System for sorting commercial articles and method therefor

• US 6,685,031 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2003
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chiyuki Takizawa
• Original Assignee: At
• Inventors: Takizawa, Chiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US10/339,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20030116484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 209/546, 209/549, 209/583, 209/630, 209/900, 209/933, 700/223, 700/224, 700/226
• US Class Current: 209/546
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 7/005 Computer assisted manual sorting, e.g. for mail
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1375 the orders being assembled on a commissioning stacker-crane or truck
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2209/04 Indication location means
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/5104 for articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/933 Accumulation receiving separated items

Abstract

A commercial article sorting system is provided. The system comprises a belt conveyor to transfer a plurality of articles of the same kind put in a tray, a sorting rack provided along the belt conveyor and having a plurality of slots, a scanner provided to the sorting rack to read the data necessary for sorting the articles from the tray to the slots, at least one direction indicator each thereof is mounted to approximately center of the one block of the slots to provide a visual direction signal to the hauler, entry indicators each thereof is mounted to each slot to provide a visual location signal to the hauler, and a controller to control the direction indicator and the entry indicators based on the data read from the label.

Claims

1. A commercial article sorting system comprising:

a belt conveyor to transfer a plurality of articles of the same kind put in a tray;

a sorting rack provided along the belt conveyor and having a plurality of slots to which the articles in the tray are sorted by at least one hauler standing in front of the sorting rack across the belt conveyor, to each hauler being assigned each one block of the slots in the sorting rack;

a scanner provided to the sorting rack to read data necessary for sorting the articles from the tray to the slots, the data being printed on a label attached to the tray;

at least one direction indicator each thereof is mounted to approximately center of the one block of the slots to provide a visual direction signal to the hauler to indicate a general direction to a particular slot to which the article is to be sorted;

entry indicators each thereof mounted to each slot to provide a visual location signal to the hauler to indicate that its own slot is the particular slot; and

a controller to control the direction indicator and the entry indicators based on the data read from the label.

2. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 1 wherein the plurality of slots are divided into two blocks, the two blocks being arranged side by side, so that the articles are handled by two haulers in a tandem manner.

3. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 2 wherein each direction indicator indicates by an arrow a general direction to a particular slot, the direction of the arrow being changeable in eight directions.

4. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 2 wherein each of the entry indicators includes an indication lamp to give a light indicating that its own slot is the particular slot, and a number indicator to indicate a number of articles to be sorted into the slot to which the number indicator is provided.

5. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 4 wherein if articles transferred at the same time must be sorted to different slots, the indication lamps of the relevant slots give red lights in a sequential order to instruct the hauler of an order of sorting.

6. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 5 wherein each slot includes an infra-red beam sensor to detect an entry of an article into the slot.

7. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 6 wherein when the controller receives a detection signal from the infra-red sensor, the controller causes the indication lamp corresponding to the infra-red sensor to give a green light if an article is properly entered into the slot, or the controller causes the indication lamp corresponding to the infra-red sensor to give a yellow light, as well as to give an alarming sound if an article is improperly entered into the slot.

8. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 2 wherein the commercial article sorting system further comprises a label printer mounted to the sorting rack, and the entry indicator further includes a label printing button, so that the label printer prints a label of an inventory which is sent to a purchaser together with articles.

9. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 2 wherein each slot includes a foldable container into which articles are delivered through the slot.

10. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 1 wherein each direction indicator indicates by an arrow a general direction to a particular slot, the direction of the arrow being changeable in eight directions.

11. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 1 wherein each of the entry indicators includes an indication lamp to give a light indicating that its own slot is the particular slot, and a number indicator to indicate a number of articles to be sorted into the slot to which the number indicator is provided.

12. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 11 wherein if articles transferred at the same time must be sorted to different slots, the indication lamps of the relevant slots give red lights in a sequential order to instruct the hauler of an order of sorting.

13. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 12 wherein each slot includes an infra-red beam sensor to detect an entry of an article into the slot.

14. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 13 wherein when the controller receives a detection signal from the infra-red sensor, the controller causes the indication lamp corresponding to the infra-red sensor to give a green light if an article is properly entered into the slot, or the controller causes the indication lamp corresponding to the infra-red sensor to give a yellow light, as well as to give an alarming sound if an article is improperly entered into the slot.

15. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 1 wherein the commercial article sorting system further comprises a label printer mounted to the sorting rack, and the entry indicator further includes a label printing button, so that the label printer prints a label of an inventory which is sent to a purchaser together with articles.

16. A commercial article sorting system as described in claim 1 wherein each slot includes a foldable container into which articles are delivered through the slot.