EP1592523A1

EP1592523A1 - Sorting device for flat mail items

Info

Publication number: EP1592523A1
Application number: EP04706620A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wolf-Stephan Wilke
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2003-02-12
Filing date: 2004-01-30
Publication date: 2005-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 2024-01-30
Also published as: CN1774306A; US20060102529A1; JP2006517464A; JP4171041B2; WO2004071680A1; US7397010B2; EP1592523B1; DE502004003128D1; DE10305847B3; CN100464875C

Abstract

The invention relates to a sorting device which comprises a mail item buffer storage (1) having storage pouches (10), circulating in a conveying loop and moving past charge stations (7). Below straight handover sections of said conveying loops, circulating mail item containers (12), displaced in a conveying path and open to the top, are provided as the sorting terminal points. The mail items (11) are charged into the mail item containers (12) according to their read-out target addresses by controlled opening of the respective storage pouch (10) at that time at which the respective pouch arrives in the respective position above the associated mail item container (12). The conveying speeds of the mail item buffer storages (1) and of the mail item containers (12) and the lengths of the handover sections of the mail item buffer storage (1) located above the conveying path for the mail item containers (12) are defined in such a manner that during the period in which a mail item pouch (10) passes a handover section of a mail item buffer storage (1) every mail item container (12) has passed below said mail item pouch (10).

Description

description

Sorting device for flat items

The present invention relates to a sorting device for flat mail items with at least one input station, in each case one mail item singulator and one subsequent mailer for transporting the singulated mail to process devices, such as e.g. Reader, barcode printer, passing to each have a loading station of a mail buffer, the mailer buffer consists of several circulating in a conveyor loop, moving past the loading stations storage pockets, which are loaded in the loading stations with the shipments.

For the sorting of flat items, such as letters, postcards, large letters and the like according to the distribution information given on their surface, it is known to take these items into special bag-shaped containers, to transport them and to deliver them in a controlled manner.

Thus, EP 0 608 161 A1 discloses a sorting device in which flat objects are transported laterally from a storage device into a storage pocket by means of a channel-shaped, locally fixed delivery device. These circulating in a closed loop storage pockets are moved horizontally past the feeder and the consignments fall then by targeted opening of flaps according to the sorting rule in sorting container underneath. For safe introduction of the consignments into the moving storage pockets, either the consignments in the feeder device must have a very high transport speed, which can lead to damage when the consignments in the container are decelerated, or the speed of the storage pockets is very low or the containers are stationary during the transfer silent, which means a reduction in throughput of the machine. For arranging in a particular order, a solution has been known (EP 820 818 AI), which uses a temporary storage consisting of in a conveyor loop with at least two semi-circular Fδrderabschnitten on a conveyor rotating storage pockets, each receiving a shipment and this on command in the actual filing can give again. In this case, first all to be classified programs are housed in any order in the storage pockets of the cache. Then, the items are removed from the storage pockets of the buffer and transferred to the shelves that they are in the latter in the order to be produced. The open-topped shelves are located along the straight sections of the conveyor below the storage pockets.

In order to improve the introduction of the shipments into the storage pockets, according to WO 97/10904 the end section of the transport means of the feeder is pivotable so that, during the transfer of the respective consignment, this end section is swiveled in substantially the same direction and speed as the moving storage pocket and is swung back after infiltration.

The throughput of these sorting devices is limited by the throughput of the circulating storage pockets. An increase in throughput can theoretically only be achieved by increasing the speed and / or reducing the pitch of the transport system of the storage pockets. But this is as described (shot into the storage pockets) only very limited possible.

Also known was a sorting device (EP 0 949 015 A2) having a plurality of input units, at least one mailer buffer with continuously circulating storage pockets, mail containers as sorting end points which are filled from the lowest mail buffer and are provided with an input buffer. and discharge device for consignment containers. It is possible to use fewer sorting endpoints than sorting destinations.

The invention has for its object to provide a sorting device with circulating Speichertas.chen that deliver controlled shipments according to the read destination addresses to sorting stations, which has a higher throughput and with the effort for automatic change of the consignment containers and to measure their Fill levels can be reduced.

