Carton Maintaining Tools

Abstract

A packaging machine includes a main conveyor configured to convey cartons and containers in a conveyance direction from a first end of the main conveyor where partially erected cartons and containers enter the conveyor to a second end where containers inside the cartons exit the conveyor. A plunger is operatively connected to the main conveyor to follow the main conveyor in the conveyance direction and to plunge in a plunge direction lateral to the conveyance direction to position a group of containers within a carton. A carton maintaining tool is operatively connected to the main conveyor to follow the main conveyor in the conveyance direction and to engage the carton to maintain position of the carton along the plunge direction in opposition to the plunger as the plunger positions the group of containers within the carton.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging machine comprising:
 a main conveyor configured to convey cartons and containers in a conveyance direction from a first end of the main conveyer where partially erected cartons and containers enter the conveyor to a second end where containers inside the cartons exit the conveyor;   a plunger operatively connected to the main conveyor to follow the main conveyor in the conveyance direction and to plunge in a plunge direction lateral to the conveyance direction to position a group of containers within a carton; and   a carton maintaining tool operatively connected to the main conveyor to follow the main conveyor in the conveyance direction and to engage the carton to maintain position of the carton along the plunge direction in opposition to the plunger as the plunger positions the group of containers within the carton.   
     
     
         2 . The machine as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a counter plunger operatively connected to the main conveyor to follow the main conveyor in the conveyance direction and to plunge through one of the cartons in the plunge direction, to contact a group of containers being positioned by the plunger, and to withdraw in the plunge direction along with the plunger and group of containers to maintain grouping of the containers as the plunger positions the containers in the carton. 
     
     
         3 . The machine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the carton maintaining tool incudes a tool head with a slot defined therein for receiving a flap of a carton. 
     
     
         4 . The machine as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the carton maintaining tool includes a tool head with two slots defined therein for receiving one flap of each of two adjacent cartons. 
     
     
         5 . The machine as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a plunger conveyor in parallel with the main conveyor, wherein the plunger is one of a plurality of plungers operatively connected to the plunger conveyor for continuous movement of the plungers following the main conveyor in the conveyance direction. 
     
     
         6 . The machine as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a plunger track mounted stationary relative to movement of the plunger conveyor, wherein the plungers engage and follow the plunger track, wherein the plunger track is contoured to drive motion of the plungers in the plunge direction. 
     
     
         7 . The machine as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a counter plunger conveyor in parallel with the main conveyor, wherein the carton maintaining tool is one of a plurality of carton maintaining tools operatively connected to the counter plunger conveyor for continuous movement of the carton maintaining tools following the main conveyor in the conveyance direction. 
     
     
         8 . The machine as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a tool track mounted stationary relative to movement of the counter plunger conveyor, wherein the carton maintaining tools engage and follow the tool track, wherein the tool track is contoured to drive motion of the carton maintaining tools in the plunge direction. 
     
     
         9 . The machine as recited in  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of counter plungers operatively connected to the counter plunger conveyor for continuous movement of the counter plungers following the main conveyor in the conveyance direction. 
     
     
         10 . The machine as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a tool track mounted stationary relative to movement of the counter plunger conveyor, wherein the carton maintaining tools engage and follow the tool track, wherein the tool track is contoured to drive motion of the carton maintaining tools in the plunge direction; and   a counter plunger track mounted stationary relative to movement of the counter plunger conveyor, wherein the plungers engage and follow the counter plunger track, wherein the counter plunger track is contoured to drive motion of the counter plungers in the plunge direction.   
     
     
         11 . The machine as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the tool track and the counter plunger track are separate and do not cross one another. 
     
     
         12 . The machine as recited in  claim 7 , wherein one counter plunger is situated between each closest neighboring pair of the carton maintaining tools, and wherein one carton maintaining tool is situated between each closest neighboring pair of the counter plungers. 
     
     
         13 . The machine as recited in  claim 12 , wherein each of the counter plungers includes a plunge head, and wherein each of the carton maintaining tools includes a tool head, wherein closest neighboring ones of the tool heads and plunge heads clear each other in the conveyance direction so the plunge heads and tool heads are clear of each other in the plunge direction. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 conveying a carton and a group of containers in a conveyance direction;   engaging minor flaps of the carton with a carton maintaining tool to maintain position of the carton in a plunge direction that is lateral to the conveyance direction;   plunging a group of containers into a carton in the plunge direction; and   disengaging the carton maintaining tool from the minor flaps of the carton.   
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising:
 plunging through the carton in the plunge direction with a counter plunger to contact the group of containers before they are plunged into the carton; and   withdrawing the counter plunger back through the carton in the plunge direction, maintaining grouping of the containers as they are plunged into the carton.