High-speed nesting of tray and hood

Abstract

A process for packaging products in which a hood is fitted to a tray. The top of the hood is oriented at an angle to the machine direction in which the tray is being transported. The hood is engaged with the tray by initiating contact between a leading panel of the hood and the tray while the leading panel is moving, prior to engaging the trailing panel with the tray. As the tray is transported in the machine direction, the tray captures the hood with the leading panel of the hood, and the remainder of the hood is then fitted to the tray.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Process for assembling the tray and hood. [Background technology]

[0002] High-speed telescoping of trays and hoods is a critical process that can affect the productivity of a packaging line. Typically, paperboard or corrugated trays and hoods telescopically engage with one another to form a closed packaging container after the trays are filled with items. It is common for the process to involve indexing of one or both of the tray and hood. In the indexing process to telescopically fit the tray and hood together, one or both of the tray and hood undergo a movement that has starts and stops.

[0003] In one type of indexing process, a filled tray is moved into a food station and remains stationary while a food is nested onto the tray. After the food is nested onto the tray, the tray and food are moved away from the food station. In another type of indexing process, the hood is moved into a food station and remains stationary while the tray is nested onto the hood. After the tray is nested onto the hood, the tray and food are moved away from the food station.

[0004] Indexing processes tend to be slow. Starting, stopping, and controlling the movement of a moving item takes time. This time can be reduced by implementing high acceleration from the start, high deceleration before stopping, and high speed during movement. Abrupt starts or stops can generate significant forces due to changes in momentum of the moving parts of the equipment performing the process and changes in momentum of the moving item during the process. Therefore, there are practical limits to how fast an indexing process can be performed.

[0005] In a typical product packaging process, a flat blank is constructed to form a tray and a hood. The flat blank is constructed of paperboard or corrugated board. The flat blank, with various panels, flaps, tabs, slots, etc., is transformed by folding the paperboard or corrugated board to transform the flat blank into a three-dimensional structure. Adhesives, interlocking tabs and slots, and friction are used to position the panels and flaps and maintain the structural integrity of the tray and hood. As the paperboard or corrugated board is folded, stresses are generated near and at the fold lines. These stresses may not fully dissipate before the construction and assembly of the tray and hood is complete. Residual stresses can result in warping of the various panels and flaps of the tray and hood, especially for large unsupported panels. The warping of the tray and hood may not match because the dimensions of the panels and flaps that make up the tray and hood may differ from one another. This mismatch in warping can complicate fitting the hood to the tray using an indexing process, especially when there are tight tolerances for fitting the hood to the tray. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Given these limitations, there remains an unmet need for a high speed process for nesting trays and hoods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A process for packaging a product (1), comprising the steps of: manufacturing the product, the product being a substrate treatment composition; providing a tray transport system (120); providing trays (10) movable in or on the tray transport system; moving the trays in a machine direction (MD) at a tray velocity (TV) through the tray transport system; providing a dispensing system; and dispensing the product into the trays through the dispensing system. a hood engaging system above a tray conveying system and downstream of a dispensing system; a hood (60) movable within the hood engaging system, the hood including a leading panel (70), a trailing panel (80) opposite and upstream of the leading panel, and a hood top (90) extending from the leading panel to the trailing panel, the hood top being oriented at an angle (b) of about 0.5 degrees to about 20 degrees with respect to the machine direction; engaging the hood with a tray via the hood engaging system to close the tray to form a closed package (110), the hood being engaged with the tray while the tray is moving in the machine direction by initiating contact between the leading panel and the tray while the tray is moving prior to engaging the trailing panel with the tray; and shipping the closed package. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] It's a tray. [Figure 2] It's food. [Figure 3] A tray with a fitted hood. [Figure 4A] 1 illustrates a hood that is progressively fitted to a tray. [Figure 4B] 1 illustrates a hood that is progressively fitted to a tray. [Figure 4C] 1 illustrates a hood that is progressively fitted to a tray. [Figure 4D] 1 illustrates a hood that is progressively fitted to a tray. [Figure 5] A packaging line for dispensing product into trays and fitting hoods to the trays to close the packages. [Figure 6] A tray with a flap. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a hood having inwardly folded flaps along the front and rear panels. [Figure 8]10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the mating of the flap with the inwardly folded flap to secure the hood to the tray. FIG. [Figure 8A] 9 is a fragmentary view of FIG. 8 illustrating the mating of the flaps with the inwardly folded flaps to secure the hood to the tray. [Figure 9] A packaging container provided with a hole in the hood to allow a user to access an inwardly folded flap to open the packaging container. [Figure 10] A food engaging system for feeding food to be captured by the tray. [Figure 11] It is a tray transport system. [Figure 12] 1 illustrates a bumper system for telescoping the hood to the tray after the hood has been captured by the tray. [Figure 13] Illustratively, the product is a substrate treatment composition. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A high-speed process for nesting a hood onto a tray is described herein. The process can be part of an end-to-end process for packaging a product. The product can be any type of product that can be shipped in a paperboard or corrugated packaging container containing a nested tray and hood. The product can be a substrate treatment composition. The product can be a substrate treatment composition selected from a laundry treatment composition, a hard surface treatment composition, a washing machine treatment composition, a hair treatment composition, a skin treatment composition, an oral care composition, a cosmetic composition, a nail treatment composition, an air treatment composition, a dishwashing treatment composition, a disposable absorbent article, and a topical or ingestible health care composition. The substrate treatment composition can include an ingredient selected from a surfactant, a bleaching agent, a fabric softener, and combinations thereof.

