Importance

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Abstract

An integrated apparatus for forming folded containers comprising a film attaching unit, a fold/glue unit, and a common transport system coupling the film attaching unit to the fold/glue unit. The film attaching unit can have a pattern glue applicator for applying a pattern of glue to a blank and a film applicator operatively coupled to the pattern glue applicator to apply a film to the blank. The fold/glue unit is configured to receive the blank directly from the film attaching unit, and the fold/glue unit can have a plurality of fold-members for folding portions of the blank and at least one glue gun for applying glue to portions of the blank. The blank transport system can comprise a synchronized carrier to transport the blank through a portion of the film attaching unit and a plurality of non-synchronized carriers to transport the blank through the film attaching unit and/or the fold/glue unit without removing the blank from the transport system. In one embodiment, the synchronized carrier and the non-synchronized carriers are configurable in at least one of (a) a bypass configuration in which the blank bypasses the pattern glue applicator and the film applicator, (b) a pattern glue configuration in which the transport system is synchronized with the pattern glue applicator to apply the pattern of glue to the blank without applying a film, and/or (c) a film application configuration in which the transport system is synchronized with the pattern glue unit and the film applicator to attach a film to the blank.

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First Claim