EP1726371A1 - Verfahren zum Sortieren von Postsendungen mit in-Reihenfolge-bringen von Behältern auf einem Bandförderer - Google Patents

Verfahren zum Sortieren von Postsendungen mit in-Reihenfolge-bringen von Behältern auf einem Bandförderer Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1726371A1
EP1726371A1 EP06113973A EP06113973A EP1726371A1 EP 1726371 A1 EP1726371 A1 EP 1726371A1 EP 06113973 A EP06113973 A EP 06113973A EP 06113973 A EP06113973 A EP 06113973A EP 1726371 A1 EP1726371 A1 EP 1726371A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sorting
conveyor
bins
outlets
outlet
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP06113973A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP1726371B1 (de
Inventor
Eric Moullard
François Madar
Karim Kara
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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Publication date
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Publication of EP1726371A1 publication Critical patent/EP1726371A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1726371B1 publication Critical patent/EP1726371B1/de
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    • 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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of sorting mail items in a postal sorting machine with an automatic handling system of bins controlled to bring empty bins into sorting outlets of the machine and to transfer bins from the sorting outlets on an evacuation conveyor.
  • a sorting machine for preparing factor rounds comprises one or more rows of sorting outlets juxtaposed and / or superimposed.
  • the patent document US-2004/0016623 describes an automatic bin handling system that allows to transfer a full or partially filled bin from a sorting outlet to a bin evacuation conveyor and that allows to replace in each sorting outlet the bin that has been transferred by a bin empty standby, for example on a conveyor of empty trays, facing this sorting outlet.
  • this system it is possible to manage several bins per sorting outlet during a sorting pass, but this implies that the conveyor of full bins is composed of a set of independent conveyors assigned respectively to sorting outlets so as to organize the sequencing of the full bins as they are replaced by empty bins.
  • the document US-2003/01141226 describes a sequencing system of bins full of mail that is intended to receive a stream of bins from a sorting machine and reorder them in a certain order so that they can be represented at the entrance of the machine for a pass next sorting of shipments.
  • This sequencing system is complicated and expensive.
  • the object of the invention is to propose a method of sorting postal items for the preparation of postman's rounds in a postal sorting machine with a bin handling system and a bins evacuation conveyor which may be a simple design, for example a conventional belt conveyor, for the evacuation in an ordered sequence of the full tanks.
  • the idea underlying the invention is therefore based on a particular organization of the assignment of the logical destinations of the sorting plan with respect to the sorting outlets and a particular order of the container handling system and the conveyor.
  • all the bins transferred from the sorting outlets succeed one another on the conveyor according to an ordered sequence of the successive logical destinations for sorting the sorting plan.
  • the method according to the invention can be easily implemented on existing sorting machines.
  • the method according to the invention is applicable to sorting machines with several rows of parallel or superimposed sorting outlets.
  • one out of every two sorting outlets of the machine is a first sorting outlet, one out of four sorting outlets is a second output of Sorting and sorting out of four is a third sort output.
  • Figure 1 is a highly diagrammatic top view of a bucket carousel postal sorting machine arranged to implement the method according to the invention.
  • Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the different steps of the method of sorting postal items according to the invention.
  • FIGS 3A to 3G illustrate very schematically the movement of the bins in the sorting machine with the method according to the invention.
  • FIG. 1 very simply shows a postal sorting machine 1 with a device for storing the items (magazine) and unstacking item 2 which puts in series the postal items arranged in stack at the input of the machine to present them. one to one on edge in a device 3 automatic address recognition OCR.
  • the current shipment is loaded into a bucket of a carousel 6 with buckets.
  • the cups of the carousel 6 circulate over a plurality of sorting outlets 5 of the machine to distribute the items in storage bins provided in these sorting outlets.
  • Storage bins are removable bins that are compatible with a bin handling system.
  • FIG. 1 there is shown a sorting machine which comprises two juxtaposed rows of sorting outlets 5, but it is understood that the invention applies to sorting machines with more than two rows of juxtaposed sorting outlets or with rows of superimposed sorting outlets.
  • FIG. 1 there is also shown in the sorting machine 1 an empty bin conveyor 7 and a solid tray evacuation conveyor 8 which extend in a certain longitudinal direction adjacent to each other along the rows of outlets. sort 5.
