Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Industry, Inc.

Siemens Aktiengesell Schaft

Peter Berdelle-Hilge

Christoph Hofmann

Nikolaus Haselberger

Armin Zimmermann

Joachim Heinzl

Peter Enenkel

Michael Schwarzbauer

Lelan D Warren

Luiz Carlos Harres

Bertram Wanner

Dietmar Oexle

Homer L Dickerson

Tamas Eger

Thomas Buckenmaier

Hans-Dieter Penningsfeld

A delivery point sorting device with two feeders for receiving and forwarding mail in streams, where a diverging apparatus divert module is configured to process the mail from the two feeders and a merge module converges the streams of mail from the two feeders and distributes the mail to respective endpoints. Sorting endpoints are used for loading the mail received from this converging apparatus. A method where items of mail are sorted through sorting passes including a first, second, and third sorting pass. Sorting passes are; processing mail through two feeders by receiving the mail by the feeders and forwarding the mail articles in streams of mail, converging the streams of mail from the feeders to a conveyor apparatus, loading the mail at sorting endpoints by the conveyor apparatus, and sequentially passing the mail through the first, second, and third sorting pass.

Device and method for delivery point sorting

In a multi-stage sorting method, before a first sorting pass, containers can be placed with unsorted items in storage points of an empty store. Storage areas are determined for each pass. The areas are arranged orthogonal to one another. The containers are arbitrarily distributed within an area. In each sorting pass, one container from each area is retrieved as part of a batch group. The retrieval sequence is arbitrary in the first pass, and uses a sorting algorithm in subsequent passes. The degree of sorting of the mail items in the containers is increased in a sorting operation, storing positions are empty points generated by the retrieval or storage points with empty containers corresponding to a retrieval position, and the storing sequence is on a process-contingent random basis corresponding to an emptying of sorting end points. These process steps are repeated for as many batches as necessary to process a total volume of items.

Multi-stage sorting process with batch sequencing

A sorting device for articles has at least two main conveyor lines, each conveying consecutively arranged articles, at least two feeder devices, which respectively feed the articles to one of the main conveyor lines, at least two recognition devices for detecting a sorting destination for each article, a plurality of sorting outlets arranged at the end of each main conveyor line, each assigned to sorting destinations, and to which the articles are transported. The sorting device further has at least two connecting conveyor lines, each branching off the main conveyor lines at branch points, by way of which the articles can be conveyed from one main conveyor line to another main conveyor line. The articles can be temporarily stored in a storage device, which feeds temporarily stored articles to one of the main conveyor lines in the direction of conveyance before at least one of the branch points.

Sorting device for articles and method for sorting articles

A transport element for a distributing conveyor of a sorter of a sorting installation of a sorting system for sorting articles includes at least one first transport surface, which can be pivoted on both sides about an axis ('tilting axis') in a transport direction of the transport element and is intended for accommodating at least one article which is to be sorted, and at least one second transport surface, which is inclined about an axis ('axis of inclination') in the transport direction of the transport element and is intended for accommodating at least one article which is to be sorted. The at least one first transport surface, which can be pivoted on either side, is disposed above the at least one second, inclined transport surface. A distributing conveyor having a plurality of transport elements is also provided.

Transporting element for a distributing conveyor of a sorter of a sorting installation

An automated flat mail items handling device includes a rotating apparatus, which rotates the stack during operation from a starting orientation, in which the mail items lie flat, one on top of the other, to a processing orientation, in which the mail items are arranged substantially standing next to each other. The device also includes a holder, which retains the stack while the stack is being rotated, and a transport support, which supports the stack in the processing orientation and by way of which the stack can be moved in a conveying direction. In order to be able to process more mail items per unit of time in the device and by way of the method, the transport support is separate from the rotating apparatus.

Method and device for the automated handling of stacks of flat mail items

A device for sorting objects includes an input conveyor device with a plurality of input storage devices, which are movable in an input conveying direction. A loading station loads each input storage device with one object. An output conveyor device has a plurality of output storage devices, which are movable in an output conveying direction. A sorting end point discharges the objects. A first transfer region, in which the input conveyor device and the output conveyor device are arranged, allows objects to be transferred from the input storage devices into the output storage devices. A second transfer region, separate from the first transfer region, in which the output conveyor device and the sorting end point are arranged transfers objects from the output storage devices to the sorting end point. An additional sorting end point in the second transfer region enables more flexibly operation of the sorting device.

Device for sorting objects

A tilt-tray sorting installation for articles and a tilt-tray conveying carriage for use in a tilt-tray sorting installation. The tilt-tray conveying carriage has a basic carriage, which is configured for displacement in the tilt-tray sorting installation, a carrying tray, which can be pivoted about a tilting axis relative to the basic carriage, and a tilting drive. A drive device of the tilting drive is fixed in relation to the basic carriage. A traction device is operatively connected to the drive device and the carrying tray. In order to render the devices suitable for heavy articles, the tilt-tray conveying carriage is provided with a traction-device guide which is arranged in a rotatably fixed manner on the carrying tray, against which the traction device abuts, at least in part, and which deflects the traction device.

