US 12,486,066 B2
Systems and methods for packaging articles within a carton
Jean-Christophe Bonnain, Châteauroux (FR); and Emmanuel Davaillon, Châteauroux (FR)
Assigned to WestRock Packaging Systems, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Appl. No. 18/556,810
Filed by WestRock Packaging Systems, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 22, 2022, PCT No. PCT/US2022/026000
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 23, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/226343, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 27, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/178,733, filed on Apr. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0199259 A1, Jun. 20, 2024
Int. Cl. B65B 17/02 (2006.01); B65B 35/44 (2006.01); B65B 43/10 (2006.01); B65B 43/26 (2006.01); B65B 49/12 (2006.01); B65B 49/14 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 49/12 (2013.01) [B65B 17/025 (2013.01); B65B 35/44 (2013.01); B65B 43/10 (2013.01); B65B 43/265 (2013.01); B65B 49/14 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for forming a carton about articles, the system comprising:
a conveyor configured to convey a group of articles, and a blank applied to an upper end of the articles, along a packaging path;
a folding machine configured to:
fold a first end panel of the blank relative to a main panel of the blank as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path;
fold a second end panel of the blank relative to the main panel of the blank, after the first end panel is folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path;
fold a first end flap of the blank relative to the first end panel, after the first end panel is folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path;
fold a second end flap of the blank relative to the second end panel, after the second end panel is folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path;
fold a first side panel of the blank relative to the main panel, after the first end flap and the second end flap are folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path;
fold a second side panel of the blank relative to the main panel, after the first end flap and the second end flap are folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path;
fold a first cover panel of the blank relative to the first side panel, after the first side panel is folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path; and
fold a second cover panel of the blank relative to the second side panel, after the second side panel is folded, as the group of articles and the blank travel along the packaging path; and
an alignment machine configured to position the first side panel and the second side panel at a predetermined angle relative to the main panel while the first cover panel and the second cover panel are folded.