GB2420558A - Rotary drum dispenser for bag in box container - Google Patents

Abstract

A rotary storage and dispenser drum (30, 50) holds a fan-fold or wedge stack 20 of collapsed flat-pack pre-assembled Bag-in-Box (BIB) packaging (10), or BIB cartons 14 in corresponding alignment and orientation, and configured as a cassette or magazine 20 for storage in a circumferential array, preparatory to erection and fill, upon displacement and discharge.

Description

* . . * S ** I IS I* * S S * I * I * S S ** * S.. * 5 S S S * S S S I *

S.. * Rotary Drum Dispenser UK.flg for Bag-in-Box Container DC419.P05.059 This invention relates to so-called Bag-In-Box (BIB) carton packaging suitable for diverse flowable materials, such as liquids, gels, granules, pellets, capsules, sachets, chunks, crystals, flakes or powders.

Terminology - BIB The term BIB is used herein for convenience to embrace packaging with inner and outer structures of different materials. A prime category features a relatively soft deformable inner liner or bag and a relatively stiff, hard outer box or carton. The inner 1 0 structure is impermeable and sealable for contents enclosure - whilst the outer structure need not be, but rather serves as a protective outer cover.

Mechanisation A particular concern is mechanised carton case and bag assembly, erection and fill.

Prior Art

A conventional BIB assembly is partial carton erection into an open top 3D form and separate bag fill - preparatory to insertion with final carton end flap closure and flap seam or spot glue sealing.

A bag neck or spout and closure cap can be kept within a closed carton profile. This requires opening an access panel, or lifting a top closure flap to gain contents access by withdrawing a submerged pouring spout. Such a construction has commonly been employed in so-called wine boxes. An alternative is a protruding neck or spout, albeit this has problems of bag body and neck alignment, location, retention and closure torque resistance.

The Applicant has devised a bespoke BIB container, branded JERRIBOX (TM) in which a bespoke locating collar is fitted between inner bag liner and outer box carton - to allow fill on a fill fine originally intended for rigid wall containers such as plastics jerrycans.

The Applicant has also devised a collapsed flat pack pre-assembled interleaved bag and carton format of folded bag sandwiched within a carton wrap - all but for a protruding neck held captive by a locating and entrainment collar.

A flat pack carton wrap offers a compact and space efficient format for carriage to end users and local storage preparatory to contents fill. Only carton erection and end flap closure and sealing is required at an end user. A pre-inserted collapsed bag within the flat pack carton further simplifies end user handling.

* . S * * *p* I. * ** 5* * * S * S S I * S a S. * U.. * * * * * * . I I I S III * *a* *.. * C419. P05. 059 Standard carton case erectors cannot handle collapsed flat-pack JERRIBOX (TM) containers with interleaved bags sandwiched between opposite carton walls as devised by the Applicant. Thus protruding 2-D flat (thin-wall) bag ends are vulnerable to entrapment, snagging or tearing with no provision for bag erection or fill.

Bag Cartridge For an alternative pre-collapsed bag cartridge (JERRICARTRIDGETM) format devised by the Applicant, some adaptation of case erection is still necessary, as there is no longer need for bag insertion to preface carton end flap closure and edge tape sealing. The Applicant envisages modifications of known case erectors and a bespoke machine 1 0 dedicated to bag erection and fill from a collapsed form and in doing so erects with it a collapsed carton.

For use on a fill line, with diving or plunging head fillers, a protruding bag spout must be prevented from retreating into an outer carton by bag deformation and collapse.

Similarly, a bag neck or spout must be braced against threaded closure cap installation 1 5 and tightening to seal - otherwise the neck and with it the bag would twist and deform.

Such turning or anti-torque requirement requires some interaction between bag and box - which the Applicant's JERRIBOX (TM) product provides by a bespoke locating collar, per the Applicant's earlier case PCT/2005/*** {ex GB042481 0.0 et al). Stack

When overlaid one upon another in a stack, the Applicant's JERRIBOX (TM) product in interleaved sandwich flat pack format with protruding collar and bag neck has locally greater depth - which naturally adopts a lopsided or fan-fold form.

In a standard case erector with parallel-sided store and feed path, an asymmetrical or lop-sided stack would be problematic - with a tendency to jam the feed path. If successive alternate flat-packs were re-orientated to achieve a more even depth format, additional selection, checking and orientation steps would be required.

