Progressive modularity assortment system with high and low capacity bins

• US 7,498,539 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DMT Solutions Global Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bowe Bell & Howell Company
• Inventors: Overman, John, Estis, Tony, Szewczyk, Richard, Panopoulos, Manny, Stollenwerck, Mike, Svyatsky, Ed, Bednarek, Tomasz, Conard, Walter S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey; Patrick H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hageman; Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/463,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20040069691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,086 Days
• Field of Search: 209/584, 209/900, 209/630, 209/942, 209/702, 209/703, 209/583, 209/534, 198/399, 198/361, 193/34.MD, 193/35.J, 271/177, 271/181, 271/220, 271/207, 271/298, 271/288, 271/297, 271/303, 271/292, 414/790.9
• US Class Current: 209/584
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/008 Means for collecting objects, e.g. containers for sorted mail items pile receivers in general B65H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/06 Linear sorting machines in which articles are removed from a stream at selected points
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/51 Joints, e.g. riveted or magnetic joints
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/33 Compartmented support
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1916 Envelopes and articles of mail
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/06 the articles being piled on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/22 removable or interchangeable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

A modular bin or pocket has an integrated transport assembly and mail piece diverter assembly and is usable in a bin stacker section in mail handling and sorting systems. The modular bin is individually removable, interchangeable and replaceable from the bin stacker sections of the mail processing system to allow for repair or maintenance of malfunctioning bins leading to reduced down time of the mail processing system. The modular bin further enables vertical and/or horizontal progressive modularity, i.e., vertical and/or horizontal expansion, of the bin stacker sections of the mail processing system which allows for cost-effective expansion of mail handling systems. Further, there is disclosed a tray management system and a tier diverter system that are usable in mail handling systems that use the modular bin with double sided bin stacker sections or single sided bin stacker sections with or without a turnaround section.

Claims

1. A mail handling system for selectively sorting mail pieces comprising:

a section adapted to supply mail pieces to a mail piece transport path;

a track assembly comprising a track transport belt and a plurality of mail piece diverters; and

a bin stacker section comprising a plurality of removable bins, each removable bin comprising;

a transport assembly;

a tray adapted to receive the mail pieces selectively diverted from the mail piece transport path by the corresponding diverter;

a paddle assembly movable to accommodate the mail pieces received in the tray;

a tray entry belt able to move diverted mail pieces into the tray;

a tail removal assembly adapted to impart a moving force on an underside of the received mail pieces; and

an entry associated with a corresponding mail piece diverter to allow the bin to receive mail pieces selectively diverted from the mail piece transport path by the corresponding diverter;

wherein;

each transport assembly for each removable bin comprises;

a) a main transport motor; and

b) a main transport belt driven by the main transport motor; and

the mail piece transport path is formed between the track transport belt and the main transport belts of the plurality of the bin transport assemblies of the removable sort bins, the belts being configured to engage and transport mail pieces along the transport path.

2. The mail handling system of claim 1, wherein:

the bin stacker section is arranged as a front bin stacker system; and

the system further comprises;

a rear track assembly comprising at least one rear track transport belt and a plurality of rear mail piece diverters;

a rear bin stacker section comprising a plurality of removable rear bins, each removable rear bin comprising a transport assembly and an entry associated with a corresponding rear mail piece diverter to allow the removable rear bin to receive mail pieces selectively diverted from the rear mail piece transport path by the corresponding rear diverter, each transport assembly comprising a transport motor and a transport belt; and

a turnaround section coupled to the front and rear bin stacker sections;

wherein the rear track transport belt and the transport belts of the transport assemblies of the removable rear bins form a rear transport path for receiving mail pieces from the turnaround section.