EP1635958B1 - Method for processing mail - Google Patents

Abstract

The work station in the post office has several conveyer belts (150-195) moving containers (120) for letters and parcels to workstations (130) with human operators. The letters and parcels (100) are taken out and sorted into categories. Transfer devices (135) switch containers from one conveyer to another on a line (140) at right- angles to it.

Description

The invention relates to a method for processing mailpieces dropped into deposit points, wherein a plurality of mailpieces are collected and subsequently conveyed to letter centers in transport containers and sorted by mailing centers by mailing categories by mailing centers.

Generic methods are used by postal companies worldwide. The Applicant of the present application performs a generic method daily for several million letters.

Another known generic method is known from European Patent Application EP 1 072 328 A2 known. This known method also provides for sorting mail items during their transport on conveyor belts according to shipment categories. This is done by determining the weight and the dimensions of the mailpieces during the transport of the mailpieces on the conveyor belt. On the basis of the recorded weight and the detected dimensions, the mail items are then classified in categories and specifically removed from the area of the conveyor belt.

The French patent application FR 2 637 823 relates to a device for automatic sorting of envelopes, in which envelopes of different formats are delivered in a special way aligned in a container, taken in groups from the container and fed to the sorting device. After separation, the size of the envelopes is determined by means of specially arranged light barriers, and the envelopes are discharged according to their size in different containers.

From the U.S. Patent No. 4,136,780 shows a separating and sorting system, in which the mail items are first entered into an input hopper and subsequently separated by an inclined conveyor. Via a controllable receiving device, the mail items then reach one of a plurality of separating lines, to which a device adjoins, in which photocells determine the dimensions of the mailpieces. Subsequently, the items are discharged and stacked according to their determined dimensions.

The US Pat. No. 6,126,017 discloses an apparatus for sorting mailpieces, in which the mailings are sorted by addresses and discharged into buffer containers in which the mail items are arranged in stacks. When a buffer container is filled, the mail pieces are dumped into a dispensing container.

Furthermore, the describes European Patent Application EP 0 436 521 A2 a method and apparatus for tagging shipments to identify "zip code" breaks in batches of mail. The consignments are stacked in a funnel and then separated. A reader then determines the "zip code" and the shipments are provided at a certain position with a first identification which is changed when the "zip code" is changed, and they are also provided with a label whose position is changed every time the first three digits of the "zip code" is changed. Subsequently, the broadcasts are stacked in.

In the known generic method, the contents of the transport container is distributed, spent directly on conveyor belts and discharged on the conveyor belts by shipment categories from a given transport run.

Furthermore, methods are known in which consignors of mail sort the mailpieces according to sorting criteria specified by the respective postal company and deliver them according to this sorting. The pre-sorted items are then immediately transferred to an associated processing station in accordance with the full pre-sortation made by the consignor.

Furthermore, several non-generic product recognition systems are known in the art. The known product recognition systems enable object recognition, preferably by means of computer-aided optical scanning devices.

A well-known generic product identification system is in the European Patent EP 0 685 814 B1 and in their German translation DE 695 18 947 T2 shown. This known product recognition system enables identification, classification, evaluation and verification of objects. By the use of computer systems evaluating target object images, it is possible to realize an adaptive object recognition and thereby represent a multiplicity of objects. This known non-generic method is particularly suitable for distinguishing different types of fruit from each other.

Further, in the prior art, a variety of automatic control systems for robots are known.

A non-generic automatic control system with a robot-controlled manipulation device is from the European Patent EP 0 251 441 B1 and her German translation DE 37 88 596 T2 known. This known automatic control system allows the management of a manipulation device in dependence on determined information. As an application example of this automatic control system here the use in laboratory systems will be explained.

The invention has for its object to provide a generic method that is suitable for a mass sorting of mail by shipment categories in a mass deployment in mail centers at a high processing speed. Furthermore, the processing cost should be as low as possible.

According to the invention the object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1.

