Twin layer packaging machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919823-B2
Application number	US-201414246212-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2014
Priority date	Jun 19, 2008
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

A packaging machine is disclosed for packing cartons with beverage cans in two overlaying layers. The packaging machine has a selector flight, a can flight, and a carton flight, all synchronously movable. A single infeed assembly directs first groups of cans into selector bays on the selector flight, sweeps them into adjacent can bays, and directs second groups of cans into the same selector bays, all on the same level. The selector flight and the second groups of cans then ramps up to an elevated level, from where the second groups of cans are swept into the adjacent can bays atop the first groups of cans. The thus staged cans are pushed into open cartons on the carton flight.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of loading articles into cartons in a stacked configuration with a first group of articles disposed beneath a second group of articles, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) feeding the first group of articles into a moving selector bay;
(b) moving the first group of articles from the selector bay into an adjacent moving can bay;
(c) feeding the second group of articles into the selector bay;
(d) moving the selector bay and the can bay with respect to each other and elevating the selector bay to elevate the articles grouped in the selector bay from a lower level adjacent an infeed section to a raised upper level downstream of the infeed section;
(e) moving the second group of articles from the elevated selector bay into the can bay atop the first group of articles; and
(f) moving the first and second groups of articles from the can bay into an adjacent carton.

2. The method of claim 1 and wherein the selector bay is defined on a moving selector flight and elevating the selector bay comprises ramping the moving selector flight up a ramped section.

3. The method of claim 1 and wherein step (a) comprises moving the first group of articles along infeed lanes progressively toward and into the selector bay.

4. The method of claim 3 and wherein step (c) comprises moving the second group of articles along infeed lanes progressively toward and into the selector bay.

5. The method of claim 4 and where in step (c) the second group of articles are moved into the selector bay at the same level as the first group of articles.

6. The method of claim 1 and wherein step (f) comprises pushing the first and second groups of articles into the adjacent carton with a pusher assembly.

7. The method of claim 1 and wherein the articles are containers.

8. The method of claim 7 and wherein the containers are beverage cans.

Assignees

• Graphic Packaging Int Inc
• Graphic Packaging Int Llc

Inventors

• Disrud Jeff A

Classifications

• B65B59/00

  Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages {, to handle different types of packaging material,} or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes · CPC title

• B65B61/207

  for inserting partitions between package contents · CPC title

• B65B35/52

  building-up the stack from the bottom · CPC title

• B65B35/405

  linked to endless conveyors · CPC title

• B65B5/06

  Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles · CPC title