This invention relates to apparatus for, and a method of, shaping a container, particularly a packaging container.

5 There can be various reasons for changing the shape of a partially or fully formed packaging container, such as a container of a standard rectangular cross-section, before or after filling, such as giving the container a more attractive appearance or reducing the ratio of the amount of packaging material employed in the container to the volume of the container. Score lines l o may be formed in the packaging material to facilitate folding thereof along desired lines, which may be rectilinear and/or curved.

JP-A-10-059351 discloses a carton in which there is an increase in the total area of contact locations at edges of the carton which a user touches with his hand to hold the carton stably. The carton has holding areas defined by

15 scorelines. The scorelines are located close to the edges of the main body of the carton so that, when the user grips the carton, he thereby forms inward dents on the carton, which enable the user more easily to hold the carton.

US-A-5, 809,741 discloses a carton concaving device. That Patent describes a carton concaving device which is capable of manipulating and 0 maintaining the shape of a carton being sealed on a packaging machine. The device has a shaft which rotates with the movement of a conveyor chain thereby allowing for indexed movement of the device. The device has a plurality of rollers for deflecting the sidewalls of a carton about to be sealed at a top sealing station on a packaging machine. The device may be an add-on 5 component or an integrated component of a packaging machine. The device reduces the number of bulged cartons being dispensed from a packaging machine. The teaching of that Patent is that it is preferable to provide rollers to deflect the sidewalls of a carton, in order to assist in maintaining the square cross-section of the carton.

0 WO-A-2009141389 discloses apparatus for handling partially formed containers comprising a conveying device including a plurality of receiving portions for receiving partially formed containers each having a mid-portion of predetermined cross-section, a filling device arranged to fill the partially formed containers, and a pressing device arranged to press on the mid-portion so as to make the mid-portion of rounder cross-section. It is thereby possible to. provide a container solution which allows for substantial cost saving in the board converting process, uses less material per blank for the same liquid- product volume, improves the ergonomic properties of the container, and which works on mandrel-based container-forming technology. The provision of supplemental lines of weakness allows the container to bulge and provides an opportunity to lower the board-weight of the paperboard substrate within the packaging laminate. The system is suitable for both the gable-top and the flattop configurations. The design of the container is such that it can be used with the then existing machinery. The supplemental lines of weakness are provided on two adjacent vertical corner edges of the formed container. They could be provided on three of the edges, or on all four edges of a rectangular cross- section container. The supplemental lines of weakness in one embodiment can be provided as a pair of supplemental lines of weakness disposed at respective opposite sides of the boundary lines of weakness, each of the supplemental lines of weakness in the pair being at least half the height of a panel. The opportunity is thereby provided of saving approximately 5 to 20 mm. on the package height and at the same time of enabling it to be filled with 1000 ml. liquid, which is achieved by pressing the partially formed container on the substantially vertical corners after the bottom is formed on the mandrel, and before and/or during the content being filled. This deforming can continue during the filling by activating the additional score lines on the substantially vertical corners. After filling, the container takes a new shape of its own accord, and the top can be sealed. The pressing can also take place after the container has been filled and sealed, which has the advantage of enabling carrying out of the pressing action outside of the forming, filling and sealing machine. The extent of bulging on the side walls will determine by how much lower the liquid level will become. Bulging is controlled by specially designed, functional supplemental lines of weakness (score lines), and will be recognized by the end user as an intentional design feature. The result is stated to be a cheaper package with a new design appearance and excellent ergonomic properties.

JP-A-60002403 discloses the manufacture of a hot-filled, sealed, package in which a circular-cylindrical, longitudinally seamed container of sheet material is hot-filled, which results in deforming of the circular cross- section of the axially intermediate part of the container, whereafter pusher plates, which are, say, six in number and of a common desired profile, are applied horizontally to that part to give it a desired shape.

It may also be desired that, in advancing of a partially or fully formed packaging container, the angular orientation thereof about a vertical axis be changed, often through one right-angle.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for handling partially formed or fully formed containers each having a mid-portion of predetermined cross-section, the apparatus comprising a pressing arrangement arranged to press on said mid-portion, so as to make said mid-portion of rounder cross-section.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of handling partially formed or fully formed containers each having a mid-portion of predetermined cross-section, the method comprising pressing on a mid-portion of each of said containers, so as to make said mid-portion of rounder cross-section.

