EP1699570B1 - Mail sorting machine comprising a carrousel with flexible deflectors - Google Patents

Mail sorting machine comprising a carrousel with flexible deflectors Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1699570B1
EP1699570B1 EP04805808A EP04805808A EP1699570B1 EP 1699570 B1 EP1699570 B1 EP 1699570B1 EP 04805808 A EP04805808 A EP 04805808A EP 04805808 A EP04805808 A EP 04805808A EP 1699570 B1 EP1699570 B1 EP 1699570B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
carousel
receptacle
sorting machine
mail
receptacles
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP04805808A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1699570A1 (en
Inventor
Emmanuel Delbe
Pierre Campagnolle
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Solystic SAS
Original Assignee
Solystic SAS
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Filing date
Publication date
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Application filed by Solystic SAS filed Critical Solystic SAS
Publication of EP1699570A1 publication Critical patent/EP1699570A1/en
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Publication of EP1699570B1 publication Critical patent/EP1699570B1/en
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/12—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands or rollers
    • B65H29/125—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands or rollers between two sets of rollers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C3/00—Sorting according to destination
    • B07C3/02—Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
    • B07C3/08—Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution using arrangements of conveyors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/52—Stationary guides or smoothers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/68—Reducing the speed of articles as they advance
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/02—Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by belts or chains, e.g. between belts or chains
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/30—Orientation, displacement, position of the handled material
    • B65H2301/32—Orientation of handled material
    • B65H2301/321—Standing on edge
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/44—Moving, forwarding, guiding material
    • B65H2301/446—Assisting moving, forwarding or guiding of material
    • B65H2301/4461—Assisting moving, forwarding or guiding of material by blowing air towards handled material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/44—Moving, forwarding, guiding material
    • B65H2301/447—Moving, forwarding, guiding material transferring material between transport devices
    • B65H2301/4474—Pair of cooperating moving elements as rollers, belts forming nip into which material is transported
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/44—Moving, forwarding, guiding material
    • B65H2301/447—Moving, forwarding, guiding material transferring material between transport devices
    • B65H2301/4476—Endless transport devices with compartments
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2404/00—Parts for transporting or guiding the handled material
    • B65H2404/20—Belts
    • B65H2404/23—Belts with auxiliary handling means
    • B65H2404/231—Belts with auxiliary handling means pocket or gripper type
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2405/00—Parts for holding the handled material
    • B65H2405/30—Other features of supports for sheets
    • B65H2405/33—Compartmented support
    • B65H2405/331—Juxtaposed compartments
    • B65H2405/3312—Juxtaposed compartments for storing articles vertically or inclined (>45)
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2405/00—Parts for holding the handled material
    • B65H2405/30—Other features of supports for sheets
    • B65H2405/35—Means for moving support
    • B65H2405/352—Means for moving support in closed loop
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2408/00—Specific machines
    • B65H2408/10—Specific machines for handling sheet(s)
    • B65H2408/11—Sorters or machines for sorting articles
    • B65H2408/113—Sorters or machines for sorting articles with variable location in space of the bins relative to a stationary in-feed path
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
    • B65H2701/1916—Envelopes and articles of mail
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S209/00—Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
    • Y10S209/90—Sorting flat-type mail

