Packaging machine and apparatus therefor
AssigneeWestRock Packaging Systems, LLC
InventorsJean-Christophe Bonnain, Pascal Martini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for a packaging machine comprising; a first conveyor for conveying an input stream of articles, a second conveyor for conveying an output stream of articles, a guide path configured as a loop and one or more tools coupled to the guide path. Each tool comprises a tool head for engaging with one or more articles in the input stream. The tool head is operable to transfer the one or more articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor. The one or more articles are placed upon the second conveyor in discrete groups having one or more tiers.
Claims20
An apparatus for a packaging machine comprising:
- a first conveyor for conveying an input stream of articles;
- a second conveyor for conveying an output stream of articles;
- a guide path configured as a loop;
- one or more tools coupled to the guide path;
- wherein each tool comprises:
- a tool head for engaging with one or more articles in the input stream;
- the tool head being operable to transfer the one or more articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor, the one or more articles being placed upon the second conveyor in discrete groups having two or more tiers, wherein the first conveyor is arranged so as to converge towards the second conveyor.
An apparatus for a packaging machine comprising:
- a first conveyor for conveying an input stream of articles;
- a second conveyor for conveying an output stream of articles:
- a guide path configured as a loop, one or more tools coupled to the guide path;
- wherein each tool comprises:
- a tool head for engaging with one or more articles in the input stream;
- the apparatus comprising two modes of operation:
- a first mode in which the tool heads transfer the one or more articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor, the tool heads placing the one or more articles upon the second conveyor in discrete groups having a single tier;
- a second mode in which the tool heads transfer the one or more articles from the first conveyor to the second conveyor, the tool heads placing the one or more articles upon the second conveyor in discrete groups having two or more tiers, wherein the first conveyor is at a different elevation relative to the second conveyor and the guide path includes a working reach, the working reach being disposed in part over and collinear with the first conveyor and in part over the second conveyor.
A method of configuring articles to be packaged, then method comprising:
- providing a first conveyor;
- providing a second conveyor at a different elevation relative to the first conveyor;
- providing a guide path configured as a loop;
- providing a plurality of tools coupled to the guide path, wherein each tool includes a tool head;
- conveying an input stream of articles upon the first conveyor;
- engaging one or more articles in the input stream with the tool head of each one of the plurality of tools;
- and
- placing the one or more articles upon the second conveyor to form discrete groups of articles having two or more tiers,
- wherein the guide path includes a working reach, the working reach being disposed in part over and collinear with the first conveyor and in part over the second conveyor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.