The Procter Gamble Company

Rodney Alan Holloway

Clifford Theodore Papsdorf

Jason Lee DeBruler

Jennifer Lynn Tuertscher

Geoffrey John Kerr

Jason Lee Debruler

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 article grouping system capable of forming arrays of articles having a variable number of rows and lanes is included. The article grouping system includes an infeed carrier apparatus having an infeed carrier surface that is movable in a first direction and an outfeed carrier apparatus having an outfeed carrier surface that is movable in a second direction. A grouping apparatus comprising a plurality of carriages and a carriage drive mechanism operatively connected with each carriage. The carriage drive mechanism causes each carriage to independently move in a third direction from an article receiving zone adjacent to the infeed carrier apparatus to an article discharge zone adjacent to the outfeed carrier apparatus. A transfer apparatus includes a frame and an article stabilization member operatively connected with the frame. The article stabilization member moves from an engaging location in the article discharge zone to a disengaging location.

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Mariemont, OH, United States of America

Rodney Alan Holloway