Owing to the invention, it is possible to increase the cross-sectional area of a container at a mid-portion of the container in a manner suited to line production. The pressing arrangement advantageously presses on the mid- portion of one or more upright edges of each partially formed or fully formed container.

Preferably, the pressing arrangement is arranged to press on the mid- portions of a pair of adjacent upright edges of the container and the pressing arrangement may comprise a pair of rollers. The cross-section of the mid- portion of the partially formed or fully formed container can be more easily changed in that way. This provides an efficient and straightforward method of increasing the cross-section of the container in the middle region of the container.

A particular advantage of the use of rollers is that it is not necessary to stop the container before commencing squeezing; in fact, unless the container is to be put into reverse after squeezing, it is not necessary to stop the container at all. Another is that shaping of the container need not be formed relatively suddenly, which pressing plates and the like would tend to require, with the risk of damage to the board, but can be formed relatively gradually.

Advantageously, the apparatus further comprises an advancing arrangement arranged to provide relative movement between the container and the pressing arrangement. The advancing arrangement could be a conveyor which brings the partially formed or fully formed container into contact with the pressing arrangement, for example at a specific station to perform the action of changing the shape of the container. The advancing arrangement could, however, be separate from the conveyor that is moving the containers forward. In this case, the advancing arrangement will move the pressing arrangement into contact with one or more containers for a set period of time.

In an alternative embodiment, the pressing arrangement comprises a pocket with an internal trapezoid profile. The container is brought into contact with the pocket, either by pressing the container against the pocket or pressing the pocket against the container. Scorelines on the container are activated by the contact with the pocket and the cross-section of the mid-portion of the container is changed to be of more rounded cross-section, rather than its original, for example rectangular, cross-section.

Advantageously, an external or internal profile of the pressing arrangement matches one or more lines of weakness of the container. The shape (the profile) of the pressing arrangement can be made to match the lines of weakness on the container that is being handled by the apparatus. This will improve the activation of the lines of weakness (the scorelines) when the pressing arrangement is brought into contact with the container, as the matching of the profile to the shape of the scorelines will provide a relatively even distribution of the pressing force on the scorelines that are desired to be activated.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a plan view of a carton blank;

Figure 2 is a side view of a container formed from a blank similar to the blank of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is side view of a pair of containers, each shown in three views; Figure 4a is perspective view of an open top container, prior to activation;

Figure 4b is perspective view of an open top container, following activation;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the carton blank;

Figure 6a is a perspective view of two containers;

Figures 6b and 6c are respective perspective and top diagrammatic views of a container similar to that of the container on the right-hand side of Figure 6a;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a further embodiment of the carton blank; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a container formed from the blank of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a perspective view from above of apparatus for handling the containers;

Figure 10a is a perspective view of a roller;

Figure 10b is a top plan view of the roller of Figure 10a;

Figure 10c is a section A-A from the roller of Figure 10b;

Figures 11 to 13 are top plan views of different embodiments of a pressing device,;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the apparatus; Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view from above of a third embodiment of the apparatus; and

Figure 16 is a top plan view of that third embodiment. Figure 1 shows a carton blank 10 for forming a container, and comprises a row of panels P1 , P2, P3, P4 and P5 arranged side-by-side, the boundaries between the panels P1 to P5 being defined by respective boundary lines of weakness, being scorelines S1 , S2, S3 and S4. The boundary lines of weakness S1 to S4 are substantially straight and extend from top to bottom of the panels P1 to P5. Each of the panels P1 to P4 will become a side of the ultimate container made from the blank 0, and the boundary lines of weakness S1 to S4 make up the corner edges of the container. The boundary lines of weakness S1 to S4 are each a straight continuous line starting at the top of a panel P1 to P5 and finishing at the bottom of the respective panel P1 to P5. The boundary lines of weakness S1 to S4 are each substantially perpendicular to the row of panels P1 to P5.

