Mail container handling system
First Claim
1. A tray evaluating system comprising:
- a tray destacking device operable to receive a stack of trays and to destack individual trays from the stack and to discharge the individual trays; and
a tray scanning device operable to receive the individual trays from said tray destacking device and to scan the trays to determine the dimensions and orientation of the trays, said tray evaluating system being operable to determine if the scanned trays are in an acceptable condition for use.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mail container and cart handling system includes a container inspection system, a container handling or loading/unloading system and/or a cart management or handling system. The container inspection system may destack trays and determine whether the trays are damaged and may discharge acceptable containers for use. The container loading/unloading system may receive trays of articles and may move the trays onto shelves of a cart, or may receive carts of trays and may remove trays from the shelves of the carts. The cart handling system may arrange carts at a loading or unloading area and may buffer the carts at the area to provide the carts in an arranged manner for loading carts into a trailer or the like or for receiving and moving carts into a facility.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A tray evaluating system comprising:
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a tray destacking device operable to receive a stack of trays and to destack individual trays from the stack and to discharge the individual trays; and
a tray scanning device operable to receive the individual trays from said tray destacking device and to scan the trays to determine the dimensions and orientation of the trays, said tray evaluating system being operable to determine if the scanned trays are in an acceptable condition for use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A container handling system for loading/unloading trays on a cart, said container handling system comprising:
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a transfer unit positioned at a conveyor; and
a container moving device operable to move containers at least one of (a) from said transfer unit to an appropriate shelf of a cart adjacent to said transfer unit, and (b) from an appropriate shelf of a cart adjacent to said transfer unit onto said transfer unit, said transfer unit being operable to at least one of (a) receive containers from the conveyor and transfer the containers to said container moving device and (b) receive containers from said container moving device and transfer the containers to the conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A cart management system for managing carts of trays at a loading/unloading area of a material handling facility, said cart management system comprising:
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a first transport conveyor operable to receive carts at an induct and to transport carts of trays along said first transport conveyor;
a second transport conveyor operable to transport carts therealong;
a plurality of buffers positioned between said first and second transport conveyors, said first transport conveyor operable to selectively transfer carts onto said buffers, said buffers being operable to selectively discharge carts onto said second transport conveyor; and
at least one discharge positioned along said second transport conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification