System and method for packaging of nested products

A packaging system, comprising:

• a product selection and grouping area having a product infeed supplying a series of products to a product selector conveyor, and at least one selector for forming groups of products in initial product packs on the product selector conveyor, the product selector conveyor comprising a plurality of pack reducing flights, wherein the initial product packs are formed in respective flights of the plurality of pack reducing flights, and the product groups comprise at least one additional product or series of products applied along an outer side portion of the initial product packs to form nested product packs of a selected configuration;
• each flight of the plurality of pack reducing flights comprises a base plate and at least a first wall spaced from a second wall, wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall is movable at least partially across the base plate toward the respective nested product pack received on the base plate so as to compress the nested product pack between the first wall and the second wall;
• at least one loading assembly for engaging and directing the nested product pack into a carton;
• and
• a folding area adapted to engage and fold a series of end flaps for the carton to a closed position;
• wherein, for each of the flights of the plurality of pack reducing flights, at least the first wall is mounted on two rotary members by respective pivot pins so that rotation of at least one of the two rotary members causes the first wall to move at least partially across an upper surface of the base plate, a cam roller is mounted to a lower surface of at least one of the two rotary members, and the cam roller engages a cam track extending along the selector conveyor so as to cause the rotation of the at least one of the two rotary members as the cam roller follows along the cam track.

A packaging system, comprising:

• a product selection and grouping area comprising a product infeed supplying a series of products to a product selector conveyor, a primary selector forming groups of products in initial product groups on the product selector conveyor, and at least a first secondary selector and a second secondary selector arranged along the product selector conveyor, wherein the first secondary selector and the second secondary selector are located on opposite sides of the product selector conveyor, and each of the first secondary selector and the second secondary selector comprises a series of selector wedges configured to guide selected additional products into engagement with selected rows of the initial product groups to form nested product packs, wherein the selector wedges are downstream from the primary selector;
• a carton conveyor conveying a series of cartons along a path of travel, wherein the carton conveyor has a first side and an opposing second side, and wherein the primary selector, the first secondary selector, and the second secondary selector extend on the first side of the carton conveyor, and the carton conveyor is separate from each of the primary selector, the first secondary selector, and the second secondary selector;
• and
• at least one loading assembly engaging and directing the nested product packs from the product selector conveyor into respective cartons of the series of cartons on the carton conveyor.