The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 04, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 21, 2010
Mark T. Neebe, Catonsville, MD (US);
Matthew G. Good, Marriotsville, MD (US);
Mark T. Neebe, Catonsville, MD (US);
Matthew G. Good, Marriotsville, MD (US);
Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Falls Church, VA (US);
Abstract
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.