According to the invention the object is achieved by the features of claim 1. In this case, the sorting device can have a plurality of mail item storage bins, each with a continuously circulating conveyor belt, arranged behind one another and moving past one or two loading bins. Below the straight transfer sections of the conveying loops of the mailing buffer or storage buffer are located in a transport path moving, continuously rotating, open-topped mail container as the destination addresses or destination address groups associated Sortiertstellen. In the consignment containers, the items are unloaded according to their read destination addresses by controllably opening the respective storage bag at the time when this bag is in the appropriate position above the associated consignment container. The container transport path has at least one infeed device for empty consignment containers and at least one outfeed device for filled consignment containers. The transport speeds of the mailer buffers and the mailer containers and the lengths of the transfer sections of the orbits of the mailer buffers arranged above the transport path for the mail containers for loading the mail containers are set such that, in the time span, a memory pocket is a transfer section of a mail buffer passes through each mailing container has moved under this storage bag. Due to the new principle: -The consignment containers are transported to the consignments- it is possible to increase the throughput without increasing the transport speeds by means of parallelization with a flexible arrangement. It is thus possible to significantly reduce the speed of the storage pockets, thereby increasing the time available to read the destination addresses until reaching the first transfer section.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the subclaims.

Thus, it is advantageous to improve the stack quality to tilt the storage pockets for receiving the items in a standing position against the transport direction of the mail item.

It is also advantageous to tilt the rotating mail containers in the same direction, so that an inclined bottom with one or two preferential stacking edges is formed.

If, during certain shipments, the destination address can not be read until the first transfer section has been reached, these storage pockets advantageously pass through a defined number of transfer sections and if the destination addresses could not yet be read during this time, these shipments become a shipment container for unread programs slammed.

It is advantageous if the mailing containers transported directly beneath the transfer sections of the mailer buffers each have the same transport direction as the storage pockets. This allows the stacking clean and defined.

In order to achieve particularly high throughputs, in an advantageous development, several transmission buffer memories are provided Förderschleifen each have two straight transfer sections and two semi-circular sections with the loading stations, arranged side by side. The transport path for the circulating mail containers is guided in a meandering manner beneath the mail item buffer store so that the mail item containers transported directly beneath the transfer sections of the mailer buffer storages each have the same transport direction as the storage pockets.

In a favorable embodiment, the storage pockets are open at the side and are guided with the open sides laterally past the end portions of the transport devices. As a result, the transport direction from the input station and the shipment orientation can be maintained right into the storage pocket.

It is also advantageous if the transport path for the mail item container has at least two narrow finger bands running at a fixed distance and for transporting the mail item containers into or out of the transport path, liftable transport rollers are arranged laterally from the transport path and between the finger bands. The largest direction component during insertion or removal runs perpendicular to the transport direction of the transport path. This allows the in and out of the

Shipment container can be realized with little effort.

In a further advantageous embodiment, controllable stationary actuators for opening the storage pockets are arranged along the transfer sections of the mail item buffer memories. At the end of the transfer sections, a closing element is provided in each case.

In order to advantageously determine the height of the consignment stacks in the consignment containers, the container is positioned above the transport path after the transfer sections and before the device for feeding in and out the consignment containers from the transport container. web arranged a sensor arrangement for determining the stack height. In contrast, so far had to be placed at each terminal a corresponding sensor or a calculation of the stack height by means of the measured thicknesses _. the individual shipments take place.

Subsequently, the invention will be explained in more detail in an embodiment with reference to the drawing. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a sorting device with 3 transmission buffer memories; 2 shows a schematic side view of the storage pockets over the mail containers;

3 shows a schematic representation of an input and

Removal device for consignment containers (view from below).