Each of the boundary lines of weakness S1 to S4 have disposed at respective opposite sides thereof supplemental lines of weakness S11 , S12, S21, S22, S31 , S32, S41 , S42. Each supplemental line of weakness S11 , S12, S21, S22, S31 , S32, S41 , S42 is at least half the height of the ultimate container, and have upper regions 12 and lower regions 14 proximal to a respective boundary line of weakness S1 to S4, and have a central region 16 further from the respective boundary line of weakness S1 to S4 than either the upper or lower regions 12 and 14.

The supplemental line of weakness S1 , S 2, S21 , S22, S31 , S32, S41 , S42 are provided in the blank 10, so that when the blank 10 is ultimately formed into a container 18 (shown in Figure 2), they are activated by squeezing in the central region of the container, to result in an intentional bulge in the container. This bulge allows the container 18 (once the lines of weakness are activated) to hold a greater volume of content (for example, a fluid such as milk) for a given height of container. This is because a circular cross-section has a greater area than the corresponding rectangular cross- section of the same circumference.

On the blank 10 each of the supplemental line of weakness S11 , S12,

S21 , S22, S31, S32, S41 , S42 of a pair of supplemental lines of weakness S11 , S12, S21 , S22, S31 , S32, S41 , S42, located either side of a boundary line of weakness S1 - S4 define a sub-panel P6, P7, P8 and P9. Each of the supplemental line of weakness S11 , S12, S21 , S22, S31 , S32, S41 , S42 contact the respective boundary line of weakness S1 to S4 at the upper and lower regions 12 and 14.

To assist the formation of the bulge in the final container, the blank 10 further comprises transverse lines of weakness S13, S23, S33, S43 beginning at or near to a boundary line of weakness S1 - S4 and extending towards a respective supplemental line of weakness S11 , S12, S21 , S22, S31 , S32, S41 , S42. In the embodiment of Figure 1 , these transverse lines of weakness S13, S23, S33, S43 actually begin at a boundary line of weakness S1 - S4 and terminate at a respective supplemental line of weakness S11 , S12, S21 , S22, S31 , S32, S41 , S42. Each boundary line of weakness S1 - S4 is provided with a plurality of the transverse lines of weakness S13, S23, S33, S43. The transverse lines of weakness S13, S23, S33, S43 provided on a boundary line of weakness S1 - S4 are parallel.

The container 18 produced from the blank 10 helps to achieve low cost packaging by redesigning the existing carton configuration in a way that will allow for filling the same liquid volume in a carton of lesser height (with the identical footprint), which additionally means using less paperboard in the blank formation. For example, the blank will fill 1000 ml of liquid in a standard 1000 ml carton which is shorter by 5 to 20 mm. To achieve this goal, the blank 10 uses the fact that in bulged cartons the height level of liquids drops.

However, since the first association of a consumer with a bulging carton is that something is wrong with the content, this important issue must be solved. To overcome this problem, the blank 10 provides a design solution which leads to the re-shaping of the package walls in a way that clearly demonstrates to the consumer (via its appearance) the intention behind its unique design. The real "cost-saving" reason will not necessarily be visible to the end user, but at the same time the consumer will recognise the packaging shape as a novelty. To achieve this goal with design tools, the blank 10 is configured to actually control bulging with the additional scorelines, which are formed in a way that follows and allows this bulging effect. The scorelines must be placed in the right places to achieve the desired result.

To save approximately 5 to 20 mm on the package height and to be able to fill it with 1000 ml liquid, it is necessary to "squeeze" the package 18 on 5 the corners (the upright edges) after the bottom is formed on the mandrel and before, during and/or after filling. If the squeezing is to occur before or during filling, the de-forming can continue during the filling by activating the additional scorelines on all four walls (corners). After filling, the package 18 will take a new shape of its own accord, and the top can be sealed. The extent of bulging l o on the side walls will determine by how much lower the liquid level will become. Bulging will be controlled by the specially designed, functional score lines, and will be recognized as an intentional design feature. The result will be a cheaper package with a new design appearance and excellent ergonomic properties.

