Machine for packaging articles into cartons

摘要

A packaging machine (10) for continuously packaging articles (B) comprising a first conveyor line (23), a second conveyor line (22a, 22b, 22c) and a transfer mechanism (26a, 26b) which transfers articles (B) from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line into a primary or intermediate carton (C) or transfers primary or intermediate cartons (C) from a second conveyor line to the articles (B) and a second transfer mechanism which transfers packaged articles (B) in said primary or intermediate cartons (C) from the first conveyor line to the second conveyor line to be packaged in secondary or final cartons (T) or transfers articles (B) from the first conveyor to the second conveyor to be packaged directly in the secondary or final cartons (T) or which second transfer mechanism is adapted for reorientation of articles (B) or packaged articles (B) in said primary or intermediate cartons (C) or which second transfer mechanism is idle allowing primary or intermediate cartons to pass for further processing.

主权项

1. A packaging machine having plural modes of operation for continuously packaging articles into cartons of different types comprising:
a first processing line for receiving articles from an incoming stream; a second processing line for receiving empty cartons from a feeder and defining a direction of carton flow; a third processing line for receiving tertiary cartons from a hopper; a first handling device for transferring either articles or empty cartons between the first and second processing lines depending upon the mode of operation of the machine, wherein the first handling device includes a tool head mounted for controlled linear acceleration in the direction of carton flow to match a velocity of the cartons that the tool head is to engage for transfer, and for articulated movement in a direction transverse to the direction of carton flow to transfer engaged cartons from one processing line to another; and a second handling device downstream from the first handling device for transferring either articles or secondary packages consisting of articles in cartons between the first and third processing lines depending upon the mode of operation of the machine, wherein the second handling device includes a tool head mounted for controlled linear acceleration in the direction of carton flow to match a velocity of the secondary packages that the tool head is to engage for transfer, and for articulated movement in a direction transverse to the direction of carton flow to transfer engaged secondary packages from one processing line to another; wherein the machine is configured to operate in a first mode of operation in which empty cartons from the feeder are engaged by the tool head of the first handling device while it is moving in the direction of carton flow and transferred by the tool head of the first handling device from the second processing line to the first processing line to receive a group of articles therein from the incoming stream to form secondary packages on the first processing line, which secondary packages are engaged by the tool head of the second handling device while it is moving in the direction of carton flow and transferred by the tool head of the second handling device from the first processing line to the third processing line, where a retarder groups plural secondary cartons together for application of tertiary cartons from the hopper thereto so as to form tertiary packages of plural secondary cartons, and wherein the machine is configured to operate in a second mode of operation in which articles from the incoming stream are transferred from the first processing line into empty cartons on the second processing line by the tool head of the first handling device to form secondary packages on the second processing line, which secondary packages are engaged by the tool head of the second handling device and transferred by the tool head of the second handling device from the second processing line to the third processing line, where the retarder groups plural secondary cartons together prior to the application of a tertiary carton from the hopper thereto so as to form a tertiary package of plural secondary packages, and wherein the machine is configured to operate in a third mode of operation in which articles from the incoming stream are engaged by and transferred from the first processing line by either the tool head of the first handling device or the tool head of the second handling device to the third processing line for direct application of tertiary cartons from the hopper to groups of the articles.