Apparatus and method for mail sorting

• US 20030038065A1
• Filed: 05/09/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Logistics LLC (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Redford, Dale E., Pippin, James M., Worth, Floyd W. II, Mondie, George R., Isaacs, Gerald A., Kechel, Ottmar K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,138,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/584
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/02 Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/087 the objects being taken up in transport files or holders which are not part of the conveyor belts cable post B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/321 Standing on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4214 of articles on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/424 in sorter
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/2615 arranged on a movable frame, e.g. pivoting
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/20 Cassettes, holders, bins, decks, trays, supports or magazines for sheets stacked on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/3521 rail guided means, e.g. without permanent interconnection
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2408/11 Sorters or machines for sorting articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/78 Mailing systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/14 and introducing into a pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/60 diverting the stream into alternative paths B65H29/62 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/02 with stationary end support against which pile accumulates
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/24 multiple or compartmented, e.d. for alternate, programmed, or selective filling
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/115 in juxtaposed carriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

A method for sorting mail to a case having a plurality of slots is described, wherein each slot corresponds to a destination. The method includes steps of loading a mail piece to be sorted into a delivery robot, determining for the mail piece a destination slot the mail piece is to be delivered to, moving the delivery robot along a rail disposed at the front of the case near the slots into proximity with an open end of the destination slot, inserting the mail piece from the delivery robot into the associated slot, and returning the delivery robot to a loading station whereby the cycle may be repeated. Such a method, when using a large number of robots moving along a common rail system, can sort a large volume of mail in carrier delivery order.

Claims

1. A method for sorting mail to a case having a plurality of slots, wherein each slot corresponds to a destination, comprising:

(a) loading a mail piece to be sorted into a delivery robot;

(b) determining for the mail piece a destination slot the mail piece is to be delivered to;

(c) moving the delivery robot along a rail disposed at the front of the case near the slots into proximity with an open end of the destination slot;

(d) inserting the mail piece from the delivery robot into the associated slot; and

(e) returning the delivery robot to a loading station whereby steps (a)-(d) may be repeated.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the delivery robot moves along a rail mounted adjacent a horizontal row of upright slots that receive mail pieces from the delivery robot through an open front side thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises:

extending an insertion mechanism holding the mail piece into the slot; and

retracting the insertion mechanism from the slot in a manner effective to leave the mail piece in the slot.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to step (a):

scanning destination information from each mail piece to be transferred to a slot; and

storing the scanned information on a computer for use in step (b).

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising downloading to a controller on the delivery robot instructions identifying the destination slot, whereby the controller actuates an insertion mechanism upon reaching the destination slot to perform step (c).

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, prior to step (c), a step of detecting the destination slot by using a sensor on the delivery robot connected to the controller, which sensor reads indicia proximate the slot identifying the slot as the destination slot.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the slots comprise mouths of a row of flexible bags, which bags have been mounted on the case, further comprising positioning a stiffening frame in front of the row of flexible bags so that stiffening plates of the frame extend into the mouths of each of the bags.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the slots comprise spaced vertical dividers secured to the case to form slots having fixed widths.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the slots comprise spaced vertical dividers inserted into the case but not secured thereto, which dividers can be manually removed from the case.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the spaced vertical dividers are disposed in a tray having an open side that is removably placed in the case.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein step (c) further comprises:

moving the delivery robot along the rail;

scanning a slot identifying indicia disposed proximate each slot the delivery robot passes with a scanner mounted on the delivery robot;

if the scanned slot is the one determined in step (b), then stopping the delivery robot at that slot.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the insertion mechanism includes a pair of flat plates that cover the mail piece from opposite sides.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the insertion mechanism has movable surface elements disposed on the flat plates that move with the mail piece until the mail piece exits from a front end opening of the insertion mechanism.

14. The method of claim 3, further comprising preventing mail pieces already present in the slot from being pulled out of the slot along with the insertion mechanism during the retracting step.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising a step of forming a space for the insertion mechanism to enter the slot without contacting mail pieces already present in that slot.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of forming a space further comprises:

inserting a guide into each slot before sorting to the slots;

inserting the mail piece to one side of the guide; and

repositioning the guide on the opposite side of the mail piece just inserted, so that another mail piece may be inserted between the guide and one side of the slot.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the insertion mechanism includes a pair of flat plates that cover the mail piece from opposite sides and has a movable surface element disposed on at least one of the flat plates that moves with the mail piece until the mail piece exits from a front end opening of the insertion mechanism, and the preventing step further comprises, after the step of repositioning the guide, moving the movable surface element along the outside of the plate adjoining mail already present in the slot so that the surface element does not slide relative to mail already present in the slot.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the mail piece is first inserted into the slot and then the insertion mechanism is withdrawn in a manner that leaves the mail piece behind.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the surface element comprises a belt wound about one of the flat plates, and the insertion mechanism includes a belt engaging element that moves the belt around the plate, whereby an inner side of the belt moves with the mail piece during the step of inserting the mail piece.

