A cluster pack comprises at least two containers connected by a glued joint. One of the containers has a thickened wall region in the region of the glued joint. This region acts as a well reinforcement to reduce the risk of tearing a container during detachment from the cluster pack.

A cluster pack comprises at least two containers connected by a glued joint. One of the containers has a thickened wall region in the region of the glued joint. This region acts as a well reinforcement to reduce the risk of tearing a container during detachment from the cluster pack.

A labeling machine for producing respective multipacks, the multipacks comprising a group of products secured together by a label. The labeling machine includes a conveyor that comprises a conveyor module for forming a group of products from a plurality of individual products and for providing the group of products to a labeling process to produce a multipack of products. The labeling machine includes at least one labeler. The conveyor module comprises at least two conveying units which each conveying unit comprising at least one carrier. The movement of the conveying units may be individually controllable allowing two carriers on different conveying units to cooperate as a fixing unit. A method of producing respective multipacks, which each comprise a group of products, using the labeling machine is also provided.

A labeling machine for producing respective multipacks, the multipacks comprising a group of products secured together by a label. The labeling machine includes a conveyor that comprises a conveyor module for forming a group of products from a plurality of individual products and for providing the group of products to a labeling process to produce a multipack of products. The labeling machine includes at least one labeler. The conveyor module comprises at least two conveying units which each conveying unit comprising at least one carrier. The movement of the conveying units may be individually controllable allowing two carriers on different conveying units to cooperate as a fixing unit. A method of producing respective multipacks, which each comprise a group of products, using the labeling machine is also provided.

A pack includes at least four containers, each of which is in one of two container groups. Intragroup bonds hold containers in the same container group together. Intergroup bonds hold together the first and second groups. A carrying handle spans at least two containers from different groups.

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a central panel for engaging the plurality of containers and at least one attachment feature in the central panel that receives and holds a top portion of at least one container of the plurality of containers. The at least one attachment feature includes an opening in the central panel, a first retention feature, and a second retention feature. The first retention feature and the second retention feature includes a respective first retention edge and second retention edge of the central panel defining a respective first portion and a second portion of the opening and for engaging a respective first portion and a second portion of at least one container of the plurality of containers to at least partially attach the at least one container to the carrier.

A carrier for holding a plurality of containers includes a top retainer comprising a top attachment panel for at least partially receiving the plurality of containers, and a bottom retainer comprising a bottom attachment panel for being attached to the plurality of containers.

An order processing system, such as may be used in a high-volume pharmacy, may include a material handling system, an accumulator, and a packing device. The material handling system may move containers through a plurality of container paths. The container sorting device may receive the containers, scan the plurality of containers to detect container identifiers, and separate the containers based on the container identifiers to travel through a first container exit path or a second container exit path. The accumulator may accumulate containers that traveled through the first container exit path and the second container exit path. The accumulator may include an accumulator scanning device for scanning the containers to detect the container identifiers. The accumulator may group the containers together based on the detected container identifiers and orders, and provide the grouped containers. The packing device may package the grouped containers along with literature associated with the orders.

An order processing system, such as may be used in a high-volume pharmacy, may include a material handling system, an accumulator, and a packing device. The material handling system may move containers through a plurality of container paths. The container sorting device may receive the containers, scan the plurality of containers to detect container identifiers, and separate the containers based on the container identifiers to travel through a first container exit path or a second container exit path. The accumulator may accumulate containers that traveled through the first container exit path and the second container exit path. The accumulator may include an accumulator scanning device for scanning the containers to detect the container identifiers. The accumulator may group the containers together based on the detected container identifiers and orders, and provide the grouped containers. The packing device may package the grouped containers along with literature associated with the orders.

A system for packaging two or more containers with a paperboard carrier having two or more apertures. Each aperture has a plurality of tabs formed at an inside edge thereof that bend upward when contacting a lower edge of a chime of one of the containers. The system includes a platen having apertures for pressing the carrier down uniformly onto the containers and carrier supports configured for maintaining the carrier in a flat configuration as the platen presses the carrier onto the containers substantially simultaneously. Some embodiments of the system include a manual applicator, while other embodiments include a semi-automatic apparatus that utilize linear actuators to facilitate loading the carriers and applying the carriers to a group of containers. Methods of use are also disclosed.