The present disclosure relates to a centering apparatus for the orderly insertion of objects into a storage container comprising: a plate-like base body, a plurality of first indentations adjacent to one another in an outer edge of the base body, a cut-out in the base body, and a plurality of mutually adjacent second indentations in an edge of the cut-out, wherein the first indentations and the second orientations have the same orientation.

Centering devices for carrier packers are provided. Such devices may include two series of flexible tabs, aligned along two parallel shafts. The shafts rotate the flaps in two alternative angular positions. In a lowered angular position, the tabs are introduced partly in the cells of a carrier, to guide bottles towards the centers of the cells. In an angularly raised position, the tabs are rotated away so as not to interfere with the bottle necks once the bottles have been fitted in the cells, so that it is convenient for a conveyor to take away the carrier. Carrier packers including such devices are also provided.

Disclosed is a product case packing system with a gripping head assembly and a packaging grid assembly linked by a coordination arm that synchronizes the delivery of the product to be packaged and with the positioning of the grid assembly into the packaging container. The system includes a gripper head assembly extension control module, capable of controlling multiple travel distances of the gripper head assembly in a single packing cycle, a product assembly detection module, and a packaging release control element for subtle separation of individual packed containers.

An apparatus and method for loading articles into a packing case are provided. The apparatus is a drop packer that utilizes finger guides to guide articles into upward facing openings in packing cases. The finger guides are arranged in sets, and sets of finger guides are arranged in adjacent rows. Each set of finger guides has one generally vertical stationary guide and one movable guide that can be moved into an open or closed position. This configuration of finger guides allows the drop packer to be used to load articles into packing cases that are partially compressed without the need to expand the packing cases before loading.

A method of loading articles in cartons. The method can comprise moving a carton in a generally flat configuration in a downstream direction with a carton opening carousel, at least partially opening the carton while moving the carton with the carton opening carousel, and transferring the carton from the carton opening carousel to a carton loading carousel in a transfer region. The transferring the carton can comprise moving the carton in an upstream direction. The method further can comprise loading a plurality of articles into the carton while moving the carton in a downstream direction with the carton loading carousel.

A packaging method is described in which at least one primary packaging (2) is inserted through a closable opening into a secondary packaging (3) after a handling device (20) has been positioned at the closable opening of the secondary packaging (3). The primary packaging (2) is guided by the handling device (20) during its insertion into the opening of the secondary packaging (3), and a target position of the primary packaging (2) is predetermined within the secondary packaging (3). After insertion of the at least one primary packaging (2) into the secondary packaging (3), the opening of the secondary packaging (3) is at least partially closed under the cooperation or action of the handling device (20). Furthermore, a packaging module is described which is designed to perform such a packaging process.