Article sortation system
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An article sortation system includes a plurality of transport units which are movable along a conveying path between induction stations and discharge stations along each side of the conveying path. Each transport unit has side by side loading and support capability and is operable to receive packages from induction stations and discharge the packages at an appropriate discharge station. The system includes a control which determines the destination of articles and resolves blocking conditions between articles at the induction stations or at the transport units. The system may include a reinduction station for receiving an article from a transport unit and reinducting the article onto a transport unit, in order to resolve a blocking condition between a pair of articles on the respective transport unit.
40 Citations
73 Claims
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1-25. -25. (canceled)
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26. A method for induction of articles onto one or more of a plurality of transport units having side by side article support capability, the transport units being movable along a continuous conveying path, said method comprising:
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providing at least one induct for loading articles onto the transport units;
determining a destination of articles at said at least one induct;
loading articles from said at least one induct to the transport units;
providing at least one reinduction station downstream from said at least one induct and upstream of the destinations of the articles;
determining at least partial blocking conditions between articles loaded on a respective transport unit, said at least partial blocking conditions comprising an interference between two articles based on the destination of the two articles and the side of the transport unit at which the two articles are positioned; and
resolving at least some of said at least partial blocking conditions by discharging an article to said at least one reinduction station and reinducting that article from said at least one reinduction station onto a transport unit. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33-65. -65. (canceled)
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66. An article sortation system for inducting articles onto one or more of a plurality of transport units having side by side article support capability, the transport units being movable along a continuous conveying path, said article sortation system comprising:
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at least one induct for loading articles onto the transport units, said at least one induct being positionable along the conveying path;
a control which is operable to identify articles and determine a destination of articles at said at least one induct; and
at least one reinduction station positionable downstream from said at least one induct and upstream of the destinations of the articles;
wherein said control is further operable to determine at least partial blocking conditions between articles loaded onto a respective transport unit, said at least partial blocking conditions comprising an interference between two articles based on the destination of the two articles and the side of the transport unit at which the two articles are positioned, said control being further operable to resolve at least some of said at least partial blocking conditions by discharging an article to said at least one reinduction station and reinducting that article from said at least one reinduction station onto a transport unit. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73-89. -89. (canceled)
Specification