In particular, provision is made for the mail items to be filled into the transport containers, for the transport containers filled with the mailpieces to be transported to removal locations in the mail centers, for a partial presorting of the mail containers during the filling of the transport containers and / or during transport of the transport containers Mail items are sorted according to delivery categories, and then the mail items are removed from the transport containers in batches by utilizing the frequently existing presorting according to shipment categories and are fed to subsequent processing stations as a function of the mailing category.

The invention makes use of the surprising finding for a purposeful processing of the mailpieces that during the filling and / or the transport of mailpieces results in a substantially randomized presorting, to a targeted processing of the mailings by the mailpieces according to the resulting pre-sorting taken from the transport containers and then spent on the respective shipment categories corresponding processing stations.

The inserted points can be designed versatile. These can be both post offices, respectively Postal Agencies as well as dealing in mailboxes or receivers in the range of customers of a postal company.

So far, the experts assumed that mail is perfect accidentally dropped into mailboxes and would be completely mixed by subsequent transport and handling operations. Despite decades of handling several million letters a year, no expert has been aware that pre-sorting takes place by simple handling operations of the mailpieces, in particular their filling into transport containers and the transport of the transport container, which preferably has a box shape.

Based on the prejudice firmly anchored in the professional world that the mailpieces were unsorted, mail items collected in mailboxes at the letter centers were poured directly onto conveyor belts.

Due to the fact that, according to the invention, the mailpieces are removed in stacks from the transport containers in accordance with the existing presorting, the sorting outlay is considerably reduced.

The invention can be carried out with various transport containers. However, it is particularly advantageous to use box-shaped transport containers.

It has been found that, in particular when inserting mailpieces into box-shaped transport containers and during transport in box-shaped transport containers, a presorting of the mailpieces results.

The type of partial presorting results from the throwing of the mail items into the transport containers, the mailing structure, the transport conditions and the relationship between the dimensions of the transport containers and the mailpieces inserted therein.

In particular, in the event that the mailings predominantly transported flat lying in the transport containers, resulting in a partial pre-sorting of the mail.

The pre-sorting operations resulting from the transport assist the partial pre-sorting that previously resulted in the filling of the mailpieces into the transport containers.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that at least part of the transport containers is set up in points of insertion, in which at least one side of a page allows a substantially horizontal position of the mailpieces favoring throw-in.

This embodiment of the method according to the invention enables a faster processing of the mail items in receiving points.

The basically desirable filling of mail items of different categories of mail into different transport containers, including the vertical positioning of the mail items in the transport containers, which complements this complete order, can thus be replaced by a much simpler and faster filling of the transport containers. This involves considerable time and effort reductions in post offices or other post offices, such as postal agencies.

This handling for a part of the transport container can be combined with a suitable handling other transport containers arbitrarily.

A pre-sorting of the mailings according to the invention further improving measure is characterized in that at least a part of the transport containers are transported in means of transport to consignors of mail, so that in the field of Consignor of mail a substantially horizontal throw the mail is made possible in the transport container.

Such handling is particularly suitable for collecting mail items from postal customers. In principle, such a pick-up can be carried out by all postal customers, but it is expedient to carry out this pick-up especially for those customers who usually deliver several mail items per day.

Previously employed consignment methods provided that the consignor himself or herself pre-sort the consignments completely according to consignment categories and other sorting criteria or that the mailing-fetching employees of the respective postal company bring the mailings sorted according to the consignment categories into the transport containers. These known methods are associated with the disadvantage that the consignor, or the respective collector, must perform a presorting of the mailpieces. This requires a corresponding amount of time at the consignor, or at the collector of mail.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, this disadvantage is avoided in that the mail items are spent by utilizing a substantially randomly resulting presorting in the transport container.

This embodiment of the invention makes use of the knowledge that a large number of consignors are already sorting the letters sorted according to consignment sizes when the postal consignments are available for collection, for example in order to increase clarity.

When filling the transport container with the already so pre-sorted mail it is expedient to throw the smaller mailings first, so that the large mail pieces rest on the small mail pieces.

However, it is also advantageous, conversely, first to throw in the larger mailpieces, so that the small mailpieces rest, since, surprisingly, a partial pre-sorting of the mail items also develops in this case.

