Shelf packer
AssigneePrototype Equipment Corporation
InventorJames A. Goodman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and process for packing a box with a plurality of groups of pouches or other flexible containers and inserting a support shelf between the groups. A conveyor is used to support and convey boxes such that means for inserting a first group of pouches into a box inserts a group of pouches into the top portion of a box. The boxes are then positioned such that means for inserting a suport shelf into the box inserts a shelf into the box before means for inserting a second group of pouches inserts a second group of pouches into the box. The support shelf is inserted from the bottom of the box such that the first group of pouches is supported above the second group of pouches and the support legs of the support shelf rest on the bottom of the box.
Claims26
A method for packing a box with a plurality of flexible containers and inserting an intermediate self-supporting shelf means in the box to support a portion of the containers in the box, the shelf means including a container-supporting portion, two stiffening legs, and two shelf-supporting legs formed from a shelf blank, by:
- orienting the box such that the flexible containers can be inserted into the box;
- conveying the pouches by means of a first flexible container conveyor;
- gripping and transferring from the first pouch conveyor to the box by means of a first vacuum head mechanism;
- gripping a shelf blank by means of a shelf gripped fixed to a free end of a piston rod and pneumatic cylinder arrangement, cooperating with the pneumatic cylinder to move a shelf blank above a box;
- gripping a shelf blank by means of a vacuum head;
- forming the support legs and guiding the support legs of the shelf means into the box by means of a support leg folder;
- inserting the shelf into the box by means of cooperation between the vacuum head, the support leg folder, and a second and a third pneumatic cylinder;
- conveying pouches by means of a second pouch conveyor;
- and
- gripping and transferring flexible containers from the second flexible container conveyor to the box by means of a second vacuum head mechanism.
A method for packing a box with at least two groups of pouches or other flexible containers and inserting a support shelf between the groups comprising:
- inserting a first group of pouches into a box;
- erecting a support shelf from a shelf blank having at least two support legs and at least two stiffening legs by folding said support legs and stiffening legs;
- inserting said support shelf into the box with said support legs and said stiffening legs in said folded condition;
- and
- inserting a second group of pouches into the box.
A method for packing a box with a plurality of flexible containers and inserting an intermediate self-supporting shelf means including a first container-supporting portion and second shelf-supporting leg portions extending transversely from opposed ends of the first portion in the box to support a portion of the containers in the box comprising:
- positioning the box having side walls and top and bottom closable ends in a first orientation with the bottom end open;
- inserting a first group of containers into the box through the open bottom end with the box in the first orientation to partially fill the box;
- inserting the shelf means into the box through the open bottom end in said first orientation into close proximity with said first group of containers such that the second shelf-supporting leg portions extend transversely from opposed ends of the first portion a selected extent toward the open bottom end of the box;
- inserting a second group of containers into the box through the open bottom end in said first orientation between the leg portions and onto the container-supporting portion of the shelf means;
- and
- closing the open bottom end of the box;
- whereby when the box is inverted into a second orientation the closed bottom end of the box engages with the supporting leg portions of the shelf means and the shelf means provides support for the first group of containers in the box independent of the second group of containers.
A method for packing a box with a plurality of flexible containers and inserting an intermediate self-supporting shelf means in the box to support a portion of the containers in the box, the shelf means including a container-supporting portion, two shelf-supporting legs extending transversely from the container-supporting portion, and stiffening leg portions running perpendicular to the shelf supporting leg portions along the container-supporting portion formed from a shelf blank, comprising:
- positioning the box having side walls and top and bottom closable ends in a first orientation with the bottom end open, including using a conveyor;
- inserting a first group of containers into the box through the open bottom end with the box in the first orientation to partially fill the box;
- positioning the shelf blank above the box packed with the first group of flexible containers;
- forcing the shelf blank past a shelf-supporting leg folder and a stiffening leg folder;
- inserting the shelf means into the box through the open bottom end in said first orientation into close proximity with said first group of containers;
- inserting a second group of containers into the box through the open bottom end in said first orientation between the leg portions and onto the container-supporting portion of the shelf means;
- and
- closing the open bottom end of the box;
- whereby when the box is inverted into a second orientation the closed bottom end of the box engages with the supporting leg portions of the shelf means and the shelf means provides support for the first group of containers in the box independent of the second group of containers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.