	US 12,187,471 B2
	Fruit packaging tray, apparatus and process
Robert Craig, Pukekohe (NZ); Mark Roche, Pukekohe (NZ); Simon Craig, Pukekohe (NZ); and Michael Powick, Waitara (NZ)
Assigned to PUNCHBOWL AUTOMATION IP LIMITED, Pukekohe (NZ)
Appl. No. 17/624,604
Filed by PUNCHBOWL AUTOMATION IP LIMITED, Pukekohe (NA)
PCT Filed May 13, 2020, PCT No. PCT/NZ2020/050052 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 4, 2022, PCT Pub. No. WO2020/231276, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 19, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2019901622 (AU), filed on May 13, 2019; and application No. 2019903570 (AU), filed on Sep. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0267039 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. B65B 25/04 (2006.01); B65B 11/08 (2006.01); B65B 35/56 (2006.01); B65D 1/36 (2006.01); B65D 81/05 (2006.01); B65D 85/34 (2006.01)

CPC B65B 25/046 (2013.01) [B65B 11/08 (2013.01); B65B 35/56 (2013.01); B65D 1/36 (2013.01); B65D 81/05 (2013.01); B65D 85/34 (2013.01); B65B 2220/16 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0211 (2013.01)]

9 Claims

1. A process of wrapping a tray on which items are deposited, the process comprising:

providing a sheet of wrapping material over a conveyor provide a first portion of the sheet on which the tray is to be deposited, the first portion of the sheet held onto the conveyor;

providing one or more second portions of the sheet of wrapping material in the form of a lateral flap of wrapping material, the lateral flap held onto a lateral conveyor arranged parallel with the conveyor which provides the first portion on which the tray is deposited, wherein the sheet extends over the conveyor which provides the first portion on which the tray is to be deposited and over the lateral conveyor to hold the one or more second portion of the wrapping sheet in an extended configuration in which the one or more second portions extend laterally to the first portion;

depositing the tray with items on the sheet of wrapping material on the first portion with the one or more second portions extending laterally to the first portion; and

moving a wrapping element from under one of the one or more laterally extending second portions of the wrapping sheet and over the deposited tray to deposit a second portion over the tray.