As can be seen from FIG. 1, 3 transmission buffer memories 1 are arranged next to one another. Each program buffer memory 1 consists of continuously arranged in a conveyor loop continuously arranged, controlled downwards by opening mechanism dischargeable storage pockets for receiving the programs in a standing position. Each conveyor loop has two straight

Transfer sections and between them two semicircular sections. The storage pockets are laterally open to the outside, and at each semicircular portion of a Förder- loop is a loading station 7, in which consignments are individually transported through the side openings in the empty storage pockets. The loading stations 7 receive the items individually one after the other from an input unit 2, in which the items from consignment stacks are uncoupled by means of a mail item singulator 3, aligned in an alignment line 4, and then on

Process devices, such as an address reader 5 or a barcode printer 6 for applying an identification code. be transported to the loading station 7 by means of a transport device 8. At each semicircular portion of the conveyor loops of the mail item storage 1 shipments are introduced into the storage pockets, ie the system has 6 input units 2 and loading stations 7. Below the rotating storage pockets open-topped mail containers are moved as sorting points also continuously circulating on a transport path 9. This is done so that the consignment containers are transported directly under all straight transfer sections of the mail item buffer memory 1 with the same conveying direction as the storage pockets, ie the transport path runs meandering here. The transport speed of the mail container is set so that each mailing container is moved through under each storage bag during its passage through a transfer section. The speed of the storage pockets is therefore relatively low (eg 0.1 m / s) compared to the mail containers (eg 1 m / s), which has a favorable effect on the safe operation of the input units and the loading stations. As a result of the illustrated parallelization of the input processes of several mail buffer 1, which is not possible in the prior art with stationary terminals to the extent that the throughput of the sorter can be increased. Another advantage is that no longer mailing paths are needed after the address reader to provide the time needed to determine the address. If it is assumed that the diameter of the semicircular sections of the conveyor loops of the mail item buffer store 1 is 2 m, then after the loading of the storage pocket up to its entry into the straight transfer section, about 15 seconds would be available. The basic structure of the mail item buffer memory 1 with the circulating storage pockets 10 and the unloading of the mail items 11 lying in the mail container 12 is shown in FIG. The direction of movement of the storage pockets 10 and the mail container 12 is indicated by the arrows. To measure the level of the mail container 12 and on this basis to ascertain when the filled mail container 12 must be discharged and replaced by an empty mail container 12, located above the transport path to the mail buffer 1 and before an input and output device 16, a sensor assembly 14 for measuring the stack height, eg as a laser sensor. If the maximum stack height has not yet been reached, then the respective mail container 12 passes through another circulation. If it has been reached or exceeded, the shutdown takes place. The basic structure of the input and output device 16 is shown in FIG.

For better unloading in the direction of movement inclined backward storage pockets 10 of the program buffer memory 1 run in comparison to the mail containers 12 at a relatively slow speed. The number of storage pockets 10 required is determined by the throughput of the mail sorting device 3 and the time for a complete container circulation plus possibly. necessary process times for the determination of the sorting target. This ensures that each item 11 is held in the item buffer memory 1 until the item 12 associated with the destination address and sorting container 12 passes through the pocket 10. The storage pockets 10 are formed so that they can be fed with the separated consignments 11 from the side, and that they drove the respective consignment 11 by operating a flap construction 13 as a pocket bottom down in the three spaced-apart Fingerbän- 17 passing mailing container 12 can submit.

The flaps are equipped in this flap construction 13 with a lever of certain length, so that a timed operation, for example, depending on previously determined broadcasting property (eg thickness) done and the triggering time can be easily varied in terms of optimum stacking quality. The location and number of stationary actuators 15 for opening the storage pockets 10 (eg lifting magnets) is thus fixed. that a timely triggering each storage bag 10 in combination with each passing mail container 12 is ensured.

The following further variants are possible or advantageous:

The mail containers 12 can also be transported inclined so that an inclined bottom with one or two preferential pile edge (s) is formed. Accordingly, the transmission buffer memory 1 may be inclined.

In the infeed and outfeed device 16 for consignment container 12 are located between the individual finger bands 17 of the transport path 9 and laterally of the transport path 9 obliquely employees, driven rollers 18, which via a suitable actuator (eg pneumatically or electrically controlled lever) timed on the fingers the finger straps 17 can be raised and lowered so that they lift the transport container 12 located at this moment over the rollers 18, while retaining the transport speed component of the finger straps 17, over the finger straps 17, move transversely to the finger straps 17 and thus into the Introduce electricity (empty container) or discharge it from the flow (full container). To increase the process reliability additional mechanical guide devices can be used.

