Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6792741
-
Patent Number
6,792,741
-
Date Filed
Monday, September 8, 200320 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 21, 200419 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Smith; Scott A.
- Desai; Hemant
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 053 241
- 053 255
- 053 390
- 053 392
- 053 3764
- 053 3772
- 053 3773
- 053 458
- 053 491
- 053 531
- 053 534
- 053 543
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
Container packing system for use with conveyed articles. The system includes a carton having four sidewalls with four carton upper edges and four carton lower edges. Four upper flaps are connected to the respective upper edges and four lower flaps are connected to the respective four lower edges. The sidewalls define a carton inner space sized to receive therein a layer of the conveyed articles. A movable support platform receives thereon the conveyed articles and is sized for location in the carton space between the sidewalls. The support platform is actuatable to move between the upper edges and the lower edges. Two of the lower flaps are folded inwardly and upwardly towards a lower surface of the movable support platform. A method of using the system to pack a carton is also provided.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns packing systems and more particularly to a container packing system for conveyed articles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Packing systems are well known and widely used for packing articles such as foodstuff, smaller packages or collapsed smaller boxes into a larger box. Typically, the system includes a moving conveyor belt on which the articles travel, a movable platform and the box to be filled located at one end of the conveyor belt. The box is generally mounted around the platform edges and the platform moves downwardly once a layer of articles is added to the platform. An operator stands near the box and the conveyor belt end and places the articles in the box once the articles reach the conveyor belt end. Once one layer is added, the operator adds a divider or breaker sheet into the box and the process is repeated. Typically, a corrugated sheet is placed at the bottom of the box.
Several designs of packing systems exist, examples of which are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,582, issued Aug. 15, 1972 to Sequin for “Method of Loading Containers with Articles”; and
UK Patent Application No. GB 2,098,570, published Nov. 24, 1982 to Clegg et al. for “Packaging Articles in Layers in a Carton”.
The aforesaid designs suffer from a number of important drawbacks. In each case, the movable platform is located inside the box such that when a packing operation is complete, the platform exits through a lower end of the box, thus requiring either a complex apparatus design or an operator to laterally displace the box once filled. Disadvantageously, an operator must then manually invert the box for sealing the lower end after an upper end has been sealed. This may cause repeated use injury to the back especially if the box is packed with heavy articles. Also, if not properly sealed, the contents of the box may fall out during inversion. Furthermore, the boxes used with one design appears to require that a gap be present between two lower box flaps to accommodate therebetween the platform shaft, which may restrict the box's orientation to one packing position on the system. In addition, none of the box upper flaps are secured to the conveyor belt end, which could cause interference and damage to the flaps when the articles are off-loaded from the conveyor belt.
Thus there is a need for an improved container packaging system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention reduces the difficulties and disadvantages of the prior art by providing an ergonomically favorable and computer-controlled box packaging system that allows the box to be packed by a packer at substantially higher speed than the aforesaid designs. Advantageously, the system of the present invention allows the packer to receive conveyed articles from a conveyor belt in one hand and pass them to the other hand located in or above the box using a simple pendulum motion at waist height, by constantly filling the box at the upper level thereof without ever having to reach the bottom. The present invention achieves this by providing a novel arrangement of lower box flaps relative to a movable supporting platform that eliminates the need for the packer to invert the box once filled. The supporting platform and the lower box flaps are configured such that the box bottom is already closed when the box is filled. Furthermore; the aforesaid problems associated with the box flaps interfering with the path of article travel during the packing process are significantly reduced or essentially eliminated by securing one of the flaps to the conveyor belt frame such that the box is held securely in a packing position. In addition, the present packing system can be retrofitted into an existing packing system and may be adapted to boxes of various dimensions.
Accordingly, in a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a container packing system for use with conveyed articles, the system comprising: a carton having four sidewalls with first, second, third and fourth carton upper edges and first, second, third and fourth carton lower edges; first, second, third and fourth upper flaps connected to the respective first, second, third and fourth upper edges; first, second, third and fourth lower flaps connected to the respective first, second, third and fourth lower edges, the four sidewalls defining a carton inner space sized to receive therein a layer of the conveyed articles; and a movable support platform for receiving thereon the conveyed articles and being shaped and dimensioned for location in the carton space between the four sidewalls, the support platform being actuatable to move between the upper edges and the lower edges, the first and second lower flaps being folded inwardly and upwardly towards a lower surface of the movable support platform.
