SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING A LID

Abstract

A lid seating system and method for seating a lid onto a container, for example, seating a corrugated cardboard box lid onto a corrugated cardboard box container. The system can comprise a lid dispensing chute having a dispensing end portion and a distal load end portion and can extending in a direction of conveyance for dispensing box lids to engage box containers traveling along the conveyor.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field

This technology relates generally to box loading and, more particularly, to box lid installation.

2. Background Art

It has been a common practice in the food packing shipping and package delivery industry and other industries to ship items in boxes or trays such as for example a flat or cube shaped corrugated cardboard box, tray or tray/container made of some other comparable material. For example food items such as bagged whole poultry carcasses or poultry quarters can be placed in the flat boxes for shipment or for example in the package delivery industry, items such as letters and packages and smaller boxes are placed in trays or boxes and a lid is put on them, and a strap is bound around the tray and lid assembly once the lid is properly seated over the container. The box assembly typically comprises a container having a top opening through which items are inserted and having a bottom panel and upright side walls extending from the bottom panel. A lid that is seated over the top opening. One reason for this practice is to protect items from damage and loss during shipping. Also, storing and stacking uniform assemblies is more efficient in terms of time and space, than storing disparate items.

However, manually placing lids on boxes and strapping the box bottom and lid assembly at an intermediate location is a time consuming and repetitive task. Typically, this task is done manually. An operator receives at their station a box or tray being conveyed along a conveyor and the operator retrieves a lid or box top from a dispenser containing several lids and places the lid over the tray or box-bottom as the tray is being conveyed pass their station. The lid typically has outer dimensions comparable to the top opening of the box bottom (tray), but slightly oversized such that the side lips of the lid fit over the upright side walls of the box bottom. Prior the tray being conveyed to the workers station, it is pre-loaded with items to be shipped. Once the lid has been placed over the box, the box assembly including bottom and lid is conveyed to a strapping station where a strap is placed around the assembly to hold the lid and bottom together. The worker selects the appropriate sized lid for the tray, folds it, places it on the tray, and allows it to be conveyed to the next station that puts a strap on the assembly and feeds it to the next station. This manual process is both time-consuming and expensive. Further, the manual process subjects workers to the hazards associated with physically handling a large numbers of trays. An automated system and process to place lids on trays would provide an advantage over a manual system.

One problem associated with putting lids on trays has been that items tend to get damaged when the lids are placed on the tray or often the lids are not consistently and properly seated over the box bottom or tray. Accordingly, there is a need for an automated system and method for putting lids on trays in a consistent and effective manner. A need also exists for a system that can perform these functions without damaging items in the trays, and that will consistently seat the lid over the tray or box bottom for the subsequent strapping process.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The technology as described and claimed herein is a lid seating system for seating a lid over a top opening of a container for example seating a corrugated cardboard box lid onto a corrugated cardboard box container (box bottom with top opening). The system can comprise a lid dispensing chute having a dispensing end portion and a distal load end portion and the chute can extend in a direction of conveyance for dispensing box lids to engage box containers traveling along the conveyor along a path of conveyance, in a direction of conveyance. The chute can extend in the direction of conveyance with a downward slope toward a dispensing port of he chute and the chute can be disposed proximately above a substantially horizontally extending conveyance system, where the conveyance system has a conveying direction in the direction of conveyance and the conveyance system can include an index conveyor and a speed-up loading conveyor.

The dispensing end portion of the chute can include an actuatable indexer assembly having an indexing member, where the indexing member has an actuated position extending inward inside the chute (index position) and a retracted position (release position) stowed outside the chute where said indexing member is selectively actuatable to the actuated position and to the retracted stowed position.

