AUTOMATED PACKAGING APPLICATOR SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME

Abstract

A high-speed automated ring carrier applicator system and methods of using the same are provided. The applicator system is operable to be loaded with a magazine of ring carriers and individually apply them to a plurality of individual containers for beverages, food, pharmaceuticals, or other goods. The ring carriers may include a plurality of full or partial apertures (e.g., 2 to 12, or other numbers of apertures), each with a neck-engaging locking mechanism to receive and hold a container.

Claims

1. A system for applied packaging to grouped containers, comprising: a. a grouping station for organizing a plurality of containers into a pre-determined arrangement; b. an applicator station for receiving said plurality of containers in said pre-determined arrangement; and c. an applicator carriage having an applicator surface for receiving a ring carrier, said applicator surface having apertures for receiving an upper aspect of each of said containers in said predetermined arrangement, pivoting retainer structures for holding said ring carrier in alignment with said applicator plate, the applicator operable to fixedly apply said ring carrier to said upper aspects of said containers by a single axis vertical motion.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a magazine operable to contain a plurality of ring carriers in a vertical stack, said magazine positioned adjacent to said applicator station, and allowing said applicator carriage to move between said magazine and said applicator station along a single plane of motion.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a stop tab operable to hold a leading ring carrier in said magazine.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising an applicator carriage translating assembly operable to move said applicator carriage between said magazine and said applicator station.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said applicator carriage translating assembly comprises a four-bar linkage that is orthogonal to and between the applicator station and the magazine.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said applicator carriage translating assembly comprises an oscillating axle to which the four-bar linkage is in mechanical communication.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said applicator carriage translating assembly comprises an eccentric collar fixedly connected to said oscillating axle, such that said eccentric collar oscillates with said oscillating axle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said four bar linkage is in mechanical communication with said oscillating axle by connection to said eccentric collar, wherein said connection to said eccentric collar results in said four bar linkage creating an arcing path for said applicator carriage as it moves between said applicator station and said magazine.

9. (canceled)

10. The system of claim 2, wherein said applicator plate includes at least one vacuum coupling embedded therein operable to create a partial vacuum between the applicator plate and the ring carrier for aiding in picking a ring carrier from said magazine.

11. The system of claim 2, further comprising a conveyor for delivering said containers into said grouping station having a container flow divider that organizes the containers into single-width rows of containers that are funneled into pre-determined rows in said grouping station.

12. The system of claim 13, further comprising a container arresting mechanism operable to stop the advance of said containers into said grouping station.

13. The system of claim 6, further comprising a rotational actuator for said oscillating actuator, said rotational actuator operable to oscillate said oscillating axle in a predetermined pattern.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a grouped container advancement mechanism operable to advance said grouped containers from the grouping station to the applicator station while maintaining the pre-determined pattern of containers.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein said magazine includes a stopping mechanism and a biasing mechanism, wherein said biasing member advances said ring carriers toward a picking position to be grasped and removed by the applicator carriage and said stopping mechanism holds the ring carrier in the picking position in place until said applicator carriage is positioned over said magazine.

16. The system of claim 17, wherein said stopping mechanism is operable to be retracted from contact with said ring carrier in said picking position when said applicator carriage is positioned over said magazine.

17-18. (canceled)

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic controller in electronic communication actuators for said arresting mechanism, said applicator carriage translating assembly, and said oscillating axle.

