Article picking and treating apparatus The present invention provides an apparatus for picking and treating articles simultaneously, said picking and treating each being operated at a first and a second conveying line.

The invention includes a method used to place article groups into outer packagings (22) packaging apparatus (10). Article groups are transferred by a handling device (26) from a staging location (46) to a conveyor line (20) and are placed into the outer packagings (22). The conveyor line (20) serves to successively transport outer packagings (22). At least some of the articles (14) of a particular article group are directed and/or guided during a placing procedure by a centering device (32) assigned to the conveyor line (20) and moved along with the outer packagings (22), which are being transported on the conveyor line (20) and which are to be loaded with article groups.

The invention includes a method used to place article groups into outer packagings (22) packaging apparatus (10). Article groups are transferred by a handling device (26) from a staging location (46) to a conveyor line (20) and are placed into the outer packagings (22). The conveyor line (20) serves to successively transport outer packagings (22). At least some of the articles (14) of a particular article group are directed and/or guided during a placing procedure by a centering device (32) assigned to the conveyor line (20) and moved along with the outer packagings (22), which are being transported on the conveyor line (20) and which are to be loaded with article groups.

The invention concerns a carton loading device (1) comprising a gripper assembly (20), which comprises at least one gripper (21) arranged to grip a product item (P) from above and to lower the product item (P) into a carton (10). The carton (10) comprises along first parallel sides (11) thereof comprises bottom side flaps (13) and top side flaps (14) and along second parallel sides (12) thereof comprises bottom end flaps (15) and top end flaps (16) and is presented to the gripper assembly (20) in a sleeve state with all flaps (13-16) unfolded. The gripper assembly (20) comprises a pinching means (22) arranged to pinch and hold the top side flaps (14) of the carton (10) and to hold and move the carton (10) and said product item (P) jointly to a carton closing station of the carton loading device (1), where the gripper assembly (20) finally releases said product item (P) and the carton (10) once the bottom side flaps (13) and the bottom end flaps (15) have been folded in and secured.

The invention concerns a carton loading device (1) comprising a gripper assembly (20), which comprises at least one gripper (21) arranged to grip a product item (P) from above and to lower the product item (P) into a carton (10). The carton (10) comprises along first parallel sides (11) thereof comprises bottom side flaps (13) and top side flaps (14) and along second parallel sides (12) thereof comprises bottom end flaps (15) and top end flaps (16) and is presented to the gripper assembly (20) in a sleeve state with all flaps (13-16) unfolded. The gripper assembly (20) comprises a pinching means (22) arranged to pinch and hold the top side flaps (14) of the carton (10) and to hold and move the carton (10) and said product item (P) jointly to a carton closing station of the carton loading device (1), where the gripper assembly (20) finally releases said product item (P) and the carton (10) once the bottom side flaps (13) and the bottom end flaps (15) have been folded in and secured.

The invention includes a method and apparatus 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) composed of a plurality of articles (12). In the method, at least one article group (18) is seized by 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 placement of the article group into the outer package (16) by reducing the spacings between at least some of the individual articles (12) of the article group (18). The article group may also be subsequently spread out.

The invention includes a method and apparatus 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) composed of a plurality of articles (12). In the method, at least one article group (18) is seized by 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 placement of the article group into the outer package (16) by reducing the spacings between at least some of the individual articles (12) of the article group (18). The article group may also be subsequently spread out.

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.

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.

A storage station, a process for storing, and a bottle tray (5) configured for receiving a bottle layer (7) are provided. The bottle tray has an upright side wall (12), with an upper tray opening (13) and a tray bottom (15) connected to the side wall (12). The bottle tray (5) has a movable lifting bottom (18) that lies in the loaded state (5) on the tray bottom (15) and which has a plurality of passage openings (16) for a lifting device (34) for a relative lift between the side wall (12) and the lifting bottom (18). The tray bottom (15) has a perforated plate or a plurality of struts (17) located spaced apart and enclosing the passage openings (16). The struts are fastened to the side wall (12). The bottle tray (5) has a bottom centering (19) acting between the tray bottom (15) and the lifting bottom (18).