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a postal sorting machine comprising a carousel and a system for injecting mail pieces on edge in carousel receptacles, each receptacle of the carousel being defined by a bottom wall and two side walls.
  • a postal sorting machine more particularly a "TOP 2000” type machine manufactured by the company "Solystic"
  • the injection of the mail items moving on an input conveyor into a sorting conveyor is effected by means of of an intermediate injection carousel.
  • This mail item transfer operation is particularly critical for the performance of the sorting machine. It decides the speed of processing of mail items in the sorting machine and the articles must therefore be transferred in a minimum of time with an injection rate in the carousel of about six articles per second.
  • the mailpieces processed by this machine are mainly flat objects of all kinds, rigid, flexible, plasticized, paper, width between 90 and 300 mm, length between 140 and 400 mm, and thickness ranging from 0.2 at 32 mm.
  • a postal sorting machine as described above is known from the patent document FR-2795396 .
  • the mail items are conveyed on edge between two rows of wheels constituting the injection system and sent out of the rows of wheels in the receptacles of the carousel.
  • This injection system makes it possible to regulate the speed of injection of the mail items into the receptacles.
  • the mail items are moved on edge in the carousel receptacles before gravity falls vertically on edge in buckets of a sorting conveyor synchronized with the carousel.
  • the flexible mail items are between the walls of the receptacle.
  • the sending of high-speed articles in the receptacles of the carousel causes under the effect of the friction generated by the speed and the shock against the walls the deformation of the articles weakly rigid.
  • the stirring of the air due to the rotation of the carousel and the compression of the air caused by the variation of the gap between the walls of the receptacles during the rotation of the carousel cause disturbances of the ambient air in the zone injection of articles that modify the trajectory of certain light mail items.
  • the deformation of the mailpieces and the modification of their trajectory when they are injected into the carousel receptacles are the main causes of stopping the machines and rejecting the mail items of the sorting conveyor, which slow down the operation of the machine. sorting and require the intervention of operators.
  • An article of mail incorrectly injected into the receptacle of the carousel that is to say not being arranged on edge at the bottom of the receptacle corresponding to its entry position, does not fall vertically straight into the corresponding cup of the sorting conveyor but for example spread out flat on the surface of several buckets or falls into another bucket with another piece of mail.
  • Mail items mis-entered into the sorting conveyor buckets are detected and rejected or are removed with an ejector brush when items are straddling multiple buckets.
  • the injection device of the mail items of the input conveyor to the intermediate carousel presented above does not meet the expected requirements of users of postal sorting machines, because up to 2% of mail items are badly injected.
  • the object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages presented above by providing a postal sorting machine in which there is improved means for bringing and maintain the mail items vertical upright position at the bottom of the receptacles of the carousel.
  • the subject of the invention is a postal sorting machine comprising a carousel and a system for injecting mail pieces on edge into receptacles of the carousel, each receptacle of the carousel being defined by a bottom wall and two side walls, characterized in that a flexible deflector is attached to a first of the side walls of each receptacle so that each mail piece injected into the receptacle is guided towards the bottom wall by being substantially plated against the second side wall.
  • a flexible deflector is attached to a first of the side walls of each receptacle so that each mail piece injected into the receptacle is guided towards the bottom wall by being substantially plated against the second side wall.
  • a blower is interposed between the injection system and the carousel, the blower comprising two jets of compressed air substantially perpendicular to each other, each article of mail being moved. between the two jets of air.
  • Figure 1 is a very schematic representation in a top view of a carousel and an injection system of mail items.
  • Figure 2 is a schematic representation in a top view of the injection area of mail items in a carousel of a sorting machine according to the invention.
  • Figure 3 shows schematically in side view a receptacle provided with a deflector of a sorting machine according to the invention.
  • Figure 4 shows schematically in side view the arrangement of the blowers of a sorting machine according to the invention.
  • FIG 1 there is shown an intermediate carousel 1 of a postal sorting machine not shown, provided with receptacles 2 and for the transfer of mail items 3 from an input conveyor to an unrepresented sorting conveyor .
  • the mail items 3 moved on edge are sent by means of an injection system 4 in the open receptacles 2 being each formed of two side walls 5, 6 and a bottom wall 7 opposite to the position of the injection system 4.
  • the injection system 4 is formed of two rows of elastically deformable wheels 8 which make it possible to slow down the mailpieces 3 to limit the intensity of the shocks of the mailpieces 3 against the walls when they are injected into the receptacles 2, control and synchronize the injection of the mail items 3 into the carousel 1.
  • the rows of wheels 8 consist of two levels of superimposed wheels.
  • the bottom wall 7 is mounted on a damper 9 which absorbs the shock of the mail piece 3 sent at high speed in the receptacle 2 and to prevent degradation of the article.
  • This injection system 4 is described in detail in the patent document FR-2795396 .
  • the receptacles 2 of the carousel 1 move and rotate in the direction shown by the arrows 10.
  • the mail items 3 arranged on edge between the walls 5, 6 of the receptacles 2 slide and advance with the receptacles 2 to an opening in the platen in which they fall vertically by gravity in buckets of the sorting conveyor, the sorting conveyor not shown being arranged below the carousel 1.
  • To fall adequately in the buckets of the sorting conveyor it is necessary that the items of mail 3 are previously positioned vertically on edge in the receptacles 2.
  • the carousel 1 follows a closed path of oval shape.
  • the gap between the walls 5, 6 of a receptacle is greater in the curved portion than that in the right part of the path. This results in a compression of the air and therefore disturbances of the air at the output of the curved portion, at the location where the injection system 4 (at the exit of a curved portion) is located.
  • the side wall 5 whose back is oriented in the direction of travel of the carousel 1 is designated as the first side wall 5 while that facing it is designated as the second side wall 6.
  • Figure 2 schematically shows the injection area of the mail items 3 in the carousel 1 of a sorting machine according to the invention.
  • the injection system 4 of the mail items 3 as described above sends the mail items 3 to the carousel 1 in a longitudinal direction, perpendicular to the movement represented by the arrow 10 of the receptacles 2 of the carousel 1 in the injection zone.
  • the receptacles 2 of the carousel 1 are all arranged in the same way.
  • the side walls 5, 6 of the receptacles 2 are substantially parallel in said longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the bottom wall 9.
  • the first side wall 5 has a rounded portion 11, open outwardly at the entrance of the receptacle 2 and covered with a sliding plastic material to guide the mail items 3 towards the bottom of the receptacle 2 if the trajectory of the mail items 3 is deflected and that they are not sent to the center of the receptacle 2 but abut against the rounded 11.
  • a flexible deflector 12 is fixed on the first lateral wall 5.
  • the flexible deflector 12 is for example a broad rubber band reinforced with a fabric (carpet) or a wide flat belt arranged between the bottom wall 9 and the rounded 11 and advancing in the receptacle 2.
  • the flexible deflector 12 can crash and does not jam 3 thick mail items so that it does not disturb their fall into the buckets of the unrepresented sorting conveyor.
  • FIG. 2 a blower 13 interposed between the injection system 4 and the carousel 1 is still observed in the injection zone.
  • This blower 13 is composed of two jets 14, 15 of flat compressed air substantially perpendicular to each other. or having a slightly obtuse angle between them and sent by means of flat nozzles 16, 17.
  • a jet 14 applied in said longitudinal direction towards the carousel 1 between the mail piece 3 and the second side wall 6 of the corresponding receptacle 2 makes it possible "venturi" to deflect the trajectory of the flexible mail items to the second wall 6. Under the effect of this jet 14 of compressed air, the mail article 3 is attracted to the second side wall 6 and then pushed along the wall to the bottom wall 9. The trajectory of the Mail article 3 is represented by the dashed arrow 18 in FIG. 2.
  • a reference plate 19 is arranged parallel to the mail piece 3, on the opposite side to the mail piece 3 with respect to the jet 14, which plate 19 will close the space between the head of the nozzle 16 and the open end of the receptacles 2 or the distance between the head of the nozzle 16 sending the jet 14 longitudinally and the open end of the receptacles 2 is minimized, so as to good master ise the direction of the jet 14 and to limit the disturbances of the air.
  • Another jet of compressed air is sent substantially parallel in the opposite direction to the movement of the receptacles 2 on the mail article 3.
  • the jet 15 then exerts pressure on the mail article 3, more particularly the rear part of the mailpiece.
  • mail article 3 when the mail article 3 is released by the wheels 8 of the injection system 4, and deviates on the second side wall 6.
  • the blower 13 improves the guiding of the mailpieces 13 as soon as they exit the injection system 4 and fades to the strong air disturbances caused by the movement and the tightening of the walls 5, 6 before the injection zone. .
  • the trajectory 18 of the light and / or flexible mail items 3 is controlled and the mail items 3 are guided correctly in the receptacle 2.
  • the arrangement of the blowers 13 in the sorting machine is seen in side view in FIG.
  • the jet of flat compressed air is sent through one or more flat nozzles 17 over a portion or the entire height of the receptacle 2.
  • the jet 14 of compressed flat air is sent through a flat nozzle 16 onto the central portion of the receptacle 2 because the flat nozzle is inserted between two superposed levels of wheels 8.
  • Air jets 14, 15 of compressed air are applied continuously as the carousel 1 is in motion. Air jet pressures of from 0.5 to 1.5 bar can be applied, but preferably a test pressure of one bar is used and produces an optimum bonding effect of the mail piece 3 against the second wall 6 of the receptacle. 2.
  • the spacing between the injection system 4 and the carousel 1 is sufficient to integrate the fan 13.
  • the deflectors 12 and the blower 13 can be arranged individually or simultaneously in the sorting machine according to the invention.
  • the combination of the two techniques improves the performance of the transfer of mail items from the input conveyor to the sorting conveyor by a factor greater than thirty. With this arrangement, it is possible to reduce to about 0.06% the number of articles presenting an injection fault in the carousel, which makes it possible to meet the current requirements of the users of sorting machines and also to expand the range of articles to be processed.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)

