Methods and apparatus for filling a container with a pouch and a flowable food product

摘要

Methods and apparatus for tilting and filling a carton with a pouch and a flowable food product are described. The carton can be tilted prior to filling in order to minimize a void between the pouch and a sidewall of the carton. The carton is pivoted to a tilted orientation, such that the sidewall includes a lowermost inclined segment. The pouch is then inserted into the carton either prior to or after pivoting the carton to the tilted orientation so that the pouch can substantially rest against the inclined segment. The flowable food product is then at partially deposited into the carton, such that the flowable food product substantially fills in next to the pouch instead of between the pouch and the inclined segment. After a sufficient height of flowable food product has been deposited into the carton, the carton can be returned to a vertical orientation and closed.

主权项

1. A method of placing an insert and a flowable food product into a container, the method comprising:
transporting a container in an upright orientation in a downstream direction with a conveyor, the container having a closed bottom with an upstanding sidewall defining an interior accessible through an open top; moving the container from the upright orientation to a tilted orientation when the container is at a different position in the downstream direction so that there is an inclined segment of the sidewall; placing a generally planar insert into the interior of the container either prior to or after the step of moving the container to the titled orientation so that the insert can substantially rest against the inclined segment of the sidewall; and at least partially filling the interior of the container with a flowable food product while the container is in the tilted orientation and after the step of placing the generally planar insert into the interior of the container.