Packaging system having loading carousel

A packaging system utilizes two sides of a loading carousel, which reduces both the height and footprint of the packaging system. Mass and inertia are also reduced, allowing higher operational speeds. The loading carousel receives opened cartons on a first side and lowers them over product groups on a second side.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a high speed packaging machine having a loading carousel.

BACKGROUND

The packaging of articles such as bottles, cans, and other similar articles in cartons or other containers is a highly automated process, with conventional automated packaging equipment generally being run at high packaging speeds in order to maximize output. In a typical packaging machine for packaging articles such as bottles, cans and the like, articles to be packaged are fed into the packaging machine in a line or series of lines along an infeed conveyor, after which the articles are grouped together in various standard configurations or groupings, such as four, six, eight, twelve, or twenty-four pack configurations. The groups of articles are then packaged into a box, a carton, or other type of container. The placement of the articles within a container can be done in a variety of ways, depending upon the type of package in which the articles are to be placed. For example, the bottoms of cartons can be opened and the cartons then placed over selected groups of articles as the articles are moved along a transport path.

A conventional packaging machine is shown inFIG. 1. The machine functions generally are performed in a line extending through the machine. As shown inFIG. 1, product metering is operated by star wheels at Station1. At Station2, product selection blocks separate the product into groups to be loaded into individual cartons. At Station3, a carousel pick-up selects individual cartons for loading. At Station4, a carton transport controls the carton through plows and an opening assembly. At Station5, the carton opener opens the cartons between pairs of vacuum manifold assemblies. At Station6, the carousel vertically lowers the opened cartons over and onto the product groups. At Station7, a closing section closes the carton base about the bottle group contained therein and compression is applied on the underside of the discharge belt to secure the carton in a closed position.

Given the high speeds at which the packaging machine is operated, the linear footprint of the machine must be large in order to ensure that the path of travel of the cartons is sufficient to ensure that the cartons are fully opened before being placed over a group of articles. However, plant space often is at a premium and it is not always possible to extend machinery to an optimal size. To prevent jams or misfeeds, the speed at which the articles are packaged must then typically be reduced in order to ensure that the cartons are fully opened prior to packaging the articles therein. Output is accordingly reduced.

Even in cases where the linear extent of the packaging machine is not limited, a large loading carousel necessarily has a large mass of moving parts, which entails a correspondingly large inertia during operation. Drive mechanisms must therefore be larger, and high speed operation of the larger machine may result in higher maintenance costs, higher rates of failure, and other manufacturing problems.

The conventional packaging machine also has a large vertical height. As shown inFIG. 1, cartons are picked up at Station3at a raised position and lowered onto the bottles at Station6. Because the carton pickup and carton loading steps are performed along a line, the height of the carousel must be sufficient to accommodate the highest point of the stroke (i.e., before pickup), and the lowest point of the stroke (i.e., at loading).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly described, an aspect of the present invention generally is directed to a high speed packaging system for packaging various types of articles in a variety of different configurations of containers or cartons. The articles, such as bottles, cans, or the like, generally will be fed into and through the packaging system of the present invention along a path of travel on an infeed conveyor on an upstream side of the packaging system. The articles can be separated in one or more lanes of products, in side by side or in staggered configurations.

As the articles are fed into the upstream or receiving end of the packaging system, the articles pass through a selector station for selecting and grouping the articles into groups. As the articles are separated into their packaging groups, the groups of articles are further transferred to a packaging line along which the groups of articles are placed into containers. The packaging line may generally extend along a path substantially parallel to the path of travel of the articles along the infeed conveyor, although other orientations are possible.

A carton loading carousel may be positioned adjacent to and extend parallel to the packaging line, and includes a series of carton carriers. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the carriers are moved about the carousel from a carton pickup point along a first side of the carousel, and subsequently moved into a loading position along a second side of the carousel. The carriers may be mounted on a cam track that extends about the periphery of the carousel so that as the cartons are moved to the loading position, they are engaged with a selected group of articles moving along the packaging line.

The cartons may be provided by a carton infeed system and opened in a carton opener. The opening and pickup of the cartons may be accomplished along a path that is substantially parallel to but extending opposite or spaced from the packaging line so that two sides of the loading carousel are utilized.

