Article grouping & transfer apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for receipt and select accumulation of individual articles so as to form an article group, and subsequent transfer of the article group in furtherance of cartoning same, is provided. The apparatus includes a track assembly, an article receiver and an article group advancer. The track assembly delimits a track travel path, the track travel path characterized by an individual article ingress segment, and an article group egress segment. The article receiver is operatively supported by the track assembly for travel corresponding to the track travel path, the article receiver receiving individual articles at the article ingress segment of said track travel path. The article group advancer selectively engages and advances an article group formed in relation to the article receiver within a segment of the track travel path downstream of the individual article ingress segment thereof, received articles having a first orientation at the individual article ingress segment of the track travel path, select accumulated articles having a second orientation at the article egress segment of the track travel path.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . Apparatus for receipt and select accumulation of individual articles so as to form an article group, and subsequent transfer of the article group in furtherance of cartoning same, the apparatus comprising:
 a. a track assembly delimiting a track travel path, said track travel path characterized by upstream and downstream portions, an individual article ingress segment, and an article group egress segment, said individual article ingress segment and said article group egress segment within said upstream portion of said track travel path;   b. an article receiver operatively supported by said track assembly for travel corresponding to said track travel path, said article receiver receiving individual articles at said article ingress segment of said track travel path; and,   c. an article group advancer for select engagement and advancement of an article group formed in relation to said article receiver within a segment of said track travel path downstream of said individual article ingress segment thereof, received articles having a first orientation at said individual article ingress segment of said track travel path, select accumulated articles having a second orientation at said article egress segment of said track travel path.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of said article receiver and said article group advancer is selectively driven with respect to said track assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of said article receiver and said article group advancer is selectively driven with respect to said track via servos. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said article receiver comprises first a second article receivers and said article group advancer comprises first and second article group advancers. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said article receiver comprises first a second article receivers and said article group advancer comprises first and second article group advancers, said first article receiver and said first article group advancer, and said second article receiver and said second article group advancer each operably pairable within said upstream portion of said track travel path in furtherance of effectuating article grouping operations. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said article receiver comprises first a second article receivers and said article group advancer comprises first and second article group advancers, said first article receiver and said first article group advancer, and said second article receiver and said second article group advancer each operably pairable within a segment of said track travel path substantially delimited by said individual article ingress segment thereof and said article egress segment thereof in furtherance of effectuating article grouping operations. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said article group advancer is operatively supported by said track assembly for travel corresponding to said track travel path. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of said article receiver and said article group advancer are operatively supported for travel upon said track assembly at select variable speeds. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of said article receiver and said article group advancer are operatively supported for travel upon said track assembly at select variable speeds via servos. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a grouped article carrier characterized by leading and trailing elements operatively supported for travel upon said track assembly at select variable speeds, said leading element comprising said article receiver, said trailing element comprising said article group advancer. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said article receiver and said article group advancer delimit grouped article carriers characterized by a longitudinally expansible element uniting said article receiver with said article group advancer. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said grouped article carrier is dimensionally alterable at said individual article ingress segment and at said article group egress segment. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said grouped article carrier is dimensionally alterable at said article group egress segment so as to top load grouped articles in either of a vertical stand-up pattern or a horizontal laydown pattern. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein a portion of said longitudinally expansible element intermediate said article receiver and said article group advancer is operatively supported by said track assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said portion of said longitudinally expansible element intermediate said article receiver and said article group advancer delimits first and second article group compartments for said grouped article carrier. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein a portion of said longitudinally expansible element intermediate said article receiver and said article group advancer is operatively supported by said track assembly for passive travel thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein said portion of said longitudinally expansible element intermediate said article receiver and said article group advancer delimits first and second article group compartments for said grouped article carrier. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said track assembly comprises first and second independently driven belt sets, said article receiver comprising first and second article receivers, said first article receiver supported by said first belt set, said second article receiver supported by said second belt set. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising a rotatable arm, said article group advancer extending from an end portion thereof, said arm driven so as to delimit an arm travel path having a portion corresponding to a segment of said track travel path delimited by said individual article ingress segment thereof and said article egress segment thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a rotatable arm, said article group advancer extending from an end portion thereof, said arm driven so as to delimit an arm travel path having a portion corresponding to a segment of said track travel path delimited by said individual article ingress segment thereof and said article egress segment thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein said article group advancer comprises a pair of article group advancers, a first article group advancer extending from a first end portion of said rotatable arm, a second article group advancer extending from a second end portion of said rotatable arm, said second end portion of said rotatable arm opposite said first end portion of said rotatable arm.