[0010] A tray 10 used in the process is shown in FIG. 1. The tray 10 and hood can be formed from paperboard or corrugated board. The paperboard and corrugated board materials can include pulp. The paperboard or corrugated board can have a thickness of 1 mm to about 3 mm. The paperboard or corrugated board can be a laminate. The paperboard or corrugated board can include pulp. The paperboard or corrugated board can include colorants, preservatives, plasticizers, UV stabilizers, oxygen, flavorings, recycled materials, moisture barriers, and combinations thereof. The corrugated board can include a laminate of two paperboard sheets with a fluted layer disposed between the two sheets. Each of the tray 10 and hood can be a single piece of die-cut paperboard or corrugated board with a pattern of flaps extending from the face or panel of the tray 10 or hood. The tray 10 or hood can be constructed by joining a combination of flaps, or a combination of flaps and a face or panel, to construct the tray 10 or hood. The flaps and / or faces or panels may be joined together by adhesive, heat bonding, mating tabs in slots, and engaging interlocking structures.

[0011] The tray 10 may be conveyed in a machine direction MD. The tray 10 may have a leading surface 20 and a trailing surface 30 upstream of the leading surface. The tray 10 may have a leading side 40 and a trailing side 50 opposite the leading side 40. The leading side 40 and the trailing side 50 extend in the machine direction MD from the leading side 20 to the trailing side 30. The tray 10 may have a peripheral rim 15 that defines a top opening of the tray 10. The tray 10 may have a longitudinal axis L that is aligned with the machine direction MD.

[0012] A hood 60 used in the process is shown in FIG. 2. The hood 60 can be formed of paperboard or corrugated board. The hood 60 can include a leading panel 70, a trailing panel 80 opposite and upstream from the leading panel 70, and a hood top 90 extending from the leading panel 70 to the trailing panel 80. The hood 60 can include a pair of opposing hood-side peripheral edges 100. The hood 60 can be nested within the tray 10 to form a closed package 110 ( FIG. 3 ). If the hood 60 is made of corrugated board, the flutes can be aligned or substantially aligned with the fold lines between the hood top 90 and the leading panel 70 and between the hood top 90 and the trailing panel 70. Such an arrangement can provide sharp fold lines between the hood top 90 and the leading and trailing panels 70.

[0013] The hood 60 can be nested onto the tray 10 following the assembly process illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4D. The hood 60 can be movable within a hood engagement system above a tray transport system that transports the tray 10. It should be understood that the tray 10 is moving in the machine direction MD. The hood 60 is also moving such that the velocity component of the hood 60 in the machine direction MD is greater than the velocity component of the hood 60 in a direction cross-machine to the machine direction MD. The velocity component of the hood 60 in the machine direction MD can be 5, 7, 10, 15, or 20 times greater than the velocity component of the hood 60 in a direction cross-machine to the machine direction MD. The hood 60 can approach the tray 10 above the machine direction MD at an approach angle b of about 0.5 degrees to about 20 degrees, optionally about 0.5 degrees to about 10 degrees, optionally about 1 degree to about 5 degrees, and optionally about 4 degrees, with the apex of the approach angle oriented downstream in the machine direction MD.

[0014] The hood 60 guides the tray 10 in the machine direction MD just before the hood 60 first contacts the tray 10, as shown in FIG. 4B. The hood 60 is engaged with the tray 10 while it is moving in the machine direction MD by contacting the leading panel 70 of the hood 60 with the tray 10 while the leading panel 70 is moving before engaging the trailing panel 80 of the hood 60 with the tray 10. In operation, the hood 60 is fed toward the tray 10 so that the leading panel 70 of the hood is in a leading position on the tray 10 in the machine direction and the leading surface 20 of the tray 10 catches up and contacts the leading panel 70 of the hood 60. When the leading surface 20 of the tray 10 contacts the leading panel 70 of the hood 60, the trailing panel 80 of the hood 60 tilts toward the trailing surface 30 of the tray 10, positioning the trailing panel 80 of the hood 60 to be fitted above the trailing surface 30 of the tray 10, as shown in FIG. 4C. With both the leading and trailing panels 70, 80 of the hood 60 positioned above the leading and trailing faces 20, 30 of the tray 10, respectively, the hood 60 is in a position to fully engage the tray 10 to close the package, as shown in Figure 4D. A mechanism may be provided downstream of where the hood 60 and tray 10 meet to fully engage the hood 60 and tray 10.

[0015] Hood 60 can have a pair of opposing hood-side peripheral edges 100 extending between leading and trailing panels 70, 80 of hood 60. Tray 10 can have a peripheral rim 15 that defines top opening 12 of tray 10. When leading panel 70 of hood 60 initially contacts leading surface 20 of tray 10, between about 5% and about 50%, optionally between about 10% and about 40%, optionally between about 15% and about 30%, and optionally between about 10% and about 25% of each hood-side peripheral edge is below peripheral rim 15 of tray 10. By positioning the hood 60 and tray 10 in this manner, the hood 60 is slightly tilted relative to the tray 10, and as the tray 10 catches up with the hood 60, enough of the hood 60 engages with the tray 10 for the tray 10 to capture the hood 60, allowing the hood 60 to slide into position above the tray 10, or the hood 60 can be further manipulated to more fully engage the hood 60 with the tray 10.

