Method for processing mail

• US 7,442,896 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Weber, Norbert, Pechtl, Heinz, Kurtz, Karl-Josef, Ehrat, Josef, Halder, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez; Joseph C
• Application Number:
  US11/299,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20060180520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 209/583, 209/854, 209/900, 209/903, 700223-227
• US Class Current: 209/584
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 1/12 Separating letters from parcels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/903 Feeder conveyor having opposed grippers

Abstract

A method for processing mail, wherein a plurality of mailing items inserted into insertion places are collected and subsequently transported in a container to postal centers where they are sorted in sorting devices according to postal categories. The invention is characterized in that the mail is placed in transport containers which are transported to unloading areas in postal centers. When the transport container is filled and/or during the transportation of the container to the postal centers, random partial pre-sorting of mail takes place according to postal categories so that, when, the mail is removed from the containers at the unloading areas, it is in the form of piles formed by the predetermined pre-sorting method and sorted according to the postal categories, whereupon it is guided to subsequent processing stations according to said postal categories.

Claims

1. A method for processing mailpieces, comprising:

collecting a plurality of mailpieces that have been dropped into mail drop boxes;

transporting the mailpieces in transportation containers to postal centers;

sorting the mailpieces in the postal centers with sorting devices,

filling the mailpieces into the transportation containers,

transporting the filled transportation containers to unloading stations in the postal centers,

carrying out presorting according to postal categories partially and coincidentally during at least one of the filling and transport of the transportation containers to the postal center,

removing the mailpieces from the transportation containers at the unloading stations utilizing said presorting, a manipulation arm reaching into a transportation container that is located in the area of the unloading station immediately after a stack of mailpieces of the same postal category has been recognized,

the manipulation arm removing from the transportation container the previously recognized stack of mailpieces of the same postal category,

the manipulation arm dropping the stack of mailpieces onto a conveyor belt that is located in the area of the unloading station, and

conveying the mailpieces to subsequent processing stations as a function of the postal category.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising transporting the mailpieces in essentially box-shaped transportation containers.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising setting up at least some of the transportation containers in drop-off places whom, at least from one side, the malpieces can be dropped off In a way that promotes an essentially horizontal position.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising conveying at least some of the transportation containers in a transporter to mailers of mailpieces so that, in the area of the mailer of mailpieces, the mailpieces can be dropped essentially horizontally into the transportation containers.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising placing at least some of the transportation containers into mailboxes In such a way that mailpieces dropped into the mailboxes end up directly in the transportation containers.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising filing at least some of the transportation containers by emptying collecting containers located in mailboxes.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising taking at least some of the transportation containers directly to the unloading stations.

8. The method of claims 1, comprising taking at least some of the transportation containers to the unloading stations by a conveyor section.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising conveying at least some of the transportation containers to the unloading stations intermittently.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising conveying the transportation containers to the unloading stations in such a way that, at least at times, at least two transportation containers are located in the area of an unloading station.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising removing stacks of mailpieces of different postal categories from the transportation containers, and, subsequently tipping out mailpieces of one postal category remaining in the transportation containers from the transportation containers.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising removing individual mailpieces from the transportation containers by a partial tipping of the transportation containers, and, subsequently tipping out stacks of mailpieces of different postal categories from the transportation containers.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising recognizing stacks of mail-pieces by at least one optical detector means.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising in at least some of the unloading stations removing the mailpieces from the transportation containers by a robot.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising feeding mailpieces of at least one of the postal categories to a subsequent processing station by at least one conveyor belt.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising at least partially singulating the mailpieces while they are being transported on the conveyor belt.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising canceling at least some of the mailpieces while they are being transported on the conveyor belt.