BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to packaging, and more particularly to systems and methods for packaging such as packaging beverage containers in cartons.

2. Description of Related Art

In the field of packaging it is often required to provide consumers with a package comprising a plurality of primary product containers such as cans, bottles and the like, grouped together in a carton. Such packages are desirable for shipping and distribution, for customer use, and for the display of promotional information. For cost and environmental considerations, the cartons or carriers used in such packages need to be formed from as little material as possible and cause as little wastage in the materials from which they are formed as possible. Another consideration is the strength of the package and its suitability for holding and transporting large weights of articles.

It is desirable to provide a packaging machine to automatically package a plurality of primary product containers in a carton; it also desirable that the packaging machine makes efficient use of space within a conversion plant or other premises. It also desirable for the packaging machine to be readily adapted to package the primary product containers into a plurality of different cartons, wherein the number of primary product containers, and their respective arrangement, is dependent upon the configuration of the desired carton or carrier.

The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved systems and methods for packaging. This disclosure provides a solution for this need. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A packaging machine includes a main conveyor configured to convey cartons and containers in a conveyance direction from a first end of the main conveyer where partially erected cartons and containers enter the main conveyor to a second end where containers inside the cartons exit the main conveyor. A plunger is operatively connected to the main conveyor to follow the main conveyor in the conveyance direction and to plunge in a plunge direction lateral to the conveyance direction to position a group of containers within a carton. A carton maintaining tool is operatively connected to the main conveyor to follow the main conveyor in the conveyance direction and to engage the carton to maintain position of the carton along the plunge direction in opposition to the plunger as the plunger positions the group of containers within the carton.

A counter plunger can be operatively connected to the main conveyor to follow the main conveyor in the conveyance direction and to plunge through one of the cartons in the plunge direction, to contact a group of containers being positioned by the plunger, and to withdraw in the plunge direction along with the plunger and group of containers to maintain grouping of the containers as the plunger positions the containers in the carton. The carton maintaining tool can include a tool head with a slot defined therein for receiving a flap of a carton. The carton maintaining tool can include a tool head with two slots defined therein for receiving one flap of each of two adjacent cartons.

A plunger conveyor can be included in parallel with the main conveyor, wherein the plunger is one of a plurality of plungers operatively connected to the plunger conveyor for continuous movement of the plungers following the main conveyor in the conveyance direction. A plunger track can be mounted stationary relative to movement of the plunger conveyor, wherein the plungers engage and follow the plunger track, wherein the plunger track is contoured to drive motion of the plungers in the plunge direction. A counter plunger conveyor can be included in parallel with the main conveyor, wherein the carton maintaining tool is one of a plurality of carton maintaining tools operatively connected to the counter plunger conveyor for continuous movement of the carton maintaining tools following the main conveyor in the conveyance direction. A tool track can be mounted stationary relative to movement of the counter plunger conveyor, wherein the carton maintaining tools engage and follow the tool track, wherein the tool track is contoured to drive motion of the carton maintaining tools in the plunge direction. A plurality of counter plungers can be operatively connected to the counter plunger conveyor for continuous movement of the counter plungers following the main conveyor in the conveyance direction. A counter plunger track can be mounted stationary relative to movement of the counter plunger conveyor, wherein the plungers engage and follow the counter plunger track, wherein the counter plunger track is contoured to drive motion of the counter plungers in the plunge direction. The tool track and the counter plunger track can be separate wherein they do not cross one another. One counter plunger can be situated between each closest neighboring pair of the carton maintaining tools, and one carton maintaining tool can be situated between each closest neighboring pair of the counter plungers. Each of the counter plungers can include a plunge head, and each of the carton maintaining tools can include a tool head, wherein closest neighboring ones of the tool heads and plunge heads clear each other in the conveyance direction so the plunge heads and tool heads are clear of each other in the plunge direction.

A method includes conveying a carton and a group of containers in a conveyance direction. The method includes engaging minor flaps of the carton with a carton maintaining tool to maintain position of the carton in a plunge direction that is lateral to the conveyance direction. The method includes plunging a group of containers into a carton in the plunge direction, and disengaging the carton maintaining tool from the minor flaps of the carton. The method can include plunging through the carton in the plunge direction with a counter plunger to contact the group of containers before they are plunged into the carton, and withdrawing the counter plunger back through the carton in the plunge direction, maintaining grouping of the containers as they are plunged into the carton.

These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject disclosure will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that those skilled in the art to which the subject disclosure appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject disclosure without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a machine constructed in accordance with the present disclosure, showing the main conveyor, the plunger conveyor, and the counter plunger conveyor;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the machine of Fig. 1, showing two of the carton maintaining tools engaging cartons;

Figs. 3-7 are schematic plan views of a portion of the machine of Fig. 1, showing respective stages of movement of one of the plungers, one of the counter plungers, and two of the carton maintaining tools; and

Fig. 8 is a schematic plan view of a portion of the machine of Fig. 1, showing the plunger track, the counter plunger track, and the tool track. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of a packaging machine in accordance with the disclosure is shown in Fig. 1 and is designated generally by reference character 100. Other embodiments of packaging machines in accordance with the disclosure, or aspects thereof, are provided in Figs. 2-8, as will be described. The systems and methods described herein can be used to package groups of containers such as beverage cans or bottles into cartons.