Typically, the third and fourth lower flaps depend downwardly from the third and fourth carton lower edges, the third and fourth lower flaps being located below the lower surface of the support platform. The third and fourth lower flaps fold inwardly and towards each other to close a carton lower end. The first and second lower flaps are sized and dimensioned smaller than the third and fourth lower flaps.
Typically, the first upper flap is folded outwardly and towards a conveyor belt having thereon the conveyed articles, the first upper flap being sandwiched between a pair of sandwich plates located at a conveyor belt end and connected to a sandwich plate support, the sandwich plates including an upper fixed plate and a lower hinged plate.
Typically, the conveyor belt, the first upper flap and the movable support platform are located in a common generally horizontal plane relative to each other, the articles moving from the conveyor belt over the upper fixed plate and onto the movable support platform. The lower hinged plate is actuatable between an open configuration for receiving the first upper flap and a closed flap holding configuration.
Typically, the movable support platform includes a support shaft having a vertical support shaft axis generally centrally positioned relative to the four sidewalls.
Typically, the movable support platform includes two side panels depending downwardly therefrom. The first and second lower flaps rest against the two side panels.
Typically, a fairly rigid bottom sheet supporting a plurality of partition walls thereon is located on the movable platform, each partition wall defining an article receiver portion. The articles are packed into adjacent article receiver portions in different orientations, the articles being packed into alternating orientations to attain a layer of articles.
Accordingly, in a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of packing a carton with articles from a conveyor belt, comprising: moving downwardly two lower carton flaps folded inwardly and upwardly towards a lower surface of a movable support platform, the movable support platform being sized and dimensioned to be located between four carton sidewalls and to receive thereon the articles, so as to pack the carton with a layer of the articles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the description in association with the following Figures, wherein:
FIG. 1
is a simplified partial perspective view of an embodiment of a packing system;
FIG. 2
is a worm's eye perspective view of a box used in the packing system;
FIG. 3
is a simplified partial side section view showing articles on a conveyor belt being packed into the box;
FIG. 4
is a is a simplified perspective partial view of a support frame apparatus with a movable support platform;
FIG. 5
is the same as
FIG. 4
without the movable support platform;
FIG. 6
is a simplified partial side view of the movable support platform and the support frame apparatus;
FIG. 7
is a simplified partial perspective view of the support frame apparatus viewed from a packer's side;
FIG. 8
is a simplified partial perspective view of alternative embodiment of the packing system; and
FIG. 9
is a simplified end view of the packing system of FIG.
8
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to
FIG. 1
, an embodiment of a container packing system is shown generally at
10
. Broadly speaking, the system includes a carton
12
, a conveyor belt
14
, a movable support platform or plate
16
and a support frame structure
18
. The conveyor belt
14
merely conveys a number of articles
20
towards the support platform
16
.
As best illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the carton or box
12
is typically square or rectangular shaped and is constructed from materials known to those skilled in the art such as corrugated cardboard and the like. One skilled in the art will recognize that other shaped boxes may also be used without deviating from the scope of the invention. The box
12
includes with four sidewalls
22
that define an inner space
24
that is sized to receive the articles
20
. The box
12
is orientated on the support platform
16
so as to define an upper box end
26
with four upper box edges
28
,
28
a
,
30
, and
30
a
, and a lower box end
32
with four lower box edges
34
,
34
a
,
36
, and
36
a
. Four upper box flaps
38
,
38
a
,
40
, and
40
a
are connected to the respective upper box edges
28
,
28
a
,
30
, and
30
a
. Four lower box flaps
42
,
42
a
,
44
, and
44
a
are connected to the respective lower box edges
34
,
34
a
,
36
, and
36
a
. Many different box dimensions may be used without deviating from the scope of the invention. Typically, the lower flaps
44
,
44
a
are sized and dimensioned smaller than the lower flaps
42
,
42
a.
