven panels around the at least seven faces of the mandrel. 16. A method for forming a case from a blank of sheet material using a machine, the blank including a plurality of panels extending in a longitudinal direction and including a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel, for forming at least one of a back wall, a top wall, and front wall of the case, the machine including a frame, a mandrel fixedly mounted on the frame, a body member moveably mounted to the frame, and a rotating member rotatably mounted to the body member adjacent the mandrel, the machine further including a lifting mechanism comprising a pressure plate, the lifting mechanism configured to position the blank proximate the mandrel with the first panel substantially aligned with a first face of the mandrel, said method comprising: providing the mandrel having seven exterior faces along a cross section of the mandrel, the cross section defined by a center plane extending in the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the first face of the mandrel, the faces of the mandrel are complimentary to an internal shape of at least a portion of the case; aligning the first panel of the blank with the first face of the seven faces of the fixed mandrel; directing the aligned first panel toward the first face of the mandrel by engaging the blank with the pressure plate of the lifting mechanism; securing the first panel of the blank against the first face of the mandrel with the pressure plate of the lifting mechanism; applying a controlled force to the blank with the rotating member to fold the second panel of the blank into face-to-face contact with a second face of the mandrel and to fold the third panel of the blank into face-to-face contact with a third face of the mandrel, the rotating member applying the controlled force to the blank by rotating about a rotational axis; and initiating and controlling movement of the rotating member with respect to the body member with a servomechanism to apply the controlled force to the blank to wrap the second and third panels around the second and third faces of the mandrel. 17. A machine for forming a case from a blank of sheet material, the blank comprising: a front panel; a top panel coupled to the front panel; a back panel coupled to the top panel; an intermediate panel extending from the back panel along a first fold line; a bottom panel extending from the intermediate panel along a second fold line; a flap extending from the back panel along a third fold line, wherein the flap has a length taken along a longitudinal axis of said blank that is greater than a length of the back panel taken along the longitudinal axis, wherein the flap forms at least a portion of a side of the formed dispensing case; and a dispenser panel extending from the bottom panel along a fourth fold line; said machine comprising: a frame; a body member moveably mounted to the frame; a mandrel mounted on the frame and having an external shape complimentary to an internal shape of at least a portion of the case, wherein the mandrel has seven exterior faces along a cross section of the mandrel, the cross section defined by a center plane extending along the longitudinal axis and perpendicular to a first face of the mandrel; a lifting mechanism coupled on the frame for lifting the blank and positioning the back panel of the blank substantially adjacent to and tight against the first face of the mandrel; a folding member rotatably mounted to the body member adjacent the mandrel for applying a controlled force to the blank for folding the top panel and the front panel of the blank around a second face and a third face of the mandrel; and a servomechanism operatively connected to the folding member for rotating the folding member relative to the body member in a first direction at a first rotational speed and in a second direction opposite the first direction, the servomechanism configured to control and vary the first rotational speed of the folding member to apply the controlled force to the blank to facilitate wrapping the top panel and the front panel around the mandrel. 18. A machine in accordance with claim 17 further comprising a second folding member rotatably mounted on the body member, the second folding member rotatably mounted on the body member for rotation with respect to the body member and the mandrel for moving the second folding member into contact with the blank for applying a force to the blank for folding the bottom panel of the blank around the mandrel. 19. A machine in accordance with claim 17 further comprising a rotating arm member, wherein the rotating arm member comprises an arm and a tool extending from the arm, the arm rotatably mounted on the frame for rotation with respect to the frame and the mandrel for moving the tool into contact with the blank for folding the bottom panel of the blank around the mandrel. 20. A machine in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a folder member rotatably coupled to the frame, the folder member comprising: a first link rotatably mounted on the frame; a second link rotatably mounted to the first link for rotation with respect to the first link; and a third link rotatably mounted to the second link, the third link applies force to the blank to wrap at least a portion of the blank about a portion of the mandrel.