The Procter Gamble Company

Jennifer Lynn Tuertscher

Scott Alan King

Clifford Theodore Papsdorf

Jason Lee DeBruler

Rodney Alan Holloway

Bryan Wesley Bauman

Andrew MacGee

Markus Grädler

Christian Hans Günther Fuchs

Dale Francis Bittner

James William Busch

Stephen Douglas Congleton

David Stuart Howell, Ii

Matthew Ryan Wortley

Roger George Hasler

Jason Lee Debruler

Christian Hans Guenther Fuchs

A flexible curvilinear knife is disclosed. The flexible curvilinear knife is formed from a cutting element, a blade holder element, and a plurality of spring elements. A first, proximal end of each spring element of the plurality of spring elements is operably and fixably attached to a discrete location of the cutting element and a second, distal end of each spring element of the plurality of spring elements is fixably attached to a discrete location of the blade holder element.

Flexible curvilinear knife

A method of manufacturing a transfer assembly for transferring articles from a first moving carrier to a second moving carrier is provided. The method comprises providing a programmable motor and a motor control system. The motor control system and the programmable motor define an excitation frequency. The method comprises providing a carrier member comprising a housing comprising a wall and shifting a natural frequency of the carrier member by forming the wall with a first carbon fiber layer having a first fiber orientation extending in a first direction and with a second carbon fiber layer having a second fiber orientation extending in a second direction that is different than the first direction. The shifting the natural frequency establishes the natural frequency of the carrier member to be at least 1.1 times greater than or at least 1.1 times less than the excitation frequency.

Apparatuses for transferring articles and methods of making the same

A method of transferring a plurality of articles onto an outfeed carrier is provided. The method includes: advancing a plurality of articles in a first direction; advancing an outfeed carrier surface of an outfeed carrier apparatus in a second direction at an outfeed carrier surface velocity; providing a transfer apparatus, wherein the transfer apparatus comprises a frame and an article stabilization member operatively connected with the frame; engaging the plurality of articles with the article stabilization member in the engaging location; accelerating the plurality of articles in the second direction to transfer the plurality of articles from the transport member to the outfeed carrier surface; decelerating the plurality of articles between the engaging zone and the discharge zone to substantially match the velocity of the plurality of articles and the outfeed carrier surface velocity; and disengaging the plurality of articles from the article stabilization member in the placement location.

Method of grouping articles into arrays of various configurations

An article grouping system is disclosed. The article grouping system includes a transport member movable in a first direction and an outfeed carrier apparatus having an outfeed carrier surface that is movable in a second direction. The transport member is positioned proximate to the outfeed carrier surface. The article grouping system includes a transfer apparatus having a frame and an article stabilization member operatively connected with the frame. The article stabilization member includes upstream and downstream support members spaced apart from the downstream support member in the second direction to define an article transfer receptacle. The article stabilization member moves from an engaging location proximate to the transport member to a variable disengaging location adjacent to the outfeed carrier surface and back to the engaging location.

Apparatus for grouping articles into arrays of various configurations

An apparatus for transferring one or more articles from a first carrier moving at a first speed to a second carrier moving at a second speed that is different than the first speed is provided. The apparatus comprises a programmable motor and a carrier member operably engaged with the programmable motor. The carrier member comprises a housing comprising a wall and an outer surface configured to receive the one or more articles from the first moving carrier in a receiving zone and configured to deposit the one or more articles onto the second moving carrier in an application zone. The wall comprises carbon fiber. The programmable motor is configured to move the outer surface of the housing at a third speed through the receiving zone and at a fourth speed through the application zone.

An apparatus for transferring an article from a first carrier moving at a first speed to a second carrier moving at a second speed is provided. The apparatus comprises a programmable motor and a carrier member operably engaged with the programmable motor. The carrier member comprises a housing comprising a wall defining an interior space and an outer surface configured to receive the article from the first carrier in a receiving zone and configured to deposit the article onto the second carrier in an application zone. The carrier member comprises a support member comprising carbon fiber at least partially positioned within the interior space of the housing and connected with a portion of the wall. The programmable motor is configured to move the outer surface of the carrier member at a third speed through the receiving zone and at a fourth speed through the application zone.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Jennifer Lynn Tuertscher