As best illustrated in
FIG. 3
, a pair of sandwich plates, a fixed upper plate
46
and a hingeable lower plate
48
are located at a conveyor belt end
50
. The lower plate
48
is hingeably connected to a sandwich plate support
52
located near the belt end
50
. An actuator
54
, typically a pneumatic piston, is connected to the lower sandwich plate
48
and moves the lower plate
48
relative to the upper sandwich plate
46
to attain a flap holding or clamping configuration. The upper flap
40
is folded outwardly and towards the conveyor belt
14
and is sandwiched between the sandwich plates
46
,
48
during a packing operation, in which the conveyor belt
14
, the upper flap
40
, the sandwich plates
46
,
48
and the vertically movable support platform
16
are located in a common generally horizontal plane relative to each other to receive the articles
20
moving from the conveyor belt
14
. The free upper flap
40
a
is located away from the conveyor belt end
50
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 3 through 7
, the movable support platform
16
is operatively interconnected to the support frame apparatus
18
. The support frame apparatus
18
includes a support platform shaft
56
, a first actuator
58
, a second actuator
60
, a third actuator
62
, a fourth actuator
63
, a fifth actuator
65
, a fixed guide member
64
, a transversely movable guide member
66
and a vertically movable support table
68
. The support apparatus
18
is typically housed in an open front housing
69
between the conveyor belt end
50
and an exit ramp
71
. The support platform shaft
56
has a longitudinal generally vertical support platform shaft axis
70
that is generally centrally positioned relative to the four sidewalls
22
of the box
12
, when mounted upon two generally parallel longitudinal support bars
17
,
19
, as will be described in more detail below. The movable support platform
16
is sized and shaped for location in the carton inner space
24
between the four box sidewalls
22
.
The first actuator
58
is connected to the support shaft
56
via a generally horizontal telescoping shaft
72
mounted on grooved block member
73
that moves the platform
16
along a generally transversal horizontal path of travel, as illustrated by arrows (A). The fourth actuator
63
mounted on the housing
69
via mounting bracket
74
is connected to a mobile support frame, which includes a support block
75
attached to two spaced apart vertical guiding bars
76
,
78
that are connected to two grooved block members
80
,
82
. The block members
80
,
82
are slidably mounted on two generally horizontal guiding bars
84
,
86
fixed to the housing
69
, which allow the fourth actuator
63
to move the block members
80
,
82
in the longitudinal direction of the arrows (C). The vertical bar
76
is operatively displaced by the fifth actuator
65
, which is driven by a motor M. The fifth actuator
65
is connected to first actuator
58
via the grooved block member
73
that is vertically slidably mounted on the vertical bars
76
,
78
. Operation of the motor M causes the fifth actuator
65
to move the block member
73
along a generally vertical path of travel, as illustrated by the arrows (B), which in turn causes vertical movement of the support platform
16
.
The second actuator
60
is mounted on the movable support table
68
and is connected to the movable guide member
66
and to the support bar
19
via an attachment panel
88
. The second actuator
60
transfers movement along a generally transversal horizontal path of travel, as illustrated by arrows (D) to the movable guide member
66
and support bar
19
. The movable guide member
66
moves relative to the fixed guide member
64
to accommodate boxes
12
placed therebetween of various dimensions. A pair of stabilizer guide shafts
90
,
91
are connected to the panel
88
away from the movable guide member
66
and are located parallel to the second actuator
60
. The includes A pair of slider blocks
92
,
93
attached to the panel
88
are slidably connected to the stabilizer guide shafts
90
,
91
to move along a transversal path of travel, as illustrated by arrows (E).
