Carton bottom folding assembly

Abstract

A bottom folding assembly for a packaging machine is configured to infold the bottom side panels, leading panel and trailing panel of a carton for forming a sealed carton bottom in such a manner as to reduce the contact of rotating elements with the carton material to reduce the generation of dust. The bottom folding assembly is positioned about a rotating turret that defines a turret plane. The mandrels are configured to receive a carton in the tubular form and to carry the carton with the carton positioned such that a bottom of the carton is positioned at a free end of the mandrel. The bottom folding apparatus, located between a carton bottom heater and a carton bottom sealer includes a rotating drive shaft mounted transverse to the turret plane and a pair of opposing rotating members are operably mounted to the drive shaft and are disposed on either side of the turret rotational path. The rotating member rotate in a plane transverse to the turret plane. A tucking assembly is disposed between the opposing rotating members and is mounted to the drive shaft for rotating in a plane transverse to the rotating members and parallel to the turret plane. When a carton is positioned on the mandrel and passes the folding assembly, the opposing rotating members contact the bottom side wall flaps, urging the bottom side wall flaps inwardly, and the tucking assembly contacts the bottom trailing flap, urging the bottom trailing flap inwardly, over the bottom side wall flaps. A form, fill and seal machine having the bottom folding assembly is also disclosed.