Mailpiece container for stacking mixed mail and method for stacking mail therein

• US 8,079,588 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Stemmle, Denis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joerger, Kaitlin
• Assistant Examiner(s): CICCHINO, PATRICK D
• Application Number:
  US12/390,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20090152811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: 271/207, 271/307, 271/308, 271/204, 271/206, 271/2, 271/306, 271/198, 198/80.14, 198/803.3, 198/805.5, 198/476.1, 198/474.1, 198/470.1
• US Class Current: 271/206
• 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: B65H 2301/323 Hanging
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4212 of articles substantially horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/422548 filling or loading process
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/422615 from opposite part-support elements, e.g. operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/55 Rail guided gripping means running in closed loop, e.g. without permanent interconnecting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/78 Mailing systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 29/003 by grippers B65H29/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/10 and applied at the top of the pile
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/22 removable or interchangeable
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/3018 from opposite part-support elements, e.g. operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/34 Apparatus for squaring-up piled articles

Abstract

A system is provided for stacking mail having an escort assembly for handling each mailpiece. The system comprises a containment device, a transport mechanism and a detachment mechanism. The containment device includes a base, vertical walls extending from the base and an open end for accepting the mailpieces therein. The containment device, furthermore, has a slot formed in at least one of the vertical walls thereof. The transport mechanism includes first and second transport segment, the first transport segment conveying escort assemblies and respective mailpieces over an open end of the containment device and the second transport segment lowering the escort assemblies and respective mailpieces into the open end of the containment device. The transport mechanism furthermore aligns the edges of the mailpieces along one of the vertical walls of the containment device and positions the escort assembly through the slot of the containment device. The detachment mechanism is operative to release the mailpieces from the respective escort assembly and move the escort assemblies through the slot of the containment device.

Claims

1. A method for stacking escorted mailpieces into a containment device, the method comprising the steps of:

conveying a plurality of escort assemblies and respective mailpieces in a first plane over the containment device;

spatially repositioning the plurality of escort assemblies and respective mailpieces to a second plane such that the escort assemblies and respective mailpieces are lowered into an open end of the containment device, and

releasing the mailpieces from the escort assemblies prior to removing the escort assemblies from the containment device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of positioning the containment device relative to a position of escort release to minimize the vertical distance from the escort assembly to the top of the cumulating stack.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of pre-determining a cumulative thickness of mailpieces stacked into the containment device, and positioning the containment device relative to a position of escort release as a function of the cumulative mailpiece thickness.

4. A method for stacking escorted mailpieces into a containment device, the method comprising the steps of:

placing mailpieces into separate escort assemblies of a plurality of escort assemblies;

transporting the separate escort assemblies from a first orientation to a second orientation;

lowering each of the separate escort assemblies into an open end of the containment device when in the second orientation; and

releasing the mailpieces from each of the escort assemblies prior to removing the escort assemblies from the containment device.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising stacking the mailpieces from each of the escort assemblies in the containment device in a horizontal stacked position.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the releasing includes opening the escort assemblies.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the opening includes engaging tab portions of the escort assemblies with a cam mechanism.

8. The method according to claim 4, further comprising removing each of the escort assemblies from the containment device, after the mailpieces are released therefrom.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the removing the escort assemblies from the containment device includes engaging a portion of each of the escort assemblies with a vertically protruding finger of a conveyor mechanism.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising moving the conveyor mechanism when the vertically protruding finger engages the portion of each of the escort assemblies such that the escort assemblies are slid from within the containment device.