Graphic Packaging International, Inc.

Riverwood International Corporation

Colin P Ford

Frank N Moncrief

John Murdick Holley, Jr

Jean-Manuel Gomes

Raymond S Kastanek

Mark Baldino

O'Neal Alexander

Michael R Schmal

Michael Cerio

Thomas A Rice

David F Warner

Raymond Rudolph Spivey, Sr

Robert L Sutherland

Ana Gonzalez

Jon Thompson

James C Fogle

Kevin T May

Raymond R Spivey

Patrick James DeBusk

Emili Requena

Edward W Jones

Steven Brown

Matthew Sundquist

Robert Harold Irvine

Li Yang

Jeff A Disrud

Jason C Anderson

Jared B Barber

Brian Smalley

Kelly W Ziegler

Kirsten Laura Brand

Allen L Olson

Mark Zammit

Dwight L Smith

David R Bacco

James W Emerson

Charles McNamara

Carl J Taute

Daniel J Keefe

Cory E Hawley

Cory Hawley

James C Fogel

John Murdick Holley

O'neal Alexander

Carrier for containers

A method of loading articles in cartons. The method can comprise moving a carton in a generally flat configuration in a downstream direction with a carton opening carousel, at least partially opening the carton while moving the carton with the carton opening carousel, and transferring the carton from the carton opening carousel to a carton loading carousel in a transfer region. The transferring the carton can comprise moving the carton in an upstream direction. The method further can comprise loading a plurality of articles into the carton while moving the carton in a downstream direction with the carton loading carousel.

Packaging system

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier includes a plurality of panels including an attachment panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the attachment panel, and a second side panel foldably connected to the attachment panel, container retention features including a plurality of container openings in the attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, and locking features for maintaining a secure engagement of the carrier with the plurality of containers, the locking features including at least one locking tab foldably connected to one of the first side panel and the second side panel, and at least one locking cut at least partially receiving the at least one locking tab, the at least one locking cut positioned in the other of the first side panel and the second side panel.

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers, the carrier including a plurality of panels having at least one attachment panel configured to receive a portion of one or more containers of the plurality of containers, at least one side panel, and at least one top panel, and locking features for maintaining an erected configuration of the carrier, the locking features including at least one male locking feature extending from a respective panel of the plurality of panels being at least partially received in a respective at least one female locking feature at least partially defined in a respective panel of the plurality of panels.

A method of at least partially forming packages. The method comprises moving a blank and a plurality of articles in a downstream direction through a clipping station. The blank can comprise at least a first attachment panel, a second attachment panel, and a keel portion extending from the first attachment panel to the second attachment panel. The method further can comprise forming a clipped assembly by clipping the first attachment panel and the second attachment panel of the blank to respective articles of the plurality of articles during the moving the blank and the plurality of articles through the clipping station and forming a keel by moving articles of the plurality of articles toward one another and folding the keel portion of the blank between the articles as the clipped assembly is moved in the downstream direction.

Method and system for attaching articles to a carrier

A method for processing at least one blank for forming a carrier for containers includes obtaining at least one blank including a central panel having plurality of container openings and at least one container retention tab extending into respective container openings of the plurality of container openings. The method further includes inserting the at least one blank into a blank infeed assembly, moving the at least one blank from the infeed assembly to a blank processing assembly, the blank processing assembly having a forming belt and a forming wheel, moving the at least one blank between the forming belt and the forming wheel, and moving the at least one blank to a product engagement portion of the blank processing assembly such that the at least one blank is positioned for engagement with a group of containers.

Methods and systems for preparing blanks for forming carriers for containers

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes an attachment panel having a plurality of container retention openings for at least partially receiving respective containers of the plurality of containers, and container retention features including the plurality of container retention openings and at least one container retention tab in at least partial face-to-face contact with the attachment panel and for being positioned between adjacent containers of the plurality of containers to urge the plurality of containers into engagement with the attachment panel.

An article packaging machine and method or turning article packs, the article packaging machine having a turner station for turning article packs moving though the packaging machine. The packaging machine includes a main conveyor extending longitudinally from an upstream end to a downstream end and through the turning station. Article packs are carried by the main conveyor spaced and sequentially in the downstream direction through the turner station. The turner station includes flight drive assembly having multiple flight assemblies. The flight assemblies are driven above upper cam plates in the upstream direction, and below lower cam plates in the downstream direction. The flight assemblies include turner rods that are moved toward the main conveyor to contact the article pack in at least two points. The turner rods progressively move toward the main conveyor center line until the distal ends of the turner rods are moved past the article pack side walls and the pack is turned 90 degrees.

Continuous motion packaging machine with carton turning station

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a plurality of panels forming a front portion, a back portion, and a central portion extending from the front portion to the back portion, the front portion having a front attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, the back portion having a back attachment panel for at least partially receiving a respective container of the plurality of containers, the central portion having a central panel, and locking features for maintaining an erected configuration of the carrier, the locking features including at least one male locking feature extending from a respective panel of the plurality of panels and being at least partially received in a respective at least one female locking feature at least partially defined in a respective panel of the plurality of panels.

A carton for holding a plurality of containers includes a plurality of panels extending at least partially around an interior of the carton, the plurality of panels including a top panel, a bottom panel, and at least one side panel, and a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to a respective panel of the plurality of panels and forming at least one closed end of the carton, the plurality of end flaps including at least one top end flap, at least one bottom end flap, and at least one side end flap. The carton includes attachment features for attaching the carton to at least one other carton, the attachment features including at least one attachment flap removably connected to an end flap of the plurality of end flaps for attaching the carton to a portion of the at least one other carton.

Carton with attachment features

Growing community of inventors

Woodstock, GA, United States of America

Colin P Ford