The third actuator
62
, mounted on the housing
69
via mounting bracket
77
, is connected to the movable support table
68
and moves the support table
68
, which is typically located underneath the conveyor belt end
50
, along a generally vertical path of travel, as illustrated by arrows (F), to accommodate boxes of various depths between the upper sandwich plate
46
and the longitudinal support bars
17
,
19
. The movable support table
68
is attached to four generally parallel guiding rods
81
that are in slidable engagement with four bearing blocks
83
secured to the housing
69
. The movable support table
68
supporting the fixed and movable guide members
64
,
66
and the support bars
17
,
19
moves the latter along the path of travel (F) to locate the support bars
17
,
19
at a proper vertical distance from the upper sandwich plate
46
. The first, second, third, fourth and fifth actuators, in the embodiment of the invention, are typically worm gears that may be manually operated or may be computer-controlled (not shown). More specifically, the fifth actuator
65
is activated by motor M that is preferably computer-controlled. One skilled in the art will recognize that many different types of actuator may be used to achieve the same desired result, without deviating from the scope of the invention.
As best illustrated in
FIGS. 3 and 6
, the support platform
16
includes two depending side panels
94
,
96
located on the platform sides
16
nearest and farthest from the conveyor belt end
50
, and depend from a platform lower surface
97
. The support platform
16
is actuatable to move between the upper box end
26
and the lower box end
32
, typically using a worm gear
65
that is computer-controlled via motor M.
Referring now to
FIGS. 4 and 5
, a typically pneumatic piston
98
, attached to the movable support table
68
via mounting plate
99
below the conveyor belt end
50
, is used to push the boxes onto the exit ramp
71
once filled and to eventually stabilize the box
12
once positioned on the support bars
17
,
19
.
Operation
A typical operation of the system will now be described with reference to
FIGS. 1
,
2
and
3
, beginning with the box
12
in a non-filled configuration, as shown in FIG.
2
. The packer positions the box
12
onto the support bars
17
,
19
with the lower box edges
36
,
36
a
abutting thereon and with the two lower flaps
44
,
44
a
oriented upwardly and resting against the two depending platform panels
96
,
98
of the support platform
16
, respectively. The two remaining lower flaps
42
,
42
a
depend downwardly on either side of the movable support platform
16
. A fairly rigid bottom sheet
35
supporting a number of partition walls
39
thereon is positioned on top of the support platform
16
with the partition walls
39
located away from the platform
16
and generally orthogonal and/or parallel to the direction of the conveyor belt's
14
movement. The bottom sheet
35
generally includes flaps
37
extending generally upwardly therefrom that prevent sidemost relatively thin articles
22
from slipping off the box
12
between the bottom sheet
35
and respective sidewall
22
during filling of the box
12
.
The upper flap
40
is sandwiched between the upper and lower sandwich plates
46
,
48
and secured therebetween. The upper sandwich plate
46
now acts as a bridge between the end
50
of the conveyor belt
14
and the box inner space
24
. The opposing upper flap
40
a
, and the two remaining upper flaps
38
,
38
a
depend generally downwardly from their respective upper box edges. With the support platform
16
located just below the upper box edge
26
, as best illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the packer positions himself adjacent the fixed guide member
64
. Referring now to
FIG. 3
, the conveyor belt
14
is activated and the articles
20
move therealong.
At a location adjacent the upper sandwich plate
46
, the packer's right hand grabs a first predetermined number of the articles
20
and moves them over to the receiver portions of the box
12
near his left hand, which is located above the box
12
, using a pendulum-like movement. The articles
20
are then placed into an article receiver portion using packer's right hand, between the partitioned wall
39
of the box
12
furthest from the upper sandwich plate
46
and the box sidewall
22
in a first orientation (X), as seen in
FIGS. 1 and 3
. During this time, the packer uses his left hand to retain the previously packed articles
20
in the upright position until the partitioned receiver portion gets entirely filled. This operation is repeated with a second predetermined number of articles
20
, which are placed into the same partitioned receiver portion of the box
12
next to the first number of articles
20
, but in a second orientation (Y) that is upside-down relative to the first number of articles in the first orientation (X) so as to uniformly distribute the articles
20
therein since each predetermined number of articles are generally of non-uniform dimensions at the top and bottom surfaces thereof, from different top and bottom thickness of each individual article
20
, as illustrated in
FIG. 3
on the conveyor belt
14
. Each of the partitioned receiver portions of the box
12
are filled with the articles
20
in alternating orientations, until all the receiver portions of the first layer of articles are produced. A divider sheet (not shown) may be added to cover the first layer of articles and the support platform moved down (preferably via computer control) to allow the operation to be repeated until the box
12
is completely filled with multiple layers of articles
20
, at which time the support bars
17
,
19
substantially support the entire box
12
and contents thereupon. As the movable platform
16
moves downwardly, the two lower flaps
44
,
44
a
move upwardly relative thereto and slide between the support platform
16
and the bottom sheet
35
until, once the box is filled, they are located generally parallel to and above the platform
16
. This allows the remaining two lower flaps
42
,
42
a
to be secured over the flaps
44
,
44
a
using a securing means such as tape or staples.
