# US 12,110,143 B2 · Method of packing variety packs of beverages

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- Number: US 12,110,143 B2
- Document ID: US12110143B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/643,961
- Filed: 2021-12-13
- Published: 2022-06-16
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-12-16
- Assignees: Anheuser-Busch, Incorporated
- Applicants: Anheuser-Busch, LLC
- Inventors: Mark de la Rosa; Rich Petrie; Carl Grass; Al Morgan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110143B2

## CPC

- B65B 35/30: Arranging and feeding articles in groups
- A23B 2/20: by heating materials in packages which are progressively transported, continuously or stepwise, through the apparatus
- A23B 70/30: by heating
- A23L 2/56: Flavouring or bittering agents (sweeteners A23L2/60)
- B65B 21/14: Introducing or removing groups of bottles, for filling or emptying containers in one operation
- B65B 27/04: Bundling groups of cans or bottles
- B65B 65/006: {Multiple parallel packaging lines}
- B67C 3/22: Details
- B67C 7/00: Concurrent cleaning, filling, and closing of bottles; Processes or devices for at least two of these operations
- A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
- B65B 2220/14: Adding more than one type of material or article to the same package
- B65B 2220/16: Packaging contents into primary and secondary packaging
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)
- A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- B67C: CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
- A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION

## Abstract

The present invention allows a beverage manufacturer to package variety packs of beverages while it is filling various beverages. The improved system that carries out the method includes an onsite accumulator that eliminates the long-standing practice of packaging variety packs at a separate location from where the beverages are packed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for packing variety packs of beverages, the system including:
a first filler for filling at least one container with a first beverage flavor and at least one container with a second beverage flavor;
a first accumulation zone for accumulating containers of the first beverage flavor;
a first pathway connecting the first filler to the first accumulation zone and configured to transfer the at least one container filled with the first beverage flavor from the first filler to the first accumulation zone;
a second accumulation zone for accumulating containers of the second beverage flavor;
a second pathway connecting the first filler to the second accumulation zone and configured to transfer the at least one container filled with the second beverage flavor from the first filler to the second accumulation zone;
a packer for packing a first plurality of containers of the first beverage flavor and a second plurality of containers of the second beverage flavor into at least one variety pack;
a first channel for transferring the at least one container filled with the first beverage flavor from the first accumulation zone to the packer; and
a second channel for transferring the at least one container filled with the second beverage flavor from the second accumulation zone to the packer;
wherein the first accumulation zone is configured to hold a first number of containers, and the first filler is configured to fill the first number of containers with the first beverage flavor before filling a second number of containers with the second beverage flavor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a second filler for filling at least one container with the first beverage flavor and at least one container with the second beverage flavor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises:
a third accumulation zone for accumulating containers of a third beverage flavor; and
a third channel for transferring at least one container of the third beverage flavor from the third accumulation zone to the packer; and
wherein:
the first filler is configured to fill at least one container with the third beverage flavor; and
the packer is configured to pack the at least one variety pack with a third plurality of containers of the third beverage flavor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the system further comprises:
a fourth accumulation zone for accumulating containers of a fourth beverage flavor; and
a fourth channel for transferring at least one container of the fourth beverage flavor from the fourth accumulation zone to the packer; and
wherein:
the first filler or a second filler is configured to fill at least one container with the fourth beverage flavor; and
the packer is configured to pack the at least one variety pack with a fourth plurality of containers of the fourth beverage flavor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a depalletizer for removing containers from a pallet prior to filling.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a pasteurizer for pasteurizing containers after filling.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first accumulation zone and the second accumulation zone are arranged vertically with respect to each other.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the first accumulation zone is one of a plurality of accumulation zones for containers of the first beverage flavor, each of the plurality of accumulation zones being connected to the first filler by one of a plurality of pathways configured to transfer containers of the first beverage flavor from the first filler to the accumulation zone, each of the plurality of accumulation zones being connected to the packer by a channel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured so that the first accumulation zone and the second accumulation zone begin to send containers to the packer when the first accumulation zone contains the first number of containers and the second accumulation zone contains the second number of containers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the first accumulation zone, the second accumulation zone, the third accumulation zone and the fourth accumulation zone are arranged vertically with respect to each other.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the system is configured so that the first accumulation zone, the second accumulation zone, the third accumulation zone, and the fourth accumulation zone begin to send containers to the packer when the first accumulation zone contains a first number of containers, the second accumulation zone contains a second number of containers, the third accumulation zone contains a third number of containers, and the fourth accumulation zone contains a fourth number of containers.

### Claim 12

A system for packing variety packs of beverages, the system comprising:
a first filler for filling a first beverage flavor in a first plurality of cans and a second beverage flavor in a second plurality of cans;
a first accumulation zone for accumulating the first plurality of cans;
a second accumulation zone for accumulating the second plurality of cans; and
a packer for packing the first plurality of cans and the second plurality of cans;
wherein the system further comprises:
a second filler for filling a third beverage flavor in a third plurality of cans and a fourth beverage flavor in a fourth plurality of cans; and
a third accumulation zone for accumulating the third plurality of cans.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the system further comprises a fourth accumulation zone for accumulating the fourth plurality of cans.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the system further comprises a depalletizer for removing at least one of the first plurality of cans and the second plurality of cans from a pallet prior to filling.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the system further comprises a pasteurizer for pasteurizing at least one of the first plurality of cans and the second plurality of cans after filling.

### Claim 16

A system for packing variety packs of beverages, the system including:
a first filler for filling at least one container with a first beverage flavor and at least one container with a second beverage flavor;
a first accumulation zone for accumulating containers of the first beverage flavor;
a first pathway connecting the first filler to the first accumulation zone and configured to transfer the at least one container filled with the first beverage flavor from the first filler to the first accumulation zone;
a second accumulation zone for accumulating containers of the second beverage flavor;
a second pathway connecting the first filler to the second accumulation zone and configured to transfer the at least one container filled with the second beverage flavor from the first filler to the second accumulation zone;
a packer for packing a first plurality of containers of the first beverage flavor and a second plurality of containers filled with the second beverage flavor into at least one variety pack;
a first channel for transferring the at least one container filled with the first beverage flavor from the first accumulation zone to the packer;
a second channel for transferring the at least one container filled with the second beverage flavor from the second accumulation zone to the packer;
a third accumulation zone for accumulating containers of a third beverage flavor;
a third channel for transferring at least one container of the third beverage flavor from the third accumulation zone to the packer;
a fourth accumulation zone for accumulating containers of a fourth beverage flavor; and
a fourth channel for transferring at least one container of the fourth beverage flavor from the fourth accumulation zone to the packer;
wherein:
the first filler is configured to fill at least one container with the third beverage flavor,
the first filler or a second filler is configured to fill at least one container with the fourth beverage flavor,
the packer is configured to pack the at least one variety pack with a third plurality of containers of the third beverage flavor,
the packer is configured to pack the at least one variety pack with a fourth plurality of containers of the fourth beverage flavor,
the first accumulation zone is configured to hold a first number of containers,
the second accumulation zone is configured to hold a second number of containers,
the third accumulation zone is configured to hold a third number of containers, and
the first filler is configured to:
fill the first number of containers with the first beverage flavor before filling the second number of containers with the second beverage flavor;
fill the second number of containers with the second beverage flavor before filling the third number of containers with the third beverage flavor; and
fill the third number of containers with the third beverage flavor before filling a fourth number of containers with the fourth beverage flavor.