Twin Layer Packaging Machine
AssigneeGraphic Packaging International, Inc.
InventorJeff A. Disrud
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A packaging machine is disclosed for packing cartons with beverage cans in two overlying layers. The packaging machine has a selector flight, a can flight, and a carton flight, all synchronously movable. A single infeed assembly directs first groups of cans into selector bays on the selector flight, sweeps them into adjacent can bays, and directs second groups of cans into the same selector bays, all on the same level. The selector flight and the second groups of cans then ramps up to an elevated level, from where the second groups of cans are swept into the adjacent can bays atop the first groups of cans. The thus staged cans are pushed into open cartons on the carton flight.
Claims17
A twin layer packaging machine having an upstream end and a downstream end and comprising:
- a selector flight continuously movable toward the downstream end of the packaging machine and defining a plurality of selector bays;
- a can flight adjacent to the selector flight and movable synchronously therewith toward the downstream end of the packing machine, the can flight defining a plurality of can bays;
- a carton flight adjacent to the can flight and movably synchronously therewith toward the downstream end of the packaging machine, the carton flight for carrying a plurality of cartons to be packed;
- an infeed section at an upstream end of the packaging machine for loading the selector bays with groups of articles to be packaged, the infeed section having an infeed belt, a first group of infeed lanes and an associated first pusher rail for loading selector bays with the first groups of articles and sweeping the loaded first groups of articles into adjacent can bays, and a second group of infeed lanes on the same level as the first group of infeed lanes for loading selector bays with second groups of articles;
- said selector flight including a ramped section downstream of the second group of infeed lanes that carries the second groups of articles to an elevated level;
- a second pusher rail at the elevated level for sweeping second groups of articles into adjacent can bays atop the first groups of articles therein;
- and
- a mechanism for moving the first and second groups of articles from the can bays into cartons.
A method of packing a carton with a twin layer of articles, one layer overlying the other, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) loading selector bays with first groups of articles;
- (b) moving the first groups of articles into adjacent can bays;
- (c) loading the selector bays with second groups of articles at substantially the same level as the first groups of articles;
- (d) raising the selector bays and second groups of articles to a second level elevated relative to the same level;
- (e) moving the second groups of articles into adjacent can bays atop the first groups of articles therein to form a twin layer configuration;
- and
- (f) moving the twin layer configuration of articles from the can bays into cartons.
A twin layer packaging machine substantially as shown and described.
A method of packing a carton with a twin layer of articles substantially as shown and described.
A twin layer packaging machine wherein a lower layer of articles and an upper layer of articles are loaded onto a selector bed at the same vertical level.
An infeed assembly for a twin layer packaging machine substantially as shown and described.
A method of loading articles into cartons in a stacked configuration with a first group of articles disposed beneath a second group of articles, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding the first group of articles into a moving selector bay;
- (b) moving the first group of articles from the selector bay into an adjacent moving can bay;
- (c) feeding the second group of articles into the selector bay;
- (d) moving the selector bay and the can bay with respect to each other so that the selector bay is at an elevated position relative to the can bay;
- (e) moving the second group of articles from the elevated selector bay into the can bay atop the first group of articles;
- and
- (f) moving the first and second groups of articles from the can bay into an adjacent carton.
In a method wherein first groups of articles are loaded atop second groups of articles in a carton, the improvement comprising arranging the first group of articles in a selector bay, moving the first group of articles from the selector bay to a staging bay, arranging the second group of articles in the selector bay at the same level that the first group of articles were arranged in the selector bay, elevating the selector bay relative to the staging bay, moving the second group of articles into the staging bay atop the first group of articles from the elevated selector bay, and moving the first and second groups of articles in their stacked configuration into a carton.
The improvement of claim 16 and wherein pluralities of selector bays and staging bays are defined on endless flights moving synchronously with and adjacent to each other and wherein the steps of claim 20 are repeated continuously for each selector bay and staging bay pair.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.