Packaging machine for packaging containers and lids

1. An apparatus for use in packaging containers and associated lids together, the apparatus comprising:

a moveable gantry including a first support portion and a second support portion alongside the first support portion, the first and second support portions sized and configured to support the containers and the lids;

a container path along which containers are directed to the gantry; and

a lid path along which lids are directed to the gantry;

the gantry having a first orientation in which the first support portion is aligned with the container path to receive containers and the second support portion is aligned with the lid path to receive lids, and a second orientation in which the gantry is repositioned such that the first support portion is aligned with the lid path to receive lids and the second support portion is aligned with the container path to receive containers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising

at least one loading mechanism for moving containers and lids along their respective paths and into the gantry;

a gantry drive for moving the gantry between the first orientation and the second orientation; and

a control associated with the loading mechanism and the gantry drive, the control operable to cause the following operations

(i) cause the gantry drive to place the gantry in the first orientation and cause the loading mechanism to load containers into the first support portion and lids into the second support portion; and

(ii) subsequent to operation (i), cause the gantry drive to place the gantry in the second orientation and cause the loading mechanism to load lids into the first support portion and containers into the second support portion, such that the first support portion includes a series of containers followed by a series of lids and the second support portion includes a series of lids followed by a series of containers.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a gantry unload mechanism for moving containers and lids out of the first and second support portions at an exit side of the gantry that is opposite a loading side of the gantry, the control associated with the gantry unload mechanism, the control operable such that

(iii) subsequent to operation (ii), the gantry unload mechanism moves the containers and lids out of the first and second support portions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the gantry is an upstream gantry, the apparatus further comprising a downstream gantry located to receive the containers and lids when moved out of the upstream gantry by the gantry unload mechanism.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a gripper to grasp and move the containers and lids from the downstream gantry, the control operable to control the gripper.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:

a conveyor mechanism including multiple, spaced apart receiving slots that travel past an exit side of the downstream gantry, the control associated with the conveyor mechanism for movement thereof, the control operable such that

(iv) the conveyor is stopped and, subsequent to operation (iii), the gantry unload mechanism unloads containers and lids from the downstream gantry into spaced apart receiving slots.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the gantry drive includes a belt operatively connected to the gantry to move the gantry between the first and second orientations, the belt located outside a loading zone defined by respective entry paths into the first and second support portions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the gantry is rotated about an axis of rotation, the belt drive rotating the gantry between the first and second orientations.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the control causes the gantry drive to rotate the gantry about 180 degrees between the first and second orientations.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an elongated brush extending along a length of each support portion, the brush having an array of bristles arranged and configured to positively engage containers and lids.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cartoner station where stacks of arranged containers and lids are placed within a receptacle.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a wrapping station where the stacks and receptacle are wrapped with a plastic film.

13. An apparatus for use in packaging containers and associated lids together, the apparatus comprising:

a container path;

a lid path alongside the container path;

a moveable support member having a first orientation in which a first support portion is aligned with the container path to receive containers and a second support portion is aligned with the lid path to receive lids, and a second orientation in which the moveable support member is repositioned such that the first support portion is aligned with the lid path to receive lids and the second support portion is aligned with the container path to receive containers.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising

at least one loading mechanism for moving containers and lids along their respective paths and into the moveable support member; and

a drive for moving the moveable support member between the first orientation and the second orientation.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising

a control associated with the loading mechanism and the drive, the control operable to cause the following operations

(i) cause the drive to place the moveable support member in the first orientation and cause the loading mechanism to load containers into the first support portion and lids into the second support portion; and

(ii) subsequent to operation (i), cause the drive to place the moveable support member in the second orientation and cause the loading mechanism to load lids into the first support portion and containers into the second support portion, such that the first support portion includes a series of containers followed by a series of lids and the second support portion includes a series of lids followed by a series of containers.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising an unload mechanism for moving containers and lids out of the first and second support portions at an exit side of the moveable support member that is opposite a loading side of the moveable support member, the control associated with the unload mechanism, the control operable such that

(iii) subsequent to operation (ii), the unload mechanism moves the containers and lids out of the first and second support portions.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the moveable support member is an upstream moveable support member, the apparatus further comprising a downstream moveable support member located to receive the containers and lids when moved out of the upstream moveable support member by the unload mechanism.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a gripper to grasp and move the containers and lids from the downstream moveable support member, the control operable to control the gripper.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

a conveyor mechanism including multiple, spaced apart receiving slots that travel past an exit side of the downstream moveable support member, the control associated with the conveyor mechanism for movement thereof, the control operable such that

(iv) the conveyor is stopped and, subsequent to operation (iii), the unload mechanism unloads containers and lids from the downstream moveable support member into spaced apart receiving slots.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the drive includes a belt operatively connected to the moveable support member to move the moveable support member between the first and second orientations, the belt located outside a loading zone defined by respective entry paths into the first and second support portions.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the moveable support member is rotated about an axis of rotation, the drive rotating the moveable support member between the first and second orientations using the belt.