Abstract

A mail sorting machine comprising an injection carrousel (1) and a system (4) for injecting mail items (3) on a narrow edge into receptacles (2) of the carrousel (1). Each receptacle (2) of the carrousel (1) is defined by a bottom partition wall (9) and two side partition walls (5, 6). A flexible deflector (12) is fixed to the first of the side partition walls (5) of each receptacle such that each mail item (3) injected into the receptacle (2) is guided towards the bottom partition wall (9) and is substantially pressed against the second side partition wall (6).

Description

L'invention concerne une machine de tri postal comprenant un carrousel et un système d'injection d'articles de courrier sur chant dans des réceptacles du carrousel, chaque réceptacle du carrousel étant défini par une paroi de fond et deux parois latérales.The invention relates to a postal sorting machine comprising a carousel and a system for injecting mail pieces on edge in carousel receptacles, each receptacle of the carousel being defined by a bottom wall and two side walls.

Dans une machine de tri postal, plus particulièrement une machine de type "TOP 2000" fabriquée par la société "Solystic", l'injection des articles de courrier se déplaçant sur un convoyeur d'entrée jusque dans un convoyeur de tri est effectuée au moyen d'un carrousel d'injection intermédiaire. Cette opération de transfert des articles de courrier est particulièrement critique pour les performances de la machine de tri. Elle décide de la vitesse du traitement des articles de courrier dans la machine de tri et les articles doivent donc être transférés dans un minimum de temps avec un débit d'injection dans le carrousel d'environ six articles par seconde.In a postal sorting machine, more particularly a "TOP 2000" type machine manufactured by the company "Solystic", the injection of the mail items moving on an input conveyor into a sorting conveyor is effected by means of of an intermediate injection carousel. This mail item transfer operation is particularly critical for the performance of the sorting machine. It decides the speed of processing of mail items in the sorting machine and the articles must therefore be transferred in a minimum of time with an injection rate in the carousel of about six articles per second.

Les articles de courrier traités par cette machine sont principalement des objets plats de toutes sortes, rigides, souples, plastifiés, papier, de largeur comprise entre 90 et 300 mm, de longueur comprise entre 140 et 400 mm, et d'épaisseur allant de 0.2 à 32 mm.The mailpieces processed by this machine are mainly flat objects of all kinds, rigid, flexible, plasticized, paper, width between 90 and 300 mm, length between 140 and 400 mm, and thickness ranging from 0.2 at 32 mm.

Une machine de tri postal telle que décrite plus haut est connue du document de brevet FR-2795396 . Dans ce dispositif connu, les articles de courrier sont convoyés sur chant entre deux rangées de roues constituant le système d'injection et envoyés en sortie des rangées de roue dans les réceptacles du carrousel. Ce système d'injection permet de réguler la vitesse d'injection des articles de courrier dans les réceptacles. Les articles de courrier sont déplacés sur chant dans les réceptacles du carrousel avant de tomber par gravité verticalement sur chant dans des godets d'un convoyeur de tri synchronisé avec le carrousel.A postal sorting machine as described above is known from the patent document FR-2795396 . In this known device, the mail items are conveyed on edge between two rows of wheels constituting the injection system and sent out of the rows of wheels in the receptacles of the carousel. This injection system makes it possible to regulate the speed of injection of the mail items into the receptacles. The mail items are moved on edge in the carousel receptacles before gravity falls vertically on edge in buckets of a sorting conveyor synchronized with the carousel.