[0016] The hood engagement system moves the hood 60 at a reference velocity RV. The reference velocity RV can be constant or variable and is non-zero. Similarly, the tray transport system moves the tray 10 in the machine direction MD at a tray velocity TV. The tray velocity TV can be constant or variable and is non-zero. One or both of the hood engagement system and the tray transport system can have controls such that the hood reference velocity RV and / or the tray velocity TV can be controlled, respectively. The control system can use a vision system including a camera, an image acquisition system, and image analysis software connected through a programmable logic controller. The vision system can measure parts, verify part position, and recognize part features. Based on input from the vision system, the control system can affect the process by changing the hood reference velocity RV and the tray velocity TV. Optionally, one or more photo eyes can be provided to detect the presence or absence of parts in the hood and tray, as well as the position of elements of the assembly equipment, and the control system can receive such input and operate the hood engagement system based on such input.

[0017] Optionally, tray velocity TV may be modified in response to the detected position of hood 60, so that when the leading panel 70 first contacts tray 10, about 5% to about 50%, optionally about 10% to about 40%, optionally about 15% to about 30%, and optionally about 10% to about 25% of each hood-side peripheral edge 100 is below peripheral rim 15. Further optionally, reference velocity (RV) of hood 60 may be modified in response to the detected position of tray 10, so that when the leading panel 70 first contacts tray 10, about 5% to about 50%, optionally about 10% to about 40%, optionally about 15% to about 30%, and optionally about 10% to about 25% of each hood-side peripheral edge 100 is below peripheral rim 15.

[0018] Varying one or both of the reference speed RV and the tray speed TV can help ensure that the leading panel 70 of the hood is in an acceptable or even optimal position relative to the leading surface 30 of the tray 10 to provide engagement between the hood 60 and the tray 10 in the described manner. This differs from a process in which the trays 10 are transported at a uniform pitch distance on a conveyor and the hood engagement system feeds the hood 60 at regular intervals to encounter the tray 10. Such systems can suffer from the drawback that slight variations in the tray pitch distance can cause the hood 60 to be improperly mated with the tray, or in some cases, not even mated with the tray at all. Furthermore, the hood engagement system must be precisely synchronized with the tray transport system to provide proper mating of the hood 60 with the tray 10. The ability to control and vary one or both of the reference speed RV and the tray speed TV overcomes these drawbacks.

[0019] The high-speed process for nesting hoods into trays described herein can be part of an end-to-end process for packaging a product 1, as shown in FIG. 5. The steps of the process can include manufacturing the product 1. The product 1 can be a substrate treatment composition. A tray transport system 120 can be provided. Trays 10 can be provided in or on the tray transport system 120 and can be movable. The trays 10 can move through the tray transport system 120 in a machine direction MD at a tray speed TV. The tray speed TV can be constant or variable.

[0020] A dispensing system 130 can be provided, and the products 1 can be dispensed into the trays 10 via the dispensing system 130. A hood engagement system 140 can be provided above the tray transport system 120 and downstream of the dispensing system 130. The hood 60, having the leading panel 70 and the trailing panel 80 opposite and upstream from the leading panel 70, can be oriented at an angle b, which is from about 0.5 degrees to about 20 degrees, optionally from about 2 degrees to about 15 degrees, and optionally from about 5 degrees to about 10 degrees, relative to the machine direction.

[0021] The dispensing system 130 may include a product hopper positioned above the tray conveying system 120. The hopper holds a quantity of a product 1 to be dispensed into the tray 10. For example, if the packaging container 110 is expected to contain 10 products 1, the hopper holds 10 products 1 to be dispensed into the tray 10. A counting system for counting the number or weight of products dispensed into the hopper may be provided upstream of the hopper or integrated with the hopper. The weighing system may be a multi-head rotary weigher. A suitable weighing system may be the CCW-RV weighing system available from ISHIDA, Kyoto, Japan (https: / / www.ishida.com / ww / en / ). The opening and closing of the hopper may be controlled by a controller that receives information regarding the position of the tray 10 and the appropriate weight, number, or volume of products contained in the hopper. The controller may generate an actuation signal to open the hopper when all logic conditions are met. The controller can then direct the hopper to be refilled with the appropriate weight, number, or volume of product to be dispensed the next time the hopper is opened.

[0022] The hood 60 is engaged with the tray 10 via the hood engagement system 140 to close the tray 10 and form the closed package 110. The hood 60 is engaged with the tray 10 while the tray 10 is moving in the machine direction MD by initiating contact between the leading panel 70 and the tray 10 while the leading panel 70 is moving, prior to engaging the trailing panel 80 with the tray 10. Importantly, both the tray 10 and the hood 60 are moving when contact between the leading panel 70 and the tray 10 is initiated, which distinguishes this approach for mating the hood 60 to the tray 10 from approaches in which the tray 10 is stationary while the hood 60 is mated to the tray 10 and approaches in which the hood 60 is stationary while the hood 60 is mated to the tray 10. Similarly, this approach differs from an approach in which the hood 60 is held in a stationary position, tilted at an open angle toward the upstream direction, and the tray 10 is driven into contact with the hood 60, thereby mating the hood 60 to the tray 10. In the process described herein, the hood 60 is moving at a reference velocity RV and the tray is moving at a tray velocity TV at the moment the hood 60 and tray 10 first contact each other.

[0023] The leading panel 70 may initially engage with the tray 10 at a meeting location 150 along the tray transport system 120. The hood engagement system 140 may further include a hood guide 160 above the tray transport system 120 at or downstream of the meeting location 150. The hood guide 160 may be closer to the tray transport system 120 downstream of the meeting location 150 than at the meeting location 150. The hood guide 160 may contact the hood top 90 to telescope the hood 60 onto the tray 10. The hood guide 160 may be a wedge that pushes the hood 60 to engage with the tray 10. The hood guide 160 may be a belt positioned at a small angle relative to the machine direction MD to engage the hood 60 with the tray.

