# US 2023/0264841 A1 · A System and Method for Handling Packaging Units, and Manipulator Unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0264841 A1 - Document ID: US20230264841A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/024,144 - Filed: 2021-09-13 - Published: 2023-08-24 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-11 - Assignees: Moba Group B.V. - Applicants: Moba Group B.V. - Inventors: Paul Henri ZWEEKHORST; Simon Jan VERKUIJL - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230264841A1 ## CPC - B65B 5/105: {by grippers (B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence)} - B65B 5/06: Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles - B65B 23/02: Packaging or unpacking eggs - B65B 43/46: using grippers - B65B 61/22: for placing protecting sheets, plugs, or wads over contents, e.g. cotton-wool in bottles of pills - 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) ## Abstract System for handling packaging units, comprising: —a pallet supporter (2) configured for supporting at least one pallet (1); —a package feeding track (8) for feeding the packaging units (4) towards a first area near the pallet supporter (2); —a box feeding track (7) for feeding empty packaging boxes (6) towards a second area near the pallet supporter (2); —a manipulator unit (3) configured to move an empty box (6) from the box feeding track (7) onto a pallet (1) supported by the pallet supporter (2), wherein the manipulator unit (3) is also configured to move packaging units (4) into a box (6) supported on a pallet (1) supported by the pallet supporter (2). The invention also provides an innovative method for handling packaging units. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -19. (canceled) ### Claim 20 A system for handling packaging units, comprising: a pallet supporter configured for supporting at least one pallet; a package feeding track for feeding the packaging units towards a first area near the pallet supporter; a box feeding track for feeding empty packaging boxes towards a second area near the pallet supporter; and a manipulator unit configured to move an empty packaging box from the box feeding track onto a pallet supported by the pallet supporter, wherein the manipulator unit is also configured to move packaging units into a packaging box supported on a pallet supported by the pallet supporter. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20, wherein the pallet supporter is a pallet conveyor, configured for conveying pallets to and/or away from manipulator unit, and in particular for conveying empty pallets to the manipulator unit and loaded pallets away from the manipulator unit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20, wherein the manipulator unit includes a manipulator head, movable in three orthogonal directions. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system according to claim 22, wherein the manipulator head includes a gripper configured for releasingly holding an empty box by a side wall and/or bottom wall of the box. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The system according to claim 22, wherein the manipulator head includes suction means for gripping an empty packaging box by suction force. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The system according to claim 22, wherein the manipulator head includes a pair of opposite spaced-apart gripper plates, configured for releasingly holding one or more packaging units therebetween. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The system according claim 22, wherein the manipulator head includes suction means, for example one or more vacuum cups, for gripping one or more packaging units by suction force. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20, wherein the manipulator unit is arranged to iteratively pick-up a number of packaging units from the package feeding track and to gently deposit the picked-up number of packaging units in a packaging box located on a pallet supported by the pallet supporter. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the pallet supporter, the package feeding track and the box feeding track, and preferably, each one, extend in a substantially horizontal direction at and/or near a location of the manipulator unit. ### Claim 29 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20, wherein the system is configured for handling packaging boxes and packaging units having substantially rectangular boundaries and a rectangle-shaped supporting surface. ### Claim 30 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20, wherein the system includes an intermediate structure delivery station, for providing spacer structures, near the manipulator unit, wherein the manipulator unit is also configured for transferring spacer structures from the respective station to a pallet loading area, for covering one or more boxes that have been loaded on a pallet. ### Claim 31 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20, wherein each packaging unit is a substantially closed egg container, holding a plurality of eggs, wherein each packaging box is configured to receive a plurality of the egg containers, as a stack of egg containers. ### Claim 32 (depends on 20) The system according to claim 20, wherein the packaging units are stackable egg trays holding eggs. ### Claim 33 A method for handling packaging units, including: supporting at least one pallet in a pallet loading area; feeding packaging units towards a first area near the pallet loading area; feeding empty packaging boxes towards a second area near the pallet loading area that is spaced-apart from said first area; moving, by a manipulator unit, an empty packaging box from the second area onto the pallet; and iteratively moving, by the same manipulator unit, packaging units from the first area into the box supported on the pallet. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) A method according to claim 33, including conveying a loaded pallet, carrying at least one packaging box that is filled with a number of packaging units, away from the pallet loading area. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) The method according to claim 33, wherein a head of the manipulator unit grips an empty packaging box, and moves the box to pallet loading area. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) The method according to claim 33, wherein the head of the manipulator unit iteratively grips a number of packaging units, e.g. one or more egg containers, and moves the number of packaging units into a packaging box located in the pallet loading area. ### Claim 37 (depends on 33) The method according to claim 33, wherein a mass of each empty packaging box is at most 5 kg, in particular at most 3 kg. ### Claim 38 (depends on 33) The method according to claim 33, wherein the manipulator unit iteratively moves numbers of filled packaging units from the first area into a box supported on the pallet, in particular to form layers of packaging units in the box, each of the number of filled packaging units having a maximum mass of 3 kg. ### Claim 39 (depends on 33) The method according to claim 33, wherein after a packaging box, or row or layer of boxes, has been filled, at least a next empty box is picked up by the manipulator unit from the box feeding track and placed onto the filled box(es), wherein an intermediate spacer structure is placed onto a filled box before a next empty box is positioned, wherein the manipulator unit is operated for picking up a spacer structure and transferring the spacer structure to the loading area, to place the structure onto the filled box or row or layer of filled boxes. ### Claim 40 (depends on 20) A manipulator unit of a system according to claim 20, the manipulator unit being configured to move an empty packaging box from a box feeding track onto a pallet supported by a pallet supporter, wherein the manipulator unit is also configured to subsequently place packaging units into the packaging box that it has placed on a pallet supported by the pallet supporter.