AU2007316375A1 - Integrated secondary and tertiary packaging machine - Google Patents

Integrated secondary and tertiary packaging machine Download PDF

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Publication number
AU2007316375A1
AU2007316375A1 AU2007316375A AU2007316375A AU2007316375A1 AU 2007316375 A1 AU2007316375 A1 AU 2007316375A1 AU 2007316375 A AU2007316375 A AU 2007316375A AU 2007316375 A AU2007316375 A AU 2007316375A AU 2007316375 A1 AU2007316375 A1 AU 2007316375A1
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AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
packages
secondary packages
groups
conveyance path
speed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
AU2007316375A
Inventor
Philippe Duperray
Pascal Martini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
WestRock Packaging Systems LLC
Original Assignee
Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC filed Critical Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems LLC
Publication of AU2007316375A1 publication Critical patent/AU2007316375A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B65/00Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details
    • B65B65/003Packaging lines, e.g. general layout
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B5/00Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
    • B65B5/06Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles

Description

WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 INTEGRATED SECONDARY AND TERTIARY PACKAGING MACHINE BACKGROUND The present invention relates to packaging machines of a type for packaging articles 5 such as beverage containers into paperboard or similar cartons. It is known to package liquid products including as beverages such as soft drinks, juices, beer, and liquid yogurts and other dairy drinks into liquid containers such as bottles, cans, or pouches. Such containers are frequently referred to within the packaging industry as "primary packaging" in that they directly contain the final 10 product. The primary packages may then in turn be packaged into multiple packages formed from paperboard or similar sheet material to form packages of, e.g., six, eight, twelve, or some other multiples of products. These packages, often used as the retail package for consumers to purchase the product, are referred to as "secondary packaging." Multiple secondary packages are then often further packaged into cases or 15 trays formed from corrugated board or the like to facilitate shipment and distribution of the products. This further packaging is referred to as "tertiary packaging." Machines for forming secondary packaging by gathering primary packages into a group of a desired number and then forming a secondary package around that group are well known. In typical secondary packaging machines, an infeed stream of primary 20 packages is directed into the machine, with an output of finished secondary packages resulting from the machine. If tertiary packaging is desired, the completed secondary packages are delivered to a tertiary packaging machine, which machines are also well known. The secondary packages are gathered for delivery into the tertiary machine. 1 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 This may be accomplished by bulk delivery, e.g., using a pallet to support the secondary packages, or by conveyor directly from the secondary packaging machine. However, because of differences in machine operating method and/or machine speed, it is necessary to provide for accumulation of secondary packages so that properly spaced 5 feeding of the secondary packages into the tertiary packaging machine may be accomplished. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for packaging articles, which apparatus comprises a first packaging mechanism for forming secondary packages, in a 10 sequential manner, around successive groups of articles, transfer means to convey each of the formed secondary packages, each containing a group of articles, to a second packaging mechanism, and to manipulate selected ones of those secondary packages, as they are so conveyed, so as to form successive groups of secondary packages, the second packaging mechanism then forming tertiary packages around those groups of 15 secondary packages. Preferably, the first packaging mechanism forms the secondary packages about the groups of articles as those secondary packages are conveyed at a first speed, and wherein the transfer means alters the speed of those secondary packages to a second speed as those secondary packages are grouped. 