[0024] After the hood 60 is fitted to the tray 10, the closed package 110 can be shipped. For example, the closed package 110 can be shipped to a distributor or distribution facility and further along the supply chain until it reaches a location where a user can open the package 110 by removing the hood 60, remove the product 1 from the tray 10, and use the product 1.

[0025] The tray 10 can have a front side fold 42, which is an integral extension of the front side 40, folded toward the interior of the tray 10 along a front side fold line 44 (FIG. 6). Similarly, the tray 10 can have a rear side fold 52, which is an integral extension of the rear side 50, folded toward the interior of the tray 10 along a rear side fold line 54. The front side fold 42 and the rear side fold 52 can provide additional rigidity to the peripheral rim 15 of the tray 10.

[0026] The front side flap 46 can extend from the peripheral rim 15 along the front side 40. The front side flap 46 can extend from the front side 40 to a front side flap distal end 47. The rear side flap 56 can extend from the peripheral rim 15 along the rear side 50. The rear side flap 56 can extend from the rear side 50 to a rear side flap distal end 57. The front side flap 46 and the rear side flap 56 can be constructed from cut lines in the front side 40 and the rear side 50, respectively. The front side fold portion 42 and the rear side fold portion 52 can extend deeper into the tray 10 than the cut lines that define the boundaries of the front side flap 46 and the rear side flap 56.

[0027] The front and rear side fold lines 44, 56 can be perpendicular to the flutes if the tray is constructed from corrugations. In the case of corrugations, a fold perpendicular to the flutes can provide a spring-responsive hinge around the fold. In the trays 10 described herein, spring-responsiveness can be used to create a closure system that engages the hood 60 to the tray 10 that can be opened and closed multiple times.

[0028] The blank from which the tray 10 is constructed may include cut lines that define the shape and dimensions of the front and rear side flaps 46, 56, and the cut lines may be positioned such that the front and rear side flaps 46, 56 will be positioned as desired when the tray 10 is constructed. As part of the process of constructing the tray 10 from the blank, the front and rear side folds 42, 52 may be folded toward the interior of the tray 10. The portions of the front and rear side folds 42, 52 from which the front and rear side flaps 46, 56, respectively, extend may unfold and face upward after the tray 10 is constructed. When the tray 10 is constructed and the front and rear side folds 42, 52 are folded toward the interior of the tray 10, the front and rear side flaps 46, 56 may protrude upward from the peripheral rim 15 of the tray 10.

[0029] As part of the process of packaging product 1, the front and rear side flaps 46, 56 can be folded outward, away from the interior of tray 10, before engaging hood 60 with tray 10. The front and rear side flaps 46, 56 can continue to hold hood 60 while engaging tray 10. The front and rear side flaps 46, 56 can be folded outward by a pair of folding rails associated with tray transport system 120. As tray 10 is conveyed downstream, the folding rails can capture distal ends of the flaps, and the downstream movement of tray 10 and the shaping of the folding rails can bend front and rear side flaps 46, 56 outward, away from the interior of tray 10, such that the distal ends of the flaps are oriented toward the bottom of tray 10.

[0030] The hood 60 may be provided with engagement mechanisms that cooperate with the front and rear side flaps 46, 56, as a non-limiting example shown in FIG. 7 , which is a cross-sectional view of the hood 60 looking upstream toward the hood trailing panel 80. The hood 60 may further include a front panel inward fold flap 172 extending from the front panel 170 and a rear panel inward fold flap 182 extending from the rear panel 180. Both the front panel 170 and the rear panel 180 may extend from the leading panel 70 to the trailing panel 80. Additionally, the front panel inward fold flap 172 and the rear panel inward fold flap 182 may be between the front panel 170 and the rear panel 180.

[0031] When the hood 60 is fitted to the tray 10, the distal ends of the front and rear side flaps 46, 56 can engage with the ends 190 of the front and rear panel inward fold flaps 172, 182, respectively ( FIG. 8 ). When the hood 60 is properly fitted to the tray 10, an audible click may be produced by the engagement of the front and rear side flaps 46, 56 with the ends 190 of the front and rear panel inward fold flaps 172, 182, respectively. The audible click may be monitored during the assembly process and used as a quality assurance measure to detect when the locking mechanism is properly engaged. Furthermore, when the package 110 is used in a consumer's home, the audible click produced when the hood 60 is properly fitted to the tray 10 may signal to the consumer that the package 110 is properly closed.

[0032] Optionally, the hood 60 may be provided with a hood insert that protrudes from the interior-facing surface of the hood top 90. The hood insert may be sized and dimensioned to fit within an upper portion of the interior space of the tray 10 near the peripheral rim 15 of the tray 10. The hood insert may be a piece of paperboard or corrugated material, optionally a folded piece of paperboard or corrugated material, bonded to the interior-facing surface of the hood top 90. The hood insert may be a structure such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 299,582, which is a flat insert, with a portion of the flat insert spaced apart from the interior of the hood top when the hood 60 is constructed. The spaced apart portion that protrudes into the interior space of the tray when assembled may help guide the hood 60 so that it fits properly within the tray 10.

[0033] A user can unlock the hood 60 from the tray 10 by pressing the front and rear side flaps 46, 56 to release their distal ends from contact with the ends 190 of the front and rear panel inward fold flaps 172, 182, respectively. The front and rear side flaps 46, 56 rotate about a hinge formed by the front and rear fold lines 44, 54. The front side flap 46 is accessible through a hole 200 in the front side panel 170. The rear side flap 56 is accessible through a hole 200 in the rear side panel 180 (FIG. 9). Engagement of the face flaps with the ends of the panel inward fold flaps can be confirmed by a vision system or other sensor looking over and / or around the hole 200. The presence of the face flaps can be detected, for example, by measuring the color behind the hole 200. When the face flaps are in the proper position, a first color can be detected. When the face flaps are not in the proper position, the color behind the front and rear panels can be detected as a second color, and when the second color is detected or when the first color is not detected, a system fault can be generated to reject the package.

