FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for packaging various types of products, and in particular to a packaging machine and method of operation thereof for the application of wrap-style cartons about groups of products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Products such as bottles, cans, and packaged food containers such as yogurt cups or tubs, and/or other products typically are packaged together in groups such as six-packs, twelve packs, twenty-four-packs, etc., for ease of shipment and purchase. Such product packages typically include sleeve-type cartons in which a carton blank is folded and glued to form an open-ended tube or sleeve into which the groups of products are inserted and the ends of the cartons sealed, and wrap-style cartons, which typically are applied to groups of products or articles placed on the flat carton blank which is then folded and locked about the group of products. In recent years, greater emphasis has been placed on attempting to reduce the size of product packaging, as even incremental reductions in the amount of packaging materials, such as paperboard, plastics, etc., can lead to significant reductions in the overall cost of the packaging of products.
In particular, efforts have been made to develop so-called “econo” style cartons that are of a reduced length or size, typically extending only partially along the outermost products in a group of products being packaged, such that a significant reduction in the materials required for such packages is realized. Reducing the size of the product package to substantially less than the overall length of the product grouping to be packaged has, however, previously required such packages be applied manually to the product groups, which slows production significantly. Alternatively, for use in automated packaging systems, such reduced size cartons generally have had to be pre-formed and pre-glued into a sleeve-type carton in which the product groups are later inserted. To facilitate the insertion of the product groups, however, it is necessary that such sleeve-type cartons be slightly oversized to enable the product groups to be easily inserted therein, after which product locking features further must be engaged so as to secure the products within the carton, generally requiring additional steps in the packaging operation for the products, thus slowing production rates.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a system and method for packaging products in groups that addresses the foregoing and other related and unrelated problems in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, the present invention generally relates to a system for packaging groups of products moving along a path of travel wherein cartons, such as “wrap-style” cartons which can have a dimension or configuration less than the groups of products to which they are applied, are moved in conjunction with the groups of products for wrapping of the cartons about the groups of products. The system of the present invention generally includes an overhead packaging machine or system mounted within a product packaging system extending along a product conveyor along which the groups of products are moved, with cartons applied thereto, for folding and wrapping of the cartons about the groups of products.
The overhead packaging machine generally includes a lug conveyor section that is mounted to an adjustable frame and has a lug conveyor that carries of series of articulating lug assemblies about an elliptical path into and out of engagement with the groups of products and the cartons applied thereover. In addition, folding rods generally are mounted along the path of travel of the products, adapted to progressively engage and urge the side portions of the cartons downwardly toward a folded, wrapped configuration or position about the sides of the groups of products to which they are applied. Thereafter, locking elements of the cartons can be engaged by locking mechanisms of the packaging system to enclose the cartons about their groups of products.
Each of the articulating lug assemblies generally will include a carriage to which a pair of articulating lugs can be mounted. Each of the articulating lugs generally includes a body that can be pivotally mounted to the carriage and which includes a cam pin or rod affixed to and/or projecting from an upper portion of the body. A product pusher element also can be mounted between the articulating lugs mounted on either side of each carriage, for engaging and helping to urge the groups of products along their path of travel. First and second cam tracks generally can be formed along upper and lower runs of the lug conveyor section of the overhead packaging machine, with the cam surfaces of each of the first and second cam tracks generally being formed at different, varying orientations or angles.
As the cam pins of the articulating lugs are moved along a first or innermost cam track, the articulating lugs generally can be maintained in a first, non-engaging or raised position. As the articulating lug assemblies move along the lower run of the lug conveyor section, the cam pins of their articulating lugs each can be transitioned to outermost or second cam tracks, causing the articulating lugs to be moved or pivoted downwardly toward a second, engaging or lowered position in which the bodies of the articulating lugs can engage the cartons applied to the groups of products. As a result, as the pusher elements of each of the articulating lug assemblies engage and move the groups of products, the cartons applied to such groups of products correspondingly are engaged and urged along the path of travel in conjunction with the movement of the products so as to maintain the alignment of each carton with the group of products to which it is applied as the cartons are folded and locked about their groups of products.