15 Figure 3 illustrates a comparison between the improved container 18 and a conventional container 20. The container 18a shows the container 18 filled with a fluid content, which has not yet had the corners activated. Container 18b shows the container 18a after activation of the supplemental lines of weakness. The activation is executed by pressing on the container 180 in the middle region, which changes the cross-section of the container 18 from the predetermined rectangular cross-section to a more rounded cross-section. The activation of the corners of the container 18 in Figure 3 are shown as having been carried out on a filled and sealed container 18, but the process of activating the supplemental lines of weakness can occur before or during the 5 filling process, prior to the top-sealing of the container 18.

Container 18c is a final configuration of the container 8 after having been filled, top-sealed, activated and is the end-product. The liquid level L as shown in containers 18b and 18c is lower than the liquid level in the pre- activated container 18a. The containers 20 have the same footprint as the 0 containers 18, yet the height of the containers 20 exceeds that of the containers 18, while containing the same volume of content. It can be seen that the liquid level in container 20b is higher than the liquid level in the corresponding container 18b.

An example of the activation of the container 18, prior to top sealing of the container 18, is shown in Figures 4a and 4b. The container 18a in Figure 4a has been filled, but not yet activated. The Figures 4a and 4b show the liquid level L in 1000 ml container (which is 20mm lower than a conventional container with the same footprint), filled with 1000ml of water, before and after the vertical curved score lines on all four corners are activated and the container 18 squeezed. Depending upon the amount of squeezing force and the shape and configuration of the curved score-lines, the liquid level L will go down by between 5 to 25 mm.

The container 18 provides a low-cost packaging configuration. In order to use the existing mandrel carton forming technology, the container 18 is provided with four vertical corners that are needed for the carton forming on the mandrel, as well as the transportation through the filling machine and downstream equipment. The design of the container is such that standard logistic and material handling requirements are maintained. The reconfiguration of the packaging construction is used to achieve a new and attractive carton visual appearance. An additional result from the carton design is that the ergonomic properties of the container 18 are also improved.

Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of the blank 10. This blank 10 is provided with a hole 22 for receiving a pour spout fitment, when the blank 10 is formed into a finished container. The blank 10 is provided with the supplemental lines of weakness S11 , S12, S21 , S22, S31 , S32, S41 , S42, which will ultimately be used, when the container 18 is formed, to allow the cross-section of the container to become more rounded. In this embodiment, each supplemental line of weakness S11 , S12, S21 , S22, S31 , S32, S41 , S42 is substantially the height of the finished container, in length. Each supplemental line of weakness is substantially the length of a panel P1 to P5. Each supplemental line of weakness S11 , S12, S21 , S22, S31 , S32, S41, S42 does not contact a respective boundary line of weakness S1 to S4. Figure 6a shows two examples of containers 18 that have been formed, filled and sealed, a gable-top container shown on the left-hand side and a flattop container shown on the right-hand side. The provision of the lines of weakness at the corners of the containers 18 allows these containers to bulge

5 outwards, when the scorelines are activated by the application of pressure (shown by the arrows in Figures 6b and 6c) at the middle portion 19 of the containers 18 where the sub-panels P6 to P9 are at their widest. The application of pressure at the middle portion 19 is advantageously directly on to the boundary lines of weakness S1 to S4 at an obtuse angle relative to the l o vertically orientated panels P1 to P4 (as shown in Figures 6b and 6c), the obtuse angle being preferably approximately 135°. The scorelines at the corners of the containers 18 can be used with square and rectangular flat-top and gable-top cartons.

Figure 7 shows a further embodiment of the blank 10 which is provided

15 with transverse lines of weakness S60 that begin at a boundary line of weakness S1 and S4 and extend across a second boundary line of weakness S2 and S3 towards a supplemental line of weakness S31' and S32'. This transverse line of weakness S60 divides into two lines of weakness after crossing the respective boundary line of weakness S2 or S3 and terminates0 before the respective supplemental line of weakness. The blank 10 could be provided with additional supplemental lines of weakness as described above on opposite sides of the second boundary line of weakness S2 and S3 and in this case the transverse lines of weakness S60 will cross the respective additional supplementary line of weakness.