Even with the other throw-in methods, it is expedient to introduce the mailpieces in a manner which assists such pre-sorting.

As a result, a resulting pre-sorting process of the mail items according to the size of the mail item is supported.

In a variety of implementations of the invention, it has been found that at least a portion of the larger mailpieces accumulate at the top of the mailboxes during processing operations. It is a pre-sorting self-regulatory process that has not been previously known for mail.

Conveniently, other embodiments of the invention use this mechanism of action.

Surprisingly, the inventively exploited, randomly given, but statistically reproducible partial presorting of the mailings also results in the case of mailing in other points of insertion, for example mailboxes.

This is done in a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention in that at least part of the transport container is spent in mailboxes that in the mailboxes thrown mail directly into the transport container.

However, it is equally expedient that at least a portion of the transport container is filled by emptying located in mailboxes collection containers.

The filled with the mail items transport containers are - preferably transported depending on their level - to other dump points or transported to letter centers.

In a simple and expedient embodiment of the invention, at least a part of the transport containers is fed directly to the removal sites. As a result, the design effort for the implementation of the method is further reduced.

It is particularly advantageous to carry out the invention in such a way that at least part of the transport containers are fed to the removal sites through a conveyor line. This makes it possible to adapt the supply of the mailpieces to the removal points to removal capacities.

Furthermore, it is expedient for the transport containers to be fed cyclically to the removal devices.

The intermittent supply of the transport container is advantageously carried out so that after emptying a container automatically another container of the removal device is supplied. As a result, the processing speed is further increased.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the transport containers are supplied to the removal sites so that at least temporarily at least two transport containers in the region of a take-off place are located.

This makes it possible to accelerate the removal of the mail items from the transport containers. In particular, this embodiment of the invention enables a removal of mail items from a transport container during the change of another transport container.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that initially stacks of different consignment categories are taken from the transport containers, and that subsequently remaining in the transport containers mailings a shipment category are dumped from the transport container.

These process steps further increase the removal rate. In particular, this makes it possible to use the resulting pre-sorting of the mailpieces to further simplify the removal of the mailpieces. In particular, in carrying out the method with mailpieces of different sizes, the smaller mailpieces-in particular standard letters-collect in the lower region of the transport containers. This makes it possible to first remove batch-type postal items of different - preferably larger - mailing categories and then to quickly remove the postal items left in the transport containers after removal by dumping the transport container.

Furthermore, it is expedient that stacks of mail items are recognized by at least one optical detection means in at least a part of the removal locations. As a result, a further acceleration and automation of the process is possible.

• Für die Erfassung der Postsendungen kommen grundsätzlich beliebige, im Stand der Technik bekannte Erfassungsmittel in Betracht, wobei sich Produkterkennungssysteme, insbesondere lernfähig gestaltete Produkterkennungssysteme, besonders eignen.

Further measures to accelerate and automate the Method are shown below:

• In principle, any detection means known from the prior art can be considered for the detection of the mailpieces, with product recognition systems, in particular product recognition systems that are designed to be adaptive, particularly suitable.

A further expedient development of the invention is characterized in that the removal of the mail items from the transport containers is carried out by a robot in at least part of the removal sites.

The use of one or more robots for the batch removal of the mail items further increases the removal rate.

The term "robot" is to be understood in its broadest meaning as a programmable manipulator. In particular, this is a reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator for making variable programmable motion sequences in the sense of the definition of the term "robot" to understand the definition of the American Robot Institute (The Robotics Institute of America).

A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that mail items of at least one of the mailing categories of a subsequent processing station are fed by a conveyor belt. By means of this embodiment of the invention, it is possible to supply at least a portion of the mailpieces removed from the transport containers rapidly to one or more of the subsequent processing stations.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to equip the removal points so that below one or more transport containers a - preferably additionally attached - conveyor belt is located. By the conveyor belt, it is possible to drop mail taken from the transport containers directly on this conveyor, whereby they are automatically transported away. As a result, the processing speed is further increased.

In terms of apparatus, this is expediently realized in that the unloading station is designed such that it has a holding device for one or more transport containers, and that two conveyor belts for transport in different directions are provided below the mounting location for the transport containers.