The actuatable indexer assembly includes forward and rear actuatable indexing members to index a front most lid for engaging a box container and cue the next in line box lid for indexing. To control the indexing assembly, the lid system can include an upper sensor and a lower sensor positioned downstream with respect to the upper sensor along the direction of conveyance and the upper and lower sensors can be positioned adjacent the path of conveyance of the conveyance system. The sensors can be operable to sense an item being conveyed along the path of conveyance. The upper sensor can have an upper sensor signal transmitter operable to output an upper output control signal responsive to an item being adjacent said upper sensor along the path of conveyance, for example a box lid being conveyed thereby. The lower sensor can have a lower sensor signal transmitter operable to output a lower output control signal responsive to an item being adjacent said lower sensor along the path of conveyance. A rear transducer can be communicably connected to the upper sensor in order to receive said upper output control signal. The transducer is operable to actuate the rear actuatable indexing member responsive to receiving the upper output control signal. When the indexing member is actuated, the lid that is third from the end is stopped in cue or indexed. The indexing member is de-actuated, allowing the lid in cue to drop down to the second-in-line position, when the upper sensor no longer senses a lid adjacent its location within the sensor's line of sight.

A forward transducer can be communicably connected to the lower sensor in order to receive the lower output control signal and operable to actuate the forward actuatable indexing member responsive to receiving the lower output control signal. The lower output control signal is transmitted by the lower sensor when the lower sensor senses a lid adjacent its location within the lower sensor's line of sight. The lower output signal is received by the forward indexing assembly and the forward indexing member is actuated to index the lid that is next in line. When the lower sensor no longer sees a lid within its line of sight, the indexing member is de-actuated to allow the lid to drop down to engage a container. The mechanical mechanism can be altered such that the function of actuation and de-actuation is reversed without departing from the scope of the invention.

The lid dispensing chute can include a loading end portion distal from said dispensing end portion. The loading end portion can further include a loading indexer assembly. A load sensor can be positioned adjacent the loading end portion, and the load sensor has a load sensor signal transmitter that is operable to output a load output control signal responsive to an item being adjacent a loading channel of the loading end portion and within the load sensor's line of sight and adjacent said load sensor. A load transducer is communicably connected to receive said load output control signal and operable to actuate the load actuatable indexing member responsive to receiving the load output control signal. In this case a load output control signal can cause the indexing member to index oncoming lids that are waiting to be loaded in the chute.

In one implementation of the system a strapping station is positioned over the speed-up conveyor which includes an automated strapping mechanism. A pliable finger is mounted to the strapping station and extends vertically downward toward the conveyance system and is sufficiently pliable to allow an item being conveyed along the speed-up conveyor to pass and sufficiently resilient to apply a downward force for items passing thereby. The strapping station can include a substantially horizontally extending hold-down guide bars for holding down items being strapped. The fingers and hold-down guide bars can be position upstream along the path of conveyance just prior the strapping mechanism. The guide bars can be vertically adjusted to adapt to the height of the box and lid assembly. One implementation of the system includes a horizontal row of a plurality of pliable fingers each vertically extending downward where said horizontal row extends laterally and substantially orthongonal with respect to the direction of conveyance.

In one implementation of the system the speed-up conveyor is an endless belt gripper conveyor and the lid system includes an upper sensor and a lower sensor positioned downstream with respect to the upper sensor along the direction of conveyance. The upper and lower sensors are positioned adjacent a path of conveyance of the conveyance system and operable to sense an item being conveyed along the path of conveyance. The upper sensor has an upper sensor signal transmitter operable to output an upper output control signal responsive to not sensing an item being adjacent the upper sensor along the path of conveyance. A speed-up conveyor transducer is communicably connected to receive said upper output control signal and operable to speed up the speed-up conveyor responsive to receiving the upper output control signal. In one implementation of the system the indexing conveyor is an endless belt indexing conveyor. The indexing conveyor indexes the boxes being conveyed along the path of conveyance. The oncoming boxes are indexed and conveyed forward to the speed-up conveyor to engage the lids. The speed up conveyor grabs the box bottom and speeds it up to engage the lid and receive the lid from the chute.

