Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Alstom (switzerland) Ltd

Wolf-Stephan Wilke

Armin Zimmermann

Gisbert Berger

Holger Schererz

Andre Rompe

Jörg-Andreas Illmaier

Eberhard Mandler

Nikolaus Haselberger

Katja Worm

Erhard Friedrich Liebig

Georg Ziegler

Thomas Bayer

Michael Zettler

Ingolf Rauh

Jörn Brütt

Hamid Olia

Dirk-Udo Eisser

Balthazar-Simon Ten Berge

Jürgen Hohlwegler

Rudolf Herzog

Franz Kreitmeier

Matthias Schulte-Austum

Zhe Li

Joerg-Andreas Illmaier

Juergen Hohlwegler

Kay Wöltje

Martin Neschen

A truck, a loading bridge, a sorting system for items being dispatched and a retrofit kit for a sorting machine for items being dispatched. In order to ensure that an item being dispatched can be removed in simple ways from the sorting machine for items being dispatched and transported to a further sorting step, the truck has a displaceable floor and the loading bridge has a driving device for the floor.

Truck, loading bridge, sorting system for items being dispatched and retrofit kit for a sorting machine for items being dispatched

A method and a device for transporting and processing a number of objects, especially mail items, include transporting the objects in a number of transport processes to a respective processing system. At least one processing attribute as well as a feature is measured at the object before the transport processes. A data record with the processing attribute value and the feature value are stored. After the transport processes, the feature is measured again for each object, and the stored data record is determined. A search area restriction which is based on a sequence of feature values is undertaken for the determination. The processing system processes the object depending on the processing attribute value of the determined data record.

Method and device for transporting a number of objects

A method for identifying postal mailings includes registering the mailings by means of at least one recognizable pictorial feature and at least one external information item, or both. Further, the method includes carrying out recognition of the pictorial feature to identify a mailing, and if identification is incomplete, performing identification using the external information item.

Method for identifying postal mailings

Two types of objects are sorted in multiple sorting passes, for instance flat mail items are precisely sorted into a delivery sequence. Objects of a first object type are fed to a sorting system from a first feeding device. Objects of a second object type are fed from a second feeding device. The sorting system sorts the objects in at least two successive sorting passes. A first sorting plan and a second sorting plan are used in each sorting pass except in the last sorting pass, where a sorting plan is used. Each first sorting plan assigns a sorting end location of a first sorting end-location region and each second sorting plan assigns a sorting end location of a second sorting end-location region. A sorting end location is selected for each object using a sorting plan in each sorting pass, and the object is transferred into the selected sorting end location.

Method and device for sorting two types of objects in multiple sorting passes

A method delivers an item to a target point. The item is a distinguishable item. A data set for the item is generated in a central data storage unit. This data set contains identification feature values for the item. The item is conveyed to a predetermined target point. At the target point, the item is provided, at least temporarily, with an optically detectable delivery marking. At least one computer-accessible image of the item is generated by a portable image recording device. The image shows the item together with the delivery marking. With the aid of the image, the data set for the item, which is stored in the central data storage unit, is determined. The data set is supplemented with a computer-accessible marking of the delivery.

Method for the verifiable delivery of an article

A method and an apparatus sort items, in particular of flat postal items, in two sorting processes. Two classes of items are sorted on the basis of a sorting feature such that a predetermined sequence of the feature values is maintained. In a first sorting process, a sorting system sorts the items in the first class separately from the items in the second class. In the process, the sorting system determines which possible feature values are actually assumed by at least one item in the second class. The sorting system generates a sequence of item sets. These item sets and the items in the second class are jointly sorted by a sorting installation. In the second sorting process, the sorting installation generates the predetermined feature value sequence of the items of both classes.

Method and apparatus for sorting of items in two sorting processes

A method for automatically checking in passengers and their luggage by an electronic input of the passenger data or travel data by the passenger himself into an automatic check-in terminal is provided. In the automatic check-in terminal, possibly following selection of various criteria, the boarding pass and one or more information media for attachment to the luggage are created and output. The information medium created is a luggage tag which is easy to affix to the luggage item and which contains, in machine-readable form, at least all the data and information which are required for a later generation of an internationally standardized, preferably self-adhesive luggage band which is affixed to the luggage item within a conveying and sorting system in addition to the luggage tag.

