Packaging Machine

Abstract

A packaging machine includes a series of stations or assemblies, including a carton feeding system and a product conveyor that receives a series of articles or products at a first, upstream or intake end of the packaging machine. The products generally can be grouped into a series of products, such as for forming six-packs, four-packs or other package configurations, and will be wrapped by or loaded into a series of carton blanks, after which the loaded cartons will be moved through a discharge station. The discharge station meters the loaded cartons or packages for discharge from the packaging machine.

1 . A method of packaging products, comprising:
 moving a series of products along a path of travel through a packaging machine;   moving a series cartons toward registration with the products moving along the product conveyor;   packaging groups of products within the cartons to form product packages;   moving the product packages substantially in a line into a discharge station;   as the product packages are moved into the discharge station, engaging the line of product packages with drive belts and accelerating movement of each of the product packages forwardly to create a desired separation between successive product packages;   engaging the product packages with pusher lugs at spaced locations and urging the product packages toward a discharge end of the discharge station; and   discharging the spaced product packages.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the product packages into the discharge station comprises feeding the product packages in a line in substantially end-to-end alignment into the discharge station. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein engaging the product packages with drive belts and accelerating the product packages comprises engaging each of the product packages in a compressive engagement between a pair of spaced drive belts and moving each of the product packages away from the line of product packages at a rate substantially matching a rate of a downstream discharge conveyor to create the desired separation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein engaging the product packages with pusher lugs comprises pivoting the pusher lugs into engagement with endmost products of the product packages and maintaining the pusher lugs in bearing engagement with the product packages as the product packages are moved toward the discharge end of the discharge station. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein engaging the product packages with pusher lugs at spaced locations comprises moving vertically spaced pairs of pusher lugs at a rate substantially matching a rate of movement of the product packages by the drive belts and into engagement with endmost products on opposites sides of the product packages adjacent upper and bottom portions thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein discharging the spaced product packages comprises releasing the product packages from the discharge station to a divider station. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the product packages are released with a spacing between successively released product packages substantially matching a pitch of a conveyor of the divider station. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein engaging the product packages with pusher lugs comprises pivoting pairs of pusher lugs into engagement with the endmost products of the product packages after the product packages have been separated from the line of product packages by the drive belts, and pivoting the pusher lugs away from the product packages upon discharge of the product packages from the discharge station.