5 When a container is formed from the blank 10 of Figure 7 it is activated, by pressing on the container in the middle region, to activate the supplemental score lines S31' and S32' and the transverse score lines S60. This results in a container with a more rounded cross-section in the middle region. The longer transverse lines of weakness S60, are less likely to crack the laminate material 0 from which the blank 10 is made, when they are activated. The extension of the transverse lines of weakness S60, along the whole side panels P2 and P4, is important for the activation of front sub-panels (in the activator) without producing cracks in paperboard on the side walls. The lines S60 guide the forces in the paper structure produced by squeezing, all the way along the extended score lines S60 without allowing cracks. At the same time, the score lines S60 are forming a grip area giving an ergonomic advantage.

5 The pair of transverse lines of weakness S60 begin at the boundary line of weakness S1 and S4 and extend across the second boundary line of weakness S2 and S3 and terminate on the supplemental line of weakness S31' and S32'. The pair of transverse lines of weakness S60 define a sub- panel P30. When a container is formed from the blank 10 of Figure 7, the sub- l o panel P30 provides a target area for a user to hold when they are pouring the fluid contents from the container.

Figure 8 shows a container 18 made from the blank 10 of Figure 7. The transverse lines of weakness S60 can be seen, which define the sub-panel P30. The supplemental lines of weakness S31' and S32' can also be seen.

15 The cross-section of the container 18 in the middle region is more rounded, as the container 18 has been activated by pressing on this middle region to activate the various score lines. The activation of the lines of weakness S21 ' and S31 ' can take place before, after or during the filling of the container 18 with its fluid contents.

0 The apparatus 100 for actuating the supplemental lines of weakness in the finished container 18 is shown in Figure 9. An advancing device 24, which is a conveyor belt 24, advances the filled and sealed containers 18 towards a rotary turret 26, which has a series of pockets 28. Each pocket 28 is for receiving a container 18. The forward motion of the advancing device 24 and 5 the weight of the filled containers 18 forces the container 18 that is nearest to the rotary turret 26 into the receiving pocket 28a. The rotary turret 26 is powered by a motor (not shown) to turn about a vertical shaft 38, and as the rotary turret 26 turns, a container 18 is pushed into each open pocket 28, in turn, in a continuous process.

0 Each pocket 28 is provided with a pressing device 30, which is _. designed to exert a pressing force on the container 18, in order to activate the scorelines on the container 18. The pressing device 30 is arranged to press on a mid-portion of an upright edge of the container 18, so as to make the mid- portion of rounder cross-section, rather than the original square cross-section. The pressing device 30 is arranged to press on the mid-portion of a pair of adjacent upright edges of the container 18. In the apparatus 100 shown in Figure 9, the pressing device 30 comprises a pair of rollers 32. A roller 32 with a vertical axis of turning is provided on each side of the respective pocket 28 to make up a pressing device 30 that will press on the container 18 that is received in the specific pocket 28. The rollers 32 are shaped to match the line of weakness on the container 18. The rollers 32, shown in the apparatus of Figure 9, are designed to match the scorelines S31 ' and S32' shown on the container 18 of Figure 8.

Each roller 32 is provided with two fingers 34 which extend radially outwardly relative to the upright axis of the roller 32. The fingers 34 assist in the removal of a container 18 from the respective pocket 28, as well as guiding the container 18 rectilinearly during its release. Each roller 32 is spring-loaded by a torsion spring 35, with the spring urging the roller 32 against the inward movement of the container 18 as it is loaded onto the rotary turret 26. As mentioned above, the advancing device 24 advances the container 18 into the pocket 28a, which turns the fingers 34 and thereby the rollers 32 against their springs, the fingers 34, as viewed axially of the turret 26, swinging from a condition in which they converge in a radially outward direction of the turret 26 to a condition in which they diverge in that direction and press against the front upright edge zones of the container 18. The container 18 remains in this condition as the rotary turret 26 turns, although, in case the carton has not been pushed fully into the pocket 28, and has thus not been fully shaped, a pair of endless belts 31 mounted on pulleys 33 press the carton fully into the pocket. The belts may be idling or driven, as appropriate. The advancing device 24 then removes the container 18 at the opposite side of the rotary turret 26, once the turret 26 has turned 180 degrees.

