Graphic Packaging International, Inc.

Riverwood International Corporation

Other

Kevin T May

Colin P Ford

Jean-Manuel Gomes

Robert L Sutherland

Ana Gonzalez

Emili Requena

Mark Zammit

Edward W Jones

Matthew Sundquist

Kelly W Ziegler

Raymond R Spivey

Douglas R Hicks

James C Fogle

Kirsten Laura Brand

Gary J Vulgamore

Cory E Hawley

Scott Parker

James W McCoy

Carrier for containers

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a top retainer formed from a top container retention blank including a top attachment panel for at least partially receiving the plurality of containers, and a bottom retainer formed from a bottom container retention blank including a bottom attachment panel for being attached to the plurality of containers and having a plurality of bottom container retention tabs foldably connected to the bottom attachment panel and at least partially separable from the bottom attachment panel for being attached to a respective container of the plurality of containers, the top attachment panel is free from attachment to the bottom attachment panel.

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes 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 top panel, and at least one handle panel foldably connected to the at least one top panel. The carrier also includes a handle formed from the at least one handle panel, the handle is positionable between a first position wherein the at least one handle panel is generally parallel to the at least one top panel, and a second position in which the at least one handle panel is folded relative to the at least one top panel and is positioned for grasping and carrying of the carrier.

Handled carrier for containers

An apparatus for faulting a carton containing a group of articles and a method of forming a carton. The apparatus comprises an article positioning system for positioning articles into a plurality of groups of articles and moving the groups of articles along a processing path, a blank handling apparatus for conveying a plurality of carton blanks towards the plurality of groups of articles, and a folding mechanism that is downstream of the blank handling apparatus for folding a portion of the ends of each respective carton blank downwardly around the respective group of articles.

Apparatus and method for forming a carton

A carrier that is at least partially holding a plurality of containers. The carrier can include a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, a first top panel foldably connected to the first side panel, and a second top panel foldably connected to the second side panel. At least one container-receiving feature extends in at least the bottom panel. The at least one container-receiving feature can at least partially receive at least one container of the plurality of containers. At least one retention flap is foldably connected to the first top panel or the second top panel. The at least one retention flap engages at least a portion of a flange of at least one container.

Method of forming a carrier for containers

An apparatus for forming a carton containing a group of articles and a method of forming a carton. The apparatus comprises an article positioning system for positioning articles into a plurality of groups of articles and moving the groups of articles along a processing path, a blank handling apparatus for conveying a plurality of carton blanks towards the plurality of groups of articles, and a folding mechanism that is downstream of the blank handling apparatus for folding a portion of the ends of each respective carton blank downwardly around the respective group of articles.

A carrier for holding a plurality of articles. The carrier comprises a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels can comprise a first top panel foldably connected to a second top panel and a back panel. The second top panel can be oblique with respect to the first top panel and the back panel. A crown retention feature can be in the back panel adjacent the first top panel for at least partially receiving a top portion of a first article of the plurality of articles. A crown receiving opening can be in the second top panel spaced apart from the first top panel for at least partially receiving a top portion of a second article of the plurality of articles so that the top portion of the second article extends at least partially through the crown receiving opening.

Package for containers

A carrier for holding a plurality of articles. The carrier includes a plurality of panels including at least a bottom panel. A retention tab can be for engaging at least a portion of an article of the plurality of articles and can be foldably connected to at least the bottom panel adjacent an opening in at least the bottom panel. The retention tab can include a distal portion foldably connected to a first proximal portion along a first fold line and to a second proximal portion along a second fold line. The first fold line can be spaced apart from the second fold line. The distal portion can be generally spaced apart from the bottom panel for engaging at least a bottom portion of the at least one article, and each of the first and second proximal portions can extend from the bottom panel to the distal portion.