L'utilisation d'un tel système d'injection d'articles de courrier dans les réceptacles du carrousel n'est satisfaisante que pour les articles de courrier rigides, lourds et de grande taille.The use of such an injection system of mail items in the carousel receptacles is only satisfactory for rigid, heavy and large mail items.

En effet, les articles de courrier souples s'avachissent entre les parois du réceptacle. De plus, l'envoi des articles à grande vitesse dans les réceptacles du carrousel provoque sous l'effet des frottements engendrés par la vitesse et du choc contre les parois la déformation des articles faiblement rigides. Enfin le brassage de l'air dû à la rotation du carrousel ainsi que la compression de l'air causée par la variation de l'écart entre les parois des réceptacles pendant la rotation du carrousel provoquent des perturbations de l'air ambiant dans la zone d'injection des articles qui modifient la trajectoire de certains articles de courrier légers.Indeed, the flexible mail items are between the walls of the receptacle. In addition, the sending of high-speed articles in the receptacles of the carousel causes under the effect of the friction generated by the speed and the shock against the walls the deformation of the articles weakly rigid. Finally the stirring of the air due to the rotation of the carousel and the compression of the air caused by the variation of the gap between the walls of the receptacles during the rotation of the carousel cause disturbances of the ambient air in the zone injection of articles that modify the trajectory of certain light mail items.

La déformation des articles de courrier et la modification de leur trajectoire lors de leur injection dans les réceptacles du carrousel sont les principales causes d'arrêt des machines et de rejet des articles de courrier du convoyeur de tri, qui ralentissent le fonctionnement de la machine de tri et nécessitent l'intervention d'opérateurs.The deformation of the mailpieces and the modification of their trajectory when they are injected into the carousel receptacles are the main causes of stopping the machines and rejecting the mail items of the sorting conveyor, which slow down the operation of the machine. sorting and require the intervention of operators.

Un article de courrier mal injecté dans le réceptacle du carrousel, c'est à dire n'étant pas disposé sur chant au fond du réceptacle correspondant à sa position d'entrée, ne tombe pas verticalement droit dans le godet correspondant du convoyeur de tri mais s'étale par exemple à plat sur la surface de plusieurs godets ou tombe dans un autre godet avec un autre article de courrier. Les articles de courrier mal introduits dans les godets du convoyeur de tri sont détectés et rejetés ou sont enlevés à l'aide d'une brosse d'éjection lorsque les articles sont à cheval sur plusieurs godets.An article of mail incorrectly injected into the receptacle of the carousel, that is to say not being arranged on edge at the bottom of the receptacle corresponding to its entry position, does not fall vertically straight into the corresponding cup of the sorting conveyor but for example spread out flat on the surface of several buckets or falls into another bucket with another piece of mail. Mail items mis-entered into the sorting conveyor buckets are detected and rejected or are removed with an ejector brush when items are straddling multiple buckets.

Ces problèmes d'injection se traduisent par un fort taux d'articles de courrier non présents dans les godets du convoyeur de tri et qui doivent être traités manuellement.These injection problems result in a high rate of mail items not present in the buckets of the sorting conveyor and which must be processed manually.

Le dispositif d'injection des articles de courrier du convoyeur d'entrée vers le carrousel intermédiaire présenté ci-dessus ne permet pas de satisfaire les exigences attendues des utilisateurs de machines de tri postal, car jusqu'à 2% des articles de courrier sont mal injectés.The injection device of the mail items of the input conveyor to the intermediate carousel presented above does not meet the expected requirements of users of postal sorting machines, because up to 2% of mail items are badly injected.

Le but de l'invention est de remédier aux inconvénients présentés ci-dessus en proposant une machine de tri postal dans laquelle on a des moyens améliorés pour amener et maintenir les articles de courrier en position droite verticale au fond des réceptacles du carrousel.The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages presented above by providing a postal sorting machine in which there is improved means for bringing and maintain the mail items vertical upright position at the bottom of the receptacles of the carousel.

A cet effet, l'invention a pour objet une machine de tri postal comprenant un carrousel et un système d'injection d'articles de courrier sur chant dans des réceptacles du carrousel, chaque réceptacle du carrousel étant défini par une paroi de fond et deux parois latérales, caractérisée en ce qu'un déflecteur souple est fixé sur une première des parois latérales de chaque réceptacle de manière que chaque article de courrier injecté dans le réceptacle est guidé vers la paroi de fond en étant sensiblement plaqué contre la seconde paroi latérale. Avec cet agencement les articles de courrier sont guidés et maintenus dans les réceptacles et ne s'avachissent pas.For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a postal sorting machine comprising a carousel and a system for injecting mail pieces on edge into receptacles of the carousel, each receptacle of the carousel being defined by a bottom wall and two side walls, characterized in that a flexible deflector is attached to a first of the side walls of each receptacle so that each mail piece injected into the receptacle is guided towards the bottom wall by being substantially plated against the second side wall. With this arrangement the mail items are guided and held in the receptacles and do not become stuck.