20. A method of inserting a second flat article into a slot having at least one first article positioned in the slot, comprising:

(a) positioning an insertion mechanism in the slot adjacent to a first side of moveable guide, the moveable guide being positioned between the insertion mechanism and first article, the insertion mechanism carrying the second article; and

(b) retracting the moveable guide from the slot, the moveable guide having a guide stripper surface in contact with the first article, and separating the guide stripper surface from the first article in a lateral direction as the moveable guide is retracted so that the portion of the guide stripper surface in contact with the first article does not move relative to the first article until separated, the guide stripper surface being separated from the first article simultaneously with the retraction of the guide from the slot.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the stripper surface is separated from the first article in a continuous motion from the innermost end of the first article to the outermost end of the first article without moving the first article relative to the slot.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising releasing the second article in the slot as the inserter is retracted.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising retracting the inserter from the slot, the inserter having an inserter stripper surface, and separating the inserter stripper surface from the first article in a lateral direction as the inserter is retracted so that the portion of the inserter stripper surface in contact with the first article does not move relative to the first article until separated, the inserter stripper surface being separated from the first article simultaneously with the retraction of the inserter from the slot.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the articles are mail pieces, and the slot is elongated in a vertical direction and opens on a side, through which side the mail piece is inserted.

25. A mail piece insertion mechanism, comprising:

a frame;

a pair of inserter plates spaced to receive a mail piece therebetween;

a first guide disposed on the frame on which the inserter plates can move from a retracted position to an extended position;

an H-shaped belt including two loops united by a lateral connecting portion, the loops being slidably mounted on each of the plates;

a first drive system disposed on the frame for moving the plates and belt between the extended and retracted positions; and

a second drive system disposed on the frame and connected to the connecting portion of the belt for moving the connecting portion of the belt forward and back along the plates, causing sliding movement of the loops around the outsides of each of the belts, with forward movement being effective to move a mail piece received by the belt ahead of the connecting portion out of a front end opening of the plates, and rearward movement being effective to draw a mail piece received in the front end opening of the plates rearwardly to a position between the plates.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a control unit disposed on the frame for actuating the first and second drive systems.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a transport mechanism whereby the inserter can move along a guide rail.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the transport mechanism comprises wheels for supporting the frame for rolling movement along the guide rail and a drive motor disposed on the frame for propelling the wheels along the rail.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a sensor for detecting a marker indicating a destination at which a mail piece should be deposited, which sensor is connected to the control unit which actuates the drive systems according to an insertion sequence when the control unit detects a marker which the control unit identifies as a destination for deposit.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a stripper assembly for retaining a mail piece already in a slot as the inserter plates are retracted from a slot corresponding to the destination of the mail piece to be inserted.

31. An automated system for sorting a series of mail pieces, comprising:

a rail system including a loop;

a number of mail piece delivery robots mounted on the rail for movement along the loop, each delivery robot having an insertion mechanism that can receive a mail piece therein and then insert it into a destination slot;

an automated loading station including a conveyor having a loading end at which a mail piece exits the conveyer and enters the insertion mechanism of an delivery robot positioned on the rail in alignment with the loading station;

a case disposed along the rail for receiving mail sorted thereto for a plurality of destinations in delivery order;

means for moving the delivery robots from the loading station to the case and back to the loading station on the loop; and

a control system that coordinates movement of the delivery robots so that each delivery robot moves from the loading station to a slot which corresponds to a destination indicated on the mail piece and then returns to the loading station to receive another mail piece for sorting.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the control system comprises control units on each inserter and means for transmitting slot delivery instructions to each inserter control unit.

33. The system of claim 31, further comprising a loading rack mounting a plurality of moveable guides configured for insertion into the case.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the loading rack further mounts a plurality of partitions paired with the moveable guides, so that a partition and guide are inserted into the case for each sorting destination.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the moveable guides and partitions are mounted on a movable guide frame, the guide frame being mounted on the loading rack for inserting the guides and partitions into a horizontal shelf of the case.

36. The system of claim 31, further comprising a proximity sensor mounted on each delivery robot, the proximity sensor detecting another delivery robot ahead of the robot on which the sensor is mounted within a predetermined distance, and communicating with the control system to prevent collisions between delivery robots.

37. The system of claim 31, further comprising an emergency transmitter mounted on each delivery robot, which emergency transmitter communicates with the control system upon detection of one or more predetermined fault conditions.