Carton with retention features

A carton with locking sections comprises a male panel section and a female panel section. The male panel section has an edge with protruding wings, and edge tabs are formed along the edge portion inboard of the wings. The female section has a pair of females configured to receive and interlock with the males. For locking the sections together, the edge tabs are hooked beneath the edge of the female section and the males extend over the top of the female section and are pressed and locked into the females. With this arrangement, the two sections are securely locked together with the edge tabs preventing the sections from moving toward one another and the males and females preventing them moving away from each other. The sections thus do not tend to disengage during transport or as containers of product within the carton are sequentially removed.

Carton with locking sections

A carton feeder assembly is disclosed for selecting or picking carton blanks from the end of a stack of blanks in a magazine. The assembly includes a magazine and conveyor for moving stacks of carton blanks toward a carton feeder assembly. A support shaft assembly is disposed at the downstream end of the magazine and includes a support shaft against which the forwardmost carton blank in the stack leans and rests to support the stack of carton blanks. The support shaft is eccentrically rotatably mounted and driven by a motor so that the support shaft oscillates rapidly as it is rotated. This motion of the support shaft keeps the forwardmost blank of the stack spaced slightly from and out of contact with the support shaft for a significant majority of the time, thus reducing substantially the average friction between the forwardmost blank and the support shaft. Thus, the forwardmost blank can gripped with suction cups of the feeder assembly, which can then be moved to slide the forwardmost blank from beneath the support shaft and off of the stack of blanks with very little frictional resistance. The suction cups thus stay attached to the blank and do not tend to slide off due to shear forces developed in overcoming frictional resistance.

Carton feeder having friction reducing support shaft

A wrap for a microwavable container, such as a cup with a removable lid, the wrap having a separable hinged portion to allow the lid of the container to be removed. The separable portion can then be returned to its original position, and the wrap and enclosed container heated in a microwave oven. During heating, the wrap remains relatively cool to the touch, so that the wrap and container can be removed from the oven by grasping the wrap, without contacting the hot exterior of the container.

Protective wrap for microwavable container

An article packaging machine includes a trailing article pusher assembly for pushing the trailing articles of a packaging production run down infeed conveyer lanes and through workstations of the packaging machine so that the trailing articles can be packaged. The pusher assembly comprises a pusher chain that is flexible in one direction to allow the chain to be coiled upon itself and generally inflexible in the other direction beyond a substantially straight configuration of the chain. A pusher block is attached to a free end of the pusher chain. The pusher chain is normally stowed on a take-up magazine beside its associated infeed lane during a packaging operation. When the trailing articles of a production run approach the workstations of the packaging machine, a gate opens to allow the pusher chain and its pusher block to be extended into the infeed lane behind the last trailing article. A drive sprocket engaged with the pusher chain is rotated to extend the chain and its pusher block into the infeed lane until the pusher block engages and exerts a pushing force on the last trailing article. Continued rotation of the drive sprocket further extends the pusher chain and pushes the trailing articles through the workstations of the packaging machine until the trailing articles are packaged. The drive sprocket is then reversed in direction to retract the pusher chain from the infeed lane and coil it in its stowed position on the take-up magazine.

Carton packaging machine having trailing article pusher assemblies

A new type of secondary locking system for article carriers consisting of at least one secondary male lock with two shoulders that is attached by a neck to the edge of a outer flap on the carrier for use with a primary locking system. An inner flap has a secondary female opening for each secondary male lock. The secondary female opening is formed by a secondary cut line and fold line with the center of the fold line projecting towards the edge of the flap while of the center of the secondary cut line projects away from the edge of the flap to guide the secondary male lock into a flat position against the inside of the inner flap. The shoulders on the secondary male lock are engaged against locking ledges along the extensions of the secondary cut line. A pair of slits may be formed at the end of the fold lines that project inwardly to allow the secondary male lock to slide into a flat position. This locking system is especially useful in wrapping containers that have a flat bottom that would interfere with conventional locking systems.

Growing community of inventors

Kennesaw, GA, United States of America

Kevin T May