Statement of Invention

In the present invention, the Applicant envisages using a fan-fold stack (pre- )disposition to advantage. Features of the invention are set out in the appended claims and are imported herein as supporting statements therefor. Thus one aspect of the invention a stack of pre-assembled, collapsed flat-pack, BIB cartons is grouped in a fan-fold wedge to serve as a cassette or magazine for supplying a carton erector, configured to erect successive packs from one stack end, preparatory to contents fill.

Rotary Drum Cassette The invention also embraces a rotary drum cassette or magazine of pre-assembled collapsed flat-pack BIB cartons with respective sandwich interleaved collapsed bag * I * * I III II I II ** * * 4 * I I S I S I 41 * II. S S I I S * I I S I I S I.. * *** I.e S * 419 P05. 059 inserts disposed in a stack of wedge shape or fan-fold profile. Interleaved f tat pack bags and cartons could be fed individually into the drum, or grouped in preparatory wedge stacks, with frangible ties, severed upon drum loading.

Rather than a complete closed cylinder (requiring axial discharge), it is convenient to use a wedge cut-out as an output and delivery - if not erection station. A range of drum segment arcuate spans from, say, some 30 degrees to 330 degrees - with a preferred 27o degrees - could be adopted. Loading could be axially or end-on - eg an open (upper) side, whilst discharge could be circumferential - that is into the wedge cut- out between drum path ends. Dispensing could include partial carton erection.

1 0 Store & Dispenser In a particular construction, a collapsed BIB carton or interleaved carton-bag sandwich store and dispenser is configured as a rotary drum with a wedge cut-out for discharge and delivery of successive cartons from a fan-fold stack in a cassette or magazine bin.

Such drum configuration lends itself to incremental output delivery by controlling both 1 5 the internal stack confines and regulating the output or delivery end.

Carton erection and opposed end flap closure can be undertaken at the drum output, either in separate facilities or integrated with the drum store. Thus a radial articulated capture and buffer plate could contain the stack, until delivery is required whereupon the end carton could be captured while the remainder of the stack is contained.

Similarly, a radial pressure plate or arm could address the opposite input end of the cassette and compress the stack into an orderly compact format, biassed to progress around the drum to the output end.

BIB Assembly Process A BIB assembly process is envisaged as including the steps of mutual juxtaposition (eg overlay) of a bag web or collapsed bag and a carton blank, folding the carton blank around the bag web as a wrap or sleeve, closing the wrap sides to form a collapsed flat pack bag-in-carton multi-layer or tiered sandwich, flat pack erection and bag contents fill, and carton closure.

In bag web and carton blank juxtaposition a bag neck is inserted in an aperture in a carton top flap panel. A location and retention collar of the Applicant's PCT/GB2004/002609 can be fitted to the protruding neck as a capture and entrainment measure - which inhibits bag and carton wrap separation and helps preserve mutual alignment for ongoing carton erection and fill.

Rotary drum cassettes may also be used to create the interleaved bag and carton sandwich. Thus discrete dedicated rotary drum stores could be employed respectively for flat bags and flat cartons. Incremental bag output could be directed into part-erect carton output of a carton drum store, to create interleaved sandwich - which itself could be accumulated in another dedicated rotary drum store.

* * I S * *** I, * ** .* S S S * S * I S S I II * a.. * * I * * I S I S S.. * *a* *.. * C4l9PO5.O59 Embodiments There now follows a description of some particular embodiments of BIB assembly according to the invention, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic and schematic drawings, in which: Alternative bag in carton mounting technologies with an intervening location and retention collar according to respective other inventions of the Applicant are embraced. These include an interleaved bag and carton sandwich assembly with external bag neck capture and retention collar; 1 0 * a pre-collapse folded bag surmounted by a collar, as an integrated bag cartridge sub-assembly for insertion in an assembled carton aperture.

Interleaved Bag & Carton - Figures 1 A through 4A Figure 1 shows an individual assembled JERRIBOX (TM) BIB container 10, in preparatory 2-D collapse folded flat-pack sandwich format - of carton 14 outer sleeve with 1 5 interleaved collapsed bag 11, and bespoke location and retention collar 12 according to the Applicant's PCT/GB2004/002609; A location and retention collar 12 is fitted to capture an emergent bag neck 13 after insertion through a bespoke aperture 34 in a carton top end panel 19; The bag 11 is thus effectively entrained as an inner sandwich layer or leaf disposed largely (except for modest protruding bag ends 17, 19) within the carton body 14, preparatory to joint erection of bag 11 and carton 14, ready for or upon contents fill.