Selon un mode de réalisation particulier de la machine de tri selon l'invention, une soufflante est interposée entre le système d'injection et le carrousel, la soufflante comprenant deux jets d'air comprimé sensiblement perpendiculaires entre eux, chaque article de courrier étant déplacé entre les deux jets d'air. Avec cet agencement l'article de courrier est guidé depuis sa sortie du système d'injection le long de la seconde paroi latérale d'un réceptacle du carrousel jusqu'à la paroi de fond de ce réceptacle.According to a particular embodiment of the sorting machine according to the invention, a blower is interposed between the injection system and the carousel, the blower comprising two jets of compressed air substantially perpendicular to each other, each article of mail being moved. between the two jets of air. With this arrangement the mail piece is guided from its exit of the injection system along the second side wall of a carousel receptacle to the bottom wall of this receptacle.

La machine de tri selon l'invention peut présenter en outre les particularités suivantes :

  • le déflecteur souple est une large bande de courroie renforcée avec une toile;
  • chaque jet d'air comprimé est un jet d'air comprimé plat envoyé au moyen d'une ou plusieurs buses plates;
  • la pression des jets d'air comprimé est comprise entre 0.5 et 1.5 bar (liée au type de soufflante).
The sorting machine according to the invention may furthermore have the following particularities:
  • the flexible baffle is a wide belt band reinforced with a cloth;
  • each jet of compressed air is a jet of compressed air sent by means of one or more flat nozzles;
  • the pressure of the compressed air jets is between 0.5 and 1.5 bar (related to the type of blower).

Un exemple de réalisation d'une machine de tri postal selon l'invention est décrit ci-après en détail et illustré sur les dessins.An embodiment of a postal sorting machine according to the invention is described below in detail and illustrated in the drawings.

La figure 1 est une représentation très schématique en vue de dessus d'un carrousel et d'un système d'injection d'articles de courrier.Figure 1 is a very schematic representation in a top view of a carousel and an injection system of mail items.

La figure 2 est une représentation schématique en vue de dessus de la zone d'injection d'articles de courrier dans un carrousel d'une machine de tri selon l'invention.Figure 2 is a schematic representation in a top view of the injection area of mail items in a carousel of a sorting machine according to the invention.

La figure 3 montre schématiquement en vue de côté un réceptacle muni d'un déflecteur d'une machine de tri selon l'invention.Figure 3 shows schematically in side view a receptacle provided with a deflector of a sorting machine according to the invention.

La figure 4 montre schématiquement en vue de côté l'agencement des soufflantes d'une machine de tri selon l'invention.Figure 4 shows schematically in side view the arrangement of the blowers of a sorting machine according to the invention.

Sur la figure 1, on a représenté un carrousel 1 intermédiaire d'une machine de tri postal non représentée, muni de réceptacles 2 et servant au transfert des articles de courrier 3 provenant d'un convoyeur d'entrée vers un convoyeur de tri non représentés. Pour effectuer ce transfert, les articles de courrier 3 déplacés sur chant sont envoyés au moyen d'un système d'injection 4 dans les réceptacles 2 ouverts étant chacun formé de deux parois latérales 5, 6 et d'une paroi de fond 7 opposée à la position du système d'injection 4.In Figure 1, there is shown an intermediate carousel 1 of a postal sorting machine not shown, provided with receptacles 2 and for the transfer of mail items 3 from an input conveyor to an unrepresented sorting conveyor . To perform this transfer, the mail items 3 moved on edge are sent by means of an injection system 4 in the open receptacles 2 being each formed of two side walls 5, 6 and a bottom wall 7 opposite to the position of the injection system 4.

Le système d'injection 4 est formé de deux rangées de roues 8 élastiquement déformables qui permettent de ralentir les articles de courrier 3 pour limiter l'intensité des chocs des articles de courrier 3 contre les parois lors de leur injection dans les réceptacles 2, de contrôler et de synchroniser l'injection des articles de courrier 3 dans le carrousel 1. Les rangées de roues 8 sont constituées de deux niveaux de roues superposés. La paroi de fond 7 est montée sur un amortisseur 9 ce qui permet d'absorber le choc de l'article de courrier 3 envoyé à grande vitesse dans le réceptacle 2 et d'éviter la dégradation de l'article. Ce système d'injection 4 est décrit en détail dans le document de brevet FR-2795396 .The injection system 4 is formed of two rows of elastically deformable wheels 8 which make it possible to slow down the mailpieces 3 to limit the intensity of the shocks of the mailpieces 3 against the walls when they are injected into the receptacles 2, control and synchronize the injection of the mail items 3 into the carousel 1. The rows of wheels 8 consist of two levels of superimposed wheels. The bottom wall 7 is mounted on a damper 9 which absorbs the shock of the mail piece 3 sent at high speed in the receptacle 2 and to prevent degradation of the article. This injection system 4 is described in detail in the patent document FR-2795396 .

Les réceptacles 2 du carrousel 1 se déplacent et tournent dans le sens représenté par les flèches 10. Les articles de courrier 3 disposés sur chant entre les parois 5, 6 des réceptacles 2 glissent et avancent avec les réceptacles 2 jusqu'à une ouverture dans la platine dans laquelle ils tombent verticalement par gravité dans des godets du convoyeur de tri, le convoyeur de tri non représenté étant agencé en dessous du carrousel 1. Pour tomber de manière adéquate dans les godets du convoyeur de tri, il est nécessaire que les articles de courrier 3 soient préalablement positionnés verticalement sur chant dans les réceptacles 2.The receptacles 2 of the carousel 1 move and rotate in the direction shown by the arrows 10. The mail items 3 arranged on edge between the walls 5, 6 of the receptacles 2 slide and advance with the receptacles 2 to an opening in the platen in which they fall vertically by gravity in buckets of the sorting conveyor, the sorting conveyor not shown being arranged below the carousel 1. To fall adequately in the buckets of the sorting conveyor, it is necessary that the items of mail 3 are previously positioned vertically on edge in the receptacles 2.

