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.

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).

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.

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.

Disclosed are a method as well as an apparatus used to transfer and place articles (12) into outer packages (16), which are open at the top and which each receive at least one article group (18), which is composed of a plurality of articles (12). In the method, at least one article group (18) is in each instance seized as a group by means of at least one handling device (46) and is placed from above into one of the outer packages (16). An article group (18), which has been seized by the handling device (46), already is compacted or will be compacted during a procedure of being placed into the outer package (16) in terms of the spacings between at least some of the individual articles (12) of the article group (18), and it is subsequently spread out.

Disclosed are a method as well as an apparatus used to transfer and place articles (12) into outer packages (16), which are open at the top and which each receive at least one article group (18), which is composed of a plurality of articles (12). In the method, at least one article group (18) is in each instance seized as a group by means of at least one handling device (46) and is placed from above into one of the outer packages (16). An article group (18), which has been seized by the handling device (46), already is compacted or will be compacted during a procedure of being placed into the outer package (16) in terms of the spacings between at least some of the individual articles (12) of the article group (18), and it is subsequently spread out.

Forming device for forming a layer of containers arranged as a quincunx which includes a conveyor belt configured to advance said containers according to a feeding direction X of the conveyor belt, an equipment piece bearing a plurality of partitions positioned parallel to said direction X, wherein said partitions divide the upper surface of the conveyor belt into a plurality of channels, each having a width such to allow the passage of a single row of containers, characterized in that the equipment piece further includes a series of feeding devices configured for dosing and releasing, in a controlled manner, the containers exiting from the channels, each placed at the outlet of each channel, and said equipment piece is movable according to direction Y substantially perpendicular to the feeding direction X of the conveyor belt.

Forming device for forming a layer of containers arranged as a quincunx which includes a conveyor belt configured to advance said containers according to a feeding direction X of the conveyor belt, an equipment piece bearing a plurality of partitions positioned parallel to said direction X, wherein said partitions divide the upper surface of the conveyor belt into a plurality of channels, each having a width such to allow the passage of a single row of containers, characterized in that the equipment piece further includes a series of feeding devices configured for dosing and releasing, in a controlled manner, the containers exiting from the channels, each placed at the outlet of each channel, and said equipment piece is movable according to direction Y substantially perpendicular to the feeding direction X of the conveyor belt.

The present invention relates to a conveyor device, comprising a surface for receiving products that is longitudinally wound around drive means in the form of at least one first drive roller and around at least one return roller, characterized in that said receiving surface comprises a first independent section and a second independent section, said first section extending along a first part of the length of said surface, by winding around said first drive roller and around said return roller, said second section extending along a second part of the length of said surface, distinct from said first part, by winding around a second drive roller. The invention further relates to a dedicated method for conveying products, where the advancing speeds of the sections are controlled independently of each other.