Method for sequentially ordering objects using a single pass delivery point process

• US 6,924,451 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2002
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanson, Bruce H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, JOSEPH C
• Application Number:
  US10/265,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20040065597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 209/583, 209/584, 209/900, 198/418, 198/418.6, 198/432
• US Class Current: 209/584
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/02 Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

A method using a single pass sequencer having a transport system for transporting the mail pieces to a transport system having a first carriage system and a second carriage system with a plurality of holders slidable between the first carriage system and the second carriage system with packaged output. Each of the plurality of holders holding a mail piece of the mail pieces received from the transport system. The method includes assigning a code to: (i) the mail pieces based on the destination information, (ii) the plurality of holders on the first carriage, and (iii) a position on the second carriage which corresponds to the initial sequence and a destination sequence of the mail pieces. The method instructs movement of the plurality of holders from the first carriage to the second carriage based on the code assigned to the mail pieces, the plurality of holders on the first carriage and the position on the second carriage such that when the mail pieces are moved to the second carriage they are in sequential order of delivery destination, ready to be packaged.

Claims

1. A method for sorting objects based on destination point, comprising:

reading destination information associated with objects;

assigning a code based on the destination information to each of the objects;

placing the objects each in one of a plurality of holders on a first carriage and assigning sorting criteria to each of the plurality of holders based on the code of the each of the objects within each of the plurality of holders; and

instructing at least one of the plurality of holders to move from the first carriage to a corresponding position on a second carriage based on the sorting criteria to sequentially order the objects based on delivery destination.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising assigning final sorting order information to locations on the second carriage.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the instructing step includes moving the at least one of the plurality of holders from the first carriage to the second carriage based on an alignment between the sorting criteria and the final sorting order information.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising incrementally moving the first carriage to align at least one of the plurality of holders with one of the locations on the second carriage based on an alignment of the sorting criteria and the final sorting order information to sequentially order the objects on the second carriage while the second carriage remains stationary.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the plurality of holders are moved from the first carriage to the second carriage based on the sorting criteria and the final sorting order information and, if so, dropping each of the objects into a packager for a specific delivery point.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether there are additional objects in any of the plurality of holders for the specific delivery point and, if so, continuing to drop each of the objects into the packager for the specific delivery point.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining whether there are additional objects for the specific delivery point and, if not, then packaging the objects into a package for the specific delivery point.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising placing the package into a delivery container.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising measuring a thickness of the objects to determine when the delivery container is full.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing labels on the delivery container.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising indexing the delivery container to a new position and placing another delivery container for filling with objects.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining whether the delivery container has one or more packages contained therein and, if so, moving the delivery container to another location.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising labeling the delivery container.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing a packager or packagers at a predetermined position with respect to the second carriage such that the objects are unloaded from each of the plurality of holders of the second carriage in the sequential order into the packager.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequentially ordering of the objects based on delivery destination is provided in a single pass.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning sorting criteria to each of the plurality of holders is provided after the objects are associated with a respective holder of the plurality of holders.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein only a single object is placed in each of the plurality of holders.

15. A method for sorting objects based on destination point, comprising:

reading destination information associated with objects;

assigning a code based on the destination information to each of the objects;

placing the objects each in one of a plurality of holders on a first carriage and assigning sorting criteria to each of the plurality of holders based on the code of the each of the objects within each of the plurality of holders;

instructing at least one of the plurality of holders to move from the first carriage to a corresponding position on a second carriage based on the sorting criteria to sequentially order the objects based on delivery destination; and

moving each of the holders from the second carriage to the first carriage when all of the objects are unloaded to a packager from the second carriage.

19. A method for sorting objects based on destination point, comprising:

reading destination information associated with objects;

assigning a code based on the destination information to each of the objects;

placing a single object in each of a plurality of holders on a first carriage and assigning sorting criteria to each of the plurality of holders based on the code of the each of the objects within each of the plurality of holders; and

instructing each of the plurality of holders having the single object therein to transfer from the first carriage to a corresponding position on a second carriage based on the sorting criteria to sequentially order the objects based on delivery destination.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising incrementally moving the first carriage to align at least one of the plurality of holders with one of the locations on the second carriage while the second carriage remains stationary.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising moving the first carriage concentrically about the second carriage.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising sequentially ordering the objects in a single pass.