According to one aspect of the present invention, use of two sides of the loading carousel allows the packaging system to open and load cartons with groups of articles in a significantly reduced length, space, and/or footprint, without reducing packaging speed. Also, because the pickup stroke can occur on one side of the carousel, and the loading stroke can occur on the opposite side, the loading carousel can be significantly shorter in height than conventional carousels. In addition, the relatively small size of the loading carousel reduces the mass of moving parts in the carousel, meaning a smaller inertia during operation.

Various objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 2-7illustrate a high speed packaging system10according to an embodiment of the present invention. The packaging system10generally is designed to provide a substantially continuous motion system for high speed packaging of various types of articles in a variety of configurations of containers, including, for example, six-pack, four-pack, or eight-pack cartons, as well as smaller or larger configurations. For the purposes of illustration and simplicity of description, the packaging system embodiment discussed in detail below is described as loading bottles B into cartons C to form packages P.

Referring toFIG. 2, the packaging system10has a first, upstream or inlet end12and a second, downstream or outlet end13. The packaging system10comprises the following general components: a carton infeed system90having an opener93for providing opened cartons C in the system10, a loading carousel60for loading bottles B in the cartons C, an article transport or infeed conveyor16for providing bottles B in the system10, a selector station30for metering the flow of bottles B into the loading carousel60, a packaging line45for moving the cartons C and bottles B during loading, a closing mechanism86for engaging and closing the bottoms of the cartons C, and a outlet mechanism110for forwarding the packs P down the conveyor line for further handling and/or packaging. The packaging system10generally will also include a frame (not shown) or support housing. The frame can include, for example, one or more bays or doors to enable access to the packaging machine10. The outlet mechanism110can be, for example, a two-way divider, as shown inFIG. 2.

As generally shown inFIG. 2, the loading carousel60has a first side8and a second side9, both of which are used for opening and loading of cartons C. Using two sides8,9of the carousel60for opening and loading has the effect of reducing both the required stroke and the number of flights or carriers required for opening and loading the cartons C. The required stroke and number of flights can be reduced, for example, by about half, when compared to conventional packaging machines having similar output capabilities. The reduction of flight or carrier number accordingly reduces the plan area or footprint of the packaging system10. For example, when compared with conventional packaging systems, the footprint of the packaging system10can be reduced by a 15′×17′ area. The reduction in footprint conserves valuable shop space. The reduction in stroke reduces the vertical height of the packaging system10, in particular the height of the loading carousel60.

As shown inFIG. 2, the carton infeed system90having the opener93is located on the first side8of the loading carousel60. The article transport conveyor16, the selector station30, and the packaging line45are located on the second side9of the loading carousel60. The structure and operation of the packaging system10are discussed in detail below with reference toFIGS. 2-7.

Referring toFIGS. 3,4A and4B, the article transport conveyor16provides a supply of bottles B to the loading carousel60. The article transport conveyor16generally is positioned at the upstream end12of the packaging system10for receiving the bottles B and moving them along an infeed path of travel indicated by arrow17. The article transport conveyor16generally may be a belt, chain or other conventional type of conveyor having an upper surface18along which the bottles B are moved. The article transport conveyor16can include, for example, dividers19for separating the bottles B into one or more lanes21,22. The article transport conveyor16further includes a first or proximal end23where the bottles B are received from an upstream production line (not shown), and a second or distal end24where the bottles B are engaged and transferred from the article transport conveyor16by the selector station30.

Referring toFIGS. 4A and 4B, the selector station30meters the flow of bottles B into the loading carousel60by ordering the bottles B into groups that are conveyed along the packaging line45. The selector station30generally may include a series of metering or star wheels31having product receiving recesses32formed thereabout. The star wheels31engage and meter the flow of bottles B moving along the article transport conveyor16, and redirect the lanes21,22of bottles B toward a pair of selectors33.

The selectors33may be conventional and are schematically illustrated inFIGS. 3,4A and4B. The selectors33may generally include upper and lower support plates and a series of pairs or sets of selector arms mounted therebetween. Each selector arm may include an article engaging or separating plate mounted at a front or proximal end thereof, with each separating plate having a series of teeth defining a series of recesses therebetween. The selector arms can be moveable radially from a retracted, initial position for engaging and moving a series of bottles B, e.g., 2, 3, 4, etc., depending upon how many bottles B are metered to carousel60, as the selector arms are rotated with the rotation of the selectors33. The selectors33can be configured to place bottles B into any desired configuration group, and typically will move at a different rate as they engage their respective groups of bottles B so as to create a separation or stagger between the groups of bottles to form a desired package grouping configuration. In the illustrated embodiment, the bottle groups have a 2×3 configuration.

Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, the carton infeed system90and the opener93provide a supply of cartons to the loading carousel60. Cartons C are initially fed into the packaging system10at the carton infeed system90. The cartons C can be infed at a variety of points or locations, for example. The infeed system90can include, for example, a carton infeed conveyor97that provides an initial supply of cartons C, and a carton transport conveyor96that transports the cartons C through the opener93and along the first side8of the carousel60. The carton infeed system90may be positioned slightly downstream from the loading carousel60and opposite to the closing mechanism86, and provides a substantially continuous flow or line of opened cartons C to the loading carousel60. The carton infeed system90may be positioned in a vertically raised arrangement above the outlet mechanism110.

The opener93can include a carton opening apparatus or mechanism such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,707, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In general, the opener93can include a frame94having a guide slot or track. A series of carton opening assemblies98are transported about the frame94, moving between a carton pickup or engaging position99and a discharge position101, in which the opened cartons C are released and further conveyed along the carton transport conveyor96. The opening assemblies98are conveyed about the opener93for picking up flat folded cartons C and opening the cartons to an opened position before release at the discharge position101.

The loading carousel60loads the bottles B supplied by the selector station30into the opened cartons C provided by the opener93. Two sides8,9of the loading carousel60are utilized in the packaging system10. The structure and operation of the loading carousel60are discussed in detail below.

Referring toFIGS. 3,4A and4B, the loading carousel60is mounted adjacent to and extends along the upstream or inlet end49of the packaging line45. The loading carousel60includes upstream and downstream rotating supports62and63, respectively, that are engaged with upper and lower chains or belts64and66, respectively, that are moved about a substantially elliptical path by the rotation of the upstream and downstream supports62and63. Rotation can be effected by motors or other drive mechanisms, for example. The rotating supports62and63may be sprockets having teeth that engage the chains64,66, respectively, for example. The rotating supports62,63may alternatively be gear or belt-driven. The carton transport conveyor96on the first side8of the loading carousel60may be spaced from and extend parallel to the packaging line45on the second side9of the carousel60. The second side9of the loading carousel60may extend from a point slightly upstream from the inlet end49of the packaging line45approximately to the discharge end51of the packaging line45.

FIGS. 6 and 7illustrate the first side8of the loading carousel60, where the carousel60receives and picks up the opened cartons C from the carton transport conveyor96. The loading carousel60includes a series of carton carriers71that are carried along an elliptical path in the direction of arrows72(FIG. 3) by the rotation of the loading carousel60. The rotation conveys the carriers71to first, lowered pickup position73, where the carriers71pick up the cartons C. The carriers71subsequently transport the cartons C to a second, lowered loading or article receiving position74(FIG. 4B) along the second side9of the carousel60, where the cartons C are placed about groups of bottles B. Each of the carriers71generally will include a spaced pair of arms76and77extending vertically downwardly from a laterally extending support plate78. Each support plate78is attached to and is carried by a pair of vertically extending support rods79so as to transport the carriers71about the periphery of the loading carousel60, while also allowing for vertical translation of the carriers71. Each support plate78may be connected to a block81, which may be connected to one of each pair of the support rods79by an angled plate82.

A cam follower or guide83may be attached to each of the blocks81or to the support plates78. Each cam follower83will generally engage and move along a cam track84in the loading carousel60as the carriers71are moved about the carousel60. The cam track84generally has a first, pickup cam profile or side84A extending along the first side8of the carousel60, and a second or loading side profile84B extending along the second side9of the carousel60. As a result, the carriers71are moved between the lowered and raised positions shown inFIGS. 4B and 7, respectively, during the transport of the cartons C from the pickup position73(FIG. 7) to the article loading or engaging position74(FIG. 4B). As the cartons C are moved along their path of travel from the pickup position73to the article loading position74, the cartons C will be raised to an intermediate, raised position75(FIG. 4B). Referring toFIG. 4A, the cartons C are then conveyed into alignment with the bottle groups being formed therebeneath along the packaging line45, and then lowered in timed relation to the movement of the groups of bottles B along the packaging line45so that each carton C is matched with a group of bottles B and thereafter progressively lowered down over the bottles at the article loading position74. The cartons C may have channels, cavities or other compartments in which the bottles B are received, as illustrated inFIG. 4B. A plow80may be included to manipulate base flaps of the cartons C, if present, and may function to hold the flaps outwardly so that the cartons C are more easily lowered over the bottles B. For the purposes of clarity of illustration, the opened bottom flaps of the bottles B are not shown in the Figures.

