Automatic tray handling system for sorter
First Claim
1. An automatic tray handling system for use with an article sorter having a plurality of sorter units and a plurality of tray support areas for positioning a tray while the tray is being filled with sorted articles, said automatic tray handling system comprising:
- at least one conveyor operable to convey empty trays and at least partially filled trays generally adjacent to the tray support areas; and
a plurality of tray moving devices positioned adjacent to the tray support areas, said tray moving devices being positioned partially below said at least one conveyor and operable to engage a portion of the empty trays and to push or pull the empty trays generally transverse to said at least one conveyor to move the empty trays from said at least one conveyor to the tray support areas, said tray moving devices being operable to engage an opposite portion of at least partially filled trays at the tray support areas and to push or pull the at least partially filled trays to move the at least partially filled trays from the tray support areas onto said at least one conveyor.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic tray handling system for use with an article or mail sortation system, such as a flats mail sortation system, is operable to automatically remove filled or partially filled trays from individual sorter units and to replenish the sorter units with empty trays. The empty trays and/or filled trays are moved along at least one conveying surface adjacent to the sorter units. The automatic tray handling system includes a plurality of tray moving devices, which are operable to move the empty trays from the conveying surface to the sorter units, whereby the trays are at least partially filled by the sorter units. The tray moving devices are then further operable to move the at least partially filled trays from the sorter units to a conveying surface, whereby the filled trays may be conveyed to downstream operations, such as an automatic labeling station. Preferably, the empty trays are movable in a continuous loop about the mail sortation system. The automatic tray handling system may include an upper and lower conveying surface and a vertical tray moving device, which is operable to lower empty trays from the upper conveying surface to the lower, empty tray-conveying surface, whereby the empty trays are returned to an upstream end of the conveying surface along the sorter units. The empty trays may be conveyed along the conveying surfaces and may be moved into a proper position for filling at an appropriate one of the multiple sorter units positioned therealong.
29 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automatic tray handling system for use with an article sorter having a plurality of sorter units and a plurality of tray support areas for positioning a tray while the tray is being filled with sorted articles, said automatic tray handling system comprising:
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at least one conveyor operable to convey empty trays and at least partially filled trays generally adjacent to the tray support areas; and
a plurality of tray moving devices positioned adjacent to the tray support areas, said tray moving devices being positioned partially below said at least one conveyor and operable to engage a portion of the empty trays and to push or pull the empty trays generally transverse to said at least one conveyor to move the empty trays from said at least one conveyor to the tray support areas, said tray moving devices being operable to engage an opposite portion of at least partially filled trays at the tray support areas and to push or pull the at least partially filled trays to move the at least partially filled trays from the tray support areas onto said at least one conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An automatic tray handling system for use with an article sorter having a plurality of sorter units and a plurality of tray support areas for positioning a tray while the tray is being filled with sorted articles, said automatic tray handling system comprising:
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at least one conveying surface which is operable to convey at least one of empty trays and at least partially filled trays generally adjacent to the tray support areas;
a plurality of tray stopping devices positioned along and at least partially below said at least one conveying surface, said tray stopping devices being movable to engage and stop an empty tray being conveyed along said at least one conveying surface; and
a plurality of tray moving devices, said tray moving devices being operable to move the stopped empty trays generally transverse to said at least one conveying surface to move the stopped empty trays from said at least one conveying surface to the tray support areas, said tray moving devices being operable to move at least partially filled trays from the tray support areas to said at least one conveying surface. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification