Storage system for storing items to be distributed

• US 6,728,597 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lyngsoe Library Systems A/S (Lyngsoe Systems A/S)
• Original Assignee: Crisplant a/s (BEUMER Group GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Simon, David, Didriksen, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H
• Application Number:
  US10/186,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 700/213, 700/241, 700/242, 700/243, 700/225, 700/214, 414/270, 414/273, 414/331.04, 414/331.15, 312/266, 312/267, 312/268
• US Class Current: 700/243
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/00 Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops B65G37/00; stacking of articles B65G57/00; removing articles from stacks B65G59/00; loading machines B65G65/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/02 Storage devices furniture A47B; shop fittings A47F
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/133 the circuit being confined in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1371 with data records
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00685 Measuring the dimensions of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/56 the storage containers or supports both rotating and moving axially
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

A storage system for receiving, delivering and storing items, e.g. mail items, to be distributed. Items are stored in a flexible manner allowing sufficient space to be allocated to each item while ensuring that the total available space is utilised in an optimal manner. Items may be carried on trays. The size of the items is determined in order to allocate the correct amount of space. Items may be repositioned during non-operational periods in order to reduce time consumed during delivery of items from the system. Further, methods for receiving and delivering items to/from the system. A payment system is provided.

Claims

1. A storage system for storing items to be distributed, the storage system comprising

a platform for supporting items,

a storage arrangement for storing items to be distributed,

a sensor system for determining the size of an item being received and for producing a corresponding output,

a control system for controlling the operation of the storage system, and

a transport system for moving an item between the platform and the storage arrangement,

wherein the control system is adapted to allocate a position in the storage arrangement for an item being received based on the output produced by the sensor system, in such a way that sufficient space is allocated to the item, and wherein the transport system is operated in accordance with said allocation, so that the item is moved to the allocated position.

2. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein the storage arrangement comprises a carousel of racks being suitable for accommodating the items.

3. A storage system according to claim 1, further comprising a payment unit for receiving payment from an operator of the storage system, the payment unit being operatively connected to the control system, the control system being adapted to process an item in response to a predetermined signal from the payment unit.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of movable positioning members being adapted to carry an item being moved between the platform and the storage arrangement, each movable positioning member further being adapted to be positioned at an allocated position.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the storage arrangement comprises a plurality of holding members being adapted to hold a movable positioning member.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the storage arrangement comprises a number of frames having a width corresponding to the width of a movable positioning member, and wherein the holding members are arranged at least substantially equidistantly in a substantially horizontal direction in the frames.

7. A system according to claim 4, wherein the platform is adapted to accommodate one or more movable positioning member(s), so that an item being processed may be positioned directly on a movable positioning member.

8. A system according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the movable positioning members is a tray.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor system comprises one or more optical measuring means.

10. A system according to claim 7, wherein the sensor system comprises one or more photo cell(s).

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein each item entering the system is provided with unique identification means, so that each item may be identified and/or traced.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the unique identification means comprises a machine readable code.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the unique identification means comprises a bar code.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein the unique identification means comprises a transponder.

15. A system according to claim 3, wherein the payment unit comprises means for receiving bank notes and/or coins.

16. A system according to claim 3, wherein the payment unit comprises a credit card reader.

17. A system according to claim 1, the system being adapted to process postal items, the system further comprising means for entry of data by a user and means for communicating information to a user, wherein the control system is enabled to look up delivery addresses in a database comprising valid postal delivery addresses and validate a user-provided address.

18. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for notifying an operator when an item is to be delivered to the operator at the system.

19. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for rearranging the items in the storage arrangement during non-operational periods.

20. A system according to claim 1, further comprising means for optimising the available space of the storage arrangement during non-operational periods.

21. A system according to claim 1, the system being comprised in a movable container.

22. A storage system for storing items to be distributed, the storage system comprising

a platform for supporting items,

a storage arrangement for storing items to be distributed,

a control system for controlling the operation of the storage system, and

a transport system for moving an item between the platform and the storage arrangement,

a payment unit for receiving payment from an operator of the storage system, the payment unit being operatively connected to the control system,

wherein the control system is adapted to process an item in response to a predetermined signal from the payment unit.

23. A storage system according to claim 22, wherein the storage arrangement comprises a carousel of racks being suitable for accommodating the items.

24. A system according to claim 22, the system being adapted to process postal items, the system further comprising means for entry of data by a user and means for communicating information to a user, wherein the control system is enabled to look up delivery addresses in a database comprising valid postal delivery addresses and validate a user-provided address.

25. A system according to claim 22, further comprising means for notifying an operator when an item is to be delivered to the operator at the system.

26. A system according to claim 22, further comprising means for rearranging the items in the storage arrangement during non-operational periods.

27. A system according to claim 22, further comprising means for optimising the available space of the storage arrangement during non-operational periods.