Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Mark Thomas Neebe

Randall Keith Neilson

Matthew Gene Good

Bruce G Chestnutt

Ann C Schofield

Thomas Anthony Hillerich, Jr

David Jerome Tilles

Jacob L Timm

Charles Miller

Robert Lee Schlender

David J Janos

Paul Speese

Thomas Anthony Hillerich

Cathryne I Tondreau

A route enhanced mail sorting and dispatch system and method sorts mail based on carrier route and then arranges the mail into delivery point order in a single pass that accommodates both letter and flat format mail. Mail sorting based on carrier routes and arrangement into delivery point order is achieved through a plurality of route enhanced dispatch modules. Each dispatch module has upper and lower helical mail conveyors. The lower helical mail conveyor is linearly translatable and can moved to a plurality of positions. Mail sorted based on carrier route is held in the upper helical mail conveyor before being placed or dropped into an allocated position in the lower helical mail conveyor by a put away shuttle. The lower helical mail conveyor can then be rotated to dispatch the mail in delivery point order.

Route enhanced dispatch module

A system for managing a plurality of carriers in a mail sorting facility includes a server configured to create, implement and/or execute a sort plan, a plurality of terminals disposed on the plurality of carriers and each configured to send a wireless beacon signal and at least one gateway in communication with the server and configured to receive the wireless beacon signals from the terminals. The terminals preferably each include an alert mechanism. Preferably, the server is further configured to determine the location of a terminal based on the beacon signal transmitted by the terminals to the servers via the at least one gateway and configured to compare the location of each terminal to the location required by the sort plan and to activate the alert mechanism in any terminal determined to be in an incorrect location.

System for managing mail carriers in a sorting facility using persistent asset routing terminals

A method and system for converting mail between trays in a multiple pass mail sorting system using a plurality of different tray types. Mail from a first type of tray is unloaded and stacked along with mail from other trays to form a large stack. The large stack of mail is then broken down into smaller stacks which are transferred to one of several outputs where the mail is loaded into different types of trays.

Integrated tray converter

The present invention relates to a tray transfer system (TTS). This system is designed to automatically transfer trays of mail between dollies and conveyor belts. The TTS is an efficient method for shipping, moving, storing, loading, and unloading mail trays. It allows mail-processing centers to physically and temporally separate the process of sorting mail and the process of moving mail into automation compatible trays (ACT).

Tray transfer system

An automated flats handling system is provided that includes mail shuttles, a tray unloading section, a quality control area, a shuttle tilter, a shuttle return section and a stacker/loader. The tray unloading section has a conveyor and unloads mail from a standard tray into one of the shuttles. The quality control area also has a conveyor and facilitates grooming the mail in the shuttle. The shuttle tilter tilts each shuttle prior to unloading the mail from the shuttle. The shuttle return section also has a conveyor and returns the shuttles to the tray unloading section. The stacker/loader cooperates with the shuttle tilter and unloads the mail from the shuttles, creates a mail stack from the unloaded mail, and loads a portion of the mail stack into an automation compatible tray.

Mail tray unloader with shuttle transfer through system comprising tilting

In some embodiments, a system for automated loading of a side-by-side stack of thin objects to a feeder is provided. The system can include, e.g.: a) a transporter having a transport surface upon which a side-by-side stack of thin objects can be conveyed; b) a carrier, configured to carry a side-by-side stack of thin objects, over the transport surface; c) a pusher over the transport surface; d) the pusher and the carrier being movable relative to one another between a first position in which the pusher is inside the carrier behind a side-by-side stack of thin objects on the carrier and a second position in which the pusher is laterally displaced from the carrier, such that the side-by-side stack of thin objects on the carrier is laterally slid off of the carrier by the pusher.

Automated induction systems and methods for mail and/or other objects

An item delivery and retrieval system including a storage subsystem and a computer subsystem. The storage subsystem includes a secure enclosure having an item storage carousel including internal controller apparatus. The computer subsystem is embodied in internet web page based customized application software for implementing an application interface of selectively configurable ActiveX controls for providing user access, such as an employee of a delivery service company and/or a customer of the delivery service company and customer access to one or more storage bins located behind a set of normally closed doors, for providing access control to the bins, and for managing the location of the items in the storage subsystem. The doors are opened when proper identification is provided by the customer so as to permit retrieval of items located in specifically designated bin(s) or to return items thereto.

Item delivery and retrieval system

A web-based common use terminal, e.g. a kiosk of an item delivery and retrieval system utilizing a web connection with one or more web servers for respective delivery service providers with any desired number of applications being separately run, depending upon the needs of a user. In a preferred embodiment, four discrete application including package pick-up, package exchange, buying postage, and club type delivery and pick-up of discrete items, are hosted while using the same system hardware.

Growing community of inventors

Catonsville, MD, United States of America

Mark Thomas Neebe