Electrocom Automation

Siemens Electrocom, L.p.

Siemens Dematic Postal Automation, L.p.

Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.

Other

Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp.

Gerald A Isaacs

James Moody Pippin

Floyd W Worth, Ii

George R Mondie

John W Kulas

Richard C Hickey

Luiz C Harres

Stephen T Kugle

Charles M Combs

Kenneth A McKee

Harold G Burkett, Jr

Mark L Carlile

Lynn V Hill

Joseph C Rotenberry

Dale E Redford

Ottmar Karl Kechel

M Wayne Neff

George M Mondie

Homer L Dickerson

Morgan H Dunn

Hans-Joachim Grund

A method for sorting mail to a case having a plurality of slots is described, wherein each slot corresponds to a destination. The method includes steps of loading a mail piece to be sorted into a delivery robot, determining for the mail piece a destination slot the mail piece is to be delivered to, moving the delivery robot along a rail disposed at the front of the case near the slots into proximity with an open end of the destination slot, inserting the mail piece from the delivery robot into the associated slot, and returning the delivery robot to a loading station whereby the cycle may be repeated. Such a method, when using a large number of robots moving along a common rail system, can sort a large volume of mail in carrier delivery order.

Method of removing a flat article from a holder

A mail case system facilitates sequence-sorting various types of mail together into individual bags that each represent delivery points. The mail case uses multi-bag inserts so that bags for a number of stops can be set up for sorting. At the end of the sorting operation, the entire insert may be pulled down from the case as a single unit to maintain the established delivery point sequence.

Mail delivery system

Apparatus and method for mail sorting

A mail case system includes facilitates sequence-sorting various types of mail together into individual bags that each represent unique delivery points. The mail case uses multi-bag inserts so that the bags for several stops can be set up quickly for sorting. At the end of the sorting operation, the entire insert may be pulled down from the case as a single unit to maintain the established delivery point sequence. This eliminates the carrier's need to find separation points or to combine selections from multiple sequenced stacks of mail during the delivery operation. This results in a dramatic improvement in delivery efficiency.

Mail sequence-sorting case with multi-bag inserts and methods of sorting

A singulator is disclosed for singulating the flow of articles in a conveyor system. The singulator includes a mechanism for actuating a portion of a conveyor to remove one item at a time from the conveyor end. A control system singulates items by selectively actuating portions on the conveyor underlying the items and extending toward the end of the conveyor. After one item has been singulated, another item is singulated when a gap between the trailing edge of the first item and a leading edge of the second hem reaches a predetermined size. This process repeats itself for singulating more articles.

Selective advance intelligent singulator

In one embodiment, an article sorting system includes successive coarse and fine singulators and a recirculating loop for processing a disordered stream of items including three-dimensional non-flat articles. A coarse singulator includes cascaded ramped conveyors, preferably operating at progressively greater speeds. A detection system, such as a vision system, for monitoring the stream of articles and identifying and/or tracking individual items passing through the system is used in conjunction with a fine singulator such as a chevron, hold-and-release or strip conveyor downstream from the coarse singulator. A control system is utilized in connection with the vision system to regulate the flow of articles through the system by, for example, diverting doubles or clusters for separations. A method of sorting articles includes steps of singulating a disordered stream of items with multiple singulating steps including a coarse singulating step for mechanically increasing the spacing between items in the stream, and a fine singulating step in which individual items are monitored and/or identified and tracked as they traverse the system. A divert apparatus which can be provided for diverting oversize/overweight articles or unwanted clusters of unsingulated articles includes an angled roller conveyor and a gate for discharging articles from the stream of articles to be processed.

Feeder reader subsystem

A hold-and-release singulator includes a conveyor having a transport mechanism for carrying a group of items such as parcels, packages, containers or the like from an entry end towards an exit end of the singulator, a hold and release system that can hold items that have entered the singulator on the conveyor so that such items are not transported by the conveyor while causing one item to be transported by the conveyor, and a control system that controls operation of the conveyor and the hold-and-release system in a manner effective to remove the group of items from the exit end of the conveyor one at a time according to a removal scheme, preferably with a predetermined minimum spacing. The hold and release system can take several forms, such as a mechanism for selectively actuating a portion of the conveyor at a time to remove an item from the exit end of the conveyor, or a mechanism that can hold items off of the conveyor surface so that such items are not transported when the conveyor is running, and selectively set items onto the conveyor surface so that such items are transported when the conveyor is running. In the latter case, the control system controls operation of the conveyor and the hold-and-release system in a manner effective to hold a group of items off of the conveyor surface and then lower the items according to the removal scheme so that the items leave the exit end of the conveyor one at a time with a predetermined minimum spacing. The items may be supported from beneath by a series or array of supports which lift the items, or an arm may suspend the items from above to hold the items off of the conveyor surface.

