Product packaging system
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorsColin Ford, Thomas Rice, Steven Brown
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A product packaging system for receiving a series of products from one or more product transport lines. The products are loaded into a series of carriers and transported through a downstream inserter unit. Inserter assemblies moving in timed relation with the movement of the carriers through the inserter unit engage and urge the products out carriers and into a carton for packaging.
Claims29
A system for packaging products, comprising:
- a series of carriers each adapted to receive at least one product therein;
- an inserter unit that receives and moves the carriers in spaced series along a path of travel for packaging, and which includes a series of inserter assemblies adapted to engage and urge the products out of the carriers;
- and
- a carton transport conveyor moving a series of cartons in timed relationship with the movement of the carriers along their path of travel such that the products are received within the cartons as the products are urged out of the carriers by the inserter assemblies.
A method of packaging products in cartons of varying sizes, comprising:
- placing the products in a series of carriers;
- feeding the carriers into an inserter unit;
- moving a series of inserter assemblies in timed relation with the carriers moving along their path of travel through the inserter unit;
- moving the cartons along a path substantially parallel to and in registration with the carriers;
- and
- engaging and urging the products out of the carriers and into the cartons for packaging.
In a system for packaging a series of irregularly shaped products in cartons, the improvement comprising:
- a series of carriers moveable along a carrier conveyor between an upstream position at which the products are received in stacked series within a pocket of each of said carriers and a downstream position for unloading the products from said carriers into the cartons;
- and
- said carriers each comprising a pair of opposed side walls defining a product receiving pocket therein of a sufficient size to receive a series of products in stacked arrangement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.