20. A method for packaging containers using a packaging system, comprising: a. loading a plurality of containers into a conveyor and organizing said containers into rows using a flow divider; b. guiding a pre-determined number of containers into a pre-determined pattern in a grouping station; c. transferring the grouped plurality of containers to an applicator station; d. picking a ring carrier from a magazine adjacent to said applicator station with an applicator carriage having an applicator surface for receiving said ring carrier, closing pivoting retainer structures over said ring carrier to hold said ring carrier in alignment with said applicator plate; and e. fixedly applying said ring carrier to said upper aspects of said containers by a single axis vertical motion, said applicator surface having apertures for receiving an upper aspect of each of said containers in said predetermined arrangement.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said magazine contains a plurality of ring carriers in a vertical stack, and is positioned to allow said applicator carriage to move between said magazine and said applicator station along a single plane of motion.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising positioning a stop tab over said plurality of ring carriers to hold a leading ring carrier in said magazine.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising moving an applicator carriage applicator carriage between said magazine and said applicator station using a translating assembly operable.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said applicator carriage translating assembly comprising a four-bar linkage that is orthogonal to and between the applicator station and the magazine.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising oscillating an oscillating axle to which the four-bar linkage is in mechanical communication to create a motion path of said applicator carriage between said magazine and said applicator station.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said applicator carriage translating assembly comprises an eccentric collar fixedly connected to said oscillating axle, such that said eccentric collar oscillates with said oscillating axle.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said four bar linkage is in mechanical communication with said oscillating axle by connection to said eccentric collar, wherein said connection to said eccentric collar results in said four bar linkage creating an arcing path for said applicator carriage as it moves between said applicator station and said magazine.

28. (canceled)

29. The method of claim 20, applying a partial vacuum between the applicator plate and the ring carrier using at least one vacuum coupling embedded in said applicator plate to aid in picking a ring carrier from said magazine.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising arresting the flow of said containers into said grouping station using an arresting mechanism located adjacent to said conveyor.

31-37. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a view of a ring carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows an overhead view of an automated ring carrier application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a side view of an automated ring carrier application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a side view of an applicator carriage of an automated ring carrier application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a side view of an applicator carriage of an automated ring carrier application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an applicator carriage of an automated ring carrier application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of an applicator carriage of an automated ring carrier application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIGS. 8A-8C shows steps 1-3 of a method of applying a ring carrier to containers using an automated ring carrier application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 9A-9B shows steps 4-5 of a method of applying a ring carrier to containers using an automated ring carrier application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 10A-10B shows steps 6-7 of a method of applying a ring carrier to containers using an automated ring carrier application system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 11 show an inline embodiment of an automated ring carrier application system.

