Apparatus and method for mail sorting
First Claim
1. A method for sorting mail to a case having a row of upright slots, wherein each slot corresponds to a destination, comprising:
- (a) loading a mail piece to be sorted into a delivery robot;
(b) determining for the mail piece a destination slot the mail piece is to be delivered to;
(c) moving the delivery robot along a rail disposed at the front side of the case near the slots into proximity with an open end of the destination slot;
(d) holding the mail piece in an insertion mechanism while extending the insertion mechanism from the robot into the slot;
(e) releasing the mail piece from the insertion mechanism while both the insertion mechanism and mail piece are in the slot;
(e) retracting the insertion mechanism from the slot;
(f) preventing contact between the mail piece and the retracting insertion mechanism from causing the mail piece to be pulled out of the slot with the retracting insertion mechanism; and
(g) returning the delivery robot to a loading station whereby steps (a)–
(e) may be repeated.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for sorting mail to a case having a plurality of slots is described, wherein each slot corresponds to a destination. The method includes steps of loading a mail piece to be sorted into a delivery robot, determining for the mail piece a destination slot the mail piece is to be delivered to, moving the delivery robot along a rail disposed at the front of the case near the slots into proximity with an open end of the destination slot, inserting the mail piece from the delivery robot into the associated slot, and returning the delivery robot to a loading station whereby the cycle may be repeated. Such a method, when using a large number of robots moving along a common rail system, can sort a large volume of mail in carrier delivery order.
133 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for sorting mail to a case having a row of upright slots, wherein each slot corresponds to a destination, comprising:
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(a) loading a mail piece to be sorted into a delivery robot; (b) determining for the mail piece a destination slot the mail piece is to be delivered to; (c) moving the delivery robot along a rail disposed at the front side of the case near the slots into proximity with an open end of the destination slot; (d) holding the mail piece in an insertion mechanism while extending the insertion mechanism from the robot into the slot; (e) releasing the mail piece from the insertion mechanism while both the insertion mechanism and mail piece are in the slot; (e) retracting the insertion mechanism from the slot; (f) preventing contact between the mail piece and the retracting insertion mechanism from causing the mail piece to be pulled out of the slot with the retracting insertion mechanism; and (g) returning the delivery robot to a loading station whereby steps (a)–
(e) may be repeated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 25)
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19. An automated system for sorting a series of mail pieces, comprising:
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a rail system including a loop; a number of mail piece delivery robots mounted on the rail for movement along the loop, each delivery robot having an insertion mechanism that can receive a mail piece therein and then insert it into an open side of a destination slot; an automated loading station including a conveyor having a loading end at which a mail piece exits the conveyer and enters the insertion mechanism of a delivery robot positioned on the rail in alignment with the loading station; a case disposed along the rail having a row of the destination slots for receiving mail sorted thereto for a plurality of destinations; means for moving the delivery robots from the loading station to the case and back to the loading station on the loop; a control system that coordinates movement of the delivery robots so that each delivery robot moves from the loading station to a slot which corresponds to a destination indicated on the mail piece and then returns to the loading station to receive another mail piece for sorting; and a proximity sensor mounted on each delivery robot, the proximity sensor detecting another delivery robot ahead of the robot on which the sensor is mounted within a predetermined distance, and communicating with the control system to prevent collisions between delivery robots. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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26. An automated system for sorting a series of mail pieces, comprising:
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a rail system including a loop; a number of self-propelled delivery robots mounted on the rail for movement along the loop, each of the robots including an onboard drive system and power source for moving the robot along the loop, each delivery robot having an insertion mechanism that can receive a mail piece therein and then insert it into an open side of a destination slot; an automated loading station including a conveyor having a loading end at which a mail piece exits the conveyor and enters the insertion mechanism of a delivery robot positioned on the rail in alignment with the loading station; a case disposed along the rail having a row of the destination slots for receiving mail sorted thereto for a plurality of destinations; and a control system that coordinates movement of the delivery robots so that each delivery robot moves from the loading station to a slot which corresponds to a destination indicated on the mail piece and then returns to the loading station to receive another mail piece for sorting.
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Specification