This makes it possible to remove mail items of a first category of mail directly from the transport containers and to drop them immediately above the respectively suitable conveyor belt.

This is expediently achieved in that a removal arm engages in the postal container, removes a stack of postal items of the same shipment category, drops it on a conveyor belt located in front of and / or under the transport container and then immediately re-engages in the transport container and there further mailings of the same shipment category extracts.

For further transport of mail items of other categories of mail, both further conveyor belts and other transport containers can likewise be used.

Appropriately, different types of onward transport are provided for mailings of different categories, so that the type of onward transport adapted to the number of mailings of the respective categories of mail can be.

Thus, for example, when carrying out the method with postal items of the mailing categories standard letter, compact letter, large letter and maxi letter, it is expedient to convey machine-capable standard letters on a conveyor belt, to insert machine-compatible large and maxi letters on another conveyor belt and the mailpieces of other mailing categories into further transport containers.

Furthermore, it is expedient to carry out a separation of the mailpieces at least partially during the transport of the mailpieces on at least one of the conveyor belts.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the type of singulation is adapted to the respective shipment category and to the shipment volume.

Thus, it is expedient, for example, to submit letters of a frequently occurring mailing category-preferably machine-capable standard letters-during transport on the conveyor belt to one or more processing steps promoting singulation.

When carrying out with a particularly high shipment volume, the separating steps lead to the formation of an at least approximately continuous delivery stream when mailpieces applied substantially in batches to the conveyor belt are fed.

Mail contained in such a mail stream may be completely singled out in various suitable ways. For example, this horizontal-vertical converter can be used with subsequent fast-running separation line.

In the case of mailpieces located on other conveyor belts-for compact and large letters, for example-machine-capable, it is expedient to perform a complete singulation on the conveyor belt and to devalue the mailpieces during a passage on the conveyor belt.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of such a devaluation is referred to below as roll-band devaluation.

In the roll-band devaluation, the large and maxi letters to be canceled can be fed on a roller conveyor. The maxi letters can then be taken off the conveyor belt after their validation and placed in provided containers. Particularly advantageous is the possible adjustment of the speed of the roller punching belt. The throughput increases due to the simple action of roll stamping (big and maxi) and taking out the maxi letter. This increases the processing speed compared to the manual sorting. The shipment does not have to be touched or rotated individually for stamping.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to carry out the method in such a way that at least part of the mailpieces are invalidated during transport on the conveyor belt.

This embodiment of the invention contributes to a further acceleration of the process. Although it is expedient to carry out the cancellation in principle for all mail carried further on conveyor belts, it is particularly advantageous to perform the cancellation during transport on the conveyor belt for mailpieces with a relatively low shipment volume, for example for large and medium letters.

Other advantages, features and expedient developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following illustration of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1

eine Prinzipdarstellung einer für die Durchführung der Entnahme der Postsendungen und ihrer nachfolgenden Bearbeitung geeigneten Vorrichtung;

Fig. 2

einen Schnitt durch die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Vorrichtung entlang der Linie A-A;

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt durch die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Vorrichtung entlang der Linie B-B und

Fig. 4

einen Schnitt durch die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Vorrichtung entlang der Linie C-C.

From the drawings shows:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a suitable for carrying out the removal of the mailpieces and their subsequent processing device;

Fig. 2

a section through the device shown in Figure 1 along the line AA.

Fig. 3

a section through the device shown in Fig. 1 along the line BB and

Fig. 4

a section through the device shown in Fig. 1 along the line CC.

The invention will be explained with reference to particularly advantageous embodiments.

The illustrated embodiments are particularly useful because they lend themselves to mass processing of a plurality of mailpieces.

The representation is to be understood only as an example and can be used in a variety of methods for processing mail.

In particular, the illustrated shipment categories are merely exemplary. The selected consignment categories can each be adapted to the operational requirements. However, it is particularly useful to use known broadcast categories, as this makes the method compatible with other processing steps of mail.

The names of the categories of consignments may correspond both to the categories of consignments used by the applicant and to other business needs of mail centers.