[0040] FIGS. 12A-12D show a schematic sequence of operation of the system of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Reference will now be made in detail to certain embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in reference to these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that are included within the spirit and scope of the invention. In the following disclosure, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without all of the specific details provided.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1-10B, the present invention includes a high-speed automated ring carrier applicator system and methods of using the same. The applicator system is operable to be loaded with a magazine of ring carriers and individually apply them to a plurality of individual containers for beverages, food, pharmaceuticals, or other goods. The ring carrier may be a “fishbone”-style ring carrier, made from paper-based packaging materials. The high-speed automated ring carrier applicator system reliably applies ring carriers to the grouped containers of a pre-determined arrangement that matches the shape of the ring carriers.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary ring carrier 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ring carriers may include a plurality of full or partial apertures 151 (e.g., 2 to 12, or other numbers of apertures), each with a neck-engaging locking mechanism to receive and hold a container. The ring carrier 150 has a 2×3 aperture arrangement (a sixpack arrangement), with apertures 151 for receiving an upper aspect of the containers. The ring carriers 150 can be applied to containers by applied overhead pressure by the presently disclosed high speed ring carrier applicator. The ring carrier 150 may include a container neck-engaging locking mechanism. The neck engaging mechanism may include locking tabs 151a to assist to hold and retain the containers in the ring carrier 150. The locking tabs 151a may be operable to hold the containers in place for transport. The ring carrier 150 may be applied to the grouped containers by positive downward pressure placed on the ring carrier 150 as it is aligned with the pre-grouped plurality of containers. The applied pressure inwardly compresses a neck-engaging locking mechanism of each aperture around the outside of each container. The locking tabs 151a of the ring carrier 150 may be pressed onto the containers and the apertures 151 therein may be placed around the upper portions (e.g., necks) of the grouped containers. As the ring carrier 150 is positioned over the upper portion of the grouped containers, frangible connection between the tabs 151a that may be broken, and the tabs 151a may be pushed upward above the apertures 151 in the ring carrier 150 such that the tabs engage with upper portion of the containers above the apertures 151 of the ring carrier 150. For example, the containers may be beverage cans, and the locking tabs 151a may be oriented upward to engage with the underside of rim of the can such that thus automatically positioning the tabs 151a such that they translate upward force on the ring carrier 150 to upward force on the rim of the beverage cans, thereby lifting the cans with the ring carrier 150 and preventing separation of the cans from the ring carrier 150.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary high-speed automated ring carrier applicator system 100 according to the present invention. The system 100 may include the following major components: an electronic controller 105 (e.g., a PLC, a computer with microprocessor and other conventional components, etc.) for coordinating the functions of each portion of the ring carrier applicator system 100, a delivery conveyor 101, a sorting mechanism 103 for delivering containers into a grouping station 110, an applicator station 120 at which the ring carriers 150 are applied to the grouped containers 102a, a ring carrier applicator operable to apply a ring carrier to an upper aspect of the grouped containers, and a ring carrier magazine 126 from which the ring carrier applicator picks a ring carrier 150 to apply to the containers 102a. The feeding system also includes an electronic controller 105, which may include a microprocessor and memory, and may be connected to the electronic elements in each section of the ring carrier applicator system. The electronic controller 105 may be programmed with one or more algorithms that govern the operation of the electronic components of the ring carrier applicator system 100.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, feeding conveyor 101 may deliver a plurality of containers 102 to a grouping station 110, where they are organized into a pre-determined arrangement and positioned in an applicator station 120 in which the ring carriers 150 are applied. The conveyor 101 may include multiple sections and may include one or more conveyor elements, such as a feed belt, a roller bed, etc. The conveyor 101 may include an initial flow control path 101a (e.g., a bottleneck) that limits the number of containers 102 per unit time. The conveyor 101 may include a funneling section 101b of a narrowing width adjacent to the grouping station 110 for shaping the flow of containers to a limited number of lines of containers entering the grouping station (e.g., two lines of containers as shown in FIG. 2). For example, the flow divider 103a narrows the flow of containers to two adjacent lines of containers flowing into the grouping station 110. The divider 103a may divide the flow of containers 102 into two single container-width channels that matches the number of containers in one dimension of the pre-determined pattern 110a of containers 102 that matches the ring carrier apertures 151.

[0046] The grouping station 110 may include a container pattern shaping assembly to arrange the containers into the pre-determined arrangement that matches the ring carriers. The container pattern shaping assembly may include distal wall 112 to halt the progress of the containers 102 delivered into the grouping station 110 by the conveyor 101, a template 111 having a shape that accommodates one dimension of the pre-determined arrangement of containers 102—having nesting surfaces complementary to the sides of three adjacent containers, a template actuator 111a, and a container feed arresting mechanism 106. The feed arresting mechanism 106 is operable to prevent containers in the conveying channels from entering the grouping station 110. The feed arresting mechanism 106 may be positioned adjacent to the channels of the conveyor 101 at a position just proximal to the grouping station 110. The feed arresting mechanism 106 may apply pressure to the containers 102 positioned in the conveyor just proximal to grouping station 110 in order to arrest their progress and hold then in position outside of the grouping station 110. The arresting mechanism 106 may be a clamp positioned over the distal end of the conveyor 101. The arresting mechanism 106 may be operable to move downward over the containers 102 arresting the movement of the containers 102 from the conveyor 101 into the grouping station 110. The arresting mechanism 106 may be actuated by a vertical linear actuator (e.g., an electronic linear actuator, a pneumatic linear actuator, etc.). The arresting mechanism 106 may be activated by a sensor 110a that detects when the grouping station 110 has been filled with containers 102 (e.g., an electromechanical sensor, such as a pressure sensor, an optical sensor, etc.). When the sensor is triggered by the arrival of containers 102 at the distal wall, the sensor sends an electrical signal to activate the vertical linear actuator. The sensor may also send an electronic signal to the controller 105, thereby allowing the controller 105 to monitor the activity of the grouping station 110. In some embodiments, the sensor signal may be sent to the controller 105 and the controller 105 may then send an electronic signal to activate the linear actuator in response to the sensor signal to deploy the arresting clamp.

