Fixture for Hand-Packing of Cartons
An apparatus is disclosed for use in packing containers into a carton, the apparatus including a base defining a support surface having a width substantially equal to the width of the carton bottom wall, a longitudinal stop disposed at an end edge of the support surface, a lateral stop disposed at a side edge of the support surface, and a corner edge stop. A corner edge stop support connects the corner edge stop to the base and positions the corner edge stop such that the distance between the corner edge stop and the support surface is substantially equal to the carton side wall widths.
Beverage containers are typically shipped and sold in various carrier means. Historically beverage containers have been placed in open wooden crates holding a dozen or more containers, in open cardboard boxes typically carrying six containers, and in plastic ring structures typically carrying six containers by attachment to the top of the containers with the lower part of the containers exposed.
More recently it has become common to fully enclose beverage containers in paperboard cartons holding six, eight, twelve, or more containers. In some cases such cartons are packed by machinery, white in other eases, packing may be done by hand. The paperboard cartons are typically provided in the form of collapsed cartons that are erected into rectangular tubular shapes, packed with containers, then sealed shut.
While cartons am typically packed using high-speed packaging machinery, it may be desirable to pack the cartons by band, for example, for producing a small number of packages for promotional or other special purposes, or for preparing packed cartons for use in testing or research. It can be cumbersome to hand-pack a tubular paperboard carton, as the carton may tend to fall back to its collapsed state, or take a somewhat skewed shape, or move about as the manual packing process takes place.
The present invention provides an apparatus for use in packing containers into a canon, the carton including at least first and second carton walls connected along a fold line, the carton walls each having a wall width and a wall, length. The apparatus includes a base defining a support surface having first and second sine edges defining therebetween a base width substantially equal to the first wall width, and first and second end edges defining therebetween a base length. A longitudinal stop is disposed at a first end edge of the support surface, and a lateral stop is disposed at the first side edge of the support surface. A corner edge stop is provided, and a corner edge stop support connects the corner edge stop to the base and positions the corner edge stop such that the distance between the corner edge stop and the support surface is substantially equal to the second wall width.
The longitudinal stop may be a plate projecting upwardly front die base, and the lateral stop may be a finger projecting upwardly from the base. The corner edge stop support may be a plate projecting upwardly from the base at the second edge of the support surface, and the corner edge stop may be defined as a lip formed on the plate.
The base length may be substantially equal to the first wall length.
The support surface may be formed so as to be free of projections between the first and second side edges and the first and second end edges, so that the carton may he slidingly moved in a longitudinal direction along the support surface.
The apparatus may further include comprising a handle defined in the base, and may further include a tape dispenser attached to the base. The tape dispenser may be attached to the underside of the base.
The present invention also provides a method of packing containers into a carton using an apparatus, the carton including at least first and second carton walls connected along a fold line, the carton, walls each having a wall width and a wall length. The apparatus includes a base defining a support surface having first and second side edges defining therebetween a base width substantially equal to the first wall width, and first and second end edges defining therebetween a base length. A lateral stop is disposed at the first side edge of the support surface, and a corner edge stop is connected to a corner edge stop support connecting the corner edge stop to the base at the second edge of the support surface and positioning the corner edge stop such that the distance between the corner edge stop and the support surface is substantially equal to the second wall width.
The method includes the steps of placing the carton in an at least partially collapsed condition with the first carton wall on the support surface with the fold line positioned at the second edge, engaging the first canon wall against the lateral stop, erecting the carton into a tubular form by positioning the second carton wall, against the corner edge stop support, engaging the second carton wall against the corner edge stop, and placing containers into the carton.
The carton may further include first and second end closure flaps located respectively at first and second ends of the carton, with the method including the further steps of closing the first end closure flaps, and closing the second end closure flaps.
The apparatus may further include a longitudinal stop disposed at a first end edge of the support surface, and closing of the first end closure flaps maybe performed by folding the first end closure flaps into a closed position, sealing the first end closure flaps in the closed position, and longitudinally sliding the carton along the support surface to position said first end closure flaps against said longitudinal stop.
The method may include the step of closing the second end closure flaps by folding the second end closure flaps into a closed position, applying an adhesive to the second end closure flaps in the closed position, positioning the apparatus and carton in an upright position with the second end closure flaps uppermost, and placing a weight on the second end closure flaps until the adhesive is secure.