Hold and release singulator

Divert apparatus for conveyor system

An apparatus for automatically transferring and handling cartridges containing flat articles. The method and apparatus robotically transfers filled cartridges from the output compartments of a sorting machine to a buffer shelf; and from the buffer shelf to a docking station of a cartridge unloader and automatic feeder to the input of the sorting machine, and for transferring empty cartridges from the docking station to either the buffer or the output compartments of the sorter, is provided.

Transfer of cartridges containing flat articles

An apparatus for handling and transferring letter mail from and to different sized mail receptacles or containers such as cartridges and mail trays includes a support frame rotatably supporting a platform and intermediate transfer pan. The platform is adapted to receive a letter mail receptacle, and a clamp apparatus is provided to secure the container to the platform. A motor and coaxial shafts, coupled with a clutch, are drivingly engaged with the platform and the intermediate transfer pan. An elevator is provided to move the platform along a longitudinal axis and the platform is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis through the operation of the motor, coaxial shafts and clutch, the clutch selectively coupling the coaxial shafts. The platform and the intermediate transfer pan are rotated such that the letter mail originally located in a receptacle clamped on the platform is transferred to the intermediate transfer pan. After the receptacle is emptied of letter mail, it may be replaced with a different receptacle or container having different dimensions into which the letter mail is transferred from the intermediate transfer pan.

Pivoting transfer apparatus for transferring mail between trays and cartridges

A flat article turntable for use in a flat article sorting system having a flat article holding cartridge, a cartridge handling mechanism and an automatic flat article feeder is provided with an empty cartridge presentation mechanism for presenting empty cartridges to a cartridge handling system. A full cartridge acceptor mechanism for receiving full cartridges from the cartridge handler system. A rotary mechanism is provided for rotating a full cartridge 90&deg;. An index mechanism is provided to matingly index the cartridges with the automatic feeder of the sorting system. An extraction mechanism is provide including a cartridge opener for opening the cartridge. A pushing mechanism is operatively connected for pushing stacked articles from the cartridge. A pause mechanism is interconnected to allow a finger on the automatic feeder to take the stacked articles, and a closing mechanism is attached to close the cartridge. A rotating mechanism rotates the cartridge back to face the cartridge handler and an index mechanism indexes the empty cartridge from an active to a passive side of the turntable.

Method and system for sorting flat articles

A method and apparatus for automatically transferring and handling cartridges containing flat articles. The method and apparatus robotically transfers filled cartridges from the output compartments of a sorting machine to a buffer shelf; and from the buffer shelf to a docking station of a cartridge unloader and automatic feeder to the input of the sorting machine, and for transferring empty cartridges from the docking station to either the buffer or the output compartments of the sorter, is provided.

A method and apparatus for automatically sorting and feeding flat articles. The method stacks flat articles into cartridges in output compartments of a sorting machine, robotically transfers filled cartridges from the output compartments of a sorting machine to a buffer shelf; and from the buffer shelf to a docking station of a cartridge unloader and automatic feeder to the input of the sorting machine, and for transferring empty cartridges from the docking station to either the buffer or the output compartments of the sorter.

Method and apparatus for sorting flat articles

A method and apparatus for separating, feeding and sorting stacked products utilizes a computer controlled conveyor transport path. The transport path includes infeed, separating and output sections. The infeed section includes an infeed conveyor and feed roller to regulate downstream movement into the separating section. The separating section includes a plurality of individually and selectively controlled friction feeder rolls arranged on a laterally tilted incline plane. The method and apparatus includes sensors along the separating section for determining position and relative movement of products. Through computer control, individual feeder rolls or sets of feeder rolls on the inclined plane are selectively energized to separate underlying products from stacked overlying or overlapping products. The foregoing process is repeated until all products in a stack have been separated into individual units. After separation the individual products are discharged through the output section for further processing.

Method and apparatus for separating, feeding and sorting

A method and apparatus for separating, feeding and sorting stacked products utilizes a computer controlled conveyor transport path. The transport path comprises infeed, separating and output sections. The infeed section includes an infeed conveyor and feed roller to regulate downstream movement into the separating section. The separating section includes a plurality of individually and selectively controlled friction feeder rolls arranged on a laterally tilted incline plane. The method and apparatus includes sensors along the separating section for determining position and relative movement of products. Through computer control, individual feeder rolls or sets of feeder rolls on the inclined plane are selectively energized to separate underlying products from stacked overlying or overlapping products. The foregoing process is repeated until all products in a stack have been separated into individual units. After separation the individual products are discharged through the output section for further processing.

Growing community of inventors

Arlington, TX, United States of America

Gerald A Isaacs