As the articulating lug assemblies approach a downstream end of the lower run of the lug conveyor section, their cam pins can be transitioned from the second or outermost cam tracks to the first or innermost cam tracks. As the cam pins of the articulating lugs move along the first or innermost cam tracks, the articulating lugs can be caused to pivot or move toward their non-engaging or raised positions out of engagement with the cartons and/or the groups of products. As the groups of products thereafter are removed from the product packaging system, the articulating lug assemblies can be returned along the upper run of the lug conveyor section back toward the forward or upstream end thereof for engaging a next group of products.
Various features, advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a review of the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of one embodiment of a packaging system incorporating an overhead packaging machine with articulating lugs according to the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the overhead packaging machine of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 3A-3B are perspective illustrations of one end of the overhead packaging machine with articulating lugs of FIGS. 1-2.
FIG. 4 is an end view of the overhead packaging machine with articulating lugs of FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 5 is a further end view, taken in cross section along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1, illustrating the engagement of the cam rods of the articulating lugs with cam tracks extending along the overhead packaging machine with articulating lugs.
FIG. 6A is a perspective view illustrating sequential engagement of the articulating lugs and product pusher element.
FIG. 6B is a perspective illustration of a product group being engaged by the product pusher element and the articulating lugs, illustrating the engagement of the cam rods of the articulating lugs within the overhead cam tracks.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1-5 generally illustrate the overhead packaging machine 10 with articulating lug assemblies 11 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The overhead packaging machine 10 generally is adapted to function as an add-on or change-out attachment/section for existing wrap-style packaging machines, for example, a Marksman packaging machine or system M as manufactured by Graphic Packaging International, Inc., and can be configured to run varying size wrap-style cartons, including reduced size or “econo” type wrap-style cartons, as well as conventional, full size wrap-style cartons or other packaging materials, by adjustment and/or change-out of the articulating lug assemblies 11 of the overhead packaging machine 10. As indicated in FIGS. 1-2 and 4-6B, in one example embodiment of the present invention, the cartons C being wrapped or applied about a group of products P are shown as being of a reduced length that extends less than the full length of the group of products P, so as to only partially engage or fold about a portion of the end-most products P′ (FIGS. 6A-6B) of the group of products to which the carton C is being applied. For example, the products can include bottles, cans, or other types of packaged materials, such as 6-8 pack yogurt tubs or cups, although other products also could be similarly packaged including multiple stacks or layers of such packages such as in 12-16 pack bulk stacked packs, and can be wrapped with cartons C having reduced lengths or sizes, such as “econo” style cartons having reduced dimensions or lengths or set back from the ends of the product packages by ½ a product width or diameter, although other spacings or reductions in carton sizes also can be used.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3B, the overhead packaging machine 10 generally can be mounted over a product conveyor line or mechanism 5 (FIG. 1) of the packaging system M. Such a product conveyor 5 generally can comprise a lug conveyor 6 having a series of lugs or pushers driven by belts or chains, as indicated at 7 in FIG. 1, for urging/moving the products P along their path of travel 22 for packaging. A guide 8 further can be mounted along the lug conveyor 6 for guiding and helping to maintain the alignment and orientation of the products as they are moved along their path of travel for wrapping of the cartons C thereabout.
As FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate, the overhead packaging machine 10 generally includes an elongated frame assembly 12, comprising an overhead mounting section 13, shown in FIG. 1 as including one or more spaced mounting rails 14 that can be secured to an overhead support, and a lower drive or lug conveyor section 16 supported by the overhead mounting section 13. Pivoting support brackets 17 generally are attached to the rails 14 of the overhead mounting section and to a sub-frame assembly 18 of the lug conveyor section 16. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3A and 4, an actuator 19, such as a pneumatic cylinder or motor, can be mounted to the overhead mounting section and is coupled by a linkage 20 of one of the pivoting support brackets 17, as shown in FIG. 4, so as to cause the pivoting or swinging motion of at least one of the support brackets about pivot rods 21 as needed for adjusting the longitudinal position of the lug conveyor section of the overhead packaging machine with respect to a path of travel of the products P, indicated by arrow 22, (FIG. 1) along the product conveyor 5 of the packaging system M to which the overhead packaging machine 10 is mounted. In addition, a separate actuator 23, such as a cylinder or motor also can be provided along one side of the frame assembly 12 of the overhead packaging machine 10 and can include an extensible cylinder rod 24 or similar mechanism connected to the sub-frame assembly 18 of the lug conveyor section 16. The actuator 23 can be operated for controlling the vertical position and thus the vertical spacing of the lug conveyor section 16 with respect to the products moving along their path of travel 22 along the product conveyor 5 of the packaging system M.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the sub-frame assembly 18 of the lug conveyor section 16 of the overhead packaging machine 10 generally includes side plates 26 and a lug conveyor 27 extending in an elliptical path along the length of the lug conveyor section. The lug conveyor 27 typically can include spaced chains 28, belts or other similar driving elements, that extend along the path of travel 22 of the products P (FIGS. 1-2 and 4), and about pairs of sprockets 29 and 31 mounted at the opposite upstream and downstream ends 18A/18B of the sub-frame assembly, as indicated in FIGS. 1-2. One of the sprockets 29 typically will be driven by a drive assembly 32 (FIG. 4), which can include a drive shaft 33 connected to a variable speed motor or similar drive to cause the chains 28 of lug conveyor 27, and thus the articulating lug assemblies 11 mounted thereto, to be driven along the path of travel 22 of the products P at varying rates for engaging and feeding various size and/or configuration product groups and cartons. The positioning/location of the overhead packaging machine and operation of the lug conveyor can be controlled via an operator or system control, such as indicated at 25 in FIG. 1.
As additionally illustrated in FIGS. 1-3A, folding rods 35 can be mounted along the sub-frame assembly 18 of the lug conveyor section 16 adjacent the upstream end 18A thereof. Each of the folding rods 35 generally is mounted in a downwardly extending orientation and can include an upstream or entry section 36, an inwardly angled intermediate section 37, and a narrowed distal or rear section 38, as shown in FIG. 3A. As indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3A, the groups of products P, with the cartons C applied thereto, enter the passage 39 defined between the folding rods 35, the sides C′ of the cartons C contact/engage the folding rods 35. This contact/engagement with the folding rods causes the sides C′ of the cartons to be progressively urged downwardly and inwardly toward the sides of the product groups thus folding the carton thereabout as indicated in FIGS. 4-6B.
As illustrated in the FIGS. 1-6B, a series of articulating lug assemblies 11 generally will be mounted at spaced or pitched arrangements along the chains of the lug conveyor. Each of the articulating lug assemblies 11 generally will include a carriage 40 mounted to the spaced chains 28 (FIGS. 4-5) and including a product pusher element 41 adjacent a rear or distal portion thereof. The product pusher element 41 generally can be formed from a lightweight, durable material such as a plastic material, and typically will engage the endmost products P′ of the product group, so as to urge the products forwardly along their path of travel 22 as indicated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6A-6B, while at the same time, the carton C applied to the group of products will be urged along the path of travel 22, by articulating lugs 45 in cooperative movement with the group of products.
As indicated in FIGS. 3A-6B, each of the articulating lugs 45 generally will be pivotally mounted to its carriage 40, with there typically being at least one articulating lug 45 on each side of the carriage 40. Each articulating lug further generally will include a body 46 formed from a rigid, durable material with an upper portion 47 and a curved downwardly projecting lower hooked engaging portion 48. A cam rod or pin 49 (FIG. 4) will be mounted to the upper portion 47 of each articulating lug 45, projecting upwardly therefrom. The cam rods 49 of the articulating lugs 45 generally can be of varying lengths and each will engage one of a pair of cam tracks 51/52 mounted on opposite sides of the chain conveyors 27 as indicated in FIGS. 3B and 5, for controlling the pivoting movement and thus the position of the articulated lugs 45.
