The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 19, 2008
Filed:
Nov. 27, 2006
Leon Ventura, Watsonville, CA (US);
Serafin Albarran, Salinas, CA (US);
Leon Ventura, Watsonville, CA (US);
Serafin Albarran, Salinas, CA (US);
Dole Food Company, Inc., Westlake Village, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for sealing a box having four top flaps initially disposed in an open position. The apparatus includes a conveying system for conveying the box from a first end of the apparatus to a second end of the apparatus. The apparatus also includes a flap folding system for folding the top flaps of the box into folded and horizontal positions as the box is conveyed from a first end of the apparatus to a second end of the apparatus. The flap folding system has a first flap folding member configured to fold a fourth top flap of the box, a second flap folding member configured to fold a second top flap of the box, and a pair of oppositely disposed side flap folding members configured to fold a first and third top flaps of the box so as to abut each other. A tape dispensing system is configured to dispense tape across at least a portion of the third and fourth top flaps of the box in order to maintain the third and fourth top flaps in abutment with each other, thereby sealing the box.