US 12,378,031 B2
Apparatus and method for debagging article arrays
Peter D. Yohe, Bloomsburg, PA (US); and Ronald H. Cordingly, Berwick, PA (US)
Assigned to DYCO, Inc., Bloomsburg, PA (US)
Filed by DYCO, INC., Bloomsburg, PA (US)
Filed on Mar. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/191,605.
Prior Publication US 2024/0327051 A1, Oct. 3, 2024
Int. Cl. B65B 69/00 (2006.01); B65B 35/30 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 69/0025 (2013.01) [B65B 35/30 (2013.01); B65B 69/0008 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for removing a packing material of an article array, comprising:
a staging area for receiving the article array packaged with the packing material;
a transport device configured to transport the article array in a length direction extending from a first end to a second end of the system;
a first cutter configured to cut the packing material in a direction perpendicular with respect to the length direction of the system in the staging area;
a debagging area configured to sequentially receive from the transport device the article array, the debagging area includes a first gripper assembly and a second gripper assembly configured to translate towards each other in a horizontal direction to engage and remove the packing material at a side portion of the article array;
a second cutter configured to cut the packing material in direction parallel to the length direction in the debagging area; and
a packing material collection area configured to receive the packing material from the first and second grippers and collect the packing material to be discarded,
wherein the first gripper assembly includes a plurality of first rollers and a plurality of second rollers disposed horizontally and in parallel with respect to each other, and wherein the second gripper assembly includes a plurality of first rollers and a plurality of second rollers disposed horizontally and in parallel with respect to each other.