The example collapsed carton 500 may for example be rectangular with side panel 510 and side panel 530 (not shown in
Fixture 100 is ordinarily sown to fit a specific carton size. Thus, the width of the base is made substantially equal to the width of the carton bottom panel 540. Similarly, the distance between the surface of base 110 and corner edge stop 145 is made substantially equal to the width of carton side panel 230. For reasons that will be understood once the use of fixture 100 is described, the length of the support surface of base 100 may, but does not need to, be equal to the length carton bottom wall 540. Thus, the fixture may be used with cartons having different lengths, such as with beverage cartons designed to accommodate differing numbers of beverage cans or bottles.
The fixture 100 may be constructed in various forms, including having the base formed with lattice-like reinforcements 118 which may be conveniently formed in a molded base.
Methods of making and using the fixture in accordance with the invention should be readily apparent from the mere description of the fixture and its appearances as provided herein. No further discussion or illustration of such methods, therefore, is deemed necessary.
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, it should be apparent that many modifications to the embodiments and implementations of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Although the preferred embodiments illustrated herein have been described in connection with a rectangular paperboard carton being packed with cylindrical beverage cans, these embodiments may easily be implemented in accordance with the invention in other carton or container materials or shapes. The fixture may vary from the exact appearance shown in the examples here.
It is to be understood therefore that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed (or apparent from the disclosure) herein, but only limited by the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1. An apparatus for use in packing containers into a carton, the carton including at least first and second carton walls connected along a fold line, said carton walls each having a wall width and a wall length, the apparatus comprising:
- a base defining a support surface having first and second side edges defining therebetween a base width substantially equal to said first wall width, and first and second end edges defining therebetween a base length;
- a longitudinal stop disposed at a first end edge of said support surface;
- a lateral stop disposed at said first side edge of said support surface;
- a corner edge stop; and
- a corner edge stop support connecting said corner edge stop to said base and positioning said corner edge stop such that the distance between said corner edge stop and said support surface is substantially equal to said second wall width.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said longitudinal stop is a plate projecting upwardly from said base.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lateral stop is a finger projecting upwardly from said base.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said corner edge stop support is a plate projecting upwardly from said, base at said second edge of said support surface, and said corner edge stop is defined as a lip formed on said plate.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base length is substantially equal to said first wall length.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said support surface is named so as to be free of projections between said first and second side edges and said first and second end edges, so that the carton may be slidingly moved in a longitudinal direction along said support surface.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle defined in said base.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tape dispenser attached to said base.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said tape dispenser is attached to the underside of said base.
10. A method of packing containers into a carton using an apparatus, the carton including at least first and second carton walls connected along a fold line, said carton walls each having a wall width and a wall length, and the apparatus including:
- a base defining a support surface having first and second side edges defining therebetween a base width substantially equal to said first wall width, and first and second end edges defining therebetween a base length;
- a lateral stop disposed at said first side edge of said support surface;
- a corner edge stop; and
- a corner edge stop support connecting said corner edge stop to said base at said second edge of said support surface and positioning said corner edge stop such that the distance between said corner edge stop and said support surface is substantially equal to said second wall width;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- placing said carton in an at least partially collapsed condition with said first carton wall on said support surface with said fold line positioned at said second edge;
- engaging said first carton wall against said lateral stop;
- erecting said carton into a tubular form by positioning said second carton wall against said corner edge stop support;
- engaging said second carton wall against said corner edge stop; and
- placing containers into said carton.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said carton further includes first and second end closure flaps located respectively at first and second ends of said carton, the method comprising the further steps of:
- closing said first end closure flaps; and
- closing said second end closure flaps.
12. The method of chum 11, wherein said apparatus further includes a longitudinal stop disposed at a first end edge of said support surface; and
- closing said first end closure flaps is performed by folding said first end closure flaps into a closed position, sealing said first end closure flaps in the closed position, and longitudinally sliding said carton along said support surface to position said first end closure flaps against said longitudinal stop.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein, closing said second end closure flaps is performed by folding said second end closure flaps into a closed position, applying an adhesive to said second end closure flaps in the closed position, positioning said apparatus and carton in an upright position with said second end closure flaps uppermost, and placing a weight on said second end closure flaps until said adhesive is secure.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 7, 2007
Publication Date: Dec 11, 2008
Inventor: Johnny J. Hunter (Canton, GA)
Application Number: 11/759,702
International Classification: B65B 67/00 (20060101);