These and other advantageous features of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out herein below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of the box lid loading and seating system;

FIG. 2 is a further illustration of the box lid loading and seating system;

FIG. 3 is a further illustration of the box lid loading and seating system;

FIGS. 4A and 4B is an illustration of the forward lid indexer;

FIGS. 5A and 5B is an illustration of guide fingers;

FIGS. 6A and 6B is an illustration of the guide bars; and

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C is an illustration of the rear lid indexer.

ITEM LIST

100 Lid Loading and Seating System

102 Box Lid Dispensing Chute

104 Box Lid

106 Lid Actuatable Indexer Assembly

108 Actuator Assemblies

110 Forward Indexer (Forward Actuator)

112 Rear Indexer (Rear Actuator)

114 Box Container

116 Box Lid

118 Index Conveyor

120 Speed Up Conveyor

122 Hold-Down and Strapping Station

124 Hold-Down Bar

202 rear actuator cylinder

204 Rear Indexing Member

206 forward actuator cylinder

208 actuator implement

210 Forward Indexing Member

212 hold-down guide bar

214 guide finger

216 hold down member

302 Upper Sensor

304 Lower Sensor

402 Chute

404 Guide Member

702 rear actuator mount

704 rear actuator cylinder

706 rear actuator implement

708 retracted position

710 Box Lid

712 engaged position

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description presented herein are not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

According to the embodiment(s) of the present invention, various views are illustrated in FIG. 1-7 and like reference numerals are being used consistently throughout to refer to like and corresponding parts of the invention for all of the various views and figures of the drawing. Also, please note that the first digit(s) of the reference number for a given item or part of the invention should correspond to the Fig. number in which the item or part is first identified.

One embodiment of the present technology comprising a box lid chute having an indexing system and a box container conveyance system teaches a novel apparatus and method for seating a box lid onto a box container.

The details of the invention and various embodiments can be better understood by referring to the figures of the drawing. Referring to FIG. 1, an illustration of the box lid loading and seating system 100 is provided. The system can be more generally referred to as an automated lidder system. One implementation of the technology as described and claimed herein includes a box lid dispensing chute 102, which is shown as a gravity feed system that channels a series of box lids 104 toward a conveyor system for loading and seating the lids onto box containers 114 (box bottoms or trays) that are being conveyed in a direction of conveyance (horizontally from left to right as shown in FIG. 1) and along a conveyance path as reflected by the line of box containers. The lid dispenser can be an indexed conveyance system without departing from the scope of the invention. The box lids are loaded into the loading end portion of the chute extending up above. The chute extends downward from above and approaches the conveyor system at a downward angle or slope. The slope is such that the vertical height of chute above the conveyance system decreases in the direction of conveyance. The lids are channeled downward through the chute toward the lid dispensing end portion of the chute adjacent the actuatable lid indexer assembly 106 and the actuator assemblies 108. The dispensing of the lid is controlled by the actuator assemblies 108, which includes a forward indexer (forward actuator) 110 and a rear indexer (rear actuator) 112. When a box lid 116 is released by the forward actuator 110 and is dispensed to engage a box container for loading and seating, the box lid 116 is dispensed with the leading end of the lid dropped and angled downward with respect trailing end of the lid such that the leading end of the lid is lower than the trailing end. The leading end is essentially vertically lowered to the level of the speed up conveyor 120 at a point just downstream of an oncoming box container 114 being conveyed on index conveyor 118 and the speed up conveyor 120, and on which the lid will be loaded and seated. The bottom rim of the leading end of the lid engages the bottom edge of the leading edge of the oncoming box container. When engagement occurs between the lid and the box container, the box container being conveyed pulls the engaging lid forward such that the trailing end drops from the lid dispensing chute and the lid is thereby loaded onto the box container and the lid can now be properly seated over the box container. The lid can have a contiguous lip extending orthogonally from the outer perimeter (edge) of the top panel of the lid. The opening formed by the lip can be slightly oversized with respect to the opening of the box, such that the lip of the lid fits over and about the upright walls of the box. As with typical lid to container interfaces, the lid can be sufficiently oversize to fit over the container for proper seating of the lid over the container. The container with the lid installed can now be conveyed further downstream to the Hold-Down/Strapping-Station 122 where the lid can be firmly urged vertically downward for tight seating of the lid over the box container. The station 122 includes a hold-down bar 124, which can engage the top side of the lid and urge the lid downward.