Tilt-tray conveying carriage and tilt-tray sorting installation

Objects are sorted according to a predetermined sorting feature. A first storage area and a second storage area each have a plurality of storage devices. A storage device of the first storage area has a storage device output and an emptying transport path, which leads to a storage device of the second storage area. The value that the sorting feature takes on for each object to be sorted is measured for that object. A storage device is selected on the basis of the sorting feature value. In an emptying-optimized mode, only storage devices of the first storage area are selected, and in a sorting destination-optimized mode, storage devices of the second storage area are also selected. A storage device with a store output is emptied in an emptying-optimized mode by transporting objects in this storage device to a storage device of the second storage area via the emptying transport path.

Sorting system and sorting method with two storage areas

A sorting plant and a sorting method sort objects according to a predefined sort criterion. The sorting plant has a plurality of transfer sites, a plurality of upper pick-up units which can be swiveled into a pick-up position and into a park position, and a plurality of lower pick-up units. The upper pick-up units are arranged in such a manner that the upper pick-up units are located between the transfer sites and the lower pick-up units when the upper pick-up units are swiveled into the park position. For each object to be sorted, one pick-up unit is automatically selected regardless of the sorting criterion value of the object. The object is first moved to a transfer site and then into or onto the selected pick-up unit.

Sorting plant and sorting method with two types of sorting terminals

Objects are sorted according to predetermined groups of sorting feature values. In particular, postal items are sorted according to groups of delivery addresses. A sorting system sorts the objects into a sequence so that all objects with sorting feature values belonging to the same predetermined value group are situated one directly behind another in this sequence. The sorting system has xstorage subregions, xsorting subregions and a sorting plan. The objects are apportioned to the xstorage subregions. For each storage subregion, an apportionment step is then carried out, in which the objects from this storage subregion are apportioned to the xsorting subregions. The apportionment steps are performed one after the other. Each apportionment step, is followed by a sorting and output step for each sorting subregion, in which the objects from this sorting subregion are brought into a sequence in accordance with the sorting feature values and this sequence is output.

Device and method for sorting by means of a storage region and a sorting region

A sorting installation and a sorting method use a gripping tool for gripping sorted articles, particularly sorted flat mail items. During sorting, the articles are transported in holding apparatuses having two lateral faces each. Each lateral face is preferably formed with one cutout. A supply station puts each article into one holding apparatus, with the result that the article is situated between the lateral faces and is held by the holding apparatuses. A transport apparatus transports the articles to a removal station and produces a sequence of holding apparatuses with articles being held thereby. The removal station has a gripping tool with at least two gripper arms in a gripper arm sequence. These gripper arms grip between filled holding apparatuses and draw a plurality of held articles from these holding apparatuses simultaneously.

Sorting installation and sorting method using a gripping tool

A sorting system for postal mail has a plurality of input sections capable of operating in parallel, each including a feeder that takes in mail pieces one at a time and a scanner that scans each mail piece for destination indicia. The system further includes a plurality of stackers each comprising at least one row of pockets in which mail is stacked, and a routing section or switch network effective to route mail in accordance with a sort scheme from any input section to any pocket of a stacker. The routing section uses diverts and merges so that mail can be conveyed to each stacker in accordance with a sort scheme implemented by a control system.

Multi-machine mail sorting system

A method and a device sort objects, in particular flat postal items, by use of intermediate storage units. A feed transport unit transports the objects to a series of a multiple of intermediate storage units which are connected in parallel. Each object is transported into an intermediate storage unit in accordance with the respectively measured value of a sorting feature. Later, each intermediate storage unit is emptied, and a removal transport unit transports the objects away. Each intermediate storage unit is emptied at the latest when the last object in the series of objects transported in the feed transport unit has been transported into the intermediate storage unit or when the object has been transported past the feed connecting path to the intermediate storage unit.

Method and device for sorting objects by means of intermediate storage units

In a method and device for sorting a quantity of flat objects, especially of mail items, each object passes at least twice through a sorting system with a number of output devices. In each pass of an object the sorting system determines a destination identification of the object and discharges the object depending on the destination identification determined into one of the respective output devices. In the second sorting pass the sorting system groups all objects which are provided with identifications of the same destination into at least one stack such that each stack contains a number of objects and the objects of each stack at least partly overlap each other. The sorting system transports each stack formed in this manner to one of the output devices and discharges it into this output device.

Method and apparatus for sorting flat objects in a number of sorting passes

A device for emptying a mail item container that is open at the top and serves for transporting mail items. The mail item container has sidewalls and a container underside. The device has a lifting device for moving the mail items relative to the sidewalls. In order to enable postal articles, such as, for example, letter mail items, to be emptied from a mail item container in an ergonomically favorable and efficient manner without adversely affecting its mechanical stability to too great an extent, it is proposed that the lifting device is provided for passing through the underside of the container.

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Constance, Germany

Peter Berdelle-Hilge