Granted Patent B2

US 12,269,629 · App. 17/631,293 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Inventors: Philippe Jean Marie Duperray (Châteauroux, FR); Wim DeKocker (Leuven, BE)

Assignee: Anheuser-Busch InBev S.A.

B65B11/004B65B5/024B65B11/08B65B21/24B65B35/30B65B43/10B65B43/126B65B43/145B65B49/08B65B59/001B65B2210/04

Abstract

Claims (16)

1. A packaging apparatus for in-line packaging wrapping of a foldable blank around a receiving load that is simultaneously dropped onto a loading space of the foldable blank, the apparatus comprising:

a support adapted to receive a supply of one or more foldable blanks, the support comprising a support frame supported onto two or more parallel longitudinal rails positioned generally transversal to a direction of supply of foldable blanks;

an article loading mechanism to load a group of articles onto the loading space defined onto the foldable blank received onto the support;

an erecting mechanism comprising a plurality of generally spaced apart generally vertically operating lugs, positioned onto one or more sides of the support frame, and at a height lower than the longitudinal rails, wherein said vertical lugs are adapted to perform a generally vertically upward movement engaging and erecting at least one side of the foldable blank around the articles already loaded onto the foldable blank, wherein the support frame comprises a foldable or collapsible deck supported horizontal for receiving the foldable blank; wherein the foldable or collapsible deck comprises a plurality of parallel elongated segments moveably configured transversal to the direction of supply of foldable blanks; the foldable or collapsible deck is configured to form a flush, flat, load bearing, support surface, wherein the support frame is foldable or collapsible upon moving the longitudinal rails towards each other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the width of the support frame is adapted, in accordance with varying dimensions of the foldable blank, by moving the longitudinal rails towards and/or away from each other.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the foldable or collapsible deck comprises one or more foldable lattice support linkages or a foldable origami-like, or Miura fold-based support structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support frame comprises suction devices for attaching the foldable blank.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support and/or the erecting mechanism are wirelessly powered and wirelessly controlled.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support is movingly positioned onto a closed loop linear track through one or more independently motion controlled movers movingly configured onto the each of the longitudinal rails.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an locating mechanism for positioning the foldable blank onto the support.

8. Use of the apparatus of claim 1 in a packaging plant for packaging beverage containers.

9. A method for in-line packaging wrapping of a foldable blank around a receiving load that is simultaneously dropped onto a loading space of the foldable blank, comprising steps of

supplying of one or more foldable blanks onto a support comprising a support frame supported onto two or more parallel longitudinal rails positioned generally transversal to a direction of supply of foldable blanks;

loading a group of articles onto the loading space defined onto the foldable blank received onto the support;

erecting at least one side of the foldable blank around the articles already loaded onto the foldable blank by way of an erecting mechanism comprising a plurality of generally spaced apart vertical lugs, positioned onto one or more sides of the support frame, and at a height lower than the longitudinal rails, wherein the support frame comprises a foldable or collapsible deck supported horizontal for receiving the foldable blank; wherein the foldable or collapsible deck comprises a plurality of parallel elongated segments moveably configured transversal to the direction of supply of foldable blanks; the foldable or collapsible deck is configured to form a flush, flat, load bearing, support surface, wherein the support frame is foldable or collapsible upon moving the longitudinal rails towards each other.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the width of the support frame is adapted, in accordance with varying dimensions of the foldable blank, by moving the longitudinal rails towards and/or away from each other.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (273)