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

• US 7,250,582 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanson, Bruce H., Roth, J. Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez; Joseph C.
• Application Number:
  US10/836,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20040211710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 209/583, 209/584, 209/698, 209/900, 209/912, 198/347.3, 198/704, 198/867.15
• US Class Current: 209/584
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/02 Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/082 In which the objects are carried by transport holders and the transport holders form part of the conveyor belts conveyors with carriers B65G47/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/912 Endless feed conveyor with means for holding each item individually

Abstract

A method and system using a single pass sequencer having a transport system for transporting the mail pieces to a transport system having a moveable carriage system and a stationary carriage system with a plurality of holders slidable between the moveable carriage system and the stationary carriage system. The plurality of holders hold a mail piece of the mail pieces received from the transport system. The mail pieces are sequenced as they are transported or moved from the stationary carriage to the moveable carriage.

Claims

1. A system for sorting objects, comprising:

at least one feeding station feeding non-sequenced objects to separate holders extending from a carriage movable in at least one direction; and

a stationary carriage adjacent the moveable carriage;

wherein the separate holders transport the non-sequenced objects fed from the at least one feeding station back and forth between the moveable carriage and the stationary carriage to sort the non-sequenced objects stored in the separate holders into a sequence.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the separate holders include a hinge and a releasable latch mechanism located at respective bottom corners.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising an actuator for disconnecting the releasable latch mechanism at a predetermined time or location.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the separate holders include a releaseable bottom.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanism for attaching each of the separate holders to the moveable carriage and the stationary carriage; and

a mechanism for transporting each of the separate holders between the moveable carriage and the stationary carriage via sliding or rolling.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a reading device and sort computer, the reading device reading information on the objects and delivering the information to the sort computer to assign sort codes to the separate holders and positions on the moveable carriage, the sort computer further instructing the movement of the moveable carriage, incrementally, and the mechanism for transporting the separate holders to the stationary carriage in the delivery sequence.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects are mail pieces.

7. The system of claim I wherein the moveable carriage is movable in two directions for loading of the non-sequenced objects and unloading of the objects, in a sequence.