APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING ARTICLES AT ONE PITCH BETWEEN THEM FROM A SUPPLY CONVEYOR TO CONTAINERS ON ANOTHER CONVEYOR WITH PITCH ADJUSTMENT

摘要

Packaging apparatus and methods include a plurality of article grippers driven by independently controlled motors in an end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), for picking articles, grouping articles, adjusting group pitch and placing article groups in packages where incoming articles and packages are continuously or intermittently moving and without motion of the entire EOAT in the direction in which articles and packages are picked and moved. Hole healing and incoming product registration apparatus and methods are disclosed.