System and method of coupling beverage cartons with resilient bands

Abstract

A system and method for packaging individual beverage containers is disclosed. A package of individual beverage containers includes a plurality of beverage cartons abutted at respective edge surfaces; each beverage carton contains a plurality of individual beverage containers. The beverage cartons are secured together by at least one resilient band that is disposed over and applies a force to secure together the plurality of beverage cartons.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A package for individual beverage containers, comprising:
 a plurality of beverage cartons abutted at respective edge surfaces, each beverage carton containing a plurality of individual beverage containers; and   at least one resilient band disposed over and applying a directional force to secure together the plurality of beverage cartons.   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of beverage cartons is a pair of beverage cartons. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one resilient band comprises a pair of resilient bands disposed over and applying the directional force to secure together the plurality of beverage cartons. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of beverage cartons is a pair of twelve-packs. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 4  wherein the abutted edge surfaces have a length corresponding to four of the individual beverage containers. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 4  wherein the abutted edge surfaces have a length corresponding to three of the individual beverage containers. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 4  wherein the abutted edge surfaces have a length corresponding to six of the individual beverage containers. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the at least one resilient band has a width of about one-half inch. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the individual beverage containers are cans. 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the individual beverage containers are bottles. 
     
     
         11 . A method of packaging individual beverage containers, comprising:
 packaging a plurality of individual beverage containers in a plurality of cartons;   abutting respective edge surfaces of the plurality of cartons;   stretching at least one resilient band; and   releasing the stretched resilient band over the plurality of cartons.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising spacing apart a first pair of abutted cartons from an adjacent pair of abutted cartons. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising severing the resilient band from a remainder of the resilient material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising stopping momentarily the plurality of cartons to apply the at least one resilient band over the plurality of cartons. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of cartons is driven by a single conveyor, the single conveyor continuously moving during the stretching and releasing steps. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for applying a resilient band to a plurality of cartons containing individual beverage containers, comprising:
 at least one conveyor;   a spool of resilient bands;   a jaw operable to stretch and release a resilient band from the spool of resilient bands material over the plurality of cartons on the at least one conveyor.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the at least one conveyor is an indexing conveyor. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the at least one conveyor is a continuous motion conveyor and movement of the application fingers corresponds to motion of the at least one conveyor.