[0047] The containers 102 are delivered into the container grouping station 110 such that they are advanced toward the distal wall 112, and the leading containers contact the distal wall 112, thereby halting the progress of the containers 102. The template 111 may then be actuated by the controller 105 to contact the containers 102. The template actuator 111a may be activated by the controller 105 once the containers are delivered into the grouping station 110 to shape and hold the containers 102 in the pre-determined pattern in the grouping station 110. The template 111 only contacts one side of a first row of containers in the pattern of containers present in the grouping station 110, and the force applied to the first row of containers 102 by the template 111 is transmitted to the additional rows allowing all rows in the grouping station 110 to be transferred together into the applicator station 120.

[0048] Once the grouping station 110 is full of the containers, the template 111 may be actuated to transfer the patterned container grouping 102a into the applicator station 120, which is shown in STEP 1 of FIG. 8A. The template 111 may be attached to a horizontal or substantially horizontal linear actuator 111a (e.g., an electric rod linear actuator, a pneumatic linear actuator, etc.). The horizontal linear actuator 111a may be activated by the controller 105, after the arresting mechanism 106 is deployed to stop the progress of the containers 102, to effect the movement of the grouped containers 102a. The template 111 may push the cans in a substantially orthogonal direction with respect to the direction of the flow of the containers 102 from the conveyor 101. In other examples, the containers 102 may be pushed by the template 111 into the applicator station 120 at an oblique angle relative to the conveyor 101.

[0049] The applicator station 120 may have a size and shape that is substantially the same as the grouping station 110, and thus accommodates and holds the shape of the grouped containers 102a. The applicator station 120 may have a second template 120a on an opposite side of the grouped containers 102a from the first template 111. The second template 120a may have interfacing surfaces for receiving the containers 102a that has the same shape as the first template 111, enabling the second template 120a to receive the grouped containers 102a and maintain their arrangement. The second template 120a may have three concave cylindrical interfacing surfaces, each shaped to be complementary to the side of one of the containers 102.

[0050] When the first template 111 is advanced toward the applicator station 120, and the grouped containers 102a are pushed into the applicator station 120, the grouped containers 102a are pinched between the first template 111 and the second template 120a. The grouped containers 102a are thereby held in a static pre-determined position in the applicator station 120 to enable the overhead application of a ring carrier 150. The applicator station 120 may have an entry path between it and the grouping station 110. The applicator station 120 may also have an exit path between it and a backend conveyor 130 that transports the packaged containers 131 to a subsequent sorting, packing, inspection, or other process after the ring carrier is applied to the packaged containers 131.

[0051] The applicator station 120 may include one or more additional retaining mechanisms in or around the applicator station 120. A retractable retaining structure 120c (e.g., a retaining wall) may be positioned orthogonally to the first template 111 and the second template 120a to prevent the grouped containers 102a from advancing during the application of the ring carrier 150. The applicator station 120 may also include a barrier 120b (e.g., a wall, buffer, etc.) on the opposite side of the applicator station 120 from the retractable retaining structure 120c that prevents the movement of the grouped containers 102a from the applicator station 120 on the corresponding side. The applicator station 120 may also include an ejection mechanism 121 for advancing the packaged containers 131 from the applicator station 120 to the backend conveyor 130 after the ring carrier 150 is applied thereto. The ejection mechanism 121 may be a sweeping arm that pushes the packaged containers 131 out of the applicator station 120, such as a pivoting arm or an arm traveling on a track (e.g., operated by a drive belt mechanism and servo motor). In other embodiments, the ejection mechanism 121 may be a linear actuator that pushes the containers along the path of the backed conveyor from behind with a contact pad. The ejection mechanism 121 may include an electromechanical actuator activated by the controller 105 after the ring carrier applicator 1201 attaches the ring carrier 150 to the grouped containers 102a.

