Method and device for sorting flat mail items

• US 8,217,294 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korber Supply Chain Logistics GmbH (Korber AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Armin
• Primary Examiner(s): MATTHEWS, TERRELL HOWARD
• Application Number:
  US12/329,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20090145817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 209/583, 209/584, 209/900
• US Class Current: 209/584
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/02 Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1916 Envelopes and articles of mail
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/045 for separating substantially vertically stacked articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 3/34 Article-retaining devices controlling the release of the articles to the separators
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/06 the articles being piled on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 5/26 Duplicate, alternate, selective, or coacting feeds
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 83/025 onto and from the same side of the pile or stack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

A method is specified for sorting flat mail items, which allows sorting according to delivery order to be carried out swiftly and reliably. With the method a first sorting pass is carried out in a first segment with at least N storage modules of a sorting device and a second sorting pass is then carried out in a second segment with at least N storage modules of the sorting device. The overflow items, which are assigned to a storage module that has been closed because it is full, are deposited into one of the other storage modules in the first sorting pass and are included in the sorting process of the second sorting pass.

Claims

1. A device for sorting flat mail items, the device comprising:

a sorting device;

at least first and second segments, each of said first and second segments having at least N storage modules, each storage module configured to have an insertion mode where flat mail items are inserted into the storage module, and a withdrawal mode where flat mail items are withdrawn from the storage module;

a circulating conveyor for conveying mail items from said first segment to said second segment and from said second segment to said first segment; and

a process device configured to control;

a first sorting pass in said first segment and a subsequent second sorting pass in said second segment;

a depositing of overflow mail items assigned to one of said storage modules that has been closed because it is full into another one of said storage modules in the first sorting pass, where the said another one of said storage modules is operated in the insertion mode;

a subsequent emptying of said another one of said storage modules with the overflow mail items, where said another one of said storage modules is operated in the withdrawal mode; and

a subsequent inclusion of the overflow mail items in the sorting process of the second sorting pass.

2. A device for sorting flat mail items, the device comprising:

a sorting device;

at least first and second segments, each of said first and second segments having at least N storage modules, each storage module configured to be operated in an insertion mode where flat mail items are inserted into the storage module, and in a withdrawal mode where flat mail items are withdrawn from the storage module;

a circulating conveyor for conveying mail items from said first segment to said second segment and from said second segment to said first segment; and

a process device configured to;

control a first sorting pass in said first segment and a subsequent second sorting pass in said second segment;

identify at least one storage module that has been closed because it is full and to deposit overflow mail items assigned to said at least one storage module that has been closed because it is full into another one of said storage modules in the first sorting pass, said another one of said storage modules being operated in the insertion mode;

control a subsequent emptying of said another one of said storage modules with the overflow mail items, where said another one of said storage module is operated in the withdrawal mode; and

control a subsequent inclusion of the overflow mail items in the sorting process of the second sorting pass.