Comme visible sur la figure 1, le carrousel 1 suit un trajet fermé de forme ovale. L'écart entre les parois 5, 6 d'un réceptacle est supérieur dans la partie courbe à celui dans la partie droite du trajet. Il en résulte une compression de l'air et donc des perturbations de l'air en sortie de partie courbe, à l'endroit où est disposé le système d'injection 4 (à la sortie d'une partie courbe).As shown in Figure 1, the carousel 1 follows a closed path of oval shape. The gap between the walls 5, 6 of a receptacle is greater in the curved portion than that in the right part of the path. This results in a compression of the air and therefore disturbances of the air at the output of the curved portion, at the location where the injection system 4 (at the exit of a curved portion) is located.

Dans la suite de la description, la paroi latérale 5 dont le dos est orienté dans le sens de la marche du carrousel 1 est désignée comme étant la première paroi latérale 5 tandis que celle lui faisant face est désignée comme étant la deuxième paroi latérale 6.In the following description, the side wall 5 whose back is oriented in the direction of travel of the carousel 1 is designated as the first side wall 5 while that facing it is designated as the second side wall 6.

Sur la figure 2, on montre de manière schématique la zone d'injection des articles de courrier 3 dans le carrousel 1 d'une machine de tri selon l'invention. Le système d'injection 4 des articles de courrier 3 tel que décrit précédemment envoie les articles de courrier 3 vers le carrousel 1 selon une direction longitudinale, perpendiculaire au mouvement représenté par la flèche 10 des réceptacles 2 du carrousel 1 dans la zone d'injection. Les réceptacles 2 du carrousel 1 sont tous agencés de la même façon. Dans la zone d'injection, les parois latérales 5, 6 des réceptacles 2 sont sensiblement parallèles selon ladite direction longitudinale et perpendiculaires à la paroi de fond 9.Figure 2 schematically shows the injection area of the mail items 3 in the carousel 1 of a sorting machine according to the invention. The injection system 4 of the mail items 3 as described above sends the mail items 3 to the carousel 1 in a longitudinal direction, perpendicular to the movement represented by the arrow 10 of the receptacles 2 of the carousel 1 in the injection zone. The receptacles 2 of the carousel 1 are all arranged in the same way. In the injection zone, the side walls 5, 6 of the receptacles 2 are substantially parallel in said longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the bottom wall 9.

La première paroi latérale 5 comporte un arrondi 11, ouvert vers l'extérieur à l'entrée du réceptacle 2 et recouvert d'une matière plastique glissante pour guider les articles de courrier 3 vers le fond du réceptacle 2 si la trajectoire des articles de courrier 3 est déviée et que ces derniers ne sont pas envoyés au centre du réceptacle 2 mais viennent buter contre l'arrondi 11.The first side wall 5 has a rounded portion 11, open outwardly at the entrance of the receptacle 2 and covered with a sliding plastic material to guide the mail items 3 towards the bottom of the receptacle 2 if the trajectory of the mail items 3 is deflected and that they are not sent to the center of the receptacle 2 but abut against the rounded 11.

Comme visible sur la figure 2, un déflecteur souple 12 est fixé sur la première paroi latérale 5. Le déflecteur souple 12 est par exemple une large bande de caoutchouc renforcée avec une toile (tapis) ou une large courroie plate agencée entre la paroi de fond 9 et l'arrondi 11 et avançant dans le réceptacle 2.As can be seen in FIG. 2, a flexible deflector 12 is fixed on the first lateral wall 5. The flexible deflector 12 is for example a broad rubber band reinforced with a fabric (carpet) or a wide flat belt arranged between the bottom wall 9 and the rounded 11 and advancing in the receptacle 2.

Sur la figure 3, on observe que l'ajout du déflecteur souple 12 dans le réceptacle 2 permet de restreindre sur toute la hauteur du réceptacle 2 l'écart entre les deux parois latérales 5, 6 qui était de 70 mm. L'écart entre le déflecteur souple 12 et la seconde paroi latérale 6 n'est plus que d'environ 25 mm. Le déflecteur souple 12 permet ainsi de guider les articles 3 vers la paroi de fond 9 en restant sensiblement plaqués contre la seconde paroi latérale 6 mais surtout comme on peut le voir sur la figure 3 de maintenir verticalement sur toute leur hauteur les articles de courrier 3 souples ou peu rigides sensiblement plaqués contre la seconde paroi latérale 6 et de guider leur chute dans les godets du convoyeur de tri non représenté. Les articles de courrier 3 souples se gondolent entre le déflecteur 12 et la seconde paroi latérale 6 mais ne s'avachissent pas.In Figure 3, it is observed that the addition of the flexible deflector 12 in the receptacle 2 allows to restrict the entire height of the receptacle 2 the gap between the two side walls 5, 6 which was 70 mm. The gap between the flexible deflector 12 and the second side wall 6 is only about 25 mm. The flexible baffle 12 thus guides the articles 3 towards the bottom wall 9 while remaining substantially pressed against the second side wall 6 but especially as can be seen in Figure 3 to maintain vertically over their full height the mail items 3 flexible or slightly rigid substantially pressed against the second side wall 6 and guide their fall into the buckets of the sorting conveyor not shown. The flexible mail items curl between the deflector 12 and the second side wall 6 but do not become stuck.