The apparatus 100 of Figure 9 is also provided with a guide plate 36 which acts as a guiding device for ensuring that the containers 18 do not fall from the rotary turret 26 as the turret 26 rotates about its vertical shaft 38. In the configuration of the apparatus 100 shown in Figure 9, for example, it is not intended that the containers 18 should actually bear on the guide plate 34 while they are within the rotary turret 26, but it is possible that the guide plate 36 be so arranged that the containers 18 are deliberately in direct contact with this guide plate 36 as the rotary turret 26 turns.

The fingers 34 are of substantially the same length, and are set at different heights on each roller 32 of a pair of rollers 32. The spring-loading of the rollers 32 tends to return the rollers 32 to such a position that the fingers 34 converge outwards, awaiting the arrival of a container 18. As the container 18 is pushed into a pocket 28, the front panel thereof bears against the four fingers and so turns the rollers 32 against their springs.

Figures 10a to 10c show more detail of an individual roller 32. Figure 12a shows a perspective view of the roller 32, from above, with holes 40 for receiving the fingers 34 and a central bore 42 for receiving an axle, about which axle the roller 32 will rotate. The external profile of the roller 32 matches the shape of the scoreline that the roller 32 is going to activate. This matching of the shape of the roller 32 to the scoreline on the container 18 assists in the process of activation of the scoreline when the roller 32 presses against the container 18. Figure 10b shows the roller 32 from above and Figure 10c shows the section through the roller 32 taken along the line A-A of Figure 10b.

The design of the container 18 may be based on a standard 1 litre carton 20 intended to be processed in any machine able to run the conventional carton 20. The carton 18 is inserted in the filling machine as a standard carton 18 and is formed, filled and sealed. The standard carton is equipped with additional scorelines, as detailed above, enabling, in this case, the front of the carton 8 to be squeezed by the rollers 32 to form a particular desired bulge of the same panel. The machine 100 is planned to be, in this case, downstream equipment but could also be a part of the filling machine itself. The machine 100 can be used to squeeze any panel of the carton.

When the container 18 leaves the filling machine on the conveyor 24, the revolving unit 26 receives the container 18. The container 18 is pushed into the pockets 28 and squeezed between the two rollers 32, forming the particular desired bulge. After the forming, the container is ejected out from the. machine 100 onto the conveyor 24 and with a particular desired bulge. The machine 00 is a fully automatic, free operation system, and does not interfere with the programmable logic control (PLC) system in the filling machine. The rollers 32 shown in Figures 10a to 10c are specific to the shape and scorelines of the container 18 and different rollers 32 will be used for other container configurations.

As discussed above, the front scorelines on the container 18 can be activated in the filling machine or after the filling machine in a separate device, such as the activator 100 shown in Figure 9. As mentioned above, different possible activation methods and principles can be used in the activator 100. The activator 100 has a capacity of > 8200 cartons/hour and uses a software link to stop the filling machine when containers are queued, and can accelerate the apparatus 00 to compensate for a queue of a certain size, or if. the queue size is increasing at a rate above a preset threshold. The apparatus 100 is flexible in relation to the size of container 18 that can be run through the activator 100. It is suitable for standard cross-section containers 18 and is able to run 500ml, 750ml, 1000ml and 2 UK pint sized containers 18 with a quick change between different sizes. The apparatus 100 is able to be adopted on existing and installed conveyors and will use a floor space area≤ 1m ² .

When the carton 18 leaves the filling machine onto the conveyor 24, it reaches the revolving unit 26, which consists of a double wheel with a number of pockets 28, with the dimension, in this case, of the carton 18. The carton 18 is pushed into a pocket 28 and squeezed between the two rollers 32 of one of the plurality of pairs of rollers 32, so forming the particular desired bulge. After the forming, the carton 8 is, after a 180 degree rotation, ejected out of the machine 100 onto the conveyor 24 and with a particular desired bulge. The apparatus 100 can operate a controlled queue using pneumatic brakes before the continuously revolving unit 26 and let the force of the queuing cartons 18 push the first carton 18 into the pocket 28 and by this force form the reshaping of the container 18. The spring-loaded rollers 32 which form the shape, will, directly after forming and assisted by their fingers 34, push out the carton 18 and, when the carton 8 reaches the conveyor 24 on the opposite side, the carton 18 will be transported away from the revolving unit 26.

