Feed system for container carrier applicating machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12534244-B2
Application number	US-202418639469-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2024
Priority date	Apr 19, 2023
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for applying container carriers to unitize a plurality of containers. A supply of container carriers are provided in a stack and grouped into sticks of multiple adjacent container carriers. A magazine accommodates the stack of container carrier sticks and a carrier feed draws a single container carrier stick from the magazine. A transport section comprising two or more container carrier sticks aligned in a queue provides single container carrier sticks to an applicating drum configured to apply to a corresponding group of containers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system for applying a container carrier to unitize a plurality of containers, the system comprising:
a supply of container carriers provided in a staging area, the container carriers grouped into stacks of multiple adjacent container carriers arranged in sticks; a magazine for accommodating a stack of container carriers; a carrier feed for drawing a single container carrier stick from the magazine; a transport section comprising two or more container carrier sticks aligned in a queue; and an applicating drum configured to accept the single container carrier stick from the queue and apply to a corresponding group of containers.

2 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a device to transport stacks from the staging area to the magazine.

3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the device comprises one of a robotic arm, a pick and place device, and a gantry system.

4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the carrier feed comprises:
an escapement bar blocking release of the stack of container carriers;
a hold-down wheel in contact with the transport section and permitting release of the single container carrier stick at a time from the stack.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the transport section comprises a flexible belt.

6 . The system of claim 5 wherein the flexible belt is configured to move faster than the applicating drum.

7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the transport section comprises a shuttle plate having a series of index pins to positively transport each carrier stick to the applicating drum.

8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the queue of container carriers includes no gaps between adjacent sticks of container carriers.

9 . The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a push down wheel configured to move the container carrier from a first position in loose engagement with the group of containers into a second position in final engagement with the group of containers and thereby form a package of unitized containers.

10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the transport section comprises a plurality of driving wheels to positively transport each carrier stick to the applicating drum.

11 . The system of claim 10 wherein the transport section further comprises an overhead O-ring belt.

12 . The system of claim 1 wherein the carrier feed further comprises one or more rollers to singularize carrier sticks from a bottom of the magazine into the transport section.

13 . The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more photoeyes attached to the magazine for identifying a minimum carrier count in the magazine.

14 . The system of claim 1 wherein the carrier feed comprises a reciprocating plate to draw out individual carrier sticks from the magazine.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Whitten Jimmy D
• Miller John
• Shiflet Charles Bryan
• Nunn J Mark
• Lockaby Sam
• Halstead Clifford
• Williams Brian

Classifications

• B65B43/44 Primary

  from supply magazines · CPC title

• B65B41/04

  by grippers · CPC title

• B65B27/04 Primary

  Bundling groups of cans or bottles · CPC title

• B65D71/504

  the element being formed from a flexible sheet provided with slits or apertures intended to be stretched over the articles and adapt to the shape of the article · CPC title

• B65B17/025

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