[0034] The hood engagement system 140 is a mechanism for positioning the hood 60 so that the hood 60 can be captured by the tray 10 as the tray 10 moves downstream in the machine direction MD. As shown in FIG. 10 , the hood engagement system 140 can include a hood travel path 210 oriented toward the conveying system 120 and at an angle b relative to the conveying system 120. The hood travel path 210 can be disposed between two hood drives 220. The hood drives 220 can move the hood 60 by contacting the hood 60. The hood drives 220 can be belts. The hood drives can be rollers. The counter-rotating hood drives 220 can move the hood 60 by contacting the front panel 170 and the rear panel 180, pushing or pulling the hood 60 downstream. The tangential velocities of the hood drives 220 may be individually controlled and may be controllable so that the movement of the hood 60 can be synchronized with the movement of the tray 10 so that the tray 10 captures the hood 60 as the tray 10 moves downstream. For each hood drive 220 visible to an observer in Figure 10, there is optionally an opposing hood drive 220 hidden from view on the opposite side. That is, looking downstream, a hood drive 220 may be on both the left and right side of the machine direction MD.

[0035] The hood 60 may fit snugly against the tray 10 to provide a strong connection between the hood 60 and the tray 10 for the closed package 110. If the fit between the hood 60 and the tray 10 is tight, a process operating at a fixed speed with little or no control over the movement of one or both of the hood 60 and the tray 10 may be insufficient to allow the tray 10 to capture the hood 60 as it merges with the tray 10.

[0036] Precise control of the movement of the trays 10 can be provided by a transport system 120 comprising multiple linear motor vehicles 230 (FIG. 11). The transport system 120 can be a horizontally oriented track system in which the movement of each individual linear motor vehicle 230 is controlled. A suitable linear motor track system can be the ITRAK system from Rockwell Automation. The trays 10 can be carried by adjacent linear motor vehicles 230. Each linear motor vehicle 230 can have a restraining plate 240 attached thereto. The restraining plate 240 can be oriented perpendicular to the machine direction MD. Each tray 10 can be held by the restraining plate 240 of the adjacent linear motor vehicle 230. During operation, pairs of adjacent linear motor vehicles 230 can be individually controlled or controlled in pairs to hold the trays 10 between the restraining plates 240 of the adjacent linear motor vehicles 230.

[0037] The pitch P between the trays 10 may not be constant and can be individually controlled. The position of an individual tray 10 can be controlled to match the position of the hood 60 that is mated with it. A vision system or sensor can detect the position and speed of the hood 60, and a computer system can adjust the speed of the tray 10 so that the hood 60 is captured by the tray 10 as it passes the point where the hood 60 meets the tray 10.

[0038] The conveying system 120 can be configured to transport the tray 10 while the tray 10 is pressed longitudinally such that the front side 40 and the rear side 50 are curved outward, away from the longitudinal axis L. The outward curvature of the front side 40 and the rear side 50 can occur during the manufacture of flat paperboard or corrugated board. The amount of force applied by the conveying system 120 in the machine direction MD and opposite the machine direction MD can increase the amount of warping compared to the amount of warping that can occur from the manufacture of flat paperboard or corrugated board and the amount of warping that can occur as a result of converting the flat paperboard or corrugated board into a three-dimensional tray 10. Curving the front side 40 and the rear side 50 outward, or having outwardly curved front side 40 and rear side 50, can help provide a tight fit between the hood 60 and the tray 10 and a secure engagement of the locking mechanism. As a non-limiting example, the tray 10 can be curved in a transport system 120 using linear motor vehicles 230 by controlling or setting the spacing between adjacent linear motor vehicles 230. The spacing between adjacent linear motor vehicles 230 can be set to be less than the distance between the leading surface 20 and the trailing surface 30 as measured between the outer surfaces of the tray 10 in an unloaded state. Software operating adjacent linear motor vehicles 230 can be programmed to control the amount of bow desired at different locations along the transport system 120, and the amount of bow can vary depending on the location. Panels of the hood 60 aligned with the front side 40 and the rear side 50 can also be curved as a result of folding the substrate between the hood top 90 and the panels of the hood 60 aligned with the front side 40 and the rear side 50. If corrugations are used to form the hood 60 and the fold lines are perpendicular to the longitudinal grooves, the panels of the hood 60 aligned with the front side 40 and the rear side 50 can be curved outward.

[0039] The hood 60 can engage the tray 10 by progressively pinching the front side 40 and the rear side 50 toward each other along the longitudinal axis L as the hood 60 is engaged with the tray 10. This can tend to apply compressive loads to the substrates making up the front side 40 and the rear side 50 while the tray 10 is pressed between adjacent linear motor cars 230 as the tray 10 is conveyed downstream in the machine direction MD.

[0040] As previously described and shown in FIG. 7 , the hood 60 can include a front panel inwardly folded flap 172 and a rear panel inwardly folded flap 182. The hood 60 can be sized and dimensioned to fit snugly with the tray 10 so that the tray 10 can be securely closed. For a hood configured to include a front panel inwardly folded flap 172 and a rear panel inwardly folded flap 182, the front panel inwardly folded flap 172 and the rear panel inwardly folded flap 182 can be used to engage the hood with the tray 10 by progressively pinching the front side 40 and the rear side 50 toward each other along the longitudinal axis L as the hood 60 is engaged with the tray 10 from the leading panel 70 to the trailing panel 80.