Referring to FIG. 2, a further illustration of the box lid loading and seating system is provided. The lid indexer assembly 106 including the downward sloped chute and actuators and the actuator assemblies 108 are shown. The rear actuator 202 is illustrated as an air cylinder, but other types of actuators can be used without departing from the scope of the invention. The actuator 202 can be selectively actuated to effect movement of the rear indexing member 204 from an indexing position to a release position and from a release position to an indexing position. The forward actuator 206 is also illustrated as an air cylinder, but again, other types of actuators can be used without departing from the scope of the invention. The actuator 206 can be selectively actuated to effect movement of the actuator implement 208 and thereby the forward indexing member 210 from an indexing position to a release position and from a release position to an indexing position. The strapping station as shown in this implementation includes a hold-down bar 124 having an upwardly curved receiving end 212. The hold-down station in this implementation is also shown including an additional hold-down member 216. This implementation as illustrated also includes a pliable finger 214, which can be constructed of rubber or other material having similar pliability, that is pliable but sufficiently resilient to urge downward the lid for proper seating.

Referring to FIG. 3, a further illustration of the box lid loading and seating system is provided. In this illustration of the system, an upper sensor 302 and a lower sensor 304 are shown. The sensors are designed to detect the presence of an object, in this case the box lid, within its field of view (line of sight). Various light beam sensors could be utilized such as Active InfraRed, Visible Light, or Laser Light and various other types of sensors could also be utilized such as Passive InfraRed, RF Field, Microwave, Ultra Sonic, RADAR, and etc... without departing from the scope of the invention. When the upper sensor 302 detects the presence of a box lid, the rear actuator actuates to effect movement of the indexing member to the indexing position. When the upper sensor 302 does not see a box lid, the actuator moves the indexing member to the to the release position. When the lower sensor 304 sees a box lid, the actuator moves the indexing member to the indexing position and when the lower sensor does not see a box lid, the indexing member if moved to the release position.

Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, an illustration of the forward lid indexer is provided. The actuator 206 is shown controlling the actuator implement 208 to effect movement of forward indexing member 210 to index and release lids traveling down the chute 402. The stand-off guide members 404 keeps a box lid central in the chute as it is traveling down the chute. The indexing member 210 is controlled for releasing and indexing.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, an illustration of guide fingers are provided. A side view and a top view of the strapping station 122 are shown. This implementation as illustrated also includes a pliable finger 214, which can be constructed of rubber or other material having similar pliability, that is pliable but sufficiently resilient to urge downward the lid for proper seating. As seen with the illustrated implementation, a plurality of in-line fingers can be used to urge the lid downward for proper seating of the lid over the box container. Using a plurality of in-line fingers can provide a uniform downward urging across the top of the box lid. The fingers are sufficiently pliable such that the pliability allows the box and lid assembly to pass thereunder given the force of the oncoming box and the height of the box. However, they are sufficiently resilient to apply a downward force of a box lid.

Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, an illustration of the guide bars are provided. The strapping station as shown in this implementation includes a hold-down bar 124 having an upwardly curved receiving end 212. The hold-down station in this implementation is also shown including an additional hold-down member 216. This implementation as illustrated also includes a pliable finger 214, which can be constructed of rubber or other material having similar pliability, that is pliable but sufficiently resilient to urge downward the lid for proper seating. In one implementation, the hold-bar 212 and the hold-down member 216 can be designed to be vertically adjustable to adjust to the height of the box with the lid installed.

