Carton nesting apparatus and method

Apparatus for nesting a carton bottom with an open-sided carton top in which the bottom is dimensioned to closely fit within the top, comprising:

• a work surface having a first end and a second, discharge end;
• means for feeding a carton bottom onto said work surface at a first feed station towards said first end thereof;
• means for feeding an open-sided carton top onto said work surface at a second feed station which is between said first feed station and said discharge end, said top being fed onto said work surface with the open side thereof facing toward said first end;
• means for engaging said carton bottom near said first feed station and for moving said carton bottom in a first direction along said work surface towards said discharge end;
• means for centering said carton bottom during its travel along said work surface in said first direction, so that said bottom is aligned with said caron top, said centering means including a pair of flaps, said flaps mounted along opposing sides of said work surface between said first and second feed stations and pivoted about an axis which is generally normal to said work surface, whereby the forward edge of said carton bottom engages said flaps during movement of said bottom therebetween to center and guide said bottom into said carton top, so that the continued travel of said bottom in said first direction causes said bottom to nest within said top;
• and
• means, after nesting said carton top and bottom, for thereafter moving the nested carton top and bottom to the discharge end of said work surface.

Apparatus for nesting a carton bottom with a open-sided carton top in which the bottom is dimensioned to closely fit within the top, comprising:

• a work surface having a first end and a second, discharge end;
• means for feeding a carton bottom onto said work surface at a first feed station towards said first end thereof;
• means for feeding an open-sided carton top onto said work surface at a second feed station which is between said first feed station and said discharge end, said top being fed onto said work surface with the open side thereof facing toward said first end;
• said work surface including a downward step at said second fed station, said step having a dimension approximately equal to the wall thickness of said carton top whereby the inside of said top is generally level with said work surface;
• means for engaging said carton bottom near said first feed station and for moving said carton bottom in a first direction along said work surface towards said discharge end;
• means for centering said carton bottom during its travel along said work surface in said first direction, so that said bottom is aligned with said carton top, whereby the continued travel of said bottom in said first direction causes said bottom to nest within said top;
• and
• means, after nesting said carton top and bottom, for thereafter moving the nested carton top and bottom to the discharge end of said work surface.

A method for inserting a packaging element inside an open-sided carton, wherein the package element is dimensioned to fit closely within the carton, comprising the steps of:

• feeding the packaging element onto a work surface at a first feed station near a first end of said work surface;
• feeding the open-sided carton onto said work surface at a second feed station which is between said first feed station and an opposing end of said work surface, said carton being fed onto to said work surface with the open side thereof facing toward said first end of said work surface;
• engaging said packaging element near said first feed station and moving said packaging element in a first direction along said work surface toward said opposing end;
• providing a pair of flaps, said flaps mounted along opposing sides of said work surface between said first and second feed stations and pivoted about and axis which is generally normal to said work surface, whereby the forward edge of said packaging element engages said flaps during movement of said bottom therebetween;
• centering said packaging element with said flaps during its travel along said work surface in said first direction, so that said packaging element is aligned with said open side of said carton, whereby the continued travel of said packaging element in said first direction causes said packaging element to nest within said carton;
• and
• after nesting said packaging element within said carton, thereafter moving the nested packaging element-carton combination to the opposing end of said work surface.