Folding upper retention wings

Abstract

A method includes folding leading upper flap of a carton blank, folding a trailing upper flap of a carton blank, and passing the leading and trailing upper flaps in a folded condition into a gap between a pair of guide rails. The method includes interlocking the leading upper flap into a leading can in a pack of product, interlocking the trailing upper flap into a trailing can in a pack of product, and wrapping the carton blank around the pack of product to package the pack of product together.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a pair of guide rails extending in a longitudinal direction, spaced apart from one another by a gap configured to receive a series of carton blanks therein, and to retain in a folded position a leading upper flap and a trailing upper flap of each carton as the carton is conveyed along the pair of guide rails;   a rotary conveyance mounted stationary with respect to the longitudinal direction, the rotary conveyance having a rotation axis oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and being mounted for rotation about the rotation axis; and   at least one pair of tines extending radially outward from the rotary conveyance, wherein each pair of the at least one pair of tines includes:
 a leading tine positioned to contact and fold the leading upper flap of a passing carton blank in the series of carton blanks as the rotary conveyance rotates so the leading upper flap is folded prior to the leading upper flap passing into the gap between the pair of guide rails; and 
 a trailing tine configured to contact and fold a trailing upper flap of the passing carton as the rotary conveyance rotates so the trailing upper flap is folded prior to the trailing upper flap passing into the gap between the pair of guide rails. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rotary conveyance is a first rotary conveyance, wherein the pair of guide rails is a first pair of guide rails, and further comprising:
 a second pair of guide rails laterally offset from the first pair of guide rails relative to the longitudinal direction; and   a second rotary conveyance mounted stationary with respect to the longitudinal direction, laterally offset from the first rotary conveyance and aligned with the second pair of guide rails, the second rotary conveyance being mounted for rotation about the rotation axis, wherein the first and second rotary conveyances are configured to fold two leading upper flaps and two trailing upper flaps of each carton blank in the series of carton blanks.   
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rotary conveyance includes a main wheel mounted stationary with respect to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the trailing tines follow a cam path to articulate relative to the main wheel, and wherein the leading tines are fixed so as not to articulate relative to the rotary conveyance. 
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a secondary wheel mounted across from the rotary conveyance stationary with respect to the longitudinal direction, the secondary wheel having a rotation axis offset from and parallel to the rotary axis of the rotary conveyance, wherein the secondary wheel includes a wheel contour configured to maintain folded position of the leading and trailing end flaps after folding by the pair of tines and before the leading and trailing flaps enter the gap between the pair of guide rails.   
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the leading and trailing tines of the rotary conveyance are fixed so as not to articulate relative to the rotary conveyance. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rotary conveyance includes a chain drive forming a cycling path elongated to extend in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the leading and trailing tines follow a cam path to articulate relative to the chain drive. 
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a pack conveyor aligned with the longitudinal direction, wherein the pack conveyor is positioned to align a series of packs of product with respective carton blanks, wherein each pack is aligned with a respective carton blank as the carton blank is folded by the rotary conveyance. 
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a pack conveyor positioned to introduce a series of packs of product from a lateral direction into alignment with the longitudinal direction, wherein the pack conveyor is positioned to align the packs with respective carton blanks at a position downstream of where the carton blanks enter the gap between the guide rails. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 folding leading upper flap of a carton blank;   folding a trailing upper flap of a carton blank;   passing the leading and trailing upper flaps in a folded condition into a gap between a pair of guide rails;   interlocking the leading upper flap into a leading can in a pack of product;   interlocking the trailing upper flap into a trailing can in a pack of product; and   wrapping the carton blank around the pack of product to package the pack of product together.   
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein folding the leading upper flap of a craton blank includes folding two leading upper flaps of the carton black at the same time, wherein folding the trailing upper flap includes folding two trailing upper flaps of the carton blank at the same time, wherein interlocking the leading and trailing upper flaps includes interlocking the two leading upper flaps into two side by side leading units in the pack of product and interlocking the two trailing upper flaps into two side by side trailing units in the pack of product. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the pack of product is a two-by-three six pack of cans. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein folding the leading and trailing upper flaps is performed only with access from above the carton blank as the pack of product is below the blank. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein folding the leading and trailing upper flaps is performed by accessing the carton blank from above and from below, and wherein the pack of product is aligned with the carton blank downstream after the leading and trailing upper flaps are folded. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein folding includes initially folding with access from only from above the carton blank and maintaining folding after initially folding, wherein maintaining folding includes accessing only from below the carton blank after accessing only from above and before passing the leading and trailing flaps into the gap between the guide rails. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein folding the leading upper flap occurs prior to folding the trailing upper flap. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein interlocking the leading and trailing upper flaps includes lowering the carton down a ramp into engagement with the pack of product. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein passing the leading and trailing upper flaps into the gap between the guide rails includes first passing the carton blank under an upper one of the guide rails then passing the carton blank over a lower one of the guide rails while still keeping the carton blank below the upper guide rail. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein folding at least one of the leading and trailing upper flaps includes articulating a tine to effect folding thereof.