Referring to FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C, an illustration of the rear lid indexer is provided. The rear actuator implement is illustrated in the index position (engaged position) 712 and in the retracted position (release position) 708. The box lid 710 is illustrated as it traverses down the chute. The rear actuator cylinder 704 is shown including a rear actuator implement 706. The rear actuator mount 702 is also shown.

A control system including a controller, microprocessor, or computing system and the sensors can be utilized to control the flow of the releasing and indexing of items. The sensors can be used to detect the position of box lids as they are released from the chute. The sensors can provide a signal indicative of whether a box lid should be released or indexed. When the upper sensor detects the presence of a box lid, the rear actuator actuates to effect movement of the indexing member to the indexing position. When the upper sensor does not see a box lid, the actuator moves the indexing member to the to the release position. When the lower sensor sees a box lid, the actuator moves the indexing member to the indexing position and when the lower sensor does not see a box lid, the indexing member if moved to the release position. The signal transmission scheme of the sensors can be a simple on/off or high/low signal transmission or other transmission. The controller or microprocessors of the control system can interpret the transmission and can control the transducers for appropriate actuation.

The various implementations and examples shown above illustrate a method and system for installing a lid on a box or other container. A user of the present method and system may choose any of the above implementations, or an equivalent thereof, depending upon the desired application. In this regard, it is recognized that various forms of the subject method and system could be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present implementation.

As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present implementation are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. It is accordingly intended that the claims shall cover all such modifications and applications that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present implementation. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Certain systems described herein (mechanical, electromechanical, hydraulic, electrical, electronic) can be controlled by computing systems and/or micro-controllers, such as for example for the controlling and timing of actuators, conveyors and strapping devices, sensors and the like; and said computing systems and/or controllers can receive inputs and control signals from such systems for further controlled operations. Certain systems, apparatus, applications or processes are described herein as including a number of modules. A module may be a unit of distinct functionality that may be presented in software, hardware, or combinations thereof. When the functionality of a module is performed in any part through software, the module includes a computer-readable medium. The modules may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. The inventive subject matter may be represented in a variety of different implementations of which there are many possible permutations.

The methods described herein do not have to be executed in the order described, or in any particular order. Moreover, various activities described with respect to the methods identified herein can be executed in serial or parallel fashion. In the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.

In an example embodiment, the machine operates as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine or computing device. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

A computer system and client computers, can include a processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) a graphics processing unit (GPU) or both), a main memory and a static memory , which communicate with each other via a bus. The computer system may further include a video/graphical display unit (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)) or other user interface or output system including printers and plotters. The computer system and client computing devices also include an alphanumeric input device (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a drive unit, a signal generation device (e.g., a speaker) and a network interface device.

The drive unit includes a computer-readable medium on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or systems described herein. The software may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory and/or within the processor during execution thereof by the computer system, the main memory and the processor also constituting computer-readable media. The software may further be transmitted or received over a network via the network interface device.

The term “computer-readable medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “computer-readable medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present implementation. The term “computer-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, and optical media, and magnetic media.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.

Claims

1. A lid seating system for seating a lid onto a container comprising:

a lid dispensing chute having a dispensing end portion, said dispensing chute extending in a direction of conveyance with a downward slope to a dispensing exit port and said dispensing end portion dispose proximately above a substantially horizontally extending conveyance system; and

said conveyance system having a conveying direction in the direction of conveyance and said conveyance system including an index conveyor and a speed-up loading conveyor in-line with said indexing conveyor along a path of conveyance.

2. The lid system as recited in claim 1, where the dispensing end portion further comprises,

an actuatable indexer assembly having an indexing member, said indexing member having an index position extending inward inside the chute and a retracted position stowed outside the chute where said indexing member is selectively actuatable to move the indexing member to the index position and to the retracted stowed position.

3. The lid system as recited in claim 2, where the actuatable indexer assembly includes forward and rear actuatable indexing members.