[0041] The hood 60 is at least partially engaged with the tray 10 once the tray 10 captures the front panel 170 or the front panel inwardly folded flap 172. The hood 60 can be further engaged with the tray 10 by providing a bumper 250 that presses the hood 60 onto the tray 10 as the tray 10 moves further downstream in the machine direction MD ( FIG. 12 ). The bumper 250 can be configured to provide a reaction surface against which at least a portion of the hood 60 contacts. The distance between a portion of the bumper 250 and the conveying system 120 can decrease with distance in the machine direction. The bumper 250 can function as a wedge that presses the hood 60 down onto the tray 10 as the tray 10 and hood 60 are conveyed downstream in the machine direction. Further engagement of the hood 60 with the tray 10 downstream of where the tray 10 initially captures the hood 60 can occur while the tray 10 is held and under the control of the conveying system 120. As the tray 10 and hood 60 move in the machine direction MD, the hood 60 nests within the tray 10. The bumper 250 may have a smooth surface that engages with the hood 60 so that the hood slides easily along the bumper 250. The smooth surface of the bumper 250 may be a polished steel or aluminum surface, or a plastic material such as acetal plastic, or other plastic material with a low coefficient of friction and a smooth finish.

[0042] After the subsequent panel 80 is mated to the tray 10, the tray 10 and its associated hood 60 may be passed from the transport system 120 to a downstream conveyor 260. A second bumper 250 may be positioned above the downstream conveyor 260 to further telescope the hood 60 onto the tray 10. The second bumper 250 may be wedge-shaped or positioned to present a wedge surface to the hood 60 as the tray 10 and hood 60 are conveyed further downstream in the machine direction MD.

[0043] After the hood 60 is fitted to the tray 10 to form the closed package 110, the closed package 110 can be shipped from the location where the closed package 110 is assembled. The closed package 110 can be shipped to a distribution center, a customer, or a consumer, for eventual arrival at a location where the user opens the package 110 to use or consume the contents of the package 110.

[0044] The engagement mechanism between the hood 60 and the tray 10 can provide for quality assurance testing that the hood 60 is securely engaged with the tray 10. The packaging 110 can be removed from the downstream conveyor 260 by a picking robot or other device that picks up the packaging 110 by grasping or otherwise lifting the hood 60. The hood 60 can be grasped from under the hood-side peripheral edge 100, between the leading and trailing panels 70 and 80, between or between panels oriented toward the front and rear sides 40 and 50 of the tray 10, or a combination thereof. The hood 60 can optionally be lifted by a suction device applied to the hood top 90. The weight of the product 1 in the tray 10 is supported, or substantially supported, by the engagement mechanism between the hood 60 and the tray 10. If the packaging 110 is securely closed, the packaging 110 can be successfully picked up by the hood 60 without the hood 60 separating from the tray 10. If the engagement mechanism is not properly engaged, the hood 60 may separate from the tray 10, which may be an indication that the package 110 is not securely closed. The tray 10 and contents therein may remain on the conveyor 260 or may be diverted to a secondary handling area, and the picking device may divert the disengaged hood to the secondary handling area.

[0045] The substrate treatment composition 2 can be a water-soluble unit dose article (FIG. 13). The articles can be pouches. From 1 to about 200, optionally from about 10 to 100, and optionally from about 10 to about 40 water-soluble unit dose articles can be dispensed into each tray 10 as it passes under the dispensing system 130. Each tray 10 can be sized and dimensioned to accommodate the aforementioned number of water-soluble unit dose articles. Each tray 10 can have an interior volume of from about 500 mL to about 5000 mL, optionally from about 800 mL to about 4000 mL.

[0046] The water-soluble article can be formed from a water-soluble film encasing a surface treatment substance. The substance can be laundry detergent, dish detergent, or a similar product. The water-soluble film can be a polyvinyl alcohol film. The water-soluble unit dose article can be a single-compartment pouch or a multi-compartment pouch. The compartments can be side-by-side or one above the other. Each water-soluble pouch can weigh from about 10 g to about 40 g, or optionally from about 15 g to about 35 g.