One skilled in the art will understand that even though the two lower flaps
44
,
44
a
are illustrated as being folded upwardly and towards the lower surface
97
of the movable platform
16
and resting against the two depending panels
94
,
96
, the lower flaps
44
,
44
a
may also be folded upwardly and towards the lower surface
97
and resting thereagainst, without deviating from the scope of the invention. The box
12
passes onto the exit ramp
71
for transfer to a completion point (not shown).
Alternatives
The first embodiment of the system is shown for use with boxes that pass from the movable platform, once filled, onto the exit ramp
71
for closing by manually folding the lower flaps
42
,
42
a
, but the lower flaps
42
,
42
a
can also be folded automatically before the boxes pass onto the exit ramp
71
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 8 and 9
, an alternative embodiment of the system is shown generally at
100
and includes a flap folder apparatus
102
located between the exit ramp
71
(not shown) and the support platform
16
. The flap folder apparatus
102
includes two curved rods
104
,
106
that are adjustably mounted on a flap folder frame
108
. The flap folder frame
108
is connected to the open front housing
69
and includes two generally vertical posts
110
,
112
and a cross bar
114
. Two slots
116
,
118
are located in the upper part of the posts
110
,
112
to which the rods
104
,
106
are slidably connected to allow vertical height adjustment thereof. The post
110
is adjustably connected to the cross bar
114
in a horizontal direction to allow transversal horizontal width adjustment, which in combination with the vertical height adjustment allows the apparatus to accommodate boxes of several dimensions.
Operation of the alternative embodiment
100
is essentially identical to the first 10 in that once the box
12
(shown in dashed lines in
FIG. 9
) is filled with the articles
20
, it is moved from the support bars
17
,
19
under the action of piston
98
, whereupon the two lower flaps
42
,
42
a
contact the two rods
104
,
106
and are folded inwardly and upwardly towards the flaps
44
,
44
a
as they pass therebetween. Once the lower flaps
42
,
42
a
are folded, the box exits onto the exit ramp
71
. In order to allow generally unobstructed inward and upward folding of flaps
42
,
42
a
, the depending panels
196
of the support platform
16
are formed so as to taper downwardly on both lateral edges thereof, as seen in FIG.
9
.
Claims
- 1. Container packing system for use with conveyed articles, the system comprising:a carton having four sidewalls with first, second, third and fourth carton upper edges and first, second, third and fourth carton lower edges; first, second, third and fourth upper flaps connected to the respective first, second, third and fourth upper edges; first, second, third and fourth lower flaps connected to the respective first, second, third and fourth lower edges, the four sidewalls defining a carton inner space sized to receive therein a layer of the conveyed articles; and a movable support platform for receiving thereon the conveyed articles and being shaped and dimensioned for location in the carton space between the four sidewalls, the support platform being actuatable to move between the upper edges and the lower edges, the first and second lower flaps being folded inwardly and upwardly towards a lower surface of the movable support platform.
- 2. The system, according to claim 1, in which the third and fourth lower flaps depend downwardly from the third and fourth carton lower edges, the third and fourth lower flaps being located below the lower surface of the support platform.
- 3. The system, according to claim 2, in which the third and fourth lower flaps fold inwardly and towards each other to close a carton lower end.
- 4. The system, according to claim 3, in which the first and second lower flaps are sized and dimensioned smaller than the third and fourth lower flaps.
- 5. The system, according to claim 1, in which the first upper flap is folded outwardly and towards a conveyor belt having thereon the conveyed articles, the first upper flap being sandwiched between a pair of sandwich plates located at a conveyor belt end and connected to a sandwich plate support, the sandwich plates including an upper fixed plate and a lower hinged plate.
