Apparatus for packing products in cartons

An apparatus for packing products in cartons, comprising:

• a first feed line for feeding cartons used to pack the products,
• a second feed line for feeding products, synchronized with the first feed line in such a way that the products are inserted into the cartons,
• a plurality of pushing elements movable one after the other in synchrony with the first and second feed lines,
• a diverting unit adapted to operate on the pushing elements in transit and switchable between a first configuration, in which the diverting unit directs the pushing elements along an active path where one of the pushing elements is driven to push one of the products into a respective one of the cartons, and a second configuration in which the diverting unit directs the pushing elements along an inactive path,
• detecting means for detecting parameters identifying a presence of the one of the cartons and/or of the one of the products on which the one of the pushing elements operates, the detecting means comprising at least one detecting sensor,
• switching means connected to the detecting means and configured to switch the diverting unit to the first configuration or to the second configuration as a function of the identification parameters;
• each of the pushing elements comprising a first carriage configured to run on a first rail defining the active path and a second carriage configured to run on a second rail defining the inactive path,
• the diverting unit comprises a first diverting rail and a second diverting rail adapted, respectively, to receive the first carriage of the pushing element in the first configuration and the second carriage of the pushing element in the second configuration, the first diverting rail defining a first stretch of the first rail in the first configuration and the second diverting rail defining a second stretch of the second rail in the second configuration.