As each distal end 53 of the cam pins or rods of each of the articulating lugs moves along its respective cam track 51/52, the articulating lugs can be caused to move between raised, first or non-engaging positions, and second or lowered, engaging positions, with the lower or hooked engaging portion 48 of each of the articulating lugs 45 tending to be curled under a lip or edge L of the rearmost products P′ of the product group being engaged thereby, as shown in FIGS. 4-6B. Such pivoting movement of the articulating lugs enables the lugs to be moved to a position or location where they can remain in operative, pushing engagement with the carton, but will not interfere with the folding rods 35 and/or the carton engaging/locking mechanisms of the packaging system M as the cartons are folded and locked about their product groups, and thereafter enables the actuating lugs 45 to be raised to a non-engaging position out of contact with the cartons and the products being packaged.
FIG. 3B illustrates one example embodiment of the arrangement of the first and second cam tracks 51 and 52 of each pair of cam tracks extending along the lug conveyor section 16 of the overhead packaging machine. The cam tracks generally are spaced apart from each other as they extend along the lower run 60 of the lug conveyor section 16, and can be formed with cam surfaces 61/62 respectively, having differing slopes or orientations. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the cam surfaces 62 of the second or outermost cam tracks 52 of each pair of can tracks generally can be oriented at an angle with respect to the path of travel 22; while the cam surfaces 61 associated with the first or inner cam tracks 51 generally can be substantially parallel with the path of travel 22 of the products and articulating lug assemblies 11, or arranged in another orientation as needed for maintaining the articulating lugs in their non-engaging positions as shown in FIG. 5.
The outermost cam tracks 52 of each pair of cam racks further can be provided along only the lower run 60 of the lug conveyor section 16 as needed, with the cam pins 49 of the articulating lugs 45 being selectively engaged with either first cam track 51 or second cam track 52 to control positioning of the articulating lugs in their first raised or non-engaging position shown in FIGS. 6A-6B or lowered second or engaging position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6A, with the hooked lower portion 48 of each articulating lug 45 fitting under the lid L of products P, and with the lugs of each carriage engaging a rear or trailing edge of the carton for moving the carton C in conjunction with the group of products to which it is applied. The innermost or first cam track 51 generally can extend along both the lower run 60 and the upper run 64 of the lug conveyor section 16 to maintain control of the cam pins 49 of the articulating lugs 45 as the articulating lugs are moved along their elliptical path about the lug conveyor section as indicated in FIGS. 4-5.
Transition guides 65 (FIGS. 3A-3B) and 66 (FIGS. 1-2) generally are mountable along the sub-frame 18 of the lug conveyor 16, adjacent the upstream and downstream ends thereof. As FIG. 3B illustrates, the transition guides each include a shortened transitional cam track section 67 within a mounting bracket 68. The mounting brackets can be releasably attached to side plates 26 such as by clamps, set screws or other fastening mechanisms 69 to enable change-out of the transition guides as needed. Alternatively, the track sections can be releasably mounted within their brackets 68 by fastening mechanisms 69 to enable change-out of cam track sections 67 as needed. The cam track section 67 of each transition guide extends between the first and second cam tracks 51 and 52 of each pair of cam tracks for transitioning the cam pins 49 of the articulating lugs 45 between the first or inner cam tracks 51 and the second or outer cam tracks 52. As the cam pins transition to the second cam tracks 52, the articulating lugs are caused to pivot toward their engaging positions into contact with the cartons as shown in FIGS. 5-6B, and as the cam pins 49 are transitioned back to the first or inner cam tracks 51, the articulating lugs are caused to pivot or move toward their non-engaging positions out of contact with the cartons C as indicated in FIG. 1.
In addition, a forward cam guide section 70 (FIGS. 1-3B) can be provided along the proximal or forward end 18A of the sub-frame 18 of the lug conveyor section 16. This forward cam guide section 70 can be formed as a change-part that can be mountable to the sub-frame 18 along the forward ends of side plates 26. For example, the forward cam guide section 70, and the transition guides 61, which likewise can be formed as change-parts, each can be releasably mountable along the side plates 26 by various fastening mechanisms 71, such as locking bolts, clamps, or other, similar releasable connectors. As shown in FIG. 3B, the forward cam guide section 70 further includes a cam track section 73 that generally comprises an extension of cam track 51, extending from the forward end 18A of sub-frame 18 to the transition guide 61 for guiding the cam pins 49 of the articulating lugs 45 to the transition guides.