A sandwich arrangement means that bag 11 inflation, whether by contents fill or a trigger air pulse through the neck 13, carries with it the carton 14 outer wall.

That said, a mechanised case erector, with suction cups for carton panel grip, could convert a carton 14 from 2-D flat to 3-D erect form, leaving within a flat bag 11 -which could be inflated subsequently by contents fill and/or preparatory controlled air pulse.

Figure 2 shows a fan-fold stack 20 of JERRIBOX (TM) BIB containers of Figure 1, as a segmented wedge profile cassette for loading a bespoke erection and contents fill machine of Figures 3A through 3E; A fan fold stack 20 disposition naturally arises from the protruding bag neck 13 and retention collar 12 rim upstand, introducing a local increase in overall package depth.

By positioning this greater depth to the stack outer margins, a progressive tapered or wedge shape stack leads to an overall pack sector of successive mutually overlaid radial pack inf ill. A unitary pack cluster or grouping can be regarded as a formative cassette or magazine, for which packs could be temporarily wrapped or tied together, * * . * . S..

S. * ** I. * I * I * * * ** * III S * * * * I * a, . * a.. . *.. I.. I * C419.PO5.O59 such as by frangible tie 33.

A cylindrical drum or barrel container 21 - of somewhat less than 360 degree arcuate span - represents a complementary storage form for individual or multiple juxtaposed wedge stacks 20. Alternative curvilinear pack - and therefor cassette storage drum 30 - formats (not shown) could be contrived, including convoluted dispositions - say 5' shape in plan. Similarly, linear and curved feed and storage paths could be combined.

Figures 3A through 3E show successive operational steps for a rotary drum store and dispenser 30, for JERRIBOX (TM) BIB cartons of Figures 1 and 2; More specifically: 1 0 Figure 3A shows incremental fan-fold wedge loading of JERRIBOX (TM) BIB stack 29 juxtaposed with a rotary drum magazine chamber 21; Figure 3B shows temporary connection of an erection and fill umbilical feed line 26 to a capture head 27 for a bag neck 13 of an accessible JERRIBOX (TM) BIB carton 10 at the end of a stack in a rotary drum 21; 1 5 Figure 3C shows initial bag 11 inflation and attendant carton 14 wall re-disposition into a partial erect 3-D sleeve of a JERRIBOX (TM) BIB package or carton 10 drawn from rotary drum 21; Figure 3D shows severance of an inflation feed umbilical 2, 27 and closure of carton end flaps 17. 19 preparatory to onward delivery to a follow-on station; Figure 3E shows a local enlarged plan detail of carton capture plate 28 unfold upon bag 11 inflation; Figure 4A shows a pre-fabricated carton blank 35, of card sheet cut-out and crease fold delineation, for a carton 14 with an aperture 34 to receive a bag neck 13 and folded instep ledge or shoulder 33 in a top panel 19 to accommodate a bag collar 12.

Bag Cartridge - Figures 4B through 7C Figure 4B shows a variant carton blank 45 to the carton blank 25 of Figure 4A, adapted to receive a preassembled bag cartridge 60 such as of Figure 5C according to another invention of the Applicant; A top panel instep ledge 33 is no longer required for collar support, but rather simply an aperture 24 corresponding to the footprint of a self-supporting collar 12 of a bag cartridge 60.

This simplification in carton structure allows bag cartridge 60 installation by insertion into aperture 24 from externally of carton 14. Installation of bag cartridge 60 effectively completes the BIB package 10, ready for contents fill.

* * . S * *p* *. S ** ** S S * I S I S S * aS * I.. S S I a S * S S I I S S a.. . *., I.. S 419.PO5.O59 This liberates' assembly from the constraint of collar 12 fitment after bag 11 and carton 14 assembly and in particular renders superfluous bag neck 13 insertion through carton aperture 34.

The collar 12 rim wall thus interacts with the aperture 24 edges for a secure interf it.