4. The lid system as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

an upper sensor and a lower sensor positioned downstream with respect to the upper sensor along the direction of conveyance and said upper and lower sensors positioned adjacent the path of conveyance of the conveyance system and operable to sense an item being conveyed along the path of conveyance;

said upper sensor having an upper sensor signal transmitter operable to output an upper output control signal responsive to an item being adjacent said upper sensor along the path of conveyance;

said lower sensor having a lower sensor signal transmitter operable to output a lower output control signal responsive to an item being adjacent said lower sensor along the path of conveyance;

a rear transducer communicably connected to receive said upper output control signal and operable to actuate said rear actuatable indexing member responsive to receiving said upper output control signal; and

a forward transducer communicably connected to receive said lower output control signal and operable to actuate said forward actuatable indexing member responsive to receiving said lower output control signal.

5. The lid system as recited in claim 1, where the lid dispensing chute includes a loading end portion distal from said dispensing end portion.

6. The lid system as recited in claim 5, where the loading end portion includes a loading indexer assembly.

7. The lid system as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a load sensor positioned adjacent the loading end portion; said load sensor having a load sensor signal transmitter operable to output a load output control signal responsive to an item being adjacent a loading channel of the loading end portion and adjacent said load sensor; and

a load transducer communicably connected to receive said load output control signal and operable to actuate said load actuatable indexing member responsive to receiving said load output control signal.

8. The lid system as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a strapping station positioned over the speed-up conveyor including an automated strapping mechanism; and

a pliable finger extending vertically downward toward the conveyance system and sufficiently pliable to allow an item being conveyed along the speed-up conveyor to pass and sufficiently resilient to apply a downward force for items passing thereby.

9. The lid system as recited in claim 8, where the strapping station includes substantially horizontally extending hold-down guide bars for holding down items being strapped.

10. The lid system as recited in claim 9, further comprising a horizontal row of a plurality of pliable fingers each vertically extending downward where said horizontal row extends laterally and substantially orthongonal with respect to the direction of conveyance.

11. The lid system as recited in claim 1, where the speed up conveyor is an endless belt gripper conveyor and said lid system further comprising:

an upper sensor and a lower sensor positioned downstream with respect to the upper sensor along the direction of conveyance and said upper and lower sensors positioned adjacent a path of conveyance of the conveyance system and operable to sense an item being conveyed along the path of conveyance;

said upper sensor having an upper sensor signal transmitter operable to output an upper output control signal responsive to not sensing an item being adjacent said upper sensor along the path of conveyance; and

a speed-up conveyor transducer communicably connected to receive said upper output control signal and operable to speed up the speed-up conveyor responsive to receiving said upper output control signal.

12. The lid system as recited in claim 10, where the indexing conveyor is an endless belt indexing conveyor.

13. A method for seating a lid onto a container comprising the steps of:

gravity feeding an in-line series of box lids through a downwardly slopped box lid chute having a dispensing end portion disposed over a conveyor;

releasing a front most box lid from a box lid chute allowing a leading edge of the box lid to drop down to the conveyor lower than the trailing edge and indexing the next in line box lid;

conveying a box container along the conveyor and engaging the leading end of the box container with the leading edge of the box lid; and

pulling the box lid downstream along the path of conveyance by continuing to convey the box container thereby pulling the trailing end of the box lid from the chute and allowing the trailing end of the box lid to drop over the box container.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

urging downward the box lid with bars horizontally extending along the path of conveyance and at a height to urge the box lid downward while allowing the box container to be conveyed thereunder.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

urging downward the box lid with pliable fingers extending vertically downward into the path of conveyance where the fingers are sufficiently pliable to allow the box container to be conveyed thereunder and sufficiently resilient to urge the box lid downward.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

determining using a sensing device if a front most box lid has been released allowing the leading edge of box to drop down to the conveyor level and said front most box lid is adjacent the sensing device;

indexing the next in line box lid if the front most box lid is determined to be adjacent the sensing device;

releasing the next in line box lid if the front most box lid is determined to not be adjacent the sensing device.