  • each sorting outlet can be controlled to move an empty tray of the conveyor 7 in the sorting outlet in question (which faces the empty container) and a bin full of this sorting outlet on the conveyor 8.
  • the conveyor of full bins 8 is commonly called "Full Tray Conveyor" or "FTC” and according to the invention it may be a simple motorized belt conveyor.
  • a sorting plan is arranged according to which first successive logical sorting destinations are assigned to first sorting outlets, successive second logical sorting destinations are assigned to second sorting outputs and third sorting outlets. Sort outputs are reserved and associated respectively with the second sort outputs. Furthermore, the second and third sorting outlets are interposed between the first sorting outlets on a row of sorting outlets of the machine, that is to say along the discharge conveyor of the bins 8.
  • the consecutive sorting outlets on a row of sorting outlets do not correspond to the consecutive logical destinations of the sorting plan.
  • the first sorting outlets are intended to receive two bins while the second and third sorting outlets are intended to receive a single tray.
  • Each third output along the row of sorting outlets is associated with the second sorting output that precedes it.
  • FIG. 3A shows how the second and third sorting outlets are inserted between the first sorting outlets.
  • each first output (here outputs having an odd number) is provided with an empty tray in place in the compartment of the sorting outlet and another empty container disposed on the conveyor 7 for example facing this sorting outlet is waiting to be transferred into the compartment of said sorting outlet (see Figure 3A where the bins are represented very schematically by rectangles).
  • the second and third sorting outlets are provided with a single empty container in place in the compartment of the sorting outlet.
  • step 14 a current mail is divided out of the magazine and the OCR reads the address of the sending to determine a logical sorting destination and therefore an associated sorting output according to the sorting plan as indicated higher, following which the sending is directed by the bucket conveyor to the tray of this sorting outlet.
  • the conveyor of bins 8 is at a standstill.
  • step 16 it is determined whether the bin of this sorting outlet is full including the storage of the current shipment.
  • the control of the level of filling of the tray can for example be done on the basis of a control of the accumulation of the thicknesses of the items which are stored in the bin of the sorting outlet, this control of the accumulation of thickness which can itself be launched from device 3.
  • step 16 If in step 16, the bin of this sorting outlet is not full and if the current mail is not the last mail to be sorted (step 18), the process starts again in step 14 for a new mail. current shipment.
  • step 16 it is detected that the tray of the sorting outlet is full, it is checked in step 20 if the sorting outlet is a first sorting outlet, in the example an odd sorting output. If in step 20, the sorting outlet is an odd output, the tray handling system of this sorting outlet is controlled in step 22 to transfer the full bin of the sorting outlet to the full tray conveyor. 8 after receiving the current shipment in the tray and is controlled in step 24 the tray handling system for loading in this sorting outlet an empty tray which is disposed on the conveyor of empty trays 7 (in the example in front of this odd sort output). During this tray replacement operation, the tray conveyor 8 remains at a standstill.
  • step 18 it is checked whether the current send is the last send to be sorted and if not, the process starts again at step 14 for a new current send.
  • the sorting output to which the current mailpiece is directed is a second sorting output, in the example an even sorting output
  • step 26 it is carried out in the sorting plane 28 a sorting output assignment change by assigning a third sorting output (that which is associated with the second overflow sorting output) to the logical destination corresponding to the address of the current item, this third sorting output being a tri-pair output reserve provided with an empty tray.
  • step 18 it is checked whether the current mail is the last mail to be sorted and if not, the process continues in step 14.
  • step 18 If now in step 18, it is detected that the current shipment is the last shipment to be sorted, that is the sorting pass is completed, the process continues with a process of evacuation of the bins to the output of the machine.
  • step 30 the conveyor 8 is commanded to advance it over a distance substantially equal to the width of a sorting outlet so that the full containers disposed on the conveyor during the sorting process are opposite the pairs of sort outputs which frees spaces in front of the odd sort outputs.
  • step 32 the bin handling system of the odd sorting outlets is controlled to transfer the bins arranged in these odd sorting outlets on the conveyor 8.
  • the conveyor 8 has bins that succeed one another in an ordered sequence of the first logical destinations of the sorting plan.
  • step 34 the conveyor 8 is commanded to advance these bins to the bins evacuation place where they are all removed (step 36) according to