Method and apparatus loading of cases with items

A system of loading an open case with a plurality of un-cased items, the system comprising:

• an item delivery apparatus operable to deliver said plurality of un-cased items to a transfer station;
• a collation platform operable to support said plurality of un-cased items;
• a pedestal apparatus operable to support the group of un-cased items;
• a first transfer apparatus operable to transfer said plurality of un-cased items from said item delivery apparatus at said transfer station, to said collation platform, to form a group of un-cased items on said collation platform;
• a second transfer apparatus operable to transfer the group of un-cased items from said collation platform to said pedestal apparatus;
• at least one movement rod operable to be driven in longitudinal movement by a rod movement drive apparatus;
• a case movement apparatus located proximate said pedestal apparatus, said case movement apparatus operable to move an open case in a path that sheaths a group of items located on said pedestal apparatus with an open case;
• wherein in operation:
• (a) said item delivery apparatus delivers said plurality of un-cased items to said transfer station;
• (b) said first transfer apparatus transfers said plurality of un-cased items from said item delivery apparatus at said transfer station, to said collation platform, to form said group of un-cased items on said collation platform;
• (c) said second transfer apparatus transfers said group of un-cased items from said collation platform to said pedestal apparatus;
• (d) said at least one movement rod engages said group of un-cased items and moves said group of un-cased items while on said pedestal apparatus;
• (e) said at least one movement rod dis-engages from said group of un-cased items on said pedestal apparatus;
• (f) said case movement apparatus moves an open case to sheath and encase said group of items located on said pedestal apparatus;
• wherein said at least one movement rod comprises first and second movement rods and wherein in operation said first movement rod is a trailing movement rod that engages a rearward side of said group of un-cased items and said second movement rod is a leading movement rod that engages a forward side of said group of un-cased items, and wherein said trailing rod and leading rod move in tandem contact with said group of un-cased items to move said group of un-cased items on said pedestal apparatus.

A system for bottom loading an open case through a downward facing opening in said open case, with a plurality of items, wherein each of said plurality of items comprises a rigid or semi-rigid upstanding body being self-supported on a base portion, the system comprising:

• an item delivery apparatus operable to deliver said plurality of items to a transfer station;
• a collation platform operable to support said plurality of items;
• a pedestal operable to support the plurality of items;
• an item movement sub-system operable to:
• move said plurality of items at the transfer station from the item delivery apparatus to the collation platform, to form a group of un-cased items on the collation platform;
• and
• move the group of un-cased items from the collation platform to the pedestal;
• a case movement apparatus located proximate to the pedestal apparatus, the case movement apparatus operable to move said open case in a path that sheaths, with said open case, said group of un-cased items located on the pedestal;
• wherein, in operation:
• the item delivery apparatus delivers the plurality of items to the transfer station;
• the item movement sub-system moves the plurality of items from the item delivery apparatus to the collation platform, to form the group of un-cased items on the collation platform;
• the item movement sub-system moves the group of un-cased items from the collation platform to the pedestal;
• the case movement apparatus moves the open case to sheath the group of un-cased items located on the pedestal, such that said group of cased items are received through said downward facing opening in said open case to form a group of cased items;
• wherein said system further comprises:
• a first folding platform;
• a second folding platform;
• wherein the first folding platform is located on a longitudinally opposite side of said pedestal to a side where said second folding platform is located;
• wherein, in operation, the item movement sub-system provides forward and rearward longitudinal movements of the open case and the group of cased items held therein, relative to first, second and third upward facing surfaces of respectively the first folding platform, the pedestal and the second folding platform, to thereby close a trailing bottom flap and a leading bottom flap of the open case with the group of cased items held in said open case.

