This invention relates to film wrapping containers to form a sleeve around the containers. The containers are collated and formed into a pack and then sleeve film wrapped. Containers such as cans or boxes can be sleeve wrapped.

Containers such as sardine cans and boxes are normally found on grocery shelves stacked on a cardboard tray which has been wrapped with a heat shrink film. The tray is placed on the shelf with the film on top of the stack opened. Customers pick the containers from the stack. The containers tend to separate from the film wrapped stack and rest loosely on the shelf.

The objective of this invention is to provide a film wrapped pack of containers that allows a container to be removed while maintaining the remaining containers together. This can be accomplished by providing a sleeve wrapped pack of containers with two perforated lines registered on the top of the film before film wrapping. By peeling off the top part of the perforated film, the containers are exposed, allowing for the removal of a container while maintaining the integrity of the film. This allows the containers to stay together while the pack is placed on the shelf.

• Figure 1 shows orienting a container so the container can be collated to form a pack followed by forming a sleeve around the pack;
• Figures 2-3 show orienting a container on a conveyor and collating the containers for pack formation;
• Figure 4 shows an upper and lower film wrapping a sleeve around the containers; and
• Figure 5 shows a sleeve film wrapped pack having a perforated portion peeled from the pack.

Figures 1-3 show transporting a container 6 lying flat on conveyor 5. A star wheel 1 turns the container 90 degrees so that the largest length of the can is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor belt (machine direction). Afterward the upended star wheel lifts and turns the container 90 degrees on its skinny side to a vertical position. This allows the conveyor to transport and collate a predetermined number of containers 6 on the conveyor. The conveyor moves the collated containers 13 to a position onto a dead plate 7 where the containers are pushed together against back stop 9 to form a pack. A main pusher 3 pushes the pack into a upper film 8 and lower film 12 onto dead plate 10. The film forms a sleeve around the pack. Figure 4 shows the unwinding of upper film 8 and lower film 12 as the pack is pushed against the film. Upper film 8 is perforated by two blades adjustable to register the perforations 14 with the top of the pack. Lower film 12 registers with the bottom of the pack. If a two pack are to be film wrapped, an additional pack can be sequentially pushed onto dead plate 10 so the packs are adjacent each other. Seal bar 15 seals the upper film 8 and lower film 9 together and cuts and seals the upper and lower film to establish a new curtain of film for the next pack. After sleeve film wrapping, the pack is conveyed through heat tunnel 11. The film wrapping can be accomplished by conventional technology in the prior art.

Figure 5 shows a sleeve film wrapped pack of containers 6 having a portion of film 8 peeled along the perforations to expose containers 6.

This application claims priority of US Application No. 15/411,413 filed on January 20, 2017, invented by Alain Cerf titled "Sleeve Film Wrapping a Pack of Containers."