[0047] combination: An example is shown below. A. A process for packaging a product (1), comprising: producing an article, wherein the article is a substrate treatment composition; providing a tray transport system (120); providing a tray (10) movable in or on a tray transport system; moving the trays in a machine direction (MD) at a tray speed (TV) via a tray transport system; providing a distribution system; dispensing the product into trays via a dispensing system; providing a hood engaging system above the tray conveying system and downstream of the dispensing system; providing a hood (60) movable within a hood engagement system, the hood including a leading panel (70), a trailing panel (80) opposite and upstream from the leading panel, and a hood top (90) extending from the leading panel to the trailing panel, the hood top being oriented at an angle (b) of about 0.5 degrees to about 20 degrees relative to the machine direction; engaging a hood with the tray via a hood engagement system to close the tray and form a closed package (110), wherein the hood is engaged with the tray while the tray is moving in the machine direction by initiating contact between the leading panel and the tray while the leading panel is moving before engaging the trailing panel with the tray; and shipping the closed packaging. B. The hood engagement system The process described in paragraph A, comprising a hood travel path oriented toward and at an angle to the conveying system, the hood travel path being disposed between two hood drives (220) facing each other, the hood drives moving the hood by contacting the hood. C. The process of paragraph B, wherein each hood drive is selected from a belt, a roller, and combinations thereof. D. A process described in any one of paragraphs A-C, wherein the leading panel is first engaged with the tray at a junction location along the tray transport system, and the hood engagement system further comprises a hood guide above the tray transport system at or downstream of the junction location, the hood guide being closer to the tray transport system downstream of the junction location than at the junction location, and the hood guide contacting the top of the hood to telescopically fit the hood onto the tray. E. The process of any one of paragraphs A-D, wherein the hood has a pair of opposing hood-side peripheral edges (100) extending between the leading and trailing panels, the tray has a peripheral rim (15) defining the top opening (12) of the tray, and when the leading panel initially contacts the tray, about 5% to about 50% of each hood-side peripheral edge is below the peripheral rim. F. moving the hood at a reference velocity (RV) through a hood engagement system; The process of paragraph E, further comprising: varying the tray speed in response to the detected position of the hood so that about 15% to about 50% of each hood-side peripheral edge is below the peripheral rim when the leading panel first contacts the tray. G. moving the hood through the hood engagement system at a reference velocity (RV); The process of paragraph E, further comprising: modifying the reference speed in response to the detected position of the tray so that about 15% to about 50% of each hood-side peripheral edge is below the peripheral rim when the leading panel first contacts the tray. H. Trey, a leading surface (20) and a trailing surface (30) upstream of the leading surface; a front side (40) and a rear side (50) opposite the front side, the front side and the rear side extending from the leading side to the trailing side in the machine direction; a peripheral rim (15) defining a top opening of the tray (15); a front side flap (46) extending from the peripheral rim along the front side; a rear side flap (56) extending from the peripheral rim along the rear side; The process of any one of paragraphs A-G, wherein the process further includes folding the front and rear side flaps away from the top opening before engaging the hood with the tray, and continuing to hold the front and rear side flaps while engaging the hood with the tray. I. The process of any one of paragraphs A-H, wherein the hood further comprises a front panel and a rear panel opposite the front panel, the front panel and the rear panel extending from the preceding panel to the following panel, the front panel comprising a front panel inwardly folded flap along at least a portion of the front panel, and the rear panel comprising a rear panel inwardly folded flap along at least a portion of the rear panel, the front panel inwardly folded flap and the rear panel inwardly folded flap being between the front panel and the rear panel. J. The process of any one of paragraphs A-I, wherein the substrate treatment composition comprises an ingredient selected from a surfactant, a bleaching agent, a fabric softener, and combinations thereof. K. The process of any one of paragraphs A-J, wherein multiple trays are provided in the tray transport system and the pitch between the trays is not constant and is individually controlled. L. The process of any one of paragraphs A-K, wherein the tray transport system comprises a plurality of linear motor cars, each linear motor car having a restraint plate oriented perpendicular to the machine direction attached thereto, and each tray is held by the restraint plate of an adjacent linear motor car. M. Trey, a leading surface and a trailing surface upstream of the leading surface; a front side and a rear side opposite the front side, the front side and the rear side extending from the leading side to the trailing side in a machine direction; The process of any one of paragraphs A-L, wherein the tray has a longitudinal axis that coincides with the machine direction and the front and back sides curve outward away from the longitudinal axis. N.Trey, a leading surface and a trailing surface upstream of the leading surface; a leading surface (40) and a trailing surface (50) extending in the machine direction from the leading surface to the trailing surface; the tray has a longitudinal axis aligned with the machine direction, the front and rear sides curving outwardly away from the longitudinal axis when the leading panel and the tray contact each other; The process of any one of paragraphs A-M, wherein the hood is engaged with the tray by progressively pinching the front and rear sides toward each other along the longitudinal axis as the hood is engaged with the tray. O. The process of paragraph N, wherein the hood further comprises a front panel and a rear panel opposite the front panel, the front and rear panels extending from a leading panel to a trailing panel, the front panel comprising a front panel inwardly folded flap along at least a portion of the front panel, the rear panel comprising a rear panel inwardly folded flap along at least a portion of the rear panel, the front and rear panel inwardly folded flaps being between the front and rear panels, and the hood is engaged with the tray by progressively pinching the front and rear sides toward each other along the longitudinal axis using the front and rear panel inwardly folded flaps as the hood is engaged with the tray from the leading panel to the trailing panel. P. The process of any one of paragraphs A-O, wherein the tray and hood comprise corrugated. Q. The tray a leading surface (20) and a trailing surface (30) upstream of the leading surface; a front side (40) and a rear side (50) opposite the front side, the front side and the rear side extending from the leading side to the trailing side in the machine direction; a peripheral rim defining a top opening of the tray (15); a front side flap extending from the peripheral rim along the front side; a rear side flap extending from the peripheral rim along the rear side; the process further comprising folding the front and rear side flaps away from the top opening before engaging the hood with the tray, and continuing to hold the front and rear side flaps while engaging the hood with the tray; The process of any one of paragraphs A-P, wherein the hood further comprises a front panel and a rear panel opposite the front panel, the front panel and the rear panel extending from a preceding panel to a following panel, the front panel comprising a front panel inwardly folded flap along at least a portion of the front panel, the rear panel comprising a rear panel inwardly folded flap along at least a portion of the rear panel, the front panel inwardly folded flap and the rear panel inwardly folded flap being between the front panel and the rear panel, and wherein when the hood is engaged with the tray, the front side flap is mechanically engaged with the front panel inwardly folded flap and the rear side flap is mechanically engaged with the rear panel inwardly folded flap.

[0048] Dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein should not be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values ​​recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm."

[0049] All documents cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patents or patent applications, and any patent applications or patents to which this application claims priority or benefit, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, unless expressly stated to the contrary. The citation of any document shall not be deemed to be prior art to any invention disclosed or claimed herein, or to teach, suggest, or disclose any such invention, either alone or in combination with any other reference or references. Furthermore, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.