An alternative option is to have a pneumatic paddle pushing the cartons 18 into the pockets 28. This will require a stop and start function of the 5 revolving unit 26 (indexing rather than continuous). The spring loaded rollers 32 will still have the same function. In the event that the spring loaded rollers 32 and their fingers 34 may not behave as predicted, it is also possible to add guides on top and at the bottom area of the revolving unit 26 to force the carton 18 out of the pocket 28, once it has reached the exit position.

l o The front score-lines of the container 18 are activated by the means of the two rollers 32, which are adapted to the shape of the scorelines on the front panel of the carton 18. The free distance between the two rollers 32 must be less than the dimension of the front panel of the container 18, enabling proper activation of the carton front scorelines. The activation occurs by

15 pushing the carton 18 with the front leading in-between the two rollers 32, as shown in Figure 11 , which squeezes the side panels of the container 18 towards the centre of the front panel and hence forms the desired shape. After forming, the carton 18 is released. As the container 18 enters the pocket 28 it pushes against the fingers 34 of the two rollers 32, which turn as per the0 arrows in Figure 11. The container will travel forwards until it is contact with a back plate 44 of the pocket 28. As the rotary turret 26 turns, the container 18 will remain in this position until the container 18 exits the rotary turret 26 at the opposite side of the apparatus 100.

An alternative embodiment is shown in Figure 12 in which the front5 scorelines of the container 18 are activated by the means of moving fingers 46, which have cams (eccentric discs or similar). These moving fingers 46 exert force onto the container 18 squeezing and/or pushing the side panels and shaping the front panel of the container 18. Before entering the activating squeezer unit 100, the carton 18 is turned 90° with the front panel leading. The0 turning unit 26 ensures that the individual cartons 18 are separated from each other and the flow of the cartons 18 through and after the squeezer. A third embodiment of the pressing device is shown in Figure 13. In this embodiment, the front score-lines on the container 18 are activated by means of a trapezoid profile pocket 48. The carton front is pushed into this trapezoid profile pocket 48 or the trapezoid profile pocket 48 is pushed onto the carton front, by that enabling proper activation of the carton front scorelines. Relative movement between the container 18 and the pocket 48 is generated, until the container 18 reaches the back plate 44. The pressing device, in this embodiment, comprises a pocket 48 with an internal trapezoid profile. The shape of the trapezoid profile pocket 48 is adapted to the shape of the panels on the front panel of the carton 18. The surface character of the trapezoid profile pocket 48 is so designed so that it does not harm, damage or scratch the carton surface. The activation movement can occur through rotation of a wheel, through linear movement through adequately shaped screw profile, through profile pockets on a rotating belt or chain, or an in/out movement of the trapezoid pockets 48 attached to a conveyor. As before, the carton is released after forming.

Figure 14 shows a second embodiment of the apparatus 00, which differs from the previous version of the apparatus 10 in that the rotary turret 26 is of a different design. The rotary turret 26 in Figure 14 is a star-shaped wheel when view from above, which rotates around a central vertical axis. The points of the star wheel 26 define spaces therebetween, which serve as pockets 28 for receiving the containers 18 as they are delivered by the conveyor 24. The actuation of the scorelines on the container 18 is achieved by the containers 18 being pushed directly against the star wheel 26; there are no additional rollers 32. The formation of the pockets 28 define the pressing device that presses onto the containers 18. The star wheel 26 will rotate with the containers 18 present, with the guide plate 36 holding the containers 18 against the pockets 28 until the containers 18 are ejected after a 180 degrees turn of the wheel 26.

Various configurations of the apparatus 100 are possible. There are two possible main movements for container flow through the scoreline activator, either linear or rotating movement. Both of those flow alternatives can be either continuous or indexing. With rotating movement through the activator 26, as occurs with the first and second embodiments of the apparatus, the container 18 leaves the conveyor 24 and is either guided into/onto or enters pockets 28 on a rotating table or disk of the turret, which transports the container through the activator and releases the container back onto the conveyor 24 again. The rotating movement with continuous flow transports the container through the activator without stopping for the activating and shaping of the front panel of the container. The indexing rotating movement through the activator stops and starts when the containers are entering and exiting the activator, which activates and shapes of the front panel of the container 18.