Referring toFIG. 4B, after the bottles B are received in the channels of the cartons C, the arms76and77of the carriers71can be raised out of engagement with the loaded cartons C as the cartons C are engaged by the closing mechanism86(FIG. 3). The closing mechanism86may be conventional in operation and can include a flap tucking mechanism that engages and tucks locking tabs or flaps along the bottom surfaces of the cartons into a locked arrangement. Alternatively, the closing mechanism86can include a folder/gluer mechanism that applies a bead of glue between the bottom flaps of the cartons and thereafter presses the bottom flaps into engagement with one another to seal them together. The finished, closed cartons C are then fed further downstream for transfer to the discharge or outlet mechanism110.

As illustrated inFIG. 4A, the packaging line45extends in the direction of arrow46, and may be spaced from and substantially parallel to the path of travel17of the flow of products on the infeed conveyor16. The packaging line45may include, for example, a conveyor belt47, although other, similar types of conveying mechanisms also can be used, for transport of the groups of bottles B. The conveyor belt47moves about a substantially elliptical path between the upstream end49and the downstream end51, at which point the loaded packages P are delivered to the outlet mechanism110.

The system10detailed herein can utilize a variety of drives, including servo-motors, stepper motors, AC or DC motors, pneumatic or hydraulic drives that operate, or are connected to, the following operative elements: the loading carousel, the opener, the closing mechanism, the starwheels, the selector station, the container infeed, etc. Other units can be mechanically or servo driven or can slave off of existing drives (e.g., carton feeding could drive off of the carousel drive).

The opener93can include an adjustable internal opener cam that generally reduces the maximum height of the cartons C, which reduces the opener head mast/radius. Further, an adjustable internal opener cam can be provided for enabling opening of varying size cartons.

The carousel flights or carriers71are typically operated without a back wall to allow better carton side guides at the pick up position73. The carousel carriers71can be adjusted by a screw, or otherwise, for example, to accommodate various container sizes.

The packaging system10described herein can utilize a standard two lane infeed conveyor arrangement as illustrated. The system10layout can also be widened with bottles B infeeding alongside the carton feed and around the outside of the carousel60head shaft. The starwheels31and selectors33may be of a design and construction as found in the Autoflex 1500 as manufactured by Graphic Packaging International, Inc.

Although two sides of the packaging system10could be tended by an operator, the packaging system10can account for any missed cartons in the loading function on the first side of the carousel60to be set up or corrected along the second side at the packaging line.

The loading carousel60illustrated in the Figures has a two-sided configuration achieved by two rotating supports. An alternative loading carousel can have, for example, three sides formed by three rotating supports. The functions of pickup and loading can be performed, for example, along two or more of the three sides of the carousel. Another alternative loading carousel could be rectangular in shape, with the functions of pickup and loading performed along two or more of the four sides of the carousel.

The present invention is suitable for loading a variety of articles in a variety of containers. Suitable articles include, for example, bottles as shown in the drawings, cans or similar articles. Suitable containers can include, for example, paperboard cartons and basket type containers or carriers. The containers used with the packaging system10can include, for example, a glued base, locking tabs, and/or other types of carton closures. The packaging system10further can utilize existing style basket containers or can operate with alternative base hole patterns for engagement by a transport conveyor. The base crease hole pattern of the cartons C can be configured or created with an existing Graphic Packaging International, Inc. “A-B Ruff-Rider” die, or a similar die, with base crease holes added. Two pairs of base crease holes can be added, one for use by the container infeed and one for use by the carousel60. The two pairs of base crease holes provide a larger transfer target and eliminate lug/finger interference, as well as allow the possibility of repitching the input or carton transport conveyor to between a 12.5″ paper feed and a 10″ pitch carousel for higher packaging per minute at lower linear speeds. The packaging system10further generally can allow for a surge requirement of up to at least 250 packages formed per minute.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while the invention has been discussed above with reference to preferred embodiments, various changes, modifications and additions can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.