[0052] The applicator 1201 may be an articulating clasping mechanism operable to (1) pick one ring carrier 150 from a stack of ring carriers loaded in a magazine 126, (2) transport the picked ring carrier 150 from the magazine 126 to the applicator station 120, (3) align the ring carrier 150 with the grouped containers 102a in the applicator station 120 such that the apertures 151 in the ring applicator 150 are each over the superior aspect of one of the containers 120, and (4) attach the ring carrier 150 to the grouped containers 102a in a downward, single axis motion. The applicator 1201 may then be vertically retracted and moved back to the magazine 126 to pick the next ring carrier 150 therefrom.

[0053] The applicator may include a moveable carriage 1201a and an applicator plate 1202, and a carriage translating assembly 140 for moving the applicator 1201 between the magazine 126 and the applicator station 120, and a picking mechanism for removing a single ring carrier 150 from the magazine 126 against which the ring carrier 150 is positioned prior to engaging the ring carrier 150 with the grouped containers 102a. The applicator plate 1202 may have a generally planar body and a plurality of apertures 1202a in a pre-determined matrix arrangement that correspond to the pre-determined grouping arrangement of the containers in the applicator station 120. Each aperture 1202a has a series of internal walls arranged such that each aperture 1202a has a shape that is complementary to the superior aspect of the containers 102. The apertures 1202a allow the superior aspect (e.g., a top rim of a can) to pass through the applicator plate 1202, which engages locking tabs 151a in the ring carrier 150 with the outer surface of the container 102, thereby engaging the locking tabs 151a with the upper aspect of the container 102 and securing the ring carrier 150 to the containers 102.

[0054] The moveable carriage 1201 may be operable to pick a single ring carrier 150 from a magazine 126 located adjacent to or otherwise near the applicator station 120. The moveable carriage 1201 may include one or more grasping mechanisms 1203 for engaging the uppermost ring carrier 150 in the magazine 126, allowing the carriage 1201 to the remove the uppermost ring carrier 150. The carriage 1201 may include a pair of articulating jaws 1203a and 1203b that are each operable to pivot on an axis that is parallel to a side of the applicator plate 1202. The two articulating jaws 1203a, 1203b may be positioned on opposing sides of the applicator plate 1202 and may be pivoted inferiorly away from the applicator plate 1202 such that the medial-most edges of the jaws (edge closest to the middle of the applicator plate 1202) are spread wide enough so that the ring carrier 150 may be passed between them. The jaws may be actuated by a pneumatic, hydraulic, or electronic actuator activated by the controller 105. Actuator 1206a may be in mechanical communication with articulating jaw 1203a via mechanical linkage 1206aa, and actuator 1206b may be in mechanical communication with jaw 1203b via mechanical linkage 1206ba. The pivoting jaw actuator 1206a, 1206b may be activated to open the pivoting jaws 1203a, 1203b by a timing mechanism. For example, the controller 105 may be programmed with a calibrated sequence for activating components of the carriage translating assembly 140 and carriage 1201, where the actuator(s) 1206a, 1206b for the pivoting jaws 1203a, 1203b is activated as the carriage 1201 reaches its lowest point above the applicator station 120—this may be based on precise timing of the motion of the carriage translating assembly 140. In other embodiments, the carriage 1201 may include one or more proximity or contact sensors that is activated in response to the presence of the grouped containers 120a when the carriage 1201 is at its lowest point above the applicator station 120, and may send an electronic activation signal directly to the actuator(s) 1206a, 1206b, or the sensor may signal the controller 105 of the lowermost position of the carriage 1201, and the controller 105 may then activate the actuator(s) 1206a, 1206b to open pivoting jaws 1203a, 1203b.