20 An optional aspect of the invention provides that the transfer means comprises means to form the aforementioned formed secondary packages into at least two conveyance paths, which at least two conveyance paths comprise at least a first conveyance path 2 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 and a second conveyance path. Preferably, the transfer means comprises a aligning mechanism, which aligning mechanism alters the velocity of the secondary packages in at least one of the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path, thereby to alter the positioning of 5 those secondary packages relative to the secondary packages in the or each other conveyance paths. An optional aspect of the invention provides that the secondary packages formed by the first packaging mechanism are initially disposed in the first conveyance path, and wherein the transfer means comprises actuators to move selected secondary packages 10 from the first conveyance path, into the second conveyance path. An optional aspect of the invention provides that each of the aformenetioned one or more conveyance paths comprises an independent conveying means. Preferably, the independent conveying means is a conveyor belt. Preferably, the rate at which the second packaging mechanism completes the formation 15 of tertiary packages about the grouped secondary packages is proportional to the number of secondary packages in the groups of secondary packages. Preferably, the rate at which the second packaging mechanism completes the formation of tertiary packages about the grouped secondary packages is proportional also to the rate at which the first packaging mechanism completes the formation of secondary 20 packages about the grouped articles. A second aspect of the invention provides a method according packaging articles, which method comprises: forming secondary packages around groups of articles; 3 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 conveying the formed secondary packages, each containing a group of articles, whilst simultaneously manipulating those secondary packages so as to form successive groups of secondary packages; and forming tertiary packages around the groups of tertiary packages. 5 Preferably, the secondary packages are conveyed at a first speed as they are being formed, and wherein the speed of those secondary packages is altered to a second speed as those secondary packages are grouped. An optional aspect of the invention provides that the formed secondary packages are formed into at least two conveyance paths, which at least two conveyance paths 10 comprise at least a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path. Preferably, the formed secondary packages are initially conveyed at a first speed, and wherein secondary packages in at least one of the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path are accelerated or retarded so as to be conveyed at a second speed that is not equal to the first speed, thereby to alter the positioning of those secondary 15 packages relative to the secondary packages in the or each other conveyance paths. An optional aspect of the invention provides that the secondary packages are initially disposed in the first conveyance path when they are formed, and wherein selected secondary packages are moved from the first conveyance path into the second conveyance path. 20 An optional aspect of the invention provides that each of the aforementioned one or more conveyance paths comprises an independent conveying means. An optional aspect of the invention provides that the rate at which the tertiary packages 4 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 are formed about the grouped secondary packages is proportional to the number of secondary packages in the groups of secondary packages. Preferably, the rate at which the tertiary packages are formed about the grouped secondary packages is proportional also to the rate at which the secondary packages are 5 formed about the grouped articles. A third aspect of the present invention provides an integrated secondary and tertiary packaging machine, comprising a secondary packaging machine portion for receiving an infeed of articles, forming the articles into article groups, and for forming a carton around each of the article groups, and for conveying the completed cartons at a first 10 speed; a decelerating and grouping mechanism for slowing the completed cartons to a second speed, and for forming the cartons into groups of cartons; and a tertiary packaging machine portion for receiving the groups of cartons, and for forming a case around each of the carton groups, and for conveying the completed cases from the machine. 15 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the attached Figures, in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective schematic view of a machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and 20 Fig. 2 shows an enlarged, perspective schematic view of a portion of the machine of Fig. 1 illustrating a variation of the decelerator section of the machine. 