In order to have enough time for discharging adjacent consignment containers 12 and to shorten the clearing time, two input and output devices 16 are provided. The ejected filled consignment containers 12 finally arrive at labeling modules 19 via a storage line, where they are provided with correspondingly printed labels for identification and identification (address area).

Claims

claims

1. Sorting device for flat items

- With one or more input units (2), each a shipment separation device (3) and a subsequent transport device (8) for transporting the separated items (11) to process devices (5,6) over to each loading station (7) of a program buffer memory (1 ), each storage buffer store (1) comprising a plurality of storage pockets (10) continuously circulating in a conveyor loop and arranged at one or more loading stations (7), wherein empty storage pockets (10) are present in the loading stations (7) be loaded with the individual consignments (11),

- And with below straight transfer sections of Fδrderschleifen the or the transmission buffer memory (1) on a transport path (9) moving, also continuously circulating, open-topped mail containers (12) as the destination addresses or destination address associated sorting stations, in which the broadcasts (11) accordingly their read destination addresses by controllably opening the respective storage pocket (10) at the time when this storage pocket (10) is located in a corresponding position above the associated mail item (12), down to a lying position, - the container transport path ( 9) at least one

Including infeed device (16) for empty consignment containers (12) and at least one dispensing device (16) for filled consignment containers (12),

- And wherein the transport speeds of the shipment buffer memory (1) and the mail container (12) and the lengths of the transport path (9) for the mail container (12) for loading the mail container (12) arranged transfer sections of the mailer buffer memory (1) are set so that in the period in which a storage pocket (10) passes through a transfer section of a mail buffer (1), each mail container (12) moves under this storage pocket (10).

2. Sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the storage pockets (10) for receiving the mail items (11) in a stationary position against the transport direction of the mail container (12) are inclined.

3. Sorting device according to claim 2, wherein the mail container (12) are inclined in the same direction as the storage pockets (10).

4. Sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the storage pockets (10) are controlled so that when not yet read destination address at the time when the memory pocket (10) with this program (11) enters the first time in a transfer section , this storage bag (10) passes through a fixed number of transfer sections until it is to be opened, and if then the destination address could not be read, the shipment (11) of this storage bag (10) into a consignment container (12) for unread programs ( 11) is channeled.

5. Sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the directly below the transfer sections of the mail item buffer memory (1) along transported mail container (12) each have the same transport direction as the storage pockets (10).

6. Sorting device according to claim 1, in which a plurality of transmission buffer memories (1), whose conveying loops each have two straight transfer sections and two semicircular transfer sections Having sections with the loading stations (7), are arranged side by side and the transport path (9) for the circulating mail container (12) underneath the mail buffer (1) meander-shaped is guided so that the directly below the transfer sections of the mail buffer (1) along transported consignment - Have container (12) each have the same transport direction as the storage pockets (10).

7. Sorting device according to claim 1, wherein for loading the storage pockets (10) in the loading stations (7) the laterally open storage pockets (10) are guided with the open sides laterally at the end portions of the transport means (8).

8. The sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the transport path (9) for the mail container (12) has at least two spaced-apart closely spaced narrow fingered bands (17), and for the infeed and outfeed of the container (12) into or Liftable and lowerable transport rollers (18) are arranged laterally from the transport path (9) and between the finger strips (17), the largest direction component being introduced or removed in the direction of transport of the transport path (3). 9) runs.

9. Sorting device according to claim 1, wherein along the transfer sections of the mail item buffer memory (1) controllable stationary actuators (15) for opening the storage pockets (10) are arranged and at the end of the transfer sections in each case a closing element is provided.

10. Sorting device according to claim l, _t in which over the transport path (9) of the mail container (12) after the

Transfer sections and in front of the device (16) for feeding in and out of the mail container (12) from the Trans- port (9) a sensor arrangement (14) is arranged for determining the stack height.