In addition, the invention can be implemented in many constructive ways.

In particular, the invention does not depend on a particular embodiment of the sorting devices 110, 210, 310.

Prior to the processing of the mailpieces in the sorting devices 110, 210, 310, a multiplicity of mailpieces 100, 200, 300 thrown into delivery points are collected and subsequently conveyed in transport containers 120, 220, 320 to letter centers.

Appropriately, the transport containers are transported in the mail centers directly to the sorting devices 110, 210, 310.

In order to ensure that during the processing of the mail items in the sorting devices 110, 210, 310 at each of the picking locations 130, 230 there is at least one transport container 120, 220, 320 filled with mailpieces, it is expedient to use the mailpieces 100, 200 To transport 300 filled transport containers 120, 220, 320 intermittently to the removal locations 130, 230, 330.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the transport of the transport containers 120, 220, 320 takes place through a conveyor line 140, 340.

The structure of the conveyor line is shown in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 3.

In the area of charging points 105, 305, transport containers 120, 320 filled with mail items 100, 300 are placed on the conveying path 140, 340.

The conveying path 140, 340 contains suitable means for transporting the transport containers 120, 320. The means not shown for reasons of simplification are, for example, a suitably driven conveyor belt or a roller conveyor with driven rollers.

The conveyor line 140, 340 serves to transport the transport containers 120, 320 to take-off locations 130, 330.

The transport of the transport containers 120, 320 to the picking locations 130, 330 can take place both directly and via further means of transport.

An integration of other means of transport allows adaptation to different spatial conditions and thus a considerable space savings.

Such a particularly high space saving is realized in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in that a converter 135, 335 is located at the end of the conveying path 140, 340 opposite the charging point 105, 305.

The converter 135, 335 permits a conversion of the transport containers 120, 320 to a further conveying path 145.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the further conveying path 145 extends substantially perpendicular to the first conveyor line 140.

The embodiment with a first conveyor section 140, 340 and a second conveyor section 145 has the advantage that the subsequent removal of the mailpieces 100, 300 from the transport containers 120, 320 is largely decoupled from the delivery of the transport containers 120, 320.

This advantageous decoupling is maintained even if there is a converter 135, 335 between the first conveyor section 140, 340 and the second conveyor section 145. The converter 135, 335, however, has the additional advantage that the transport containers 120, 320 can be moved to the take-off locations 130, 330 faster and with relatively little design effort.

Details of sampling locations 130, 230, 330 are shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

In particular, it is advantageous that, at least temporarily, two transport containers are located next to one another at each of the removal locations 130, 230, 330.

Expediently, the transport containers 120, 220, 320 are brought to the removal locations 130, 230, 330 such that the transport containers have an adjustable tilt angle of preferably approximately 50 to approximately 70 ° relative to the horizontal.

In the area of sampling places 130, 230, 330 are by a suitable product detection system, as for example from the European Patent EP 0 685 841 B1 is known, recognized stack of mail items of the same shipment category. Immediately after recognition of the stack, or particularly advantageously substantially simultaneously with the recognition of the Stack of mail items of the same shipment category, a manipulation engages in the transport container 120, 220, 320 located in the area of the take-off station 130, 230, 330 and removes the previously recognized stack of postal items 100, 200, 300 of the same shipment category from the transport container 120, 220, 320.

The manipulation is designed in different ways. An implementation example is in the European Patent EP 0 251 441 B1 disclosed.

Immediately after the removal of the stack of mailpieces, the manipulation arm drops the stack of mailpieces 100, 200, 300 onto a conveyor belt located as close as possible to the transport container.

The conveyor conveys standard letters and compact letters to another conveyor 170, 175, 250, 280, 350, 380.

Large letters are transported by another conveyor located in the area of take-off places 130, 230, 330 to a further conveyor 150, 160 for the carriage of large letters.

With a shipment number of about 30,000 to 42,000 shipments per hour - of which about 30,000 to 36,000 standard and / or compact letters and otherwise large letters, or Maxibriefe - for large letters and two conveyor belts for standard letters results for the large letters by selecting the conveyor speeds of the conveyor belts already a separation.

