Progressive modularity assortment system with high and low capacity bins

• US 20060124514A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DMT Solutions Global Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bowe Bell & Howell Company
• Inventors: Overman, John, Conard, Walter S., Estis, Tony, Szewczyk, Richard, Panopoulos, Manny, Stollenwerck, Mike, Svyatsky, Ed, Bednarek, Tomasz, VanErmen, Gary, Swift, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 7,259,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/614
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/008 Means for collecting objects, e.g. containers for sorted mail items pile receivers in general B65H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/06 Linear sorting machines in which articles are removed from a stream at selected points
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/51 Joints, e.g. riveted or magnetic joints
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/33 Compartmented support
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1916 Envelopes and articles of mail
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/06 the articles being piled on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/22 removable or interchangeable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

A modular bin or pocket has an integrated transport assembly and mail piece diverter assembly and is usable in a bin stacker section in mail handling and sorting systems. The modular bin is individually removable, interchangeable and replaceable from the bin stacker sections of the mail processing system to allow for repair or maintenance of malfunctioning bins leading to reduced down time of the mail processing system. The modular bin further enables vertical and/or horizontal progressive modularity, i.e., vertical and/or horizontal expansion, of the bin stacker sections of the mail processing system which allows for cost-effective expansion of mail handling systems. Further, there is closed a tray management system and a tier diverter system that are usable in mail handling systems that use the modular bin with double sided bin stacker sections or single sided bin stacker sections with or without a turnaround section.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A tier diverter system for use with a mail handling system having one or more tiers of bin sections, the diverter system comprising:

a default mail flow pathway able to transport a mail piece arriving at a mail flow entry-way to a default mail flow exit-way;

a second mail flow pathway able to transport a mail piece selectively diverted into the second mail flow pathway to a corresponding second mail flow exit-way; and

a tier diverter associated with the second mail flow pathway, the tier diverter adapted for selective actuation to thereby selectively divert the mail piece from the default mail flow pathway to the associated second mail flow pathway.

13. The tier diverter system of claim 12, wherein the default mail flow pathway is adapted so that the transported mail piece is bent less that 25 degrees in any part of the default pathway.

14-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A removable modular sort bin for use in a stacker section of a mail sorting system, the modular sort bin comprising:

a tray for receiving mail pieces selectively diverted from a transport path of the stacker section;

an integral transport assembly at a rear end of the tray comprising a motor and a transport belt driven by the motor; and

a coupling, for operatively positioning and detachably securing the removable modular sort bin along the transport path of the mail sorting system, in a position where the driven transport belt cooperates with opposing elements of the stacker section to move mail pieces along the transport path and the tray receives the selectively diverted mail pieces.

27. The bin of claim 26, wherein the coupling comprises:

a latch member adapted to secure the tray to a base support of the stacker section; and

a bin locating slot adapted to properly position the bin in the stacker section of the mail sorting system.

28. The bin of claim 26, wherein the transport assembly comprises:

a main transport motor;

a main transport belt, driven by the main transport motor, for facilitating mail piece transport along a portion of the transport path;

a tray entry belt able to move diverted mail pieces into the tray; and

a counting and tracking sensor for sensing mail pieces.

29. The bin of claim 26, further comprising a diverter mounted on the sort bin module, for selectively diverting mail pieces from the transport path to an opposing sort bin module.

30. A sort bin module for use in a stacker section of a mail sorting system, the sort bin module comprising:

a tray for receiving mail pieces selectively diverted from a transport path of the stacker section;

an integral transport assembly at a rear end of the tray comprising a motor and a transport belt driven by the motor for cooperation with an element of an opposing sort bin module mounted on a side of the transport path opposite the sort bin module, to move mail pieces along the transport path between the sort bin modules; and

a diverter mounted on the sort bin module, for selectively diverting mail pieces from the transport path to the opposing sort bin module.

31. The sort bin module of claim 30, further comprising a coupling, for operatively positioning and detachably securing the sort bin module along the transport path across from the opposing sort bin module.

32. The sort bin module of claim 31, wherein the coupling comprises:

a latch member adapted to secure the tray to a base support of the stacker section; and

a bin locating slot adapted to properly position the bin in the stacker section.

33. The sort bin module of claim 30, wherein, when activated to divert a mail piece, the diverter extends downstream and somewhat across the transport path toward the opposing sort bin module.

34. A vertically modular stacker section for use in a mail sorting system, the modular stacker system comprising:

a frame;

one or more base supports attached to the frame providing a horizontal arrangement of a plurality of bin attachment points; and

a plurality of sort bin modules operatively positioned and detachably secured at the bin attachment points, each of the sort bin modules comprising;

(a) a tray for receiving mail pieces diverted from a transport path of the stacker section;

(b) a motor;

(c) a belt driven by the motor; and

(d) a coupling for operatively positioning and detachably securing the sort bin module to one of the bin attachment points,

wherein the belts of the sort bin modules participate in moving mail pieces along the transport path of the stacker section.

35. The modular stacker section of claim 34 wherein:

the modular stacker section further comprises a center track assembly, comprising a center track transport belt running past the sort bin modules along one side of the transport path of the stacker section and selectively operable diverters for selectively diverting mail pieces from the transport path into the sort bin modules; and

the belts of the sort bin modules cooperate with the center track transport belt to move mail pieces along the transport path of the stacker section.

36. The modular stacker section of claim 34, further comprising:

a plurality of mounting posts attached to the frame; and

one or more additional base supports attached to the mounting posts providing a plurality of additional bin attachment points above points of attachment of the first tier of sort bin modules; and

wherein the second tier of sort bin modules comprises a plurality of additional sort bin modules operatively positioned and detachably secured at the additional bin attachment points to form the second horizontal tier, each of the additional sort bin modules comprising;

(a) a tray for receiving mail pieces diverted from another transport path of the stacker section;

(b) a motor;

(c) a belt driven by the motor; and

(d) a coupling for operatively positioning and detachably securing the sort bin module to one of the additional bin attachment points.

37. The modular stacker section of claim 34, wherein:

at least one of the sort bin modules has a tray of a first size providing a first capacity to receive mail pieces;

at least one other sort bin module has a tray of a second size larger than the first size so as to provide a second capacity to receive mail pieces larger than the first capacity; and

each attachment point is compatible with the sort bin modules of the first and second capacities.

38. The modular stacker section of claim 37, wherein the attachment points and coupling enable any sort bin module of the first size and any sort bin module of the second size to be detachably secured to any of the bin attachment points.

39. A modular stacker section for use in a mail sorting system, the modular stacker system comprising:

a frame;

one or more base supports attached to the frame providing a horizontal arrangement of a plurality of bin attachment points; and

a plurality of sort bin modules operatively positioned and detachably secured at the bin attachment points, each of the sort bin modules comprising;

(a) a tray for receiving mail pieces diverted from a transport path of the stacker section;

(b) a motor;

(c) a belt driven by the motor; and

(d) a coupling for operatively positioning and detachably securing the sort bin module to one of the bin attachment points, wherein;

a first group of the removable sort bin modules are disposed in series along one side of the transport path of the stacker section;

a second group of the sort bin modules are disposed in series along an opposite side of the transport path of the stacker section, the sort bin modules of the second group being staggered along the transport path in relation to the sort bin modules of the first group; and

the belts of the sort bin modules of the first group cooperate with the belts of the sort bin modules of the second group to move mail pieces along the transport path of the stacker section.

40. The modular stacker section of claim 39, wherein:

each of the sort bin modules of the first group further comprises a selectively operable diverter for selectively diverting mail pieces from the transport path into an opposing sort bin module of the second group; and

each of the sort bin modules of the second group further comprises a selectively operable diverter for selectively diverting mail pieces from the transport path into an opposing sort bin module of the first group.

41. A modular stacker section for use in a mail sorting system, the modular stacker system comprising:

a frame;

one or more first tier base supports attached to the frame providing a plurality of first tier bin attachment points;

a plurality of first tier sort bin modules operatively positioned at the first tier bin attachment points; and

attachment points on the frame for mounting of a second tier of sort bin modules above the first tier of sort bin modules.

42. The modular stacker section of claim 41, further comprising:

first mounting posts connected to the attachment points on the frame;

one or more second tier base supports attached to the first mounting posts providing a plurality of second tier bin attachment points above the first tier attachment points; and

a plurality of second tier sort bin modules operatively positioned at the second tier bin attachment points.

43. The modular stacker section of claim 42, further comprising:

second mounting posts attached to the first mounting posts;

one or more third tier base supports attached to the second mounting posts providing a plurality of third tier bin attachment points above the second tier attachment points; and

a plurality of third tier sort bin modules operatively positioned at the third tier bin attachment points.