Figures 5A through 5C show a rotary (cassette) storage dispenser drum 50 variant to that of Figures 3A-D, for cartons configured for installation of a pre-assembled bag cartridge - the subject of Applicant's pending application PCT/2005/*****; More specifically Figure 5A shows a perspective view of a rotary drum store and dispenser 50 1 0 configured to discharge a collapsed flat-pack carton 14 ready for subsequent erection; Figure SB shows preliminary carton 14 erection from a 2-D collapsed flat pack into a 3- D sleeve form after discharge from a drum dispenser 50; The erected 3-D carton 14 sleeve is initially open-ended, followed by end flap 17, 19 1 5 closure leaving an access aperture 34 for a bag cartridge 60 or rather collar 12 installation; Figure SD shows insertion of a preassembled bag cartridge 60 into a carton aperture 34 of an erected and closed carton 14; Figure SE shows a completed a BIB carton 10, preparatory to bag deployment upon contents fill; A closure cap (not shown) is fitted to a bag neck 13 after contents fill; but a temporary seal may be applied to preserve bag inner integrity in the interim; Figures 6A through 6E depict a variant rotary drum storage dispenser 50 to the drum of Figures 5A-C - with initial carton 14 erection into a hollow open-ended sleeve directly upon emergent discharge from a 2-D collapse folded flat-pack format to an open-ended 3-D hollow sleeve; More specifically Figure 6A along with local enlargement detail Figure 6A1 - shows a drum dispenser preparatory to carton 14 discharge; A radial capture plate 58, or hinged panels 58A, 58B initially restrains a carton 14 wall; Figure 6B - along with local enlargement detail Figure 6B1 - shows carton 14 capture and handling upon emergence and discharge as a part erected 3-D sleeve; Hinged panels 58A, 58B address contiguous adjoining inboard and outboard carton * I * * I III I. ** a. . * a * a a * * S a a.

* ala I I a q * , a * * * 1* S at* a.. * * 41 9.P05.059 14 panel faces and dictate progressive infold about diametral opposite edges into 3-D sleeve format. Inboard panel 58A is hinged to a central drum post 53, about which the entire cassette 20 collection transit and so its articulation action with entrained outboard panel 58B is complementary cassette 20 circumferential progress; Figure 6C shows a 3-D emergent carton sleeve; Figure 6D shows opposite end flap closure; Figure 6E shows bag cartridge insertion into a carton top wall aperture 34; Figures 7A through 7C show a more integrated drum dispenser and erector variant 50 to those of Figures 5A - 6E, with carton erection and end closure directly upon 1 0 emergence from storage; More specifically Figure 7A shows a carton 14 restrained by a capture plate 58; Figure 7A1 shows local enlargement detail of Figure 7Al Figure 7B shows initial erection of a carton 14 into a 3-D sleeve by movement and in- 1 5 fold of articulated capture plate 58; Figure 7B1 shows local enlargement detail of Figure 7B; Figure 7B2 shows local enlargement detail of Figure 7B at a later stage than Figure 7B1; Figure 7C shows final fold down of carton end panels 17, 19 preparatory to discharge of a completed carton, ready for bag cartridge insertion; Figure 7C1 shows local enlargement detail of Figure 7C; Figures 8A through 8C depict interleaved bag and carton sandwich assembly by use of respective rotary storage and drum dispensers, 80, 90 and 100; This is to achieve the pre- assembly of Figures 1 and 2, preparatory to erection such as with the rotary storage dispenser drums of Figures 3A through 3D; More specifically Figure 8A shows a dedicated bag storage dispenser drum 80 juxtaposed with a dedicated carton storage and dispenser drum 90; Figure 8B shows incremental discharge of collapsed flat bags from bag dispenser 80 into successive partly erected carton sleeves 14 discharged from dedicated carton dispenser drum 90; * * * . , .* 0* * *1 * * * * I I S t * * PS, S * * * * * I S S * I * I,. I 555 *e* * * 419.PO5.O59 Multiple suction cup arrays 81, grouped upon hinged radial mountings, are used grip and translate individual bags 11; Figure 8C shows accumulation of assembled interleaved flat bag and carton sleeve sandwich assemblies in a dedicated BIB rotary storage dispenser 100; Figures 9A through 9C depict an equivalent arrangement of Figures 8A -c for bag cartridges; More specifically Figure 9A shows a dedicated bag cartridge storage dispenser again of rotary drum 1 0 format - juxtaposed with a dedicated carton only storage dispenser - also of rotary drum format; A robotic pick-and-place arm mounted upon a central pillar is well situated to transfer pre-assembled bag cartridges from an annular storage path into a carton 14 upon erection from a 2-D flat pack into a 3-D sleeve with end flap closure; 1 5 Figure 9B shows bag cartridge 60 installation; Figures 9B1-2 show alternative storage of assembled BIB packages; Thus Figure 961 shows reversion to flat pack format in a rotary drum store; Figure 9B2 shows onward despatch (say upon a conveyor belt not shown) of successive BIB packages; Overall, the foregoing arrangements represent compact storage, erection and delivery facilities for BIB variants devised by the Applicant - that is with discrete collar location and retention or pre- assembled collapsed bag cartridge formats. Delivery discharge bias is achievable by rotary movement of a radial pusher plate set behind the stack, but released to allow pack replenishment at an input side of the rotary stack.

