| 摘要 |
An apparatus and method for folding the bottom panels (30, 32, 34, 36) of a carton blank (20) is disclosed. The apparatus includes a frame (68), a rotatable supporting assembly (65), two rotatable folding fingers (60) mounted on the frame (68) for inwardly folding the second and fourth bottom panels. A tuck folder (56) is mounted on the rotatable mounting assembly for inwardly folding the third bottom panel. A guide (64) is mounted on the frame (68) for contacting and inwardly folding the first bottom panel, and a bending member (72) is mounted on the rotatable supporting assembly (65) for outwardly folding the bottom panel flap. One portion of the bending member (72) is curved to define a concave surface (78) that faces the tuck folder. The bending member can also be provided with convex surfaces (76, 80) on each side of the concave surface. The method involves folding the bottom panel flap (35) outwardly away from the first bottom panel (30) concurrently with the inward folding of the third bottom panel (34). The folding of the bottom panel flap (35) occurs without prior prefolding of the bottom panel flap. <IMAGE> |