For the standard letters and compact letters an additional separation is carried out during transport on the conveyor belts 170, 175, 250, 280, 350, 380. To further speed up the process and to further save space, it is expedient that below the conveyor line 140, 340 and / or below the conveyor belts 170, 175, 250, a discharge line 290, 390 arranged for the return transport of the emptied transport container 120, 220, 320 is.

In order to enable rapid onward transport of the mailpieces processed in the region of the sorting device 110, 210, 310, it is expedient to provide a device for the automatic feeding of further transport containers 195, 395.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the feeding device for further transport containers 195, 395 is such that the further transport containers 195, 395 are arranged directly below the end of conveyed conveyor belts 150, 160 that are being processed.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the mailings slide directly via a chute 198 in the other transport container 195th
Although the further transport containers 195, 395 may have the same dimensions as the transport containers 120, 220, 320 for the transport of the unsorted mail items, it is particularly expedient to design the further transport containers 195, 395 with smaller dimensions-in particular with a smaller base area.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the further transport containers 195, 395 have dimensions which are slightly larger than the maximum size of the mail items transported on the conveyor belts 150, 160.

As a result, it is possible for an orientation of the mailpieces achieved when the mailpieces are transferred to the conveyor belts 150, 160 to be maintained.

A particularly advantageous design of the feed means for the further transport containers 195, 395 is such that the transport containers 195, 395 are transported at least in sections parallel to the conveyor belts 150, 160.

In a particularly expedient embodiment, this is done in that the conveying means for the further transport containers 195, 395 are at least in sections parallel to the conveyor belts 150, 160 for the mailpieces which are to reach the further transport containers 195, 395.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of this is characterized in that the conveying means are designed as a conveying path 199, 399.

The preferably parallel to the conveyor belts 150, 160 extending and expediently in the same direction, but operated at a significantly lower transport speed conveyor line 199, 399 is arranged in a particularly preferred embodiment immediately below each of a conveyor belt 150, 160.

In this way, it is possible for the mail items conveyed on the conveyor belt 150, 160 to arrive directly in the further transport containers 195, 395, for example via a chute 198.

Such further transport of the mail items in the other transport containers 195, 395 requires a particularly low processing costs and is also very space-saving, so that a good integration of the supply of the further transport container 195, 395 is made possible in the sorting.

In addition, this also reduces the space required for the Further transport of the further transport containers 195, 395 and the required storage space for additional transport containers 195, 395 to be supplied.

In the manner shown, it is possible to integrate the sorting device shown in existing mail centers.

In letter centers, standard letters in automatic stamping machines are canceled. In address reading machines the inscription is read and the consignment is coded. In fine sorting machines, the letter is sorted onto the individual deliverers, PO box systems / large customers, then in the sequence sorting machines the consignment quantity determined for deliverers according to a sequence (house number after house number). For example, the machine throughput is 36,000 shipments per hour = 10 letters per second.

This throughput refers to the number of standard shipments processed with the sorter. In addition, shipments of further shipment categories may be present in the processed mail items, but these are subjected to a different processing than the standard letters by the method steps described above.

In particular, it is expedient to supply so-called machine-capable mailpieces to other processing steps than other mailpieces. The machine-capable mail items are in particular standard mailings. In particular, flexible and standard dimensions corresponding mail items are processed here. The sorting devices shown carry postal items which are hard or have inflexible inserts and / or one-sided thickenings, or round edges or other deviations from standardized dimensions, to separate processing devices.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

mailings

105

charging site

110

sorter

120

transport container

130

unloading stations

140

conveyor line

145

conveyor line

150

conveyor belt

160

conveyor belt

170

conveyor belt

175

conveyor belt

195

further transport container

198

slide

199

conveyor line

200

mailings

210

sorter

220

transport container

230

unloading stations

250

conveyor belt

290

Abförderstrecke

300

mailings

305

charging site

310

sorter

320

transport container

330

unloading stations

340

conveyor line

390

Abförderstrecke

395

further delivery container

399

conveyor line

Claims (17)

