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System for sorting commercial articles and method therefor

  • US 6,680,452 B2
  • Filed: 05/14/2002
  • Issued: 01/20/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An article sorting system comprising:

  • a plurality of inflow lines to convey trays each containing articles to be sorted;

    a first conveyor to convey the trays introduced from the plurality of inflow lines;

    a plurality of second conveyors branching off from the first conveyor;

    a plurality of sorting racks each placed opposite to the second conveyor, each sorting rack having a plurality of slots leading to containers into which articles are placed from the trays according to sorting categories by sorters;

    a plurality of first delivery conveyors each placed opposite to the sorting rack, each first delivery conveyor conveying the containers pushed thereon from the sorting rack;

    a second delivery conveyor to convey the containers from the plurality of first delivery conveyors to a shipment area;

    a reading means to read identification information of a tray conveyed by the first conveyor;

    a sorter to guide a tray conveyed through the first conveyor to one of the plurality of second conveyors;

    a memory means to store an article information table connecting the identification information of a tray with information of the articles contained in that tray, and an arrangement pattern of the slots of each of the plurality of sorting racks; and

    control means to determine an appropriate second conveyor for a tray and control the sorter to guide the tray to the second conveyor, after having referred to the identification information of the tray read by the reading means, and the article information table and the arrangement patterns of the slots stored in the memory means;

    wherein the sorting rack comprises a plurality of blocks each assigned to each of the sorters; and

    an arrangement pattern of the slots of respective blocks are determined based on inflow information regarding the kinds and numbers of articles scheduled to inflow provided in advance such that sorting work at each of the blocks will be averaged.

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