At the output end of the rotary stack, controlled release for discharge and delivery of individual cartons is achievable by a movable gate. Elaboration of such output gate functions, with arms to engage carton end flaps, can undertake carton erection from 2-D flat pack to 3-D hollow erect forms.

Whether a bag is entrained throughout storage in the interleaved bag and carton wall variants, or is inserted after carton completion, the rotary drum cassette storage format is space efficient and inherently easier to control and operate.

Even for cartons without intervening bag and protruding neck or collar, a rotary stack can be achieved. That said, divider fingers may be used to promote stack contents order, along with relative and collective disposition. * .

I. p ** I * * I * * p * * , I p.* p p * * : * * . * * p * *. *, p 419.PO5.O59 The drawing detail is indicative and simplified for ease of illustration and comprehension. Persons skilled in packaging or case erection machine art could implement what is shown, using well established design criteria and principles.

Referring to the drawings A collapsed individual JERRIBOX (TM) BIB packi 0, of interleaved bag 11 and carton 14 sandwich format, is depicted in Figure 1. Pack 10 features an outer carton 14- assembled from a carton blank 35, such as of Figure 4A - wrapped about an internal bag liner 11, with a protruding neck 13 entrained by a location and retention collar 12.

Overall collapse fold depth is modest, but is locally greater at the protruding collar 12 and neck spout 13. Mutually overlaid packs 10, juxtaposed in corresponding orientation and alignment, naturally adopt a fan-fold or wedge segment stack form 20, as depicted in Figure 2. Advantage is taken of this by a rotary drum cartridge loading erection and fill machine and methodology.

Figures 3A through 3E show an operating sequence of a cartridge storage, erection 1 5 and fill station 22.

A segmented drum or bin 21 stores a circumferential array of accumulated fan-fold stacks 20 of pre-collapsed flat-pack, bag in carton sandwiches 10.

Figure 3B shows a fluid (eg pneumatic) umbilical feed line 26 (sealingly) connected by a capture head 37 to an exposed bag neck 13 at one send of stack 20.

A capture head 37 with a suction cup seal fitment (not detailed) might be used to avoid fill spillage and carton wetting.

Figure 3C reflects a fluid (pneumatic) pulse fed to inflate a bag 11 and with it erect a carton outer 14.

Figure 3D shows umbilical 26 and capture head 27 uncoupling and disconnection from fully-inflated bag 11 and 3-D erected carton 14.

A bag 11 format consistent with carton 14 may range from a free-form or pillow bag to a rectangular form with boundary edge and diagonal location seams. Bag 11 contents fUl could inflate bag 11, or follow preliminary fluid (pneumatic) inflation.

A modest excess-pressure might be used in bag pre-inflation to ensure bag deployment to full capacity and bag and carton volumetric profile alignment. Similarly an abrupt initial pulse could be used to rupture a temporary frangible bag wrap or tie (not shown), used to keep a vulnerable thin-walled bag 11 in collapsed mode until read for deployment.

Having pre-inflated a bag 11, it may be necessary to allow for contents fill *u. . ,.* ,I.

- 419.PO5O59 progressively to displace inflation air through an exhaust bleed (not shown).

Carton 14 end flap 17, 19 closure and sealing may be undertaken by modified or adapted case erectors. Similarly, with flap sealing by tape or hot melt glue (not shown).

Drum 21 capacity lies between end plate 22 at one end of an arcuate storage and feed path to a delivery or output end capture plate 28.

A slot 29 in drum 21 side wall allows inspection of contents and progress. Index separation and drive fingers (not shown) could be inserted through slot 29 to promote orderly carton 14 and thus collapsed BIB pack 10 progression.

A radial drive plate 25, pivoted about a centre pillar 23, could displace the fan fold 1 0 stack 20 progressively around the drum 21 towards a discharge end capture plate 28 for delivery to an inflation - erection station.

Capture plate 28 serves as an output regulator or gate and can be deployed for carton 14 erection from collapsed 2-D flat pack into a 3-D sleeve. A delivery rate of some 15- cartons per minute is envisaged, consistent with bag fill limitations.

1 5 Bag Cartridge A rotary storage and dispenser drum format, such as of Figures 3A-D, is adaptable for pre-assembled bag cartridges, as reflected in the corresponding rotary storage and dispenser 50 of Figures 5A through 70 The dispenser 50 is adaptable to partial or complete carton erection upon delivery, preparatory to bag cartridge installation.

A fan-fold carton stack 20 is held in a drum or bit 51 and displaced about an axial pillar 53 by a radial drive plate 55 around the drum to a capture plate 58, which constrains and regulates delivery A side wall view and access slot 59 in bin 51 allows carton inspection and interaction by index separation and drive fingers (not shown).

Various guide and fold elements are shown in enlargement detail of Figures 7A1, 7B1-2 and 7C1 as indicative of end flap 17, 19 closure.

Capture plate 58 can feature suction heads 57 to draw overlaid carton wall panels into the movement path dictated by articulation of hinged plates 58A-B.

Operation - Robotic An automated pick-and-placer' robotic arm is used for bag cartridge insertion into a carton pre-assembled by a specially adapted case erector. A bag cartridge is selected from a store in a matrix array in a sub-divided tray. Grip is achieved by application of a vacuum. The robotic arm moves to intercept a pre-assembled carton or box upon * * * * * *1* I. * ** I. * * S * S * S * I S ** * I*S * S S S S * I S S S S S I** S 115 555 S S 4l9.PO5.O59 discharge and delivery from a rotary drum cassette store or magazine.

The cartridge is inserted vertically and retained by edge clip interaction with carton aperture bounding panel edges on four sides in two orthogonal planes (top panel and front side wall).

A controlled pulse of air is applied to the cartridge to pre-inf late the bag modestly (but not necessarily completely) without risk to bag wall integrity. This bag inflation ruptures a frangible paper strip tie or wrap around the bag - at an inherently weak point of locally waisted residual span around the bag neck.

The carton with inflated bag is moved upon a container to a bag inflation station at 1 0 which a longer controlled air pulse (of precise volume equivalent to target bag fully inflated volume capacity) of filtered (even sterilised) air is applied to completely inflate the bag to full target volumetric capacity, preparatory to contents fill. In this way, no residual wrinkles, creases or tucks are left in the bag which might otherwise reduce capacity or obstruct fill flow.

1 5 The carton the moves to a fill station. The bag collar and carton bracing interaction allows use of conventional plunging head fill machines just as for rigid wall container or bottle. So high speed, spillage free, fill is achievable.

Manual Operation For low volume production runs, a bag cartridge can be inserted manually into a carton aperture. The neck of the loaded cartridge is then offered up to a pre- inf later head - which delivers a brief initial pulse for bag wrap strip breakage, then another longer pulse for progressive bag inflation to full capacity.

Mix n' Match Features described may be variously mixed and matched within the scope of the appended claims, to suit operational requirements.

It is not feasible to show every such permutation or combination of features, but examples include the indicative arrangements of Figures 8AC and 9A-B1/2. Linear and rotary storage and dispenser feed paths may be combined. Similarly, a storage dispenser capable of, or adaptable to, handling either interleaved sandwich or bag cartridge format BIB packs could be contrived.

Phrases bracketed - vis { ... } - alongside claim numbering - are for ease of reference and as such form no part of claim interpretation or scope.

* * . I * **S IS * ** I* I I S * . I I I * I U* * III S * S * * * S I S S S * ISS S 555 IS* J419.P05.059 Component List Figures 1 & 2 1 0 BIB (Bag-in-Box) pack 11 bag or liner 1 2 location & retention collar 13 neck or spout 14 carton 1 7 bottom flap 1 9 top flap 1 0 Figures 3A-D fan-fold stack 21 drum 22 end plate 23 pillar 24 aperture drive plate 26 umbilical feed line 27 capture head 28 capture plate 29 (view & access) slot rotary storage and dispenser drum Figures 4A-B 33 instep or ledge 34 aperture 35 carton blank carton blank Figures 5A-7C rotary storage and dispenser drum 51 drum or bin 53 pillar drive plate 57 suction head 58 capture plate 59 (view & access) slot 60 bag cartridge Figures 8A-C dedicated rotary bag storage and dispenser 81 suction pad array dedicated carton storage and dispenser 1 00 dedicated BIB storage and dispenser

Claims (1)

1. * * . * * .** I* * IS IS S * S * I I * S S S * IS* S S S I S * S S S S S *

   *I* * III 555 * S 419.PO5.O59 Claims 1. (Rotary Store and Dispenser] A rotary store and dispenser(30, 50) configured for collapsed packaging contents disposed in a fan-fold wedge stack over an internal annular flow path between an input end with a positive displacement element and an output end with a radial capture element for controlled incremental contents discharge.

