Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC

Westrock Packaging Systems, LLC

Meadwestvaco Corporation

John W Cash, Iii

Michael F Flagg

Rafe T Patterson

Jeffrey G Jacob

Nathaniel B Ball

Larry Chuba

John Hotchkiss

Patrick King

Keenan W Haley

Alan P Martin

A carton includes a first panel and a second panel in overlying relationship with each other so as to form a composite wall and a handle structure formed in the composite wall. The handle structure includes a first end portion formed from the first panel, a grip portion extending from the first end portion into an access opening in the composite wall and a second end portion disposed under the first panel and coupled to the grip portion.

Carton and carton blank and a handle structure therefor

A carton () includes a first panel () and a second panel () in overlying relationship with each other so as to form a composite wall and a handle structure (H) formed in the composite wall. The handle structure includes a first end portion formed from the first panel, a grip portion () extending from the first end portion into an access opening (A,A,A) in the composite wall and a second end portion disposed under the first panel and coupled to the grip portion.

A packaging apparatus in an automated packaging process, for sealing a carton having minor flaps and a bottom end flap, comprising: means for holding the minor flaps in a closed position; and a cycle stop compression plate for, upon the occurrence of a cycle stop operation, folding the bottom end flap over the minor flaps and holding the bottom end flap in place until the carton is sealed.

Packaging machine with pivoting minor flap retainer

A loading apparatus for loading blister cards into sleeves includes a blister card magazine for receiving a stack of blister cards and a sleeve magazine for receiving a stack of sleeves. A loading conveyor moves a lug along a path to load a blister card into a sleeve. A gate releasably retains the sleeve in a loading position as the blister card is loaded into the sleeve. The loading apparatus also includes a hopper that facilitates loading sleeves into the sleeve magazine and sensors that ensure the blister cards are properly loaded into sleeves.

Loading apparatus

An apparatus for forming an end closure structure of a carton. The end closure structure is formed from minor end flaps and major end flaps. The apparatus includes a carton conveyor for transferring the carton in a flow direction along a carton conveyor path, a major end flap retaining guide assembly for retaining the major end flaps in an outwardly upright position, a minor end flap retaining guide assembly for retaining the minor end flaps in an inwardly folded position, and a gluing station for applying adhesive to the major and minor end flaps.

Packaging machine with gluing station and folding station

A packaging machine having a folding apparatus for closing an end of an end loaded carton that includes leading and trailing side end flaps. The packaging machine includes a carton conveyor for transporting a carton in a flow direction along a carton path. The folding apparatus includes a lug assembly that has at least one folding lug that travels along an endless lug path. The folding lug travels in the flow direction and in parallel to the carton path along at least a portion of the lug path such that the folding lug can operate in concert with separation guide and a combination guide to fold the leading and trailing side end flaps in the desired sequence.

Packaging machine with folding apparatus

A packaging machine () includes a lane assembly () that includes one or more lanes (L) which guide cylindrical articles (B), such as cans or bottles, across a series of substantially parallel conveyors. The lane assembly () includes an adjustable guide bar () which defines an adjustable portion (V) of the lane (L) that can be adjusted to adapt to the diameter of articles (B). The lane assembly () also includes lane extensions () that can be adjusted to control the position of rows or articles (B) as the articles (B) exit the lanes (L) onto a conveyor ().

Adjustable lane assembly

An infeed station for conveying and positioning a stack of carton blanks for sequential removal by a carton feeder, for automatically adjusting the rate of advancement of the carton blanks to compensate for excessive tilting and gaps between the carton blanks, and for providing alerts to signal the need for operator intervention or automatic shutdown. The infeed station includes a hopper and a magazine that receives carton blanks from the hopper. The magazine includes a sensing mechanism including a control sensor and a warning sensor mounted in proximity to the carton blanks in the infeed station, and a processor that, according to a condition signaled by the sensing mechanism, controls the rate at which advancing belts advance a queue of carton blanks toward the magazine.

Carton magazine with control sensor

A plunger assembly () is disposed on the access side of a conveyor (). The conveyor () has a conveying surface upon which it transports articles by moving the conveying surface in a direction of flow (F). The plunger assembly () is mounted overhead vertically with respect to the conveying surface of the conveyor () such that sufficient clearance below the plunger assembly () is maintained to provide an access space through which the conveyor () and mechanisms and elements thereof can be accessed. Further, the plunger assembly () may be mounted both above and at least partially offset horizontally from the conveyor surface of the conveyor (), such that no operative portion of the plunger assembly () breaks the plane (C) of the conveyor surface.

Offset overhead plunger

A stabilized and guided conveyor belt () includes multiple transport chains () and interchangeable conveyor plates () that form the surface of the conveyor belt (). The conveyor plates () can be easily attached independently of one another in a side by side fashion onto the transport chains () and are readily detachable from the transport chains () to facilitate replacement or rearrangement. Certain of the plates () function selectively as a platform on which to mount accessories such as lug members () and include means for receiving () accessories and for locking () accessories into place. The conveyor belt () is guided and supported by a smooth rail (). Both the plate () and the rail () include interacting stabilizing features () that cooperate to prevent buckling and rippling of the transport chain ().

Stabilized guided conveyor belt with multiple base chains and interchangeable conveyor plates

A packaging machine () includes a lane assembly () that includes one or more lanes (L) which guide cylindrical articles (B), such as cans or bottles, across a series of substantially parallel conveyors. The lane assembly () includes an adjustable guide bar () which defines an adjustable portion (V) of the lane (L) that can be adjusted to adapt to the diameter of articles (B). The lane assembly () also includes lane extensions () that can be adjusted to control the position of rows of articles (B) as the articles (B) exit the lanes (L) onto a conveyor ().

A carrier chain includes an attachment link with a wing to limit the tilt of a support member. The wing extends from a base portion of a plate of the attachment link toward a plate of a pin link. When the attachment link begins to rotate in reaction to a force that is applied to the support member, the lower edge of the wing contacts upper edge of the plate of the pin link such that the adjacent roller link is constrained to be generally in line and to rotate with the attachment link. By extending the pitch between reaction rollers that contact upper and lower surfaces of a guide track, the attachment link restricts the rotational displacement of the support member.

Carrier chain with an improved link

A locking mechanism is provided for releasably securing a grouper lug to a conveyor plate in a packaging machine conveyor belt assembly. The locking mechanism includes a cantilever arm that is disposed in a base wall of the grouper lug which defines a locking surface. The cantilever arm is defined by a channel that is formed in the base wall. A detent is disposed at the distal end of the cantilever arm and protrudes from the locking surface. An elongated key is integral to the base wall of the grouper lug and can be slidably received by a groove that is integral to the conveyor plate. The conveyor plate includes an aperture or depression that receives the detent to releasably secure the grouper lug to the conveyor plate.

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, GA, United States of America

John W Cash, Iii