A container packaging system 20 is composed of a registration system 22 for arranging articles 24 at a staging location 26 into a loading registration configuration. A loader 28 lifts the articles 24 from the staging location 26 for placement into predetermined locations in containers 30. Although not necessarily always the case, the containers 30 can be sized and configured to receive a plurality of articles 24. A control system 32 controls the operation of the packaging system, including controlling the registration system 22, so that the articles 24 are placed in the correct registration configuration at the staging location 26, and controlling the operation of the loader 28 to transfer the articles 24 into predetermined locations in the containers 30.

Embodiments of the invention provide a packaging tray for use in packaging items, the tray having a first region having a cross-section which defines a concave surface having one or more cross-sections suitable to receive an item and a second region having a cross-section which is substantially straight. Embodiments provide a process in which tray may be loaded by depositing kiwi fruit and then agitated to settle and align the kiwifruit in the concave sections assisted with the straight sections providing space for movement of the kiwifruit laterally to the concave sections and directing the kiwifruit of the agitated tray towards the concave section. The tray is wrapped after the items are deposited and the wrapped tray is loaded into a box with settled items and loads the wrapped tray into a box.

Embodiments of the invention provide a packaging tray for use in packaging items, the tray having a first region having a cross-section which defines a concave surface having one or more cross-sections suitable to receive an item and a second region having a cross-section which is substantially straight. Embodiments provide a process in which tray may be loaded by depositing kiwi fruit and then agitated to settle and align the kiwifruit in the concave sections assisted with the straight sections providing space for movement of the kiwifruit laterally to the concave sections and directing the kiwifruit of the agitated tray towards the concave section. The tray is wrapped after the items are deposited and the wrapped tray is loaded into a box with settled items and loads the wrapped tray into a box.

There is described an outfeed device for a packaging assembly configured to form and seal a plurality of packages containing a pourable product; the outfeed device comprises an input station, at which it receives, in use, the packages, and an output station, at which the packages exit, in use, from the outfeed device; the outfeed device comprises at least one selectively operable cart element cyclically movable along an endless path, comprising a receiving portion defining a receiving seat for picking one single package at a time at input station, housing at least part of the package, and being configured to bring the package from the input station to the output station.

There is described an outfeed device for a packaging assembly configured to form and seal a plurality of packages containing a pourable product; the outfeed device comprises an input station, at which it receives, in use, the packages, and an output station, at which the packages exit, in use, from the outfeed device; the outfeed device comprises at least one selectively operable cart element cyclically movable along an endless path, comprising a receiving portion defining a receiving seat for picking one single package at a time at input station, housing at least part of the package, and being configured to bring the package from the input station to the output station.

The present invention relates to an automatic package device, which may include a rack and a power control box provided on the rack. The cutter blade transportation device is provided on the rack along the X axis direction. Below the cutter blade transportation device and inside the rack, lower film feeding device is provided. At the rear side of the rack, the upper film feeding device is provided. At the front end of the cutter blade transportation device and on the rack are provided a blade feeding rail and cutter blade carrying device cooperating with each other. At the rear end of the cutter blade transportation device is provided a film sealing device which cooperates with the upper film feeding device and lower film feeding device. At the rear end of the film sealing device and on the rack is provided a dragging device fitting the blade strip. At the back side of the dragging device is provided a transverse cutting device fitting the blade strip. The present invention may achieve automatic feeding by the cutter blade carrying device. The dragging device may extend the upper and lower film material back and forth repeatedly. And the hot-pressing process may be accomplished by the film sealing device. The present invention may automatically seal the blades and the cutting device may separate the product one by one. At last the packaging process may be accomplished with high degree of automation and greatly improve production efficiency.

The present invention relates to an automatic package device, which may include a rack and a power control box provided on the rack. The cutter blade transportation device is provided on the rack along the X axis direction. Below the cutter blade transportation device and inside the rack, lower film feeding device is provided. At the rear side of the rack, the upper film feeding device is provided. At the front end of the cutter blade transportation device and on the rack are provided a blade feeding rail and cutter blade carrying device cooperating with each other. At the rear end of the cutter blade transportation device is provided a film sealing device which cooperates with the upper film feeding device and lower film feeding device. At the rear end of the film sealing device and on the rack is provided a dragging device fitting the blade strip. At the back side of the dragging device is provided a transverse cutting device fitting the blade strip. The present invention may achieve automatic feeding by the cutter blade carrying device. The dragging device may extend the upper and lower film material back and forth repeatedly. And the hot-pressing process may be accomplished by the film sealing device. The present invention may automatically seal the blades and the cutting device may separate the product one by one. At last the packaging process may be accomplished with high degree of automation and greatly improve production efficiency.

A layered food packaging system includes: a carrier device configured to convey a sandwich in a horizontal posture in which a layering direction of the sandwich is substantially vertical; a temporary placement table configured to temporarily place the sandwich thereon in a vertical posture in which the layering direction of the sandwich is substantially horizontal; a first robot and a second robot configured to grip the sandwich that is conveyed by the carrier device, lift the sandwich from the carrier device, change the posture of the sandwich from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture, and temporarily place the sandwich on the temporary placement table; and a third robot configured to grip the sandwich that is temporarily placed on the temporary placement table, and insert the sandwich into a bag for packaging the layered food.

A layered food packaging system includes: a carrier device configured to convey a sandwich in a horizontal posture in which a layering direction of the sandwich is substantially vertical; a temporary placement table configured to temporarily place the sandwich thereon in a vertical posture in which the layering direction of the sandwich is substantially horizontal; a first robot and a second robot configured to grip the sandwich that is conveyed by the carrier device, lift the sandwich from the carrier device, change the posture of the sandwich from the horizontal posture to the vertical posture, and temporarily place the sandwich on the temporary placement table; and a third robot configured to grip the sandwich that is temporarily placed on the temporary placement table, and insert the sandwich into a bag for packaging the layered food.

An apparatus and system for aligning and packing rollable items such as prolate or spherical fruit; an apparatus to remove a single tray from a stack of trays and method therefor; a wrapper to wrap a tray in plastic film and method therefor; an apparatus to laterally retain a spherical or prolate fruit and method therefor; and an apparatus for aligning a fruit via series of rollers and/or suction heads and a method therefor.