A seizing head (125) for objects (P) is described, comprising: a support frame (130) adapted to be coupled to a manipulator robot (115), and a plurality of picking apparatuses (215) arranged mutually flanked according to a predefined flanking direction and individually adapted to take and withhold at least one object (P), wherein each picking apparatus (215) is installed on a respective mobile frame (165), which is slidably coupled to the support frame (130) according to a sliding direction (B) parallel to the flanking direction, and wherein the seizing head (125) further comprises a plurality of functionally independent activation devices (195), each of which is adapted to activate a respective mobile frame (165) along said sliding direction (B).

An apparatus and methods are provided for a lightweight shrink-wrapped bottle pack. The shrink-wrapped bottle pack comprises a group of bottles arranged in a side-by-side disposition. A case wrapping film is shrink-wrapped around the group of bottles to fixate the side-by-side disposition. Holes in the case wrapping film allow top portions of the bottles to protrude through the case wrapping film. A portion of the case wrapping film surrounding each of the holes forcibly contacts a bell comprising each bottle such that the case wrapping film fixates the side-by-side disposition of the group of bottles. The holes facilitate using a shorter portion of case wrapping film than when extending the case wrapping film over the top portion of the group of bottles, producing a lighter weight bottle pack than conventionally shrink-wrapped bottle packs.

A packaging method includes feeding products, ordered into two rows, into a first ring winding unit of extensible film and winding the products in a first film having a first rotation direction to form a continuous packaging or bundle; feeding the wound products to a second ring winding unit of extensible film in a second film having a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction to form a continuous packaging or bundle with two layers of film; and feeding the continuous packaging or bundle into a cutting unit, which moves in synchrony with, and cuts, the continuous packaging or bundle transversely into finished groups of products. A ring winding machine is provided at each of the two ring winding units, obtaining a continuous winding also when the film becomes exhausted in at least one of the two ring winding machines. A packaging machine is also provided.

A packaging machine using extensible film for products fed in groups or individually includes a conveyor feeding the product, a product positioning unit, a film winding unit and a discharge conveyor positioned at the outlet of the winding unit. The winding unit is a ring winder having a ring rotating with respect to guiding rolls, positioned on a supporting frame, and arranged on a plane perpendicular to the advance direction of the products. A shelf is provided beneath the winding unit, cantilevered for extending in the advance direction of the products, and connects the feeding conveyor with the winding unit. A vacuum-effect gripping unit is positioned beneath the shelf for gripping the film and carries a cutting unit. The vacuum-effect gripping unit and the cutting unit can be moved alternatingly and selectively from a withdrawn rest position of the shelf to an extended position for gripping and cutting the film.

In an installation for the treatment of containers, comprising at least one filling station and a packing station for processing film or packaging material blanks and having work components acting upon the packaging material and forming packages, at least one measuring device for dimensional deviations of filled containers, and a control unit for automatically adjusting at least one installation station depending on a dimensional deviation detected, work components in the packing station (P) acting upon the packaging material when the filled containers are packed are automatically adjustable by way of the control unit. In a method for packing filled containers, work components of the packing station acting upon packaging material are adjusted automatically depending on dimensional deviations measured in order to form packages of different dimensions with at least substantially the same packing density.

Disclosed is a system (1) for forming a transport section for a packaging line and for coordinating the transport section to individual articles or article sets with different packaging types. The system (1) comprises at least one module (3), which at least one module (3) has at least two individual module units (5, 7), which at least two individual module units (5, 7) cooperate in a first operating mode (B1) of the system (1) for the transport of individual articles or article sets provided for a first packaging type. It is furthermore provided that the at least two individual module units (5, 7) are each designed to be movable, and that the system (1) is transferable by way of a movement of the at least two individual module units (5, 7) into a second operating mode (B2), which is aligned to a transport of individual articles or article sets provided for a second packaging type that differs from the first packaging type.

A method for packaging piece good batches is provided. A transport device transports a plurality of piece goods in particular in the form of a piece good flow in a specified transport direction, and a first wrapping device wraps a film element around the piece goods, the film element having a specified first width. The first wrapping device has a dispensing assembly which circulates around the piece goods, and the piece goods are supplied to the first wrapping device in order to be wrapped with the film element. The piece goods are wrapped with a strip-like element by means of a strip application device, the strip-like element having a smaller width than the film element.

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers. The carrier has a bottom panel, at least one front panel, at least one back panel, at least two side panels, and at least one central panel dividing the interior of the carrier into a front portion and a back portion. At least one front divider flap is foldably connected to the at least one central panel and at least one back divider flap is foldably connected to the at least one central panel. At least one retention flap is foldably connected to at least one of the at least one front panel, the at least one back panel, the at least two side panels, and the at least one central panel. The at least one retention flap engages a container and provides stability to the respective container in one of the front or back container-receiving spaces.

Provided is a method for packaging piece good groupings, in which a plurality of piece goods, particularly containers, are at least partially interconnected by a first connector, wherein at least two-piece goods of this plurality are directly interconnected by the connector. According to the embodiment, this plurality of piece goods connected by the connector is packaged with a second connector in the form of a second wrapping element, and said plurality of piece goods connected by a first connector is conveyed by a conveyor device to a packaging device and enclosed, particularly wrapped, with the second wrapping element by said packaging unit.

The present application relates to a new vessel, such as a bottle that may be used to hold, store, or transport matter, such as particulates or fluids, and vessel assembly system. The vessel is constructed of a unique nesting design. Multiple vessels may be stacked together and to form a cohesive interrelated structure.