The packaging machine 100 includes a main conveyor 102 configured to convey cartons 104 and groups 106 of containers, e.g., beverage cans or bottles, in a conveyance direction D from a first end 108 of the main conveyer 102 where partially erected cartons 104 and groups 106 of containers enter the main conveyor 102 to a second end 110 where containers inside the cartons 104 exit the main conveyor 102. A plunger conveyor 112 is included in parallel with the main conveyor 102. A counter plunger conveyor 114 is included in parallel with the main conveyor 102, opposite from the plunger conveyor 112.

A plurality of plungers 116 are operatively connected to the plunger conveyor 112 for continuous movement of the plungers 116 following the main conveyor 102 in the conveyance direction D. The plungers plunge in a plunge direction P lateral to the conveyance direction D to position respective groups 106 of containers within respective cartons 104. A plunger track 118 (also shown schematically in Fig. 8) is mounted stationary relative to movement of the plunger conveyor 112, i.e. within the circuitously rotating track of the plunger conveyor 112. The plungers 116 engage and follow the plunger track 118, wherein the plunger track 118 is contoured to drive motion of the plungers 116 in the plunge direction P as the plunger conveyor 112 drives the plungers 116 back and forth in the conveyance direction D. The plungers 116 each include a plunger head 120 (not all of which are labeled in Fig. 1 for sake of clarity) contoured to provide the desired shape for the groups 106 of containers.

A plurality of carton maintaining tools 122 are operatively connected to the counter plunger conveyor 114 for continuous movement of the carton maintaining tools 122 following the main conveyor 102 in the conveyance direction D. The carton maintaining tools 122 engage each carton 104 to maintain position of the carton 104 along the plunge direction P in opposition to the plungers 116 as the plungers 116 position the group 106 of containers within the respective cartons 104. A tool track 124 is mounted stationary relative to movement of the counter plunger conveyor 114, i.e., within the circuitously rotating track of the counter plunger conveyor 114. The carton maintaining tools 122 engage and follow the tool track 124, wherein the tool track 124 is contoured (as shown schematically in Fig. 8) to drive motion of the carton maintaining tools 122 back and forth in the plunge direction P.

With reference to Fig. 2, each carton maintaining tool 122 incudes a tool head 126 with two spaced apart slots 128 defined therein. Each slot 120 receives one flap 130 of each of two adjacent cartons 104 to apply a reaction force against the carton 104 to maintain the carton in position versus frictional forces in the plunge direction P from the plungers 116 plunging the groups 106 of containers into the cartons 104.

With reference again to Fig. 1, a plurality of counter plungers 132 are operatively connected to the counter plunger conveyor 114 for continuous movement of the counter plungers 132 following the main conveyor 102 in the conveyance direction D. The counter plungers 132 plunge through each one of the cartons 104 in the plunge direction P, to contact a group of containers 106 being positioned by the respective plunger 116, and withdraw in the plunge direction P along with the plunger 116 and group of containers 106 to maintain grouping of the containers as the plunger 116 positions the containers in the carton 104. A counter plunger track 134 (also shown schematically in Fig. 8) is mounted stationary relative to movement of the counter plunger conveyor, i.e. within the circuitously rotating track of the counter plunger conveyor 114. The plungers 132 engage and follow the counter plunger track 134. As shown in Fig. 8, the counter plunger track 134 is contoured to drive motion of the counter plungers 132 back and forth in the plunge direction P. The tool track 124 and the counter plunger track 134 are separate and spaced apart from one another so as to not cross one another.

With reference again to Figs. 1-2, one counter plunger 132 is situated between each closest neighboring pair of the carton maintaining tools 122. Each carton maintaining tool 122 is situated between each closest neighboring pair of the counter plungers 132. Each of the counter plungers includes a plunge head 136 (not all of which are labeled in Fig. 1 for sake of clarity) each contoured to maintain the grouping shape of the groups 106 of containers. Closest neighboring ones of the tool heads 126 and plunge heads 136 clear each other in the conveyance direction D so the plunge heads 136 and tool heads 126 are clear of each other for independent movement in the plunge direction P.

With reference now to Figs. 3-7, a method includes conveying a carton and a group of containers (e.g., group 106) in a conveyance direction (e.g., conveyance direction D). The method includes engaging minor flaps (e.g. flaps 130) of the carton with a carton maintaining tool (e.g., carton maintaining tool 122) to maintain position of the carton in a plunge direction (e.g. plunge direction P) that is lateral to the conveyance direction. The method includes plunging a group of containers into a carton in the plunge direction, and disengaging the carton maintaining tool from the minor flaps of the carton.

In Fig. 3, it is schematically shown that the counter plunger 132 begins to move toward the carton 104 as the plunger 116 moves toward the group 106 of containers. In Fig.

4, the counter plunger 132 has plunged through the carton 104 in the plunge direction P to contact the group 106 before they are plunged into the carton 104 by the plunger 116. In Fig. 4, a first one of the carton maintaining tools 122 contacts the carton 104. In Fig. 5, both of the carton maintaining tools 122 hold the carton 104 in place as the plunger 116 plunges and the counter plunger 132 withdraws back through the carton 104 in the plunge direction P, maintaining grouping of the containers as they are plunged into the carton 104. In Fig. 6, the group 106 of containers (not shown in Fig. 6 but see Fig. 3) is inside the carton 104, and the plunger 116, counter plunger 132, and the carton maintaining tools 122 begin to withdraw to their original position as shown in Fig. 7 to be conveyed under the respective tracks 118, 134, and 124 on the conveyors 112 and 114 shown in Fig. 1 to start the process over again on new carton 104.

The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for packaging containers into cartons with superior properties including improved maintaining of carton position during packaging. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or

modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure.