Applicator plate, apparatus and method
AssigneeWestrock Packaging System, LLC
InventorsLinh L. Kooc, Casey P. Grey, Matthew E. Zacherle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aspects of the invention relate to an applicator plate (10) for use in an apparatus (80) for attaching a set of frangibly adjoined top engaging clips (110) to a group of articles ‘C’. The applicator plate (10) having a generally planar body; and a plurality of apertures (16a-26f) within the body. Each aperture (16a-26f) has a series of internal walls (16i-16x) arranged such that each aperture (16a-26f) has a polygonal shape.
Claims13
A method of attaching at least one top engaging clip to a group of articles, the method comprising:
- (i) receiving a group of articles and maintaining the group of articles as an organized group;
- (ii) providing an applicator plate comprising:
- a generally planar body;
- a plurality of apertures formed through the body, corresponding to a plurality of articles, respectively, to which the at least one top engaging clip is to be applied;
- and
- at least one peg depending from a lower surface of said generally planar body and disposed at a perimeter portion of said generally planar body,
- wherein the generally planar body, the plurality of apertures, and the at least one peg serve together to apply the at least one top engaging clip to the plurality of articles;
- and
- (iii) locating and forming the at least one top engaging clip onto the group of articles thereby forming one or more clipped together groups of articles.
An apparatus for attaching at least one top engaging article carrier group of articles, the apparatus comprising:
- an applicator plate configured to apply at least one top engaging article carrier to a group of articles, the applicator plate comprising:
- a generally planar body;
- a plurality of apertures formed through the body, corresponding to a plurality of articles respectively, to which the at least one top engaging article carrier is to be applied;
- and
- at least one peg depending from a lower surface of said generally planar body and disposed at a perimeter portion of said generally planar body,
- wherein the generally planar body the plurality of apertures, and the at least one serve together to apply the at least one top engaging article carrier to the plurality of articles;
- a base plate for receiving the group of articles;
- a reciprocating element coupled to the applicator plate and/or base plate and being operable to provide relative movement of the applicator plate and base plate toward one another and away from one another;
- and
- a top plate coupled to the reciprocating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.