Machine for packaging articles into cartons

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9487315-B2
Application number	US-201013260594-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2010
Priority date	Mar 27, 2009
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

A packaging machine ( 10 ) for continuously packaging articles (B) comprising a first conveyor line ( 23 ), a second conveyor line ( 22 a, 22 b, 22 c ) and a transfer mechanism ( 26 a, 26 b ) which transfers articles (B) from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line into a primary or intermediate carton (C) or transfers primary or intermediate cartons (C) from a second conveyor line to the articles (B) and a second transfer mechanism which transfers packaged articles (B) in said primary or intermediate cartons (C) from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line to be packaged in secondary or final cartons (T) or transfers articles (B) from the first conveyor to the second conveyor to be packaged directly in the secondary or final cartons (T) or which second transfer mechanism is adapted for reorientation of articles (B) or packaged articles (B) in said primary or intermediate cartons (C) or which second transfer mechanism is idle allowing primary or intermediate cartons to pass for further processing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A packaging machine having plural modes of operation for continuously packaging articles into cartons of different types comprising:
a first processing line for receiving articles from an incoming stream;
a second processing line for receiving empty cartons from a feeder and defining a direction of carton flow;
a third processing line for receiving tertiary cartons from a hopper;
a first handling device for transferring either articles or empty cartons between the first and second processing lines depending upon the mode of operation of the machine, wherein the first handling device includes a tool head mounted for controlled linear acceleration in the direction of carton flow to match a velocity of the cartons that the tool head is to engage for transfer, and for articulated movement in a direction transverse to the direction of carton flow to transfer engaged cartons from one processing line to another; and
a second handling device downstream from the first handling device for transferring either articles or secondary packages consisting of articles in cartons between the first and third processing lines depending upon the mode of operation of the machine, wherein the second handling device includes a tool head mounted for controlled linear acceleration in the direction of carton flow to match a velocity of the secondary packages that the tool head is to engage for transfer, and for articulated movement in a direction transverse to the direction of carton flow to transfer engaged secondary packages from one processing line to another;
wherein the machine is configured to operate in a first mode of operation in which empty cartons from the feeder are engaged by the tool head of the first handling device while it is moving in the direction of carton flow and transferred by the tool head of the first handling device from the second processing line to the first processing line to receive a group of articles therein from the incoming stream to form secondary packages on the first processing line, which secondary packages are engaged by the tool head of the second handling device while it is moving in the direction of carton flow and transferred by the tool head of the second handling device from the first processing line to the third processing line, where a retarder groups plural secondary cartons together for application of tertiary cartons from the hopper thereto so as to form tertiary packages of plural secondary cartons, and
wherein the machine is configured to operate in a second mode of operation in which articles from the incoming stream are transferred from the first processing line into empty cartons on the second processing line by the tool head of the first handling device to form secondary packages on the second processing line, which secondary packages are engaged by the tool head of the second handling device and transferred by the tool head of the second handling device from the second processing line to the third processing line, where the retarder groups plural secondary cartons together prior to the application of a tertiary carton from the hopper thereto so as to form a tertiary package of plural secondary packages, and
wherein the machine is configured to operate in a third mode of operation in which articles from the incoming stream are engaged by and transferred from the first processing line by either the tool head of the first handling device or the tool head of the second handling device to the third processing line for direct application of tertiary cartons from the hopper to groups of the articles.

2. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein at least two of said first, second or third processing lines are parallel to one another.

3. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein at least two of the first, second or third processing lines are co-linear.

4. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said processing lines at least partially overlaps in the direction of carton flow with another of said processing lines.

5. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein the second processing line comprises a conveyor which is adaptable to accommodate cartons of different types.

6. A packaging machine according to claim 5 wherein said second processing line comprises a pair of parallel conveyors laterally spaced apart from one another and moveable with respect to one another so as to adjust the lateral spacing between the conveyors.

7. A packaging machine according to claim 5 wherein said second processing line comprises a pair of parallel conveyors laterally spaced apart from one another and moveable with respect to one another in the direction of the conveyors.

8. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein the third processing line can receive an input of products to be conveyed/processed from the first processing line or an input of secondary packages from the first or second processing lines.

9. A packaging machine according to claim 8 wherein the third processing line is coupled to the first and second processing lines to receive products at its end from one of said first or second processing lines and from the side from the other of said first or second processing lines.

10. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein in the first mode of operation the cartons are either bottom loaded with articles or wrapped around groups of articles depending upon the carton type.

11. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein in the second mode of operation the cartons are either top loaded or side loaded with articles depending upon the carton type.

12. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein the second processing line includes a feeder for supplying carton blanks and an erection device for erecting said carton blanks.

13. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein the third processing line includes a feeder for supplying tertiary carton blanks and an erection mechanism for erecting said tertiary carton blanks.

14. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein the first and second processing lines are parallel to one another, and overlap in a direction transverse to carton flow at least in part, the second and third processing lines are co-linear with one another and the first and third processing lines are parallel with one another and overlap in a direction transverse to article flow at least in part.

15. A packaging machine having plural modes of operation for packaging articles into cartons of different types comprising:
a first processing line for receiving articles from an incoming stream;
a second processing line for receiving empty cartons from a feeder and defining a direction of carton flow;
a third processing line for receiving tertiary cartons from a hopper;
a first handling device including a tool head for engaging and transferring either articles or empty cartons between the first and second processing lines depending upon a mode of operation of the machine, wherein the tool head of the first handling device is mounted for controlled linear acceleration in the direction of carton flow to match a velocity of the cartons that the tool head is to engage for transfer, and for articulated movement in a direction transverse to the direction of carton flow to transfer engaged cartons from one processing line to another; and
a second handling device downstream from the first handling device and including a tool head mounted for engaging and transferring either articles or secondary packages consisting of articles in cartons between the first and third processing lines depending upon a mode of op

Assignees

• Poutot Benoit
• Martini Pascal
• Bonnain Jean Christophe
• Westrock Packaging Systems Llc

Inventors

• Poutot Benoit
• Martini Pascal
• Bonnain Jean Christophe

Classifications

• B65B5/024

  for making containers from preformed blanks · CPC title

• B65B21/242 Primary

  in collapsed carton sleeves · CPC title

• B65B21/24 Primary

  Enclosing bottles in wrappers · CPC title

• B65B5/02

  Machines characterised by incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles · CPC title