The forward cam guide section 70 also can be removed/changed as needed to guide the cam pins of the articulated lugs along different paths. For example, for running full length cartons that substantially completely cover the product groups, the articulating lugs 45 may not be needed to move the cartons, and thus, the forward cam guide section 70 could be replaced with a cam track that maintains the cam pins within the first cam track 51, such that the articulating lugs maintained in a raised, non-engaging orientation. Thereafter, as needed for running smaller dimension cartons, the forward cam guide section 70 could be changed-out to provide for the transition of the cam pins of the articulating lugs to the second cam track 52.
During operation of the overhead packing machine 10 (FIG. 1) with articulating lug assemblies 11, after application of the carton C to the upper surface of a group of products P, the group of products will be urged forwardly with this movement along the product conveyor 5 by the product pusher element 41 of each of the lug assemblies 11. The articulating lugs 45 on each side of the articulating lug assemblies further generally will be lowered to an initial engaging position whereby they will engage the cartons so as to urge/move the carton forwardly at the same time as and in conjunction with the group of products being urged forwardly by the product pusher element 41. This operation is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6B, in which articulating lugs 45 are shown moving between their non-engaging and engaging positions. While two adjacent lugs are shown in FIGS. 6A-6B, it will be understood that these figures are schematically illustrating the movement of the lugs and only one set of articulating lugs (including one articulating lug mounted on each side carriage for engaging the cartons on each side of the group of products) is needed and generally will be used.
As shown in FIG. 1, as each group of products P and their applied cartons C approach the folding rods 35, the cam pins of the articulating lugs generally will be transitioned to and received along the second or outermost cam tracks 51. The cam pins are thus directed outwardly and are urged downwardly as they move along their respective second cam tracks 52, causing the articulating lugs 45 to be pivoted downwardly and inwardly toward the sides of the products, as indicated in FIGS. 5-6B. As a result, the articulating lugs are moved away from a position where they could engage the folding rods, while their contact with their engaged carton C is maintained as the product group also continues to move forwardly along its path of travel, as indicated by arrow 22 (FIGS. 6A-6B). Thereafter, the folding rods 35 will engage and progressively urge the sides C′ of the carton C downwardly and inwardly toward the sides of the product grouping.
As the group of products, with its applied carton being at least partially folded thereabout, continues forwardly along its path of travel, the lower ends of the carton typically are engaged and further folded, and locking elements of the carton are engaged by folding and tab engaging mechanisms (not shown) of the packaging system M therebelow (FIG. 1) so as to lock or fix the carton in a secure position wrapped about the group of products. Thereafter, as the group of products with the carton wrapped thereabout approaches the distal or downstream end 18A of the overhead packaging machine 10, the cam pins of the articulating lugs are transitioned along transition guides 66 back to the first or inner cam tracks 51. As the cam pins move along the cam tracks of transition guides 66 and onto/along their cam tracks 51, the cam pins generally are urged upwardly and inwardly, which in turn causes the articulating lugs to be pivoted outwardly and upwardly, away from the sides of the product groups. This ensures that the articulating lugs will be displaced from engaging or otherwise interfering with the release of the wrapped products from the packaging machine as the articulating lug assemblies are rotated upwardly and moved along a return path of travel along the upper side of the lug conveyor section by the lug conveyor.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate and understand that, according to common practice, the various features of the invention shown in the drawings and discussed above are not necessarily drawn to scale, and that dimensions of various features and elements of the drawings may be expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention described herein. In addition while the present invention is shown as packaging one example type of product grouping or pack, such as a 6-8 pack of attached yogurt containers or tubs in a single layer or row, other, varying size and configuration product cartons and packaging also can be run. For example, multiple rows or layers of stacked products, such as multiple rows of stacked yogurt tubs, cans, etc., also can be packaged utilizing the system of the present invention.
The foregoing description generally illustrates and describes various embodiments of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes can be made to the above-discussed construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as disclosed herein, and that it is further intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense. Furthermore, the scope of the present disclosure shall be construed to cover various modifications, combinations, alterations, etc. of the above-described embodiments, which shall be considered to be within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, various features and characteristics of the present invention as discussed herein may be selectively interchanged and applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiments of the present invention.
Patent Application
20130111855
