A system, method and apparatus for applying container carriers to unitize a plurality of containers. A supply of container carriers are provided in connected sticks of two or more container carriers. An applicating drum is configured to accept a single container carrier stick from a queue and provide the container carrier stick to a supply of containers. A cutoff system is configured to cut the sticks of two or more container carriers into individual container carriers but not cut between adjacent unconnected sticks of container carriers.

A system, method and apparatus for applying container carriers to unitize a plurality of containers. A supply of container carriers are provided in a stack and grouped into sticks of multiple adjacent container carriers. A magazine accommodates the stack of container carrier sticks and a carrier feed draws a single container carrier stick from the magazine. A transport section comprising two or more container carrier sticks aligned in a queue provides single container carrier sticks to an applicating drum configured to apply to a corresponding group of containers.

A system, method and apparatus for applying container carriers to unitize a plurality of containers. A supply of container carriers are provided in a stack and grouped into sticks of multiple adjacent container carriers. A magazine accommodates the stack of container carrier sticks and a carrier feed draws a single container carrier stick from the magazine. A transport section comprising two or more container carrier sticks aligned in a queue provides single container carrier sticks to an applicating drum configured to apply to a corresponding group of containers.

A stretch packaging machine is provided with a lift mechanism and a tray movement mechanism. The lift mechanism has a plurality of loading members on which a tray is loaded and which lift up the tray toward film such that the tray contacts the film sealing an opening at the top of the tray. The tray movement mechanism is configured to move the tray slidingly over the loading members of the lift mechanism to a predetermined position on the loading members. A frictional coefficient of at least first loading members is such that contact between the tray and the loading members disposed on the near side in the moving direction in which the tray is moved by the tray movement mechanism is smaller than the frictional coefficient of second loading members disposed on the far side in the moving direction.

A stretch packaging machine is provided with a lift mechanism and a tray movement mechanism. The lift mechanism has a plurality of loading members on which a tray is loaded and which lift up the tray toward film such that the tray contacts the film sealing an opening at the top of the tray. The tray movement mechanism is configured to move the tray slidingly over the loading members of the lift mechanism to a predetermined position on the loading members. A frictional coefficient of at least first loading members is such that contact between the tray and the loading members disposed on the near side in the moving direction in which the tray is moved by the tray movement mechanism is smaller than the frictional coefficient of second loading members disposed on the far side in the moving direction.

A method operates a packaging machine for wrapping a packaging film around packaging trays. The method includes: feeding the packaging film to a holding mechanism having two spaced-apart holders that hold the packaging film at two opposite sides; pressing a packaging tray against the packaging film by raising the packaging tray from below; and guiding opposite sides of the packaging film below the packaging tray. The packaging tray is raised by a raising device that raises a lifting platform from a transfer position into a packaging position, the lifting platform receives the packaging tray, and the packaging tray is transported from a loading position to the transfer position by a feed belt. The lifting platform is held in a middle position by the raising device while the feed belt is transporting the packaging tray between the loading position and the transfer position on an intermediate piece.

A method operates a packaging machine for wrapping a packaging film around packaging trays. The method includes: feeding the packaging film to a holding mechanism having two spaced-apart holders that hold the packaging film at two opposite sides; pressing a packaging tray against the packaging film by raising the packaging tray from below; and guiding opposite sides of the packaging film below the packaging tray. The packaging tray is raised by a raising device that raises a lifting platform from a transfer position into a packaging position, the lifting platform receives the packaging tray, and the packaging tray is transported from a loading position to the transfer position by a feed belt. The lifting platform is held in a middle position by the raising device while the feed belt is transporting the packaging tray between the loading position and the transfer position on an intermediate piece.

Disclosed is a coil packaging system. The system comprises a first robot arm having a grappling portion adapted to grip a wrapping material, a second robot arm having a grappling portion adapted to grip the wrapping material, and a coil rotating means adapted to carry and rotate a coil about a coil axis. The first robot arm is movable along a first horizontal axis (A1) which, in an operating position, coincides with the coil axis, while the second robot arm is movable along a second horizontal axis (A2), the second horizontal axis (A2) being parallel to the first horizontal axis (A1), and along a third horizontal axis (A3), the third horizontal axis (A3) being perpendicular to the second horizontal axis (A2).

Disclosed is a pick-fill-seal type dual lane premade pouch packing machine (200) that reduces the setup time and allows flexibility to change the gripper width as per the pouch size. The machine (200) comprises a plurality of gripper assemblies (150) linearly mounted on two indexing assemblies (110A, 110B) driven by two independent driving mechanisms wherein first gripper fingers (120) are mounted on the first indexing assembly (110A) and second gripper fingers (130) are mounted on the second indexing assembly (110B). Cam followers (140) are fitted on the gripper assemblies (150) either on upper side or lower side thereof such that gripper assemblies (150) with upper side cam-followers (140) and lower side cam-followers (140) are arranged alternately. The independence of cam motion from the indexing assemblies (110A, 110B) allows the indexing distance to be reduced which results in reduction in the machine length and the floor space required.

Disclosed is a pick-fill-seal type dual lane premade pouch packing machine (200) that reduces the setup time and allows flexibility to change the gripper width as per the pouch size. The machine (200) comprises a plurality of gripper assemblies (150) linearly mounted on two indexing assemblies (110A, 110B) driven by two independent driving mechanisms wherein first gripper fingers (120) are mounted on the first indexing assembly (110A) and second gripper fingers (130) are mounted on the second indexing assembly (110B). Cam followers (140) are fitted on the gripper assemblies (150) either on upper side or lower side thereof such that gripper assemblies (150) with upper side cam-followers (140) and lower side cam-followers (140) are arranged alternately. The independence of cam motion from the indexing assemblies (110A, 110B) allows the indexing distance to be reduced which results in reduction in the machine length and the floor space required.