5 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to Fig. 1, a machine 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown. An infeed 14 supplies articles such as beverage containers (not shown) into the secondary packaging portion of the machine. This portion of the 5 machine 10 is of conventional construction, and may be for example similar to the Evotech@ packaging machine offered by MeadWestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC. Secondary packages in the form of cartons C are supplied to the machine 10 from a carton hopper 16. The articles are grouped into the proper quantity for each package and a wraparound-style carton is applied to the articles in the portion of the machine 10 generally designated at 18. Glue is applied and the carton C is sealed generally at 20, again in accordance with conventional packaging machine construction. Referring now to Fig. 2, completed cartons C can be seen exiting the gluing section of the machine 20 along a first path, transported by a conveyor belt 21 at a velocity V1. Positioned adjacent the carton conveyor is a transfer belt 22 that carries a series of 15 laterally-movable transfer arms 24. Belt 22 is driven in the same direction as the carton conveyor at a speed V2 that is slightly slower than V1, so that the cartons are firmly engaged by arms 24 and slowed to the speed V2. As can be seen from the drawing, every other arm 24 is laterally actuated to shift every other carton C laterally onto a second path parallel to the first path. The cartons on the second path are supported by 20 a conveyor (not shown) that is driven at the speed V1 to match the conveyor speed of the first path. A decelerator 26 is located adjacent the second path. Decelerator 26 includes a lug 28 driven around decelerator 26 along a chain in the path indicated generally by arrow 30. 6 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 The chain is driven by a servo motor under the control of a programmable control system. Lug 28 is thereby caused to be moving at a speed V3 that is slightly slower than V2, thereby ensuring that the carton is firmly engaged by lug 28. Arm 24 is then withdrawn. Lug 28 is then slowed while in engagement with the carton to a speed V4 5 that is slower still than V3, thereby slowing the carton to the desired speed for entry into the tertiary packaging section of the machine. While still in engagement with lug 28, the carton is transferred from the end of the supporting conveyor onto another conveyor, which conveyor is driven at speed V4 to move the carton away from the decelerator 26. 10 Meanwhile, those cartons which were not shifted onto the second path are carried in engagement with the respective arms 24 to a second decelerator 32 that operates in a manner identical to decelerator 26. The decelerator slows the cartons in the first path to a speed V4, and the cartons are at the same time transferred onto a conveyor moving at speed V4. 15 Speeds V2, V3 and V4 are selected so that cartons in the first path are able to "catch up" to cartons in the second path in the region between decelerators 26 and 30, and aligned cartons moving in two rows at speed V4 are delivered into the tertiary packaging section 34 of the machine. Tertiary section 34 may be of generally conventional construction. Case blanks 36 are 20 supplied to a hopper 38 located beneath the travel path of the cartons through the decelerator section. Case blanks are then transported along inclined conveyor 40 to a position beneath divider 42. Divider 42 includes a series of divider bars 44 that are moved along the carton path at a speed V5 slightly slower than the speed V4 of the 7 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 carton conveyor. By providing appropriate spacing between bars 44 for the number of cartons C desired for each case, the cartons are collected into groups for tertiary packaging. A case is then applied to each group of cartons using, for example, conventional wrap-around type case forming equipment. 5 Referring back to Fig. 1, a variation of the machine 10 can be seen in which cartons are packed into cases in a single row of transversely-oriented cartons C rather than the two rows of longitudinally-oriented cartons shown in Fig. 2. In this version of the machine 10, a rotator 46 is provided after the carton gluing section 20. Rotator 46 may operate in a conventional manner, such as by applying a gripper to the top portion of each carton 10 and rotating the gripper to turn the carton through 900. After rotating, a single decelerator 48 of a construction and operation substantially identical to that described for decelerators 26 and 30 is used to slow the cartons C before they are conveyed into the divider 42 for arrangement into groups for tertiary packaging. With either variation of the machine, completed cases emerge from the machine output. 15 The machine of the present invention may be operated at high speeds typical of continuous-motion secondary packaging machines. Because of the decelerator section of the machine, which decelerates cartons in a controlled and gradual manner, the cartons are not subjected to shocks that might be introduced through more severe decelerator, or through handling necessary to move cartons to a separate tertiary 20 packaging machine. Thus the cartons face a lower risk of damage, or of falling over. Finally, the machine saves substantial floor space in the packaging facility, since no accumulator is required between the secondary and tertiary packaging operations. This will also save operating costs, as a single operator can operate both the secondary and 8 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 tertiary mechanisms of the machine, rather than requiring two individual operators to operate two separate machines. 9

Claims (17)

1. An apparatus for packaging articles, which apparatus comprises a first packaging mechanism for forming secondary packages, in a sequential manner, around successive groups of articles, transfer means to convey each of the formed secondary 5 packages, each containing a group of articles, to a second packaging mechanism, and to manipulate selected ones of those secondary packages, as they are so conveyed, so as to form successive groups of secondary packages, the second packaging mechanism then forming tertiary packages around those groups of secondary packages.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first packaging mechanism 10 forms the secondary packages about the groups of articles as those secondary packages are conveyed at a first speed, and wherein the transfer means alters the speed of those secondary packages to a second speed as those secondary packages are grouped.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the said transfer means comprises means to form the said formed secondary packages into at least two 15 conveyance paths, which at least two conveyance paths comprise at least a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transfer means comprises a aligning mechanism, which aligning mechanism alters the velocity of the secondary packages in at least one of the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path, 20 thereby to alter the positioning of those secondary packages relative to the secondary packages in the or each other conveyance paths.
5. The apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the secondary packages 10 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 formed by the first packaging mechanism are initially disposed in the first conveyance path, and wherein the transfer means comprises actuators to move selected secondary packages from the first conveyance path, into the second conveyance path.
6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein each of the said one 5 or more conveyance paths comprises an independent conveying means.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said independent conveying means is a conveyor belt.
8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the rate at which the second packaging mechanism completes the formation of tertiary packages about 10 the grouped secondary packages is proportional to the number of secondary packages in the groups of secondary packages.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the rate at which the second packaging mechanism completes the formation of tertiary packages about the grouped secondary packages is proportional also to the rate at which the first packaging 15 mechanism completes the formation of secondary packages about the grouped articles.
10. A method according packaging articles, which method comprises: forming secondary packages around groups of articles; conveying the formed secondary packages, each containing a group of articles, whilst simultaneously manipulating those secondary packages so as to form successive groups of secondary packages; and 20 forming tertiary packages around the groups of tertiary packages.
11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the secondary packages are conveyed at a first speed as they are being formed, and wherein the speed of those secondary 11 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 packages is altered to a second speed as those secondary packages are grouped.
12. The method according claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the said formed secondary packages are formed into at least two conveyance paths, which at least two conveyance paths comprise at least a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path. 5
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the said formed secondary packages are initially conveyed at a first speed, and wherein secondary packages in at least one of the first conveyance path and the second conveyance path are accelerated or retarded so as to be conveyed at a second speed that is not equal to the first speed, thereby to alter the positioning of those secondary packages relative to the secondary packages in the or 10 each other conveyance paths.
14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the secondary packages are initially disposed in the first conveyance path when they are formed, and wherein selected secondary packages are moved from the first conveyance path into the second conveyance path.
15 15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein each of the said one or more conveyance paths comprises an independent conveying means.
16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein the rate at which the tertiary packages are formed about the grouped secondary packages is proportional to the number of secondary packages in the groups of secondary packages. 20
17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the rate at which the tertiary packages are formed about the grouped secondary packages is proportional also to the rate at which the secondary packages are formed about the grouped 12 WO 2008/058176 PCT/US2007/083901 articles.18. An integrated secondary and tertiary packaging machine, comprising a secondary packaging machine portion for receiving an infeed of articles, forming said articles into article groups, and for forming a carton around each of said article groups, and for conveying the completed cartons at a first 5 speed; a decelerating and grouping mechanism for slowing the completed cartons to a second speed, and for forming the cartons into groups of cartons; and a tertiary packaging machine portion for receiving said groups of cartons, and for forming a case around each of said carton groups, and for conveying the completed cases from the machine. 13
AU2007316375A 2006-11-07 2007-11-07 Integrated secondary and tertiary packaging machine Abandoned AU2007316375A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US86472506P 2006-11-07 2006-11-07
US60/864,725 2006-11-07
PCT/US2007/083901 WO2008058176A1 (en) 2006-11-07 2007-11-07 Integrated secondary and tertiary packaging machine

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
AU2007316375A1 true AU2007316375A1 (en) 2008-05-15

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AU2007316375A Abandoned AU2007316375A1 (en) 2006-11-07 2007-11-07 Integrated secondary and tertiary packaging machine

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US (1) US20100043355A1 (en)
AU (1) AU2007316375A1 (en)
CA (1) CA2669065A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2008058176A1 (en)

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Publication number Publication date
US20100043355A1 (en) 2010-02-25
CA2669065A1 (en) 2008-05-15
WO2008058176A1 (en) 2008-05-15

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