Single pass sequencer and method of use
First Claim
1. A single pass sequencing system, comprising:
- a transport system which transports articles;
at least one staging area which stages the articles to be injected onto the transport system;
a buffer which stores the articles received from the transport system;
a loader which loads the articles from the buffer onto the transport system at a location downstream from the at least one staging area; and
a controller in communication with the at least one staging area, the buffer and the loader, the controller coordinating the loader and the at least one staging area to inject the articles onto the transport system in a delivery point sequence.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A single pass sequencer and method of use for transporting the mail pieces in a single pass through a set of feeders. The system includes a transport system which transports articles to an transport system. At least one staging area stages the articles to be injected onto the transport system. A buffer stores the articles received from the transport system and a loader loads the articles from the buffer onto the transport system at a location downstream from the at least one staging area. A controller is in communication with the at least one staging area, the buffer and the loader. The controller coordinates the loader and the at least one staging area to inject the articles onto the transport system in a delivery point sequence. The controller may instruct the loader to create a gap between the articles loaded thereon in order of articles within the staging area to be inserted within the gap, in a sequence.
55 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A single pass sequencing system, comprising:
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a transport system which transports articles; at least one staging area which stages the articles to be injected onto the transport system; a buffer which stores the articles received from the transport system; a loader which loads the articles from the buffer onto the transport system at a location downstream from the at least one staging area; and a controller in communication with the at least one staging area, the buffer and the loader, the controller coordinating the loader and the at least one staging area to inject the articles onto the transport system in a delivery point sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 21, 22)
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14. A single pass sequencing system, comprising:
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at least one feeder in communication with an outer transport, the at least one feeder randomly placing articles onto the outer transport; an inner transport; a plurality of staging areas which receive the articles from the outer transport and stages the articles to be injected onto the inner transport; a buffer which stores the articles received from the inner transport; a loader which loads the articles from the buffer onto the inner transport at a location downstream from the plurality of staging areas; a scanning device which reads delivery information associated with the articles; and a controller in communication with the scanning device and storing the delivery information, and providing control to the plurality of staging areas, the buffer and the loader based on the delivery information, the controller coordinating the injection of the articles onto the inner transport from the loader and the plurality of staging areas in a delivery point sequence. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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17. A method of sequencing mail pieces, comprising the steps of:
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determining information of mail pieces associated with delivery destinations; injecting the mail pieces into a mail stream; storing the mail pieces in a buffer received from the mail stream; staging other mail pieces downstream from the buffer; injecting a determined amount of mail pieces, in a sequence, from the mail pieces into the mail stream based on the information; injecting another of the mail pieces, in sequence, from the staging into the mail stream created by the injecting step and based on the information. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 23, 24)
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Specification