Patent ID: 11912450
Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A packaging machine for packaging products in cartons, the packaging machine comprising:
a product feed for feeding products to be packaged in cartons, wherein each of the products has a length P, and wherein the product feed has a stacking apparatus that is configured to at least stack a first group of products, which are positioned next to one another in a row with a length R, vertically above or below a second group of products, which are likewise positioned next to one another in a row with a length R;
wherein the products are fed to the stacking apparatus on a conveyor belt in the first conveying direction and conveyed onward from the stacking apparatus by a first slide disposed over the conveyor belt in a second conveying direction, wherein the second conveying direction is at least substantially opposite from the first conveying direction;
wherein the length R is a multiple of the length P;
wherein a product slot is positioned at the end of the product feed, at which product slot stacked rows of products with the length R are collected, wherein a second slide with a length S is positioned at the product slot, wherein the second slide is configured to slide the stacked rows of products having a length that at least corresponds to the length S in an at least substantially horizontal sliding direction into a carton at a carton packing station;
wherein the length S is shorter than the length R by at least one times the length P;
wherein the length S during operation of the packaging machine corresponds substantially to a length of a carton to be packed; and
wherein the length S is adjustable at least before operation of the packaging machine and can be adapted to the length of the carton to be packed.