Patent ID: 7484923

Claim:
A packaging apparatus for packaging rigid containers that are open at an open end and closed at a smaller sized closed end opposite the open end, by placing the containers into dimensionally stable funnel-shaped wrappers that are matched to the outer contour of the containers, the packaging apparatus comprising: a lower horizontal conveying device having a horizontal conveying path configured for conveying the containers in a lying position, said horizontal conveying device extending in a downstream direction of the packaging apparatus; an upper inclined delivery device for the wrappers, said delivery device extending obliquely downward in the downstream direction, said delivery device including: (a) an inclined storage having a support channel extending obliquely downward in the downstream direction configured for accommodating a stack of recumbent nested wrappers, said support channel having a lower downstream end, the stack having a small-sized lower end at said lower downstream end of said support channel; (b) a stack holding device disposed in a vicinity of said lower end of said support channel; and (c) an inclined transfer device disposed downstream of said inclined storage, said inclined transfer device including: (i) a sliding carriage for conveying the wrappers in a recumbent position along an inclined linear moving path starting from a raised upstream position at the small-sized lower end of said stack and to a lower final downstream position in said horizontal conveying path of said lower conveying device; (ii) an inclined linear slide guide for said sliding carriage, said slide guide being disposed parallel to said inclined linear moving path for the recumbent wrappers, said slide guide being provided with a raised upstream end associated to the downstream end of said inclined storage, said slide guide being provided with a lower downstream end associated to said horizontal conveying path of said lower conveying device; (iii) said sliding carriage being movable on said inclined linear slide guide from a raised rear position downward to a lowered forward position when transferring a wrapper in a recumbent position along said inclined linear moving path from the small-sized lower end of said stack into said horizontal conveying path of said lower conveying device; (iv) said sliding carriage having a pneumatically operable suction head for engaging the recumbent wrappers on an outside thereof, said suction head configured for seizing a recumbent wrapper on the outside thereof and fixing the wrapper to said sliding carriage at the raised upstream starting position of said inclined linear moving path, said suction head configured for releasing the recumbent wrapper from said sliding carriage at the lower downstream end of said inclined linear moving path in said horizontal conveying path of said lower conveying device.