Carton filling devices

[0002] This invention is concerned with means for inserting objects being carried on a conveyor into cartons which move along with the conveyor. A standard mechanism for this purpose has a series of pushers which are moved across the conveyor to move objects into the respective cartons, the pushers then being carried around to the start end of the conveyor to locate on to further objects to be inserted. This mechanism has a large number of moving parts in view of the fact that several independent moving pushers are employed and occupies a substantial width to one side of the conveyor, for location of the pushers in their extended state.

[0003] According to the present invention there is provided a carton filling device comprising a conveyor for moving cartons and objects to be located in the cartons simultaneously down a track with the objects respectively facing opposite to open ends of the cartons located at one side of the conveyor, and a control arm situated in a start position at the other side of the conveyor and carrying pushers for engaging the objects and pushing them towards and into the open ends of the cartons under control of a control mechanism adapted to move the control arm not only across the conveyor, but also down the conveyor at the same speed of movement as the conveyor and to return the control arm back to the start position once the objects have been inserted into the cartons.

[0004] With such an arrangement the pushers are moved by means of the control arm essentially diagonally across the track followed by the conveyor and are then brought back, along the same diagonal line, to the start position. Pushers are not carried around with the conveyor as in the previous mechanism.

[0005] In the preferred arrangement the pusher arm will carry two to four pushers for engaging respective objects. These pushers are carried by a single control arm of the control mechanism so that the number of relatively moveable parts is kept to a minimum. Preferably the control mechanism is designed to cause the pusher arm to be raised for the return journey back to the start position. This ensures that there is no fouling with parts of the conveyor or further objects to be moved. A support body can be situated beside the conveyor to support the control mechanism which controls the movement of the control arm.

[0006] The invention may be performed in various ways and a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates a carton filling device of this invention at a start position; and

[0008] FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate sequential operational positions of the carton filling device in use in inserting objects into cartons.

[0009] The device shown in the drawings incorporates a conveyor 1 on which are carried for example individual food trays 2 which are to be inserted into open ended cartons 3. As the conveyor 1 moves from right to left as shown in FIG. 1 the cartons 3 move at the same speed with the conveyor. A robotic support body 4 incorporates a control mechanism arranged to move the support body about suitable rotational axes so as to cause a control arm 5 to be moved across the conveyor 1. The arm 5 incorporates paddles 6 which engage with the trays 2 so as to push the trays towards the cartons 3. The arm 5 is moved across the conveyor 1, but at the same time moves from right to left at the same speed as for the conveyor 1. The diagonal path taken by a head 9 of the support body, carrying the arm 5, is indicated by the broken line 7 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This results in the trays 2 being pushed fully home into the cartons 3. As seen in the drawings, conveyor 1 has upward projections 1′ perpendicular to the length of conveyor 1, that define between them paths 1″ also perpendicular to the length of conveyor 1, along which paths the trays 2 are pushed by arm 5 into cartons 3. The arm 5 is then raised and the head 9 is brought back along the reciprocal path 8 as shown in FIG. 4 until the arm returns to and is lowered into the start condition as shown in FIG. 1. The same operation can then be employed to move another set of four trays into a subsequent series of four cartons.

[0010] The paddles 6 could be designed to be disengaged appropriately in instances where it is not practical to load the trays into the carton, a monitoring device has sensed that there is an oversize product or a badly formed carton. The robotic arm 10 can be fitted with customised gripper attachments to facilitate stacking or tiering of products prior to loading the products into the cartons. The paddles can incorporate a facility to apply downwards or sideways pressure onto the top of the product to ensure that it enters the carton aperture.