   1 0 2. (Re-entrant Prof ile} A rotary storage and dispenser drum of Claim 1, of re-entrant segmented profile with sector for contents displacement within an overall cylindrical format as an output station to accommodate contents erection upon discharge.

   1 5 3. {Rotary Store and Dispenser] A rotary storage and dispenser drum (30, 50) of either preceding claim, configured for supply of collapsed flat Bag-in-Box (BIB) containers or packages (10), of interleaved flat bags sandwiched between opposite panels of an outer carton (14) s'eeve wrap, with a location and retention collar (12) to capture a bag neck (13) protruding through an aperture (24) in a carton top end flap (19); preparatory to erection and contents fill by internal bag (11) inflation by a pneumatic pulse applied through an umbilical feed line (26) and a capture head (27) for the bag neck (13); the drum comprising a partcylindrical bin of annular internal footprint, defining an internal arcuate transfer path for collapsed flat cartons, from a movable radial drive plate (25, 55) to an output regulator plate (28, 58).

   * U U I S las *5 S Is SI S * S * S S S S U * SI * 115 * * S I S * S I S U S S.. S *SS *aS * S C419.PO5.O59 4. {Carton Rotary Store and Dispenser} A rotary storage and dispenser drum (30, 50) of Claim 1 or 2, configured for supply of collapsed flat Bag-in-Box (BIB) cartons (14), or carton sleeves in a closed loop with open end flaps; preparatory to installation of a pre-assembled collapsed bag cartridge fitted with a location and retention collar and a frangible retention tie wrap; the drum comprising a part-cylindrical bin of annular internal footprint, defining an internal arcuate transfer path for collapsed flat pack cartons (14) or carton sleeves, from a movable radial drive plate (25, 55) to an output capture plate (28, 58).

   1 0 5. (Articulated Capture Plate) A rotary storage and dispenser drum of any preceding claim with an articulated capture plate addressing adjoining carton side wall panels with a hinge aligned with an intervening panel edge to allow lozenge in-fold upon squeeze and/or inflation of an interleaved bag.

   1 5 6. (Collapsed Flat Pack Cartridge) A fan-fold or wedge segment stack (20) of collapsed flat-pack BIB containers (10) - in corresponding alignment and orientation - configured as a cassette or magazine for storage, preparatory to erection and fill, in rotary storage and dispenser drum of any preceding claim.

   7. (Stack with Frangible Tie) A fan-fold stack of Claim 5, bound by a frangible tie wrap.

   8. (BIB Cassette) A BIB cassette or magazine (20) comprising a mutually aligned stack of collapsed (deflated) bags (11), sandwiched within an outer collapsed flat pack carton (14) wrap, with a bag neck (13) locating collar (12) between bag and associated carton.

   9. (Fan-fold Wedge Stack) A stack of pre-assembled, but collapsed flatpack, BIB cartons grouped as a fan-fold wedge cartridge for supplying a carton erector, configured to erect successive packs from one end of the stack, preparatory to contents fill.

   * 0 * * . III 0* 0 (0 tO * 0 0 * 0 0 * S * I I* * 0tO S 0 0 S S * S * I S S S I.. S tS* (IS S S C419 P05. 059 10. {BIB Assembly Process] A BIB assembly process including the steps of mutual juxtaposition (eg overlay) of a bag web or collapsed bag and a carton blank, folding the carton blank around the bag web as a wrap or sleeve, closing the wrap sides to form a collapsed flat pack bag-in- carton multi-layer or tiered sandwich, flat pack erection and bag contents fill, and carton closure.

   11. {BIB Assembly Process] A BIB assembly process including the steps of inserting a bag cartridge of collapsed bag and entrained collar in an aperture of a carton sleeve or completed carton.

   1 0 12. {lllustrated Embodiments] A rotary store of stacked collapsed flat-pack BIB containers or packaging substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.