Method for automatically checking in passengers and their luggage

A method and an apparatus monitor the transportation of a luggage item. What is to be monitored is a transportation process by which the luggage item is transported. At least one computer-accessible image of the luggage item is produced. The image shows the luggage item when illuminated with light visible to humans. A data record for the transportation process is produced, contains the image of the luggage item, and is stored in a data storage unit. The luggage item is taken to a checking device. The data storage unit is searched at least once for the data record for the transportation process. A display unit shows the image is included in the found data record. The image found is shown on the display unit such that a check becomes possible to determine whether the image shown actually shows the luggage item close to the display unit or another luggage item.

Method and apparatus for monitoring the transportation of a luggage item

A method and device are provided for transporting items, in particular postal consignments. A transport process is performed from an intermediate store to a continuation point. Each item that was conveyed to the intermediate store before generation of a start signal is removed from the intermediate store. The items transported are transferred from the intermediate store into a transport device. A record is stored of which items were conveyed to the intermediate store between generation of the start signal and generation of an end signal. The items transported in the transport device are removed from the transport device. For each item that was transported, a data record that has been stored for the item is determined. The stored data record is determined exclusively from the data records generated for those items that were conveyed to the intermediate store between generation of the start signal and generation of the end signal.

Method and device for transporting multiple items

A sorting device has at least one mail item buffer receptacle, a number of storage pockets for mail items arranged one after another and circulating continuously in a conveyor belt and moved past one or more loading stations. Below straight transfer sections of the conveyors fixed intermediate storage receptacles open at the top are arranged to accept one or more mail items from the loaded storage pockets to be opened under control in the transfer sections. On a transport path below the intermediate storage receptacles there are also continuously circulating mail item containers open at the top as sorting end points assigned to the destination addresses or destination address groups. In the mail item containers the mail items are unloaded downwards in a horizontal position in accordance with their read destination address through controllable opening of the relevant intermediate storage receptacle at the point, in which the mail item container assigned to the address is located in the corresponding position below the intermediate storage receptacle with mail items for this mail item container.

Method of sorting flat mail items

The sorting device according to the present invention has at least one mail item buffer receptacle, a number of storage pockets for mail items arranged one after another and circulating continuously in a conveyor belt and moved past one or more loading stations. Below straight transfer sections of the conveyors fixed intermediate storage receptacles open at the top are arranged to accept one or more mail items from the loaded storage pockets to be opened under control in the transfer sections. On a transport path below the intermediate storage receptacles there are also continuously circulating mail item containers open at the top as sorting end points assigned to the destination addresses or destination address groups. In the mail item containers the mail items are unloaded downwards in a horizontal position in accordance with their read destination address through controllable opening of the relevant intermediate storage receptacle at the point, in which the mail item container assigned to the address is located in the corresponding position below the intermediate storage receptacle with mail items for this mail item container.

Sorting device for flat mail items

The invention relates to a sorting device which includes a mail item buffer storage having storage pouches, circulating in a conveying loop and moving past charge station. Below straight handover sections of the conveying loops, circulating mail from containers, displaced in a conveying path and open to the top, are provided as the sorting terminal points. The mail items are charged into the mail item containers according to their read-out target addresses by controlled opening of the respective storage pouch at that time at which the respective pouch arrives in the respective position above the associated mail item container.

Movable containers are provided over one part of the section conveyor on which the mail items are filed according to the distribution sequence, said moveable containers circulating in an enclosed transport path and each having several compartments controlled to open downwards for each respective mail item. The compartments can only be emptied if the containers are in the neutral position at a sorting station. Automatic emptying takes place on the sections assigned to the delivery points according to the known destination address of the mail items. After a container has been emptied, it can be driven to a loading station at which the compartments are filled with mail items, the compartments with the mail items being assigned to the delivery points according to the respective destination address and this assignment is transmitted to a device for the controlled opening of the compartments.

Device for automatically merging manually processable mail flats with a flow according to the distribution sequence of sorted mail items

After the economizer, an injection water pipe branches off the connecting pipe between economizer and evaporator in order to control the steam temperature. The injection water pipe is provided with a control device for controlling the injection water flow. The injection water flowing through the injection water pipe is injected into the steam coming from the evaporator at a mixing point located before the superheater. In order to control the position of the control device in the injection water pipe, the enthalpy at the superheater outlet is calculated from the parameters pressure and temperature and is compared with a desired enthalpy resulting from the desired parameters.

Growing community of inventors

Constance, Germany

Wolf-Stephan Wilke