Patent ID: 7418808

Claim:
An apparatus for filling a container with packaging units, said apparatus comprising: an endless feeding conveyor for feeding packaging units in a transport direction T; a pattern former for grouping the fed packaging units into well-defined patterns placed on a substantially horizontal surface, the pattern former including a pusher plate extending substantially perpendicularly to the transport direction T and being controllably moveable in the transport direction above the feeding conveyor so that packaging units may be stopped by the pushing plate and may be pushed in the transport direction T by the pusher plate so that patterns of packaging units may be formed by co-operation of the endless feeding conveyor and the pusher plate; and a transfer unit for transferring said patterns of packages, into said container, so that said patterns form substantially horizontal layers in the container, the transfer unit comprising: at least one supporting band including a substantially horizontal supporting surface portion for supporting one of said patterns; a pusher plate being arranged for moving the pattern from the feed conveyor to a position on or above the supporting band above said container; a mechanism configured for moving the supporting band for the purpose of placing each pattern supported by the supporting surface portion in said container, such that the supporting surface portion maintains a substantially horizontal position; a supporting band roll from which the supporting band is unrolled; a supporting band tensioner that engages a free end of the supporting band; and a supporting band cutter, wherein the supporting band cutter is configured for separating the band adjacent the supporting band tensioner.