Apparatus and method for processing shipping articles provided with shipping addresses
First Claim
1. An apparatus for processing shipping articles provided with shipping addresses, comprising:
- a transport device for transporting the shipping articles, respectively, along a transport path;
a reading device disposed in the transport path for automatically reading the shipping addresses;
an assessment device coupled to the reading device for automatically assessing the read shipping addresses;
an intermediate storage device disposed downstream of the reading device in the transport path and having a plurality of cells which are displaceable relative to the transport path so that the shipping articles, respectively, can be deposited from the transport path into a respective one of the cells in a first area of the transport path and can be selectively guided back from the respective cells into a second area of the transport path in response to a first removal signal; and
detection means coupled to the intermediate storage device and the assessment device for detecting an association between each cell and the shipping article deposited therein and for producing the first removal signal for removing the shipping articles from the respective cells as a function the assessment of a read shipping address of a respective one of the shipping articles.
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for processing shipping articles provided with shipping addresses. The apparatus comprises a device for transporting the shipping articles along a transport path. A device is disposed in the transport path for automatically reading the shipping addresses. An assessment device automatically assesses the read shipping addresses. The individual shipping articles are selectively deposited into cells of an intermediate storage device disposed in the transport path following the reading of the shipping address. A detection device detects an association between each cell and the shipping article deposited therein and in response to an assessment of the shipping address by the assessment device, produces a first removal signal for removing the shipping article from the cell and conveying the shipping article back to the transport path.
18 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An apparatus for processing shipping articles provided with shipping addresses, comprising:
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a transport device for transporting the shipping articles, respectively, along a transport path; a reading device disposed in the transport path for automatically reading the shipping addresses; an assessment device coupled to the reading device for automatically assessing the read shipping addresses; an intermediate storage device disposed downstream of the reading device in the transport path and having a plurality of cells which are displaceable relative to the transport path so that the shipping articles, respectively, can be deposited from the transport path into a respective one of the cells in a first area of the transport path and can be selectively guided back from the respective cells into a second area of the transport path in response to a first removal signal; and detection means coupled to the intermediate storage device and the assessment device for detecting an association between each cell and the shipping article deposited therein and for producing the first removal signal for removing the shipping articles from the respective cells as a function the assessment of a read shipping address of a respective one of the shipping articles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of automatically processing shipping articles provided with shipping addresses, comprising:
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transporting the shipping articles along a transport path with the use of a transporting device; automatically reading the shipping addresses with a reading device; automatically assessing the read addresses with an assessment device; depositing the individual shipping articles from a first area of the transport path into respective cells of an intermediate storage device disposed in the transport path, wherein the respective cells are displaceable relative to the transport path; automatically detecting an association between respective ones of the cells and the shipping articles deposited therein; and selectively removing the shipping articles from the cells as a function of the automatic assessment of the read addresses and guiding the removed shipping articles to a second area of the transport path. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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- 22. A method as defined in 17, further including applying a coding to the shipping articles along the transport path following the reading and assessing steps, wherein the coding represents the result of the assessment of the read addresses.
Specification