With linear movement through the activator, as occurs with the third embodiment, the container 18 stays on the conveyor 24, which transports the container straight through the activator. The linear movement with continuous flow transports the container through the activator without stopping for the activating and shaping of the front panel of the container. The indexing linear movement of the activator stops and starts when containers are entering and exiting the activator, which activates and shapes the front panel of the container.

The third embodiment is illustrated in Figures 15 and 16 and would be arranged downstream of the form-fill-seal packaging machine, although, instead, parts of it could be incorporated into the machine itself. The apparatus includes two pairs of upper and lower endless belts 52 and 54 which stabilize each advancing carton 18. While the carton 18 is supported in and advanced by the belts 52 and 54 and a horizontal linear chain conveyor 58 in the direction of the arrow A a leading body panel thereof turns a pair of non- motorized cam rollers 68, causing its two lateral panels to be displaced in a way that activates the score lines of the leading panel. The belts 52 and 54 are driven by a motor 60 connected to a gear train 62 and drive pulleys 64. The belts also have idler pulleys 66. The cartons are advanced between the pair of non-motorised cam rollers 68 having respective laterally projecting, upright paddles 70. The apparatus includes two beams 72 which are supported upon stands 74 and which are fixedly and laterally spaced apart (as shown in Figure 16) to receive the conveyor 58 between them. Protective covers 75 for the moving parts of the apparatus are shown in Figure 15 (where they are shown below the moving parts for the sake of compactness of the Figure), but omitted from Figure 16 for the sake of clarity. The rollers 68 are mounted in respective 5 frame units 76 themselves adjustably mounted in windows 78 formed through respective vertical plates 80 fixed to the respective beams 72. The rotation of each of the cam rollers 68 is initiated by the leading panel of the carton 18 contacting the paddle 70 on the roller 68; as the roller 68 starts to rotate it remains in static frictional contact with the carton. The surface of the carton l o continues to rotate the roller 68 and the displacement of the carton increases until the pre-fixed amount of displacement activates the score line(s) on the leading panel.

Each non-motorized cam roller 68 can be returned to a home angular 15 position by magnetic action. Moreover it can advantageously be moulded of urethane, which gives good frictional gripping properties. The rotor of each roller 68 is magnetic and has advantageously two North and two South poles, so that the stator can cause the rotor to stop at one of two home angular positions, in which case the roller would have two laterally projecting, upright 0 paddles 70 diametrically opposite to each other. When the carton leaves engagement with the cam rollers 68, each roller is returned to one of its two home positions by means of that two-pole rotor and stator arrangement. Depending upon whether the opposite sides of the first-mentioned panel of the carton behave differently from each other, the rollers 68 may not be 5 symmetrical.

The cam rollers 68 may be offset along the direction of advance of the carton in order properly to break the score line(s) [i.e. deflect the carton in a way that is more advantageous for activating the score line(s)] and/or to prevent the pressure inside the carton from becoming excessive. Thus, the 0 rollers 68 do not start to turn at the same time.

The third embodiment includes means for separating the cartons after filling and top-sealing, and turning them through 90°. Although it is per se known to use an eight-pocket star wheel to turn cartons, in this embodiment, since additional separation of cartons is desired, a seven-pocket star wheel 14 shown in Figure 16 is provided. As an alternative, the star wheel can be employed for only turning of the cartons through 90°, with separation being achieved through having the belts 52 and 54 run faster than the conveyor 58.

The scorelines of the container 18 are activated at the activator and the formed, filled and sealed container 18 is therefore shaped off-line, after the filling and sealing of the container 18 at a form-fill-seal machine. Thus no or only minor modifications are required to the machine. The activator arrangement described above is based on the after form-fill-seal machine activation principle; however, the scorelines of the container 18 can be activated inside the machine, before the container is released onto the conveyor 24.