System and method for extracting articles from a slot

• US 20070003396A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Berdelle-Hilge, Peter
• Application Number:
  US10/933,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20070003396A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/280
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 1/00 Measures preceding sorting according to destination
• 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 3/082 In which the objects are carried by transport holders and the transport holders form part of the conveyor belts conveyors with carriers B65G47/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/36 Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for laterally extracting articles from a slot. The slot may belong to a DPP machine and housed within a DPP container. The present invention includes an extraction device with moveable walls that may be compressed and uncompressed a selectively width so as to define a cavity of the select width. The extraction device is inserted into the slot. The separator sheets are removed. The extraction device walls are compressed so as to make room between them and the slot walls. The separator sheets are reintroduced into this room. The extraction device is then pushed forward, out of the slot, and into a further processing element where the articles are deposited. The slot is then returned to a start position behind the slot. The extraction device includes an H-belt to facilitate removal of the articles from the extraction device cavity.

Claims

1. A method for laterally extracting at least one article from a slot, said slot comprising opposing walls defining a slot cavity for accommodating said at least one article, an open front and back, and at least one separator sheet accommodated within said cavity, comprising the steps of:

inserting an extraction device into said slot so as to accommodate said at least one article within said extraction device, said extraction device comprising opposing walls defining a device cavity for accommodating said at least one article therein;

removing said at least one separator sheet;

compressing said extraction device opposing side walls;

urging said extraction device through said open front;

urging said at least one article from said extraction device; and

returning said extraction device to a start position.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said opposing side walls are laterally displaceable and said extraction device further comprises means for laterally displacing said side walls.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising a web running between said opposing side walls and arranged so as to laterally displace in a direction of movement of said extraction device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one separator sheet comprises an internal member and a displaceable outer covering.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein step of removing said at least one separator sheet further comprises the step of displacing said outer covering.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of urging said at least one article from said extraction device further comprises the steps of displacing said web in a direction of said urging such that said web contacts said at least one article and effects said urging.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of expanding said extraction device side walls after said step of returning said extraction device to a start position.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one article comprises at least one of mail, book, magazine, and compact disk.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of reintroducing said at least one separator sheet into said slot.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one separator sheet comprises two separator sheets.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of inserting said separator sheets between said extraction device side walls and said slot walls after said step of compressing said extraction device opposing side walls.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein each of said two separator sheets is inserted between a separate extraction device side wall and a proximate slot wall and remain in position during extraction device relocation.

4. The method according to claim 4, wherein said step of inserting said extraction device further comprises the step of laterally displacing said side walls.

14. A system for laterally extracting at least one article from a slot, said slot comprising opposing walls defining a slot cavity for accommodating said at least one article, an open front and back, and at least one separator sheet accommodated within said cavity, comprising:

means for inserting an extraction device into said slot so as to accommodate at least one article within said extraction device, said extraction device comprising opposing walls defining a device cavity for accommodating said at least one article therein;

means for removing said at least one separator sheet;

means for compressing said extraction device opposing side walls;

means for urging said extraction device through said open front;

means for urging said at least one article from said extraction device; and

means for returning said extraction device to a start position.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said opposing side walls are laterally displaceable and said extraction device further comprises means for laterally displacing said side walls.

16. The system according to claim 15, further comprising a web selectively running between said opposing side walls and arranged so as to laterally displace with said side walls.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said means for inserting said extraction device further comprises means for laterally displacing said side walls.

18. The system according to claim 14, wherein said at least one separator sheet comprises an internal member and a displaceable outer covering.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said means for removing said at least one separator sheet further comprises means for displacing said outer covering.

20. The system according to claim 16, wherein said means for urging said at least one article from said extraction device further comprises means for moving said extraction device side walls so as to cause said web to laterally displace in a direction of urging thereby causing said at least one article to be urged in said direction.

21. The system according to claim 14, wherein said at least one article comprises at least one of mail, book, magazine, and compact disk.

22. The system according to claim 14, further comprising means for reintroducing said at least one separator sheet into said slot.

23. The system according to claim 14, wherein said at least one separator sheet comprises two separator sheets.