Carrier Delivery Sequence System And Process Adapted For Upstream Insertion Of Exceptional Mail Pieces
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A sorting system for sorting a group of mail pieces and at least one exceptional mail piece into a desired sequence, comprising:
- a plurality of holders, each holder dimensioned for receipt and holding of a mail piece from the group of mail pieces and the exceptional mail piece, the holders moving downstream in the sorting system;
a first loading station where the group of mail pieces is received into the sorting system;
a singulator for singulating the group of mail pieces at the first loading station;
a second loading station, where the exceptional mail piece is received into the sorting system;
second reader means for collecting data about the exceptional mail piece;
second loading means at the second loading station for loading the exceptional mail piece from the second loading station into a first one of the holders so as to occupy said first one of the holders;
first reader means for collecting data about each mail piece in the group of mail pieces;
first loading means at the first loading station for loading each mail piece in the group of mail pieces from the first loading station into an unoccupied one of the holders;
means for associating the data about the exceptional mail piece with said first one of the holders, and for associating the data about each mail piece in the group of mail pieces with the unoccupied one of the holders into which said each mail piece was loaded; and
a sorter for unloading each of the holders based upon the data associated with each of the holders, so that the mail pieces and the exceptional mail piece are sorted according to said desired sequence.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for sorting mail comprising an input (18), readers means (20, 24) and a plurality of holder (28), wherein he system sorts standard and exceptional mail formats.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A sorting system for sorting a group of mail pieces and at least one exceptional mail piece into a desired sequence, comprising:
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a plurality of holders, each holder dimensioned for receipt and holding of a mail piece from the group of mail pieces and the exceptional mail piece, the holders moving downstream in the sorting system;
a first loading station where the group of mail pieces is received into the sorting system;
a singulator for singulating the group of mail pieces at the first loading station;
a second loading station, where the exceptional mail piece is received into the sorting system;
second reader means for collecting data about the exceptional mail piece;
second loading means at the second loading station for loading the exceptional mail piece from the second loading station into a first one of the holders so as to occupy said first one of the holders;
first reader means for collecting data about each mail piece in the group of mail pieces;
first loading means at the first loading station for loading each mail piece in the group of mail pieces from the first loading station into an unoccupied one of the holders;
means for associating the data about the exceptional mail piece with said first one of the holders, and for associating the data about each mail piece in the group of mail pieces with the unoccupied one of the holders into which said each mail piece was loaded; and
a sorter for unloading each of the holders based upon the data associated with each of the holders, so that the mail pieces and the exceptional mail piece are sorted according to said desired sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for sorting a group of mail pieces and at least one exceptional mail piece into a desired sequence, comprising:
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arranging a plurality of holders, each dimensioned for receipt and holding of a mail piece from the group of mail pieces and the exceptional mail piece, the holders being for moving downstream;
singulating the group of mail pieces at a first loading station;
receiving the exceptional mail piece at a second loading station;
collecting data about the exceptional mail piece;
loading the exceptional mail piece from the second loading station into a first one of the holders so as to occupy said first one of the holders;
associating the data about the exceptional mail piece with said first one of the holders;
loading each mail piece in the group of mail pieces from the first loading station into an unoccupied one of the holders;
collecting data about each mail piece in the group of mail pieces; and
associating the data about each mail piece in the group of mail pieces with said unoccupied one of the holders into which said each mail piece was loaded; and
unloading each of the holders based upon the data associated with each of the holders, so that the mail pieces and the exceptional mail piece are sorted according to said desired sequence. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A sorting system for sorting a plurality of exceptional mail pieces into a desired sequence, comprising:
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a plurality of holders, each holder dimensioned for receipt and holding each of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces, the holders moving downstream in the sorting system;
a loading station, where the plurality of exceptional mail pieces are received into the sorting system;
reader means for collecting data about each of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces;
loading means at the loading station for loading each of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces from the second loading station into one of the holders so as to occupy said one of the holders;
means for associating the data about each of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces with said one of the holders; and
a sorter for unloading each of the holders based upon the data associated with each of the holders, so that each of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces is sorted according to said desired sequence, wherein the exceptional mail pieces have a physical characteristic that makes the exceptional mail pieces unsuitable for automatic singulation, and wherein the reader means and the loading means are automated. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for sorting a plurality of exceptional mail pieces into a desired sequence, comprising:
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arranging a plurality of holders, each dimensioned for receipt and holding of one of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces, the holders being for moving downstream;
receiving each of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces at a loading station;
collecting data about each of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces;
loading each of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces from the loading station into one of the holders;
associating the data about each of the plurality of exceptional mail piece with said one of the holders; and
unloading each of the holders based upon the data associated with each of the holders, so that each of the plurality of exceptional mail pieces are sorted according to said desired sequence, wherein the exceptional mail pieces have a physical characteristic that makes the exceptional mail pieces unsuitable for automatic singulation, and wherein the collecting and loading steps are automated. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification