Patent ID: 11905050
Assignee: FISHBONE PACKAGING INC.
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A system for packaging two or more containers of the type having a body, a neck, and a lid with a chime, the chimes of the containers all aligned in a horizontal plane, the containers packaged together with a carrier of the type having two or more apertures each for receiving the chime and the neck of one of the containers, each aperture having a plurality of tabs formed at an inside edge thereof, each tab configured for bending upward when contacting the chime of one of the containers, each tab having a length and a thickness, the system comprising:
an application tool having a top side and a bottom side, the bottom side forming a platen having apertures for pressing the carrier down uniformly onto the containers, each aperture having a gap between an inside aperture wall and the chime of one of the containers; the application tool having at least three side walls that project downwardly from the bottom side to form a skirt open at a bottom end; and
at least three carrier supports fixed at corners of the platen, each carrier support movable between an extended position wherein the carrier support includes a shelf configured to contact at least a portion of a bottom side of the carrier to maintain the carrier in a flat configuration, and a retracted position wherein the shelf retracts away from the carrier, a spring urging the carrier support towards the extended position;
whereby with the carrier supported with the carrier supports, the platen is used to press the carrier onto the containers uniformly, the tabs of the carrier deforming upwardly substantially simultaneously to pass the chimes of the containers, each tab abutting a lower edge of the chime of one of the containers to hold the containers together with the carrier, the platen thereafter being withdrawn from the carrier and the containers to release the carrier and the containers;
wherein a corner between a bottom surface of the platen and the inside aperture wall of each aperture of the platen is rounded;
wherein a corner of the shelf of each carrier support is rounded; and
wherein the corner between the bottom surface of the platen and the inside aperture wall of each aperture of the platen includes a radius between 0.03125 inches and 0.09375 inches.