[0055] In some embodiments, the carriage 1201 may further include one or more vacuum gripping mechanisms 1204 embedded in the applicator plate 1202 to apply a partial vacuum to the surface of the ring carrier 150 at one or more points, thereby enabling and/or assisting with removing the uppermost ring carrier 150 from the magazine 126. The carriage 1201 may also include guide pins 1205 (e.g., tapered guide pins) positioned at predefined positions on or around the applicator plate 1202 that may provide (1) slight repositioning of the ring carrier (e.g., less than a centimeter, such about 0.1 to about 5 mm) such that the ring carrier 150 picked from the magazine 126 is in alignment with the applicator plate 1202 within a tolerance of about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm (e.g., about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm) in either the dimension of the two-dimensional surface of the applicator plate 1202 and with skew tolerance of about 0.1° to about 2° of skew from axial alignment with the applicator plate, and/or (2) mechanical feedback to the carriage translating assembly 140 to indicate that the carriage 1201 is out of alignment with the magazine 126 and indicate a system error, and stop the applicator system 100 until it can be serviced and repaired.

[0056] The carriage translating assembly 140 moves the carriage 1201 back and forth between the applicator station 120 and the magazine 126. The carriage translating assembly 140 may having three axes of motion and may be operable to move on a vertical axis relative to the applicator station 120, on a horizontal axis between the applicator station 120 and the ring carrier magazine 126, and on a vertical axis over the ring carrier magazine 126. The carriage translating mechanism 140 may be a four-bar mechanism 142 with an additional path guiding bar (e.g., a binary linkage) that defines the path of the carriage. The four-bar linkage 142 may be in mechanical communication with an oscillating shaft 141a driven by an electrical motor 144 (e.g., a stepper motor, a servo, etc.) that rotates the oscillating shaft 141a in both rotational directions in a predetermined pattern that precisely translates the carriage 1201 from the applicator station 120 and the ring carrier magazine 126. The oscillating shaft 141a may have laterally extending collars 141b that are fixed to the oscillating shaft 141a and that provide the linkage points for the four-bar linkage system 142. As the shaft 141a oscillates, the carriage 1201 is lifted from one of the stations (e.g., the magazine or the applicator station) and swung to the other as the oscillating shaft 141a spins.

[0057] The carriage translating assembly 140 may hold a ring carrier 150 in alignment with and in close proximity to the applicator plate 1202 when applying the ring carrier 150 to the grouped containers 102a in the applicator station 120. The applicator plate 1202 may have a predetermined shape and the grasping mechanisms 1203 may be shaped and arranged such that the grouped containers 102a may pass through the grasping mechanisms 1203, the applicator plate apertures 1202a, and any other structures on the carriage 1201 such that the ring carrier 150 may be applied to upper portion of the grouped containers 102a in a swift downward motion of the carriage 1201 without any obstruction. The cutouts 1203aa in the pivoting jaws 1203a and 1203b may be present and accommodate the upper ends of the containers 102a. Other structures in the carriage 1201, including the guide pins 1205 may be arranged and positioned to avoid obstruction during the application of the ring carrier 150 to the grouped containers 102a.

[0058] During the application operation, the applicator plate 1202 and the nested ring carrier 150 may be moved down over the grouped containers 102a by actuation of the carriage translating assembly 140. The tabs 151a of the ring carrier 150 may be pressed onto and the apertures 151 therein may be positioned around the upper portions (e.g., necks) of the grouped containers 102a. In pressing and forming the ring carrier 150 onto the upper portion of the grouped containers, and the locking tabs 151a may be pushed upward above the apertures in the ring carrier 150 such that the tabs 151a engage with upper portion of the containers 102a above the apertures 1202a of the ring carrier 150. The pivoting jaws 1203a, 1203b may open, once the ring carrier 150 has been applied to the grouped containers 102a, allowing the carriage 1201 and applicator plate 1202 to be retracted from the now packaged containers 131 without the pivoting jaws 1203a, 1203b pulling the ring carrier 150 upward.