Il résulte de la souplesse du déflecteur 12 que les articles 3 rigides et / ou épais ne sont pas gênés pour passer entre la seconde paroi latérale 6 et le déflecteur 12. De plus, le déflecteur souple 12 peut s'écraser et ne coince pas les articles de courrier 3 épais de sorte qu'il ne perturbe pas leur chute dans les godets du convoyeur de tri non représenté.It follows from the flexibility of the deflector 12 that the rigid and / or thick articles 3 are not impeded to pass between the second side wall 6 and the baffle 12. In addition, the flexible deflector 12 can crash and does not jam 3 thick mail items so that it does not disturb their fall into the buckets of the unrepresented sorting conveyor.

L'intégration d'un déflecteur souple 12 dans chaque réceptacle 2 du carrousel 1 est facile et peu onéreuse.The integration of a flexible deflector 12 in each receptacle 2 of the carousel 1 is easy and inexpensive.

Dans la figure 2, on observe encore dans la zone d'injection une soufflante 13 interposée entre le système d'injection 4 et le carrousel 1. Cette soufflante 13 est composée de deux jets 14, 15 d'air comprimé plats sensiblement perpendiculaires entre eux ou présentant un angle légèrement obtus entre eux et envoyés au moyen de buses plates 16, 17.In FIG. 2, a blower 13 interposed between the injection system 4 and the carousel 1 is still observed in the injection zone. This blower 13 is composed of two jets 14, 15 of flat compressed air substantially perpendicular to each other. or having a slightly obtuse angle between them and sent by means of flat nozzles 16, 17.

Un jet 14 appliqué selon ladite direction longitudinale en direction du carrousel 1 entre l'article de courrier 3 et la seconde paroi latérale 6 du réceptacle 2 correspondant permet par effet "venturi" de dévier la trajectoire des articles de courrier 3 souples vers la seconde paroi 6. Sous l'effet de ce jet 14 d'air comprimé, l'article de courrier 3 est attiré vers la seconde paroi latérale 6 puis poussé le long de la paroi jusqu'à la paroi de fond 9. La trajectoire de l'article de courrier 3 est représentée par la flèche en pointillé 18 dans la figure 2. On dispose une plaque de référence 19 parallèlement à l'article de courrier 3, du côté opposé à l'article de courrier 3 par rapport au jet 14, laquelle plaque 19 fermera l'espace entre la tête de la buse 16 et l'extrémité ouverte des réceptacles 2 ou on minimise la distance entre la tête de la buse 16 envoyant le jet 14 longitudinalement et l'extrémité ouverte des réceptacles 2, de manière à bien maîtrise la direction du jet 14 et à limiter les perturbations de l'air.A jet 14 applied in said longitudinal direction towards the carousel 1 between the mail piece 3 and the second side wall 6 of the corresponding receptacle 2 makes it possible "venturi" to deflect the trajectory of the flexible mail items to the second wall 6. Under the effect of this jet 14 of compressed air, the mail article 3 is attracted to the second side wall 6 and then pushed along the wall to the bottom wall 9. The trajectory of the Mail article 3 is represented by the dashed arrow 18 in FIG. 2. A reference plate 19 is arranged parallel to the mail piece 3, on the opposite side to the mail piece 3 with respect to the jet 14, which plate 19 will close the space between the head of the nozzle 16 and the open end of the receptacles 2 or the distance between the head of the nozzle 16 sending the jet 14 longitudinally and the open end of the receptacles 2 is minimized, so as to good master ise the direction of the jet 14 and to limit the disturbances of the air.

Un autre jet 15 d'air comprimé est envoyé sensiblement parallèlement en sens inverse du mouvement des réceptacles 2 sur l'article de courrier 3. Le jet 15 exerce alors une pression sur l'article de courrier 3, plus particulièrement la partie arrière de l'article de courrier 3 lorsque l'article de courrier 3 est relâché par les roues 8 du système d'injection 4, et le dévie sur la seconde paroi latérale 6.Another jet of compressed air is sent substantially parallel in the opposite direction to the movement of the receptacles 2 on the mail article 3. The jet 15 then exerts pressure on the mail article 3, more particularly the rear part of the mailpiece. mail article 3 when the mail article 3 is released by the wheels 8 of the injection system 4, and deviates on the second side wall 6.

Il en résulte que la soufflante 13 améliore le guidage des articles de courrier 13 dès leur sortie du système d'injection 4 et pâlie aux fortes perturbations d'air engendrées par le mouvement et le resserrement des parois 5, 6 avant la zone d'injection. Ainsi, la trajectoire 18 des articles de courrier 3 légers et / ou souples est maîtrisée et les articles de courrier 3 sont guidés correctement dans le réceptacle 2.As a result, the blower 13 improves the guiding of the mailpieces 13 as soon as they exit the injection system 4 and fades to the strong air disturbances caused by the movement and the tightening of the walls 5, 6 before the injection zone. . Thus, the trajectory 18 of the light and / or flexible mail items 3 is controlled and the mail items 3 are guided correctly in the receptacle 2.