A system for bottom loading an open case through a downward facing opening in said open case, with a plurality of items, wherein each of said plurality of items comprises a separate, rigid or semi-rigid upstanding body being self-supported on a base portion, the system comprising:

• an item delivery apparatus operable to deliver said plurality of items to a transfer station;
• a collation platform operable to support said plurality of items;
• a pedestal apparatus operable to support the plurality of items;
• a first transfer apparatus operable to transfer said plurality of items at said transfer station, from said item delivery apparatus to said collation platform, to form a group of items on said collation platform;
• a second transfer apparatus operable to transfer the group of items from said collation platform to said pedestal apparatus;
• at least one transversely extending movement rod operable to be driven in longitudinal movement by a rod movement drive apparatus;
• a case movement apparatus located proximate said pedestal apparatus, said case movement apparatus operable to move said open case in a path that sheaths a group of items located on said pedestal apparatus with said open case;
• wherein in operation:
• a. said item delivery apparatus delivers said plurality of items to said transfer station;
• b. said first transfer apparatus transfers said plurality of items from said item delivery apparatus to said collation platform, to form said group of items on said collation platform;
• c. said second transfer apparatus transfers said group of items from said collation platform to a first upstream surface of said pedestal apparatus;
• d. said at least one movement rod engages said group of items at a rearward transverse side of said group of products when said group of products is located on said first upstream surface of said pedestal apparatus and moves said group of items on said pedestal apparatus onto a second downstream surface of said pedestal apparatus;
• e. said at least one movement rod dis-engages from said group of items on said second downstream surface of said pedestal apparatus;
• f. after (e) said case movement apparatus moves said open case to sheath said group of items located on said pedestal apparatus such that said group of items are received through said downward facing opening in said open case;
• and wherein said at least one movement rod comprises first and second movement rods, and wherein in operation said first movement rod is a trailing movement rod that engages a rearward side of said group of items and said second movement rod is a leading movement rod that engages a forward side of said group of items and wherein said trailing and leading movement rods move in tandem contact with said group of items to move said group of items from said first upstream surface of said pedestal apparatus onto said second downstream surface of said pedestal apparatus;
• and wherein said system further comprises:
• a gate apparatus operable for movement between (i) a closed position wherein said trailing movement rod is positioned below the vertical level of the second downstream surface of said pedestal apparatus and an opening between said collation platform and said second downstream support surface of said pedestal apparatus is closed by said gate such that said group of items can pass from said collation platform, over a surface of said gate and onto said second downstream surface of said pedestal apparatus;
• and (ii) an open position which during operation, permits said trailing movement rod to move through said opening to an engagement position behind said group of items on said first upstream surface of said pedestal apparatus.

A system for bottom loading an open case through a downward facing opening in said open case, with a plurality of items, wherein each of said plurality of items comprises a rigid or semi-rigid upstanding body being self-supported on a base portion, the system comprising:

• an item delivery apparatus operable to deliver said plurality of items to a transfer station;
• a collation platform operable to support said plurality of items;
• a pedestal apparatus operable to support the plurality of items;
• a first transfer apparatus operable to transfer said plurality of items at said transfer station, from said item delivery apparatus to said collation platform, to form a group of items on said collation platform;
• a second transfer apparatus operable to transfer the group of items from said collation platform to said pedestal apparatus;
• at least one transversely extending movement rod operable to be driven in longitudinal movement by a rod movement drive apparatus;
• a plurality of transversely spaced, opposed guide members positioned to support opposed longitudinal sides of said group of items when said group of items are being transferred by said second transfer apparatus from said collation platform to said pedestal apparatus;
• a case movement apparatus located proximate said pedestal apparatus, said case movement apparatus operable to move said open case in a path that sheaths a group of items located on said pedestal apparatus with said open case;
• wherein in operation:
• (a) said item delivery apparatus delivers said plurality of items to said transfer station;
• (b) said first transfer apparatus transfers said plurality of items from said item delivery apparatus to said collation platform, to form said group of items on said collation platform;
• (c) said second transfer apparatus transfers said group of items from said collation platform to a first upstream surface of said pedestal apparatus with the guide members supporting opposed longitudinal sides of said group of items
• (d) said at least one movement rod engages said group of items at a rearward transverse side of said group of products when said group of products is located on said first upstream surface of said pedestal apparatus and moves said group of items on said pedestal apparatus onto a second downstream surface of said pedestal apparatus;
• (e) said at least one movement rod dis-engages from said group of items on said second downstream surface of said pedestal apparatus;
• (f) after (e) said case movement apparatus moves said open case to sheath said group of items located on said pedestal apparatus such that said group of items are received through said downward facing opening in said open case and a side of said open case is received between said at least one rod and said rearward side of said group of items, and opposed longitudinal sides of said case are received between respective longitudinal sides of said group of items and said guide members.