[0059] The picking operation may be facilitated by the positioning of the moveable carriage 1201 over the ring carrier magazine 126 by the carriage translating assembly 140 and/or by mechanisms in the ring carrier magazine 126. The carriage translating assembly 140 may be calibrated to position the carriage 1201 directly over the magazine 126 and place the applicator plate 1202 over and in alignment with the uppermost ring carrier 150 in the magazine 126. The ring carrier magazine 150 may be located in proximity to the applicator station 120 (e.g., within a distance of about three inches and about 15 inches). In some embodiments, the applicator station 120 and the magazine 126 may be aligned laterally such that carriage translating assembly 140 can move laterally between the applicator 120 and magazine 126 such that the edges of ring carriers 150 in the magazine 126 are aligned with the ends of grouped containers 102a in the applicator station 120. In such embodiments, the carriage may be moved between the applicator station 120 and the magazine 126 in a linear motion that is orthogonal to the edge of the stack of ring carriers 150 in the magazine 126.

[0060] The magazine 126 may be operable to be loaded with a plurality of ring carriers 150 in aligned stack in a guide structure that maintains the stack of ring carriers in an aligned, ordered arrangement. The magazine 126 may include a biasing device 126a for pushing the stack of carriers 150 upward to a stopping mechanism 126b (e.g., a catch that overlaps with one or more edges of the uppermost ring carrier 150) that keeps the uppermost ring carrier 150 at a pre-determined location to which the carriage translating assembly 140 positions the applicator plate 1202 to pick the uppermost ring carrier 150 from the magazine 126. The combination of the biasing device 126a and the stopping mechanism 126b positions the uppermost ring carrier 150 in a reliable position that allows the uppermost ring carrier 150 to be removed in a reliable and repeatable manner. The biasing device 126b may be a spring-loaded feed mechanism, e.g., having one or more spring-biased push plates and/or spring-biased push rods to advance the ring carriers toward the stopping mechanism. The stopping mechanism 126b may be a retractable arm that extends over the stack of ring carriers 150 in between picking operations. For example, the stopping mechanism 126b may be one or more retractable tab, bar, or other elongate structures (the “stopping tab”) that overlap with and hold in place the uppermost ring carrier 150. The stopping tab may be retracted as or immediately prior to (e.g., about 10 milliseconds to about 300 milliseconds) the applicator plate 1202 contacting the uppermost ring carrier 150. The stopping tab may be actuated by a linear actuator (e.g., a solenoid, a roller screw actuator, a rotating cam mechanism, etc.) or rotational actuator (e.g., a pivoting arm or an arm traveling on a track operated by a drive belt mechanism, a stepper motor, servo motor, or other) in electronic communication with the controller 150. In some embodiments, the retraction of the stopping tab may be coordinated with the arrival of the applicator plate by mechanical timing controlled by the electronic controller. The electronic controller may then signal the electromechanical actuator of the stopping tab to retract the stopping to allow the applicator plate to remove the uppermost ring carrier. In other embodiments, the carriage may include one or more sensors for indicating the distance of the applicator plate to the uppermost ring carrier. For example, the sensor may be a proximity sensor or contact sensor located at or near the inferior surface of the applicator plate, and may be operable to activated and send a signal to the electronic controller when the applicator plate is in contact with the uppermost ring carrier. As the applicator plate is within a pre-determined distance or in contact with the uppermost ring carrier, the sensor(s) may send an electronic signal to the electronic controller, which in turn can send an electronic signal to the electromechanical actuator of the stopping tab to retract the stopping tab to allow the applicator plate to remove the uppermost ring carrier from engagement with the ring carriers 150 when the carriage 1201 is positioned over the ring carrier magazine 126.

[0061] The magazine 126 may further include one or more failure sensors 126c positioned at or near the magazine to detect whether a ring carrier 150 becomes improperly displaced in the magazine 126. For example, an optical sensor (e.g., an optical through beam sensor) may positioned over the stopping mechanism 126b, such that the sensor may detect if a ring carrier 150 is improperly positioned above the stopping mechanism 126b, which indicates a picking failure by the carriage 1201 or other mechanical error.

