# US 2014/0190126 A1 · Grouper apparatus for a packaging machine and methods of grouping items for packaging > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190126 A1 - Document ID: US20140190126A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/136,526 - Filed: 2013-12-20 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: Holland Engineering, LLC - Applicants: Holland Engineering, LLC - Inventors: Peter de Hertogh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190126A1 ## CPC - B65G 47/088: {cylindrical articles} - B65G 33/02: for articles - B65G 33/06: conveyed and guided by parallel screws - B65G 47/71: the articles being discharged {or distributed} to several {distinct separate} conveyors {or to a broader conveyor lane} - B65B 35/46: by rotary conveyors - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract A grouper apparatus for a packaging machine and methods of grouping items for packaging are provided. The grouper apparatus may have at least two container guides for defining lanes for receiving containers, at least one of the at least two container guides being movable, and at least one timing screw. The at least one timing screw may be positioned at least one of: between the at least two container guides; and coaxial with a corresponding one of the at least two container guides. The at least one timing screw may be adapted to receive and advance at least one lane of containers on either side thereof. A controller may be provided for controlling revolution of the at least one timing screw to provide at least one of a desired output grouping and a desired output rate of the containers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A grouper apparatus for a packaging machine, comprising: at least two container guides for defining lanes for receiving containers, at least one of the at least two container guides being movable; at least one timing screw positioned at least one of: between the at least two container guides; and coaxial with a corresponding one of the at least two container guides, the at least one timing screw being adapted to receive and advance at least one lane of containers on either side thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a controller for controlling revolution of the at least one timing screw to provide at least one of a desired output grouping and a desired output rate of the containers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein pockets for capturing and advancing one or more of the containers are formed between threads of the at least one timing screw. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: a conveyor for moving the containers through the grouper; wherein at least one of a desired output grouping and a desired output rate are provided by controlling the revolution of the at least one timing screw while maintaining conveyor movement. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the conveyor comprises: an in-feed conveyor for feeding the containers into the lanes defined by the at least two container guides; and a grouper conveyor for moving the containers through the lanes; wherein the at least one of the desired output grouping and the desired output rate are provided by controlling the revolution of the at least one timing screw while maintaining movement of the grouper conveyor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 5, further comprising: one or more intake guides for guiding the containers from the in-feed conveyor to an in-feed portion of the at least one timing screw. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein: the in-feed conveyor comprises a moveable conveyor which is adapted to sweep across an area adjacent the in-feed portion of the at least one timing screw to direct the containers into each of the lanes in turn. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one timing screw is releasably held in the grouper apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein the at least one timing screw is held in the grouper apparatus with a releasable snap-fit connection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one of the at least two container guides and the at least one timing screw are each laterally movable for at least one of: defining lanes of varying sizes for accommodating containers of various sizes or shapes; defining one or more lanes between the at least two container guides and the at least one timing screw; and adding or removing one or more lanes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein by moving the at least one of the at least two container guides or the at least one timing screw, one of: one lane is formed on each side of the at least one timing screw; two lanes are formed on at least one side of the at least one timing screw; and a lane is removed from at least one side of the at least one timing screw. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the at least one timing screw is provided with a gap at defined intervals of the screw threads; and the defined intervals are adapted to provide a desired output grouping. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the at least two container guides comprise two container guides; the at least one timing screw comprises a single timing screw positioned between the two container guides; and the two container guides are positioned such that two lanes are provided on at least one side of the single timing screw, an inside lane adjacent the single timing screw and an outside lane adjacent the inside lane; the containers received in the outside lane are offset from the containers received in the inside lane; and the single timing screw is controlled to output container groupings having multiples of three containers or multiples of four containers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the at least two container guides are positioned to provide two lanes on each side of the at least one timing screw, an inside lane adjacent each side of the at least one timing screw and a corresponding outside lane adjacent each of the inside lanes; and the containers received in each of the outside lanes are offset from the containers received in each of the corresponding inside lanes such that output of one of the containers in the inside lane from the timing screw also outputs a corresponding offset container in the outside lane. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one timing screw is adapted to accept one of round containers, square containers, rectangular containers, oval containers, tapered containers, and asymmetric containers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the at least one timing screw comprises two timing screws, each of the two timing screws being arranged coaxial with a corresponding one of the at least two container guides; three lanes are formed between the two timing screws, an inside lane adjacent each of the two timing screws and a center lane between the two inside lanes, the containers in the center lane being offset from the containers in the two inside lanes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the at least one timing screw comprises a first timing screw arranged coaxial with a first outer one of the at least two container guides and a second timing screw arranged between a second outer one of the at least two container guides and an inner container guide, the inner container guide being arranged between the first and the second timing screw; two lanes are formed between the first timing screw and the inner container guide, the containers in each of the two lanes being offset from one another; two lanes are formed between the second timing screw and the inner container guide, the containers in each of the two lanes being offset from one another; and two lanes are formed between the second timing screw and the second outer container guide, the containers in each of the two lanes being offset from one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The grouper apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein: the at least two container guides comprises three container guides, a first outer container guide, an inner container guide, and a second outer container guide; the at least one timing screw comprises two timing screws: a first timing screw arranged between the first outer container guide and the inner container guide, with two lanes being formed on either side of the first timing screw; and a second timing screw arranged between the second outer container guide and the inner container guide, with two lanes being formed on either side of the second timing screw; the containers in each of the two lanes formed on either side of each of the two timing screws being offset from one another. ### Claim 19 A method of grouping containers for a packaging machine, comprising: providing at least two container guides for defining lanes for receiving containers, at least one of the at least two container guides being movable; providing at least one timing screw positioned at least one of: between the at least two container guides; and coaxial with a corresponding one of the at least two container guides, each of the at least one timing screw being adapted to receive and advance at least one lane of the containers on either side thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A method in accordance with claim 19, further comprising: controlling revolution of the at least one timing screw to provide at least one of a desired output grouping and a desired output rate of the containers.