Packaging machine and method of packaging articles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10196160-B2
Application number	US-201414914478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Sep 13, 2013
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A packaging machine for packaging articles into cartons includes a first conveyor for conveying cartons along a carton stream, a second conveyor for conveying first article groups adjacent to the carton stream, a third conveyor for conveying divider pads adjacent to the carton stream, and a fourth conveyor for conveying second article groups adjacent to the carton stream. A first lateral transfer mechanism transfers the first article groups transversely into cartons within the carton stream. A second lateral transfer mechanism transfers the divider pads transversely into the cartons within the carton stream and onto said first article groups contained therein. A third lateral transfer mechanism transfers the second article groups transversely into the cartons within the carton stream and onto the divider pads contained therein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A packaging machine for packaging articles into cartons, which system comprises:
a first conveyor for conveying cartons along a carton stream;
a second conveyor for conveying first article groups to form a first stream of article groups adjacent to said carton stream;
a third conveyor for conveying divider pads to form a divider pad stream adjacent to said carton stream;
a fourth conveyor for conveying second article groups to form a second stream of article groups adjacent to said carton stream;
a first lateral transfer mechanism for transferring said first article groups in a direction substantially transverse to the first stream of article groups into cartons within said carton stream, the first lateral transfer mechanism including a plurality of pusher devices spaced apart at a distance corresponding to a distance between successive first article groups, wherein the first lateral transfer mechanism is configured to align each of the pusher devices with an associated first article group, wherein the first lateral transfer mechanism is configured to move the pusher devices in a longitudinal direction at a speed that is synchronized with the speed of first and second conveyors, wherein, simultaneously with the longitudinal motion, wherein the first lateral transfer mechanism is configured to move the pusher devices transverse across second conveyor thereby pushing each associated first article group into an open end of a corresponding carton, and wherein the first lateral transfer device is configured to raise the pusher devices above the second conveyor and realign the pusher devices with succeeding associated first article groups;
a second lateral transfer mechanism for transferring said divider pads in a direction substantially transverse to the divider pad stream into said cartons within said carton stream and onto said first article groups contained therein; and
a third lateral transfer mechanism for transferring said second article groups in a direction substantially transverse to the second stream of article groups into said cartons within said carton stream and onto said divider pads contained therein.

2. The packaging machine of claim 1 wherein said first lateral transfer mechanism, said second lateral transfer mechanism, and said third lateral transfer mechanism are all operable to transfer article groups and divider pads respectively while said first conveyor is in continuous motion.

3. The packaging machine of claim 1 wherein said second and fourth conveyors are disposed adjacent said first conveyor along a first side of said first conveyor.

4. The packaging machine of claim 3 wherein said third conveyor is disposed adjacent said first conveyor along a second side of said first conveyor.

5. A method for packaging articles into cartons, comprising:
conveying cartons along a carton stream;
conveying first article groups to form a first stream of first article groups adjacent to said carton stream;
conveying divider pads to form a divider pad stream adjacent to said carton stream;
conveying second article groups to form a second stream of second article groups adjacent to said carton stream;
laterally transferring-said first article groups in a direction substantially transverse to the first stream of article groups into cartons within said carton stream, using a first lateral transfer mechanism having a plurality of pusher devices spaced apart at a distance corresponding to a distance between successive first article groups, wherein using the first lateral transfer device includes:
aligning each of the pusher devices with an associated first article group;
moving the pusher devices in a longitudinal direction at a speed that is synchronized with the speed of first and second conveyors;
moving the pusher devices transverse across second conveyor, simultaneously with the longitudinal motion, thereby pushing each associated first article group into an open end of a corresponding carton;
raising the pusher devices above the second conveyor; and
realigning the pusher devices with succeeding associated first article groups;

laterally transferring said divider pads in a direction substantially transverse to the divider pad stream into said cartons within said carton stream and onto said first article groups contained therein; and
laterally transferring said second article groups in a direction substantially transverse to the second stream of article groups into said cartons within said carton stream and onto said divider pads contained therein.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the steps of laterally transferring said first article group, said divider pads, and said second article groups are all performed while said cartons conveyed along said carton stream are in continuous motion.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein at least a portion of said first stream of article groups and said second stream of article groups extend along a first side of said carton stream.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of said divider pad stream extends along a second side of said carton stream.

Assignees

• Westrock Packaging Systems Llc

Inventors

• Bonnain Jean-Christophe
• Louret Gerard

Classifications

• B65B5/024

  for making containers from preformed blanks · CPC title

• B65B61/207

  for inserting partitions between package contents · CPC title

• B65B21/06 Primary

  Forming groups of bottles · CPC title

• B65B21/242

  in collapsed carton sleeves · CPC title

• B65B35/40

  by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers · CPC title