[0062] Once the ring carrier 150 has been applied to the grouped containers 102a, the packaged containers 131 are advanced from the applicator station to a backend conveyor 130. This may involve one or more of the following steps: retracting the first template 111 and second template 120a to disengage the templates from the sidewalls of the packaged containers 131, removing a retractable barrier 120c between the applicator station 120 and the backend conveyor 130, and/or actuating the ejection mechanism 121 that applies a force on an opposite side of the packaged containers 131 from the backend conveyor 130 such that the ejection mechanism 121 removes the packaged containers 131 from the applicator station 120 and places them on the backend conveyor 130. The actuators for the templates and the retractable barrier may be activated by a timing mechanism. For example, the controller 105 may be programmed with a calibrated sequence for activating components of the applicator station 120, where the actuator(s) 1206a and 1206b for the templates and an actuator for the retractable barrier 120c are activated as the carriage 1201 reaches its lowest point above the applicator station 120—this may be based on precise timing of the motion of the carriage translating assembly 140. In other embodiments, the carriage 1201 may include one or more proximity or contact sensors that is activated in response to the presence of the grouped containers 120a when the carriage 1201 is at its lowest point above the applicator station 120, and may send an electronic signal directly to the actuator(s) for the templates and retractable barrier to activate the actuator(s), or the sensor may signal the controller 105 of the lowermost position of the carriage 1201, and the controller 105 may then activate the actuator(s) for the templates and retractable barrier.

[0063] Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12A-12D, an alternative embodiment of a system 100′ is shown, in which the applicator station 120 is in-line with the conveyor, where the conveyor may have an infeed configuration comparable to that described above, including a funneling section 101b and divider 103a to create two converging rows of containers 102. The label applicator 1201 may be controlled for movement between the applicator station 120 and the ring carrier magazine 126 by a carriage translating assembly as described above (e.g., assembly 140 above), with such movement represented by arrows 125a, 125b and 125c.

[0064] Here, feed screw mechanisms 210a and 210b are located at opposite sides of the container conveyance path and are synchronized with each other (e.g., driven by a common drive or driven by servomotors that are synced) to group the containers into sets of grouped containers 102a of the desired number and orientation, immediately upstream of the applicator station 120. Thus, the downstream portion of the feed screws defines a grouping station 110′ of the system. The rotation of the feed screws 210a and 210b can be controlled to hold groups of containers in ready position upstream of the applicator station 120, and thus the feed screws operate also as a container feed arresting mechanism.

[0065] Template rails 212a and 212b are located on opposite sides of the conveyance path and have a conveyance path facing configuration to match two sets of the grouped containers, with a shape that accommodates one dimension of the pre-determined arrangements of containers (e.g., here having nesting surfaces complementary to the sides of three adjacent containers of one group and three adjacent containers of the following group). The template rails 210a and 210b are movable by synchronized actuators (e.g., represented 212a and 212b) so as to repeatedly, (i) move laterally inward to engage with a grouped set of containers at the applicator station 120 and a grouped set of containers immediately upstream of the applicator station, per arrows 214a, 214b and the transition from FIG. 12A to FIG. 12B, (ii) hold the two groupings stationary (in the position of FIG. 12B) while a carrier is applied to the container group at the applicator station 120 to form a packaged grouping 131, (iii) move the packaged grouping 131 out of the applicator station to the backend conveyor 130 (which, here, is formed by a continuation of the main conveyor) while moving the next container grouping into the applicator station, per arrows 216a and 216b and the transition from FIG. 12B to FIG. 12C (iv) disengage from all containers by moving laterally outward, per arrows 218a and 218b and the transition from FIG. 12C to FIG. 12D and (v) move back upstream, per arrows 220a and 220b, to return to the position of FIG. 12A for another cycle.

[0066] It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the present invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof. It is to be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be used different combinations and permutations with each other, all falling within the scope of the present invention.

[0067] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.