Applicator plate, apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11453516-B2
Application number	US-201716332024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 12, 2016
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

Aspects of the invention relate to an applicator plate (10) for use in an apparatus (80) for attaching a set of frangibly adjoined top engaging clips (110) to a group of articles ‘C’. The applicator plate (10) having a generally planar body; and a plurality of apertures (16a-26f) within the body. Each aperture (16a-26f) has a series of internal walls (16i-16x) arranged such that each aperture (16a-26f) has a polygonal shape.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of attaching at least one top engaging clip to a group of articles, the method comprising:
(i) receiving a group of articles and maintaining the group of articles as an organized group;
(ii) providing an applicator plate comprising:
a generally planar body;
a plurality of apertures formed through the body, corresponding to a plurality of articles, respectively, to which the at least one top engaging clip is to be applied; and
at least one peg depending from a lower surface of said generally planar body and disposed at a perimeter portion of said generally planar body,
wherein the generally planar body, the plurality of apertures, and the at least one peg serve together to apply the at least one top engaging clip to the plurality of articles; and

(iii) locating and forming the at least one top engaging clip onto the group of articles thereby forming one or more clipped together groups of articles.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the one or more top engaging clips comprises a set of frangibly adjoined top engaging clips and the step of locating and forming the set of frangibly adjoined top engaging clips breaks, automatically and without mechanical intervention of a cutting means, the frangible connection between adjoined top engaging clips of the set and thereby forms a discrete number of clipped together groups of articles.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:
(a) associating the set of frangibly adjoined top engaging clips with a lower surface of the applicator plate; and
(b) moving the applicator plate and set of frangibly adjoined top engaging clips down towards the group of articles.

4. An apparatus for attaching at least one top engaging article carrier group of articles, the apparatus comprising:
an applicator plate configured to apply at least one top engaging article carrier to a group of articles, the applicator plate comprising:
a generally planar body;
a plurality of apertures formed through the body, corresponding to a plurality of articles respectively, to which the at least one top engaging article carrier is to be applied; and
at least one peg depending from a lower surface of said generally planar body and disposed at a perimeter portion of said generally planar body,
wherein the generally planar body the plurality of apertures, and the at least one serve together to apply the at least one top engaging article carrier to the plurality of articles;

a base plate for receiving the group of articles;
a reciprocating element coupled to the applicator plate and/or base plate and being operable to provide relative movement of the applicator plate and base plate toward one another and away from one another; and
a top plate coupled to the reciprocating element.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the reciprocating element is operable to move the top plate towards the base plate.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the applicator plate is associated with the top plate and moves towards the base plate with the top plate.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the applicator plate is structured and arranged to locate and form the set of frangibly adjoined top engaging clips onto a group of articles positioned on the base plate and is structured and arranged to break the frangible connection between adjoined engaging clips of the set in order to form a discrete number of clipped together groups of articles.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein a grouping component is provided and is structured and arranged for receiving a group of articles and for maintaining the group of articles as an organized group.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the grouping component comprises four sides, a base and an open top and wherein a group of articles can be deposited on said base and retained by the four side walls.

10. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the applicator plate is releasably attachable to the top plate.

11. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the top plate comprises at least one alignment peg.

12. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the reciprocating element comprises a handle, lever arm and coil spring coupled together such that depression of the handle causes the spring to contract which causes the applicator plate to be lifted up away from the base plate.

13. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the applicator plate is releasably attachable to the apparatus.

Assignees

• Westrock Packaging Systems Llc
• Westrock Packaging System Llc

Inventors

• Kooc Linh L
• Grey Casey P
• Zacherle Matthew E

Classifications

• B65B17/025 Primary

  the articles being joined by a top carrier element · CPC title

• B65B27/04

  Bundling groups of cans or bottles · CPC title