1. A method for processing mailpieces (100, 200, 300),

   - in which a plurality of mailpieces (100, 200, 300) that have been dropped into mail drop boxes are collected

   - and then transported in transportation containers (120, 220, 320) to postal centers

   - and are sorted in the postal centers by means of sorting devices (110, 210, 310) according to postal categories,

   - whereby the mailpieces (100, 200, 300) are filled into the transportation containers (120, 220, 320),

   - whereby the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) filled with the mailpieces (100, 200, 300) are transported to unloading stations (130, 230, 330) in the postal centers,

   characterized in that,

   - at the unloading stations (130, 230, 330), the mailpieces (100, 200, 300) are removed in stacks from the transportation containers (120, 220, 320), utilizing a presorting according to postal categories,

   - whereby the presorting has occurred partially and coincidentally during the filling and/or during the transport of the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) to the postal center,

   - whereby a manipulation arm reaches into the transportation container (120, 220, 320) that is located in the area of the unloading station (130, 230, 330) immediately after a stack of mailpieces (100, 200, 300) of the same postal category has been recognized,

   - it removes from the transportation container (120, 220, 320) the previously recognized stack of mailpieces (100, 200, 300) of the same postal category,

   - and drops the stack of mailpieces onto a conveyor belt that is located in the area of the unloading station (130, 230, 330),

   - and in that the mailpieces (100, 200, 300) are conveyed to subsequent processing stations as a function of the postal category.
2. The method according to Claim 1,
   characterized in that
   the mailpieces (100, 200, 300) are transported in essentially box-shaped transportation containers (120, 220, 320).
3. The method according to one of both of Claims 1 or 2,
   characterized in that
   at least some of the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are set up in drop-off places where, at least from one side, the mailpieces (100, 200, 300) can be dropped off in a way that promotes an essentially horizontal position.
4. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   at least some of the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are conveyed in transport means to mailers of mailpieces (100, 200, 300) so that, in the area of the mailer of mailpieces (100, 200, 300), the mailpieces can be dropped essentially horizontally into the transportation containers (120, 220, 320).
5. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   at least some of the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are placed into mailboxes in such a way that mailpieces (100, 200, 300) dropped into the mailboxes end up directly in the transportation containers (120, 220, 320).
6. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   at least some of the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are filled by emptying collecting containers located in mailboxes.
7. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   at least some of the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are taken directly to the unloading stations (130, 230, 330).
8. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   at least some of the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are taken to the unloading stations (130, 230, 330) by means of a conveyor section (140, 240, 340).
9. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   at least some of the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are conveyed to the unloading stations (130, 230, 330) intermittently.
10. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are conveyed to the unloading stations in such a way that, at least at times, at least two transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are located in the area of an unloading station (130, 230, 330).
11. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    first of all, stacks of mailpieces (100, 200, 300) of different postal categories are removed from the transportation containers (120, 220, 320), and in that subsequently, mailpieces of one postal category remaining in the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) are tipped out of the transportation container.
12. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    first of all, individual mailpieces (100, 200, 300) are removed from the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) by a partial tipping of the transportation containers (120, 220, 320), and in that subsequently, stacks of mailpieces (100, 200, 300) of different postal categories are tipped out of the transportation containers.
13. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that,
    in at least some of the unloading stations (130, 230, 330), stacks of mailpieces (100, 200, 300) are recognized by at least one optical detection means.
14. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that,
    in at least some of the unloading stations (130, 230, 330), the mailpieces (100, 200, 300) are removed from the transportation containers (120, 220, 320) by a robot.
15. The method according to one or more of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that
    mailpieces of at least one of the postal categories are fed to a subsequent processing station by means of at least one conveyor belt (150, 160, 170, 175, 250).
16. The method according to Claim 15,
    characterized in that
    the mailpieces are at least partially singulated while they are being transported on the conveyor belt (150, 160, 170, 175, 250).
17. The method according to Claim 15,
    characterized in that
    at least some of the mailpieces are canceled while they are being transported on the conveyor belt (150, 160, 170, 175, 250).

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