- 6. The system, according to claim 5, in which the conveyor belt, the first upper flap and the movable support platform are located in a common generally horizontal plane relative to each other, the articles moving from the conveyor belt over the upper fixed plate and onto the movable support platform.
- 7. The system, according to claim 6, in which the lower hinged plate is actuatable between an open configuration for receiving the first upper flap and a closed flap holding configuration.
- 8. The system, according to claim 7, in which the movable support platform includes a support shaft having a vertical support shaft axis generally centrally positioned relative to the four sidewalls.
- 9. The system, according to claim 8, in which the movable support platform includes two side panels depending downwardly therefrom.
- 10. The system, according to claim 9, in which the first and second lower flaps rest against the two side panels.
- 11. The system, according to claim 10, in which a bottom sheet supporting a plurality of partition walls thereon is located on the movable platform, each partition wall defining an article receiver portion.
- 12. The system, according to claim 11, in which the articles are packed into adjacent article receiver portions in different orientations, the articles being packed into alternating orientations to attain a layer of articles.
- 13. The system, according to claim 12, in which the carton is a square box.
- 14. The system, according to claim 13, in which the carton is a rectangular box.
- 15. A method of packing a carton with articles from a conveyor belt, comprising:moving downwardly first and second lower carton flaps folded inwardly and upwardly towards a lower surface of a movable support platform, the movable support platform being sized and dimensioned to be located between four carton sidewalls and to receive thereon the articles, so as to pack the carton with a layer of the articles.
- 16. The method, according to claim 15, further comprising:folding the first and second lower carton flaps inwardly and upwardly towards the lower surface of the support platform, the support platform being moveable away from an upper carton end.
- 17. The method, according to claim 16, further including:folding third and fourth lower carton flaps inwardly and towards each other.
- 18. The method, according to claim 17, in which the carton includes:first, second, third and fourth carton upper edges and first, second, third and fourth carton lower edges; first, second, third and fourth upper flaps connected to the respective first, second, third and fourth upper edges; and the first, second, third and fourth lower flaps being connected to the respective first, second, third and fourth lower edges.
- 19. The method, according to claim 18, in which the third and fourth lower flaps depend, downwardly from the third and fourth carton lower edges, the third and fourth lower flaps being located below the lower surface of the support platform.
- 20. The method, according to claim 19, in which the third and fourth lower flaps fold inwardly and towards each other to close a carton lower end.
- 21. The method, according to claim 20, in which the first and second lower flaps are sized and dimensioned smaller than the third and fourth lower flaps.
- 22. The method, according to claim 21, in which the first upper flap is folded outwardly and towards a conveyor belt having thereon the conveyed articles, the first upper flap being sandwiched between a pair of sandwich plates located at a conveyor belt end and connected to a sandwich plate support, the sandwich plates including an upper fixed plate and a lower hinged plate.
- 23. The method, according to claim 22, in which the conveyor belt, the first upper flap and the movable support platform are located in a common generally horizontal plane relative to each other, the articles moving from the conveyor belt over the upper fixed plate and onto the movable support platform.
- 24. The method, according to claim 23, in which the lower hinged plate is actuatable between an open configuration for receiving the first upper flap and a closed flap holding configuration.
- 25. The method, according to claim 24, in which the movable support platform includes a support shaft having a vertical support shaft axis generally centrally positioned relative to the four sidewalls.
- 26. The method, according to claim 25, in which the movable support platform includes two side panels depending downwardly therefrom.
- 27. The method, according to claim 26, in which the first and second lower flaps rest against the two side panels.
- 28. The method, according to claim 27, in which a bottom sheet support a plurality of partition walls thereon is located on the movable platform, each partition wall defining an article receiver portion.
- 29. The method, according to claim 28, in which the articles are packed into adjacent article receiver portions in different orientations, the articles being packed into alternating orientations to attain a layer of articles.
- 30. The method, according to claim 29, in which the cartoon is a square box.
- 31. The method according to claim 30, in which the cartoon is a rectangular box.
US Referenced Citations (26)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2 098 570 |
Nov 1982 |
GB |