A system for bottom loading an open case through a downward facing opening in said open case, with a plurality of items, wherein each of said plurality of items comprises a rigid or semi-rigid upstanding body being self-supported on a base portion, the system comprising:

• an item delivery sub-system operable to deliver said plurality of items to a collation platform, said collation platform operable to support said plurality of items;
• a pedestal apparatus located downstream of said collation platform and operable to support the plurality of items;
• a transfer apparatus operable to transfer the group of items from said collation platform to said pedestal apparatus;
• transversely oriented first and second movement rods operable to be driven in longitudinal movement by a rod movement drive apparatus;
• wherein in operation said first movement rod is a trailing movement rod that engages a rearward side of said group of items and said second movement rod is a leading movement rod that engages a forward side of said group of items and wherein said trailing and leading movement rods move in tandem contact with said group of items to move said group of items on at least one support surface of said pedestal apparatus;
• a case movement apparatus located proximate said pedestal apparatus, said case movement apparatus operable to move said open case in a path that sheaths a group of items located on said pedestal apparatus with said open case;
• wherein in operation:
• (a) said item delivery apparatus delivers said plurality of items to said collation platform;
• (b) said transfer apparatus transfers said plurality of items from said collation platform to said pedestal apparatus;
• (c) said first and second movement rods engage said group of items and move said group of items on said pedestal apparatus;
• (d) said first and second movement rods dis-engage from said group of items on said pedestal apparatus;
• (e) said case movement apparatus moves said open case to sheath said group of items located on said pedestal apparatus such that said group of items are received through said downward facing opening in said open case;
• and wherein said system further comprises:
• a gate apparatus operable for movement between (i) a closed position wherein said trailing movement rod is positioned beneath said at least one support surface of said pedestal apparatus and an opening in said at least one support surface of said pedestal apparatus is closed by said gate such that said group of items can be transferred by said transfer apparatus from said collation platform, over said gate and onto said pedestal apparatus;
• and (ii) an open position which allows said trailing movement rod to move through said opening in said at least one support surface of said pedestal apparatus to an engagement position behind said group of items on said pedestal apparatus.

A system for loading cases with a plurality of items, the system comprising:

• an item delivery apparatus operable to deliver the plurality of items to a transfer station;
• a collation platform operable to support a group of items;
• a pedestal apparatus operable to support the group of items;
• an item movement sub-system operable to:
• move the plurality of items at the transfer station, from the item delivery apparatus to the collation platform, to form the group of items on the collation platform;
• and
• move the group of items from the collation platform to the pedestal apparatus;
• wherein said pedestal apparatus comprises a central pedestal, a first folding platform and a second folding platform, wherein the first folding platform comprises a ramp portion at a proximal side to the central pedestal and a flat portion at a distal side of the central pedestal, and wherein the second folding platform comprises a ramp portion at a proximal side to the central pedestal and a flat portion at a distal side of the central pedestal;
• a case movement and loading sub-system operable to move an open case blank to a position such that an open case blank is loaded with a group of items located on the central pedestal, the case movement and loading sub-system also operable to move the open case blank and the group of items held therein, in forward and rearward movements over the first folding platform, the central pedestal and the second folding platform to thereby close a trailing bottom flap and a leading bottom flap of the open case blank;
• wherein, in operation:
• the item delivery apparatus delivers a plurality of items to the transfer station;
• the item movement sub-system transfers a plurality of items from the item delivery apparatus at the transfer station, to the collation platform, to form the group of items on the collation platform;
• the item movement sub-system transfers the group of items from the collation platform to the central pedestal;
• the case movement and loading sub-system loads the open case blank with the group of items located on the central pedestal;
• and
• the case movement and loading sub-system moves the open case blank and the group of items held therein, in forward and rearward movements over the first folding platform, the central pedestal and the second folding platform to thereby close the trailing bottom flap and the leading bottom flap of the open case blank.