On observe en vue de côté sur la figure 4 l'agencement des soufflantes 13 dans la machine de tri. Le jet 15 d'air comprimé plat est envoyé par une ou plusieurs buses plates 17 sur une partie ou toute la hauteur du réceptacle 2. Le jet 14 d'air comprimé plat est envoyé par une buse plate 16 sur la partie centrale du réceptacle 2 car la buse plate est insérée entre les deux niveaux superposés de roues 8. A cette fin, on peut utiliser une ou plusieurs buses plates 16, 17 alignées par exemple du type "727ABS" de la société "Windjet" ou du type "921" de la société "Silvent".The arrangement of the blowers 13 in the sorting machine is seen in side view in FIG. The jet of flat compressed air is sent through one or more flat nozzles 17 over a portion or the entire height of the receptacle 2. The jet 14 of compressed flat air is sent through a flat nozzle 16 onto the central portion of the receptacle 2 because the flat nozzle is inserted between two superposed levels of wheels 8. For this purpose, one or more flat nozzles 16, 17 aligned for example of the type "727ABS" of the company "Windjet" or type "921" of the company "Silvent".

Les jets 14, 15 d'air comprimé sont appliqués de manière continue tant que le carrousel 1 est en mouvement. On peut appliquer des pressions de jet d'air allant de 0.5 à 1.5 bar, mais on utilise préférablement une pression de un bar déterminée par essais et produisant un effet de collage optimum de l'article de courrier 3 contre la seconde paroi 6 du réceptacle 2.The jets 14, 15 of compressed air are applied continuously as the carousel 1 is in motion. Air jet pressures of from 0.5 to 1.5 bar can be applied, but preferably a test pressure of one bar is used and produces an optimum bonding effect of the mail piece 3 against the second wall 6 of the receptacle. 2.

Dans les machines de tri postal de type "TOP 2000" l'espacement entre le système d'injection 4 et le carrousel 1 est suffisant pour y intégrer la soufflante 13.In postal sorting machines of the "TOP 2000" type, the spacing between the injection system 4 and the carousel 1 is sufficient to integrate the fan 13.

Les déflecteurs 12 ainsi que la soufflante 13 peuvent être agencés individuellement ou simultanément dans la machine de tri selon l'invention. La combinaison des deux techniques améliore les performances du transfert des articles de courrier du convoyeur d'entrée au convoyeur de tri d'un facteur supérieur à trente. Avec cet agencement, on arrive à abaisser à environ 0,06% le nombre d'articles présentant un défaut d'injection dans le carrousel, ce qui permet de répondre aux exigences actuelles des utilisateurs de machines de tri et aussi d'élargir l'éventail des articles à traiter.The deflectors 12 and the blower 13 can be arranged individually or simultaneously in the sorting machine according to the invention. The combination of the two techniques improves the performance of the transfer of mail items from the input conveyor to the sorting conveyor by a factor greater than thirty. With this arrangement, it is possible to reduce to about 0.06% the number of articles presenting an injection fault in the carousel, which makes it possible to meet the current requirements of the users of sorting machines and also to expand the range of articles to be processed.

Il est évident que l'invention n'est nullement limitée au mode de réalisation qui vient d'être décrit mais s'étend à toute variante évidente pour un homme de métier pour injecter des articles de courrier dans des réceptacles.It is obvious that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment just described, but extends to any obvious variant for one skilled in the art for injecting mail items into receptacles.

Claims (5)

  1. A postal sorting machine comprising a carousel (1) and a system (4) for injecting mail items (3) edge on into receptacles (2) of the carousel (1), each receptacle (2) of the carousel (1) being defined by an end wall (9) and two side walls (5, 6), the machine being characterized in that a flexible deflector (12) is fixed on a first one of the side walls (5) of each receptacle in such a manner that each mail item (3) injected into the receptacle (2) is guided towards the end wall (9) while being pressed substantially against the second side wall (6).
  2. A postal sorting machine according to claim 1, in which the flexible deflector (12) is a wide strip of belt reinforced with cloth.
  3. A postal sorting machine according to anyone of claims 1 or 2, in which a blower (13) is interposed between the injection system (4) and the carousel (1), the blower (13) delivering two jets (14, 15) of compressed air that are substantially perpendicular to each other, each mail item (3) being displaced between the two jets (14, 15) of air.
  4. A postal sorting machine according to claim 3, in which each jet (14, 15) of compressed air is a flat jet of compressed air delivered by means of one or more flat nozzles (16, 17).
  5. A postal sorting machine according to anyone of claims 3 or 4, in which the pressure of the jets (14, 15) of compressed air lies in the range 0.5 bars to 1.5 bars.
EP04805808A 2003-12-24 2004-11-04 Mail sorting machine comprising a carrousel with flexible deflectors Not-in-force EP1699570B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0351200A FR2864524B1 (en) 2003-12-24 2003-12-24 POSTAL SORTING MACHINE COMPRISING INJECTION CARROUSEL EQUIPPED WITH SOFT DEFLECTORS
PCT/FR2004/050565 WO2005063414A1 (en) 2003-12-24 2004-11-04 Mail sorting machine comprising a carrousel with flexible deflectors

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EP1699570A1 EP1699570A1 (en) 2006-09-13
EP1699570B1 true EP1699570B1 (en) 2007-11-14

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EP (1) EP1699570B1 (en)
DE (1) DE602004010183T2 (en)
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WO (1) WO2005063414A1 (en)

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US20060096896A1 (en) 2006-05-11
US7199323B2 (en) 2007-04-03
ES2294573T3 (en) 2008-04-01
EP1699570A1 (en) 2006-09-13
FR2864524B1 (en) 2006-02-10
WO2005063414A1 (en) 2005-07-14
FR2864524A1 (en) 2005-07-01
DE602004010183D1 (en) 2007-12-27

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