[0050] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A process for packaging a product (1), comprising: producing the product, wherein the product is a substrate treatment composition (2); providing a tray transport system (120); providing a tray (10) movable in or on said tray transport system; moving the tray through the tray transport system in a machine direction (MD) at a tray speed (TV); Providing a distribution system (130); dispensing the product into the trays via the dispensing system; providing a hood engagement system (140) above said tray transport system and downstream of said distribution system; providing a hood (60) movable within the hood engagement system, the hood comprising a leading panel (70), a trailing panel (80) opposite and upstream from the leading panel, and a hood top (90) extending from the leading panel to the trailing panel, the hood top being oriented at an angle (β) of about 0.5 degrees to about 20 degrees relative to the machine direction; engaging the hood with the tray via the hood engagement system to close the tray and form a closed package (110), wherein prior to engaging the trailing panel with the tray, contact between the leading panel and the tray is initiated while the leading panel is moving, thereby tilting the trailing panel toward the trailing face 30 of the tray while the tray is moving in the machine direction, and the hood is engaged with the tray; and shipping the closed packaging.

2. said hood engagement system comprising:

2. The process of claim 1, comprising a hood travel path oriented toward and at the angle relative to the tray transport system, the hood travel path being disposed between two opposing hood drives (220), the hood drives contacting the hood to move the hood.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein each hood drive is selected from a belt, a roller, and combinations thereof.

4. 4. The process of claim 1, wherein the leading panel is initially engaged with the tray at a junction location (150) along the tray transport system, and the hood engagement system further comprises a hood guide (160) above the tray transport system at or downstream of the junction location, the hood guide being closer to the tray transport system downstream of the junction location than at the junction location, and the hood guide contacting the hood top to telescope the hood onto the tray.

5. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the hood has a pair of opposing hood-side peripheral edges (100) extending between the leading panel and the trailing panel, the tray has a peripheral rim (15) defining a top opening (12) of the tray, and about 5% to about 50% of each hood-side peripheral edge is below the peripheral rim when the leading panel initially contacts the tray.

6. moving the hood through the hood engagement system at a reference velocity (RV); 6. The process of claim 5, further comprising: varying the tray speed in response to the detected position of the hood so that about 15% to about 50% of each hood-side peripheral edge is below the peripheral rim when the leading panel first contacts the tray.

7. moving the hood through the hood engagement system at a reference velocity (RV); 6. The process of claim 5, further comprising: modifying the reference speed in response to the detected position of the tray so that about 15% to about 50% of each hood-side peripheral edge is below the peripheral rim when the leading panel first contacts the tray.

8. The tray is a leading surface (20) and a trailing surface (30) upstream of said leading surface; a leading surface (40) and a trailing surface (50) opposite said leading surface, said leading surface and trailing surface extending in said machine direction from said leading surface to said trailing surface; a peripheral rim (15) defining a top opening of said tray (15); a front side flap (46) extending from the peripheral rim along the front side; a rear side flap (56) extending from the peripheral rim along the rear side; 2. The process of claim 1, further comprising folding the front and rear side flaps away from the top opening before engaging the hood with the tray, and continuing to hold the front and rear side flaps while engaging the hood with the tray.

9. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the hood further comprises a front panel (170) and a rear panel (180) opposite the front panel, the front panel and the rear panel extending from the leading panel to the trailing panel, the front panel comprising a front panel inwardly folded flap (172) along at least a portion of the front panel, and the rear panel comprising a rear panel inwardly folded flap (182) along at least a portion of the rear panel, the front panel inwardly folded flap and the rear panel inwardly folded flap being between the front panel and the rear panel.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the tray and the hood comprise corrugated.

11. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said trays are provided in said tray transport system at a pitch (P) between said trays, said pitch between said trays being non-constant and individually controlled.

12. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the tray transport system comprises a plurality of linear motor cars (230), each linear motor car having a restraint plate (240) oriented perpendicular to the machine direction attached thereto, and each tray is held by the restraint plate of an adjacent linear motor car.

13. The tray is a leading surface (20) and a trailing surface (30) upstream of said leading surface; a leading surface (40) and a trailing surface (50) opposite said leading surface, said leading surface and trailing surface extending in said machine direction from said leading surface to said trailing surface; 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the tray has a longitudinal axis (L) that coincides with the machine direction, and the front and back sides curve outwardly away from the longitudinal axis.

14. The tray is a leading surface (20) and a trailing surface (30) upstream of said leading surface; a leading surface (40) and a trailing surface (50) extending in the machine direction from the leading surface to the trailing surface; the tray has a longitudinal axis (L) that coincides with the machine direction, and the front and rear sides curve outwardly away from the longitudinal axis when the leading panel and the tray contact each other; 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the hood is engaged with the tray by progressively pinching the front and rear sides toward each other along the longitudinal axis as the hood is engaged with the tray.

15. 15. The process of claim 14, wherein the hood further comprises a front panel (170) and a rear panel (180) opposite the front panel, the front and rear panels extending from the leading panel to the trailing panel, the front panel comprising a front panel inwardly folded flap (172) along at least a portion of the front panel, and the rear panel comprising a rear panel inwardly folded flap (182) along at least a portion of the rear panel, the front and rear panel inwardly folded flaps being between the front and rear panels, and the hood is engaged with the tray by progressively pinching the front and rear sides toward each other along the longitudinal axis with the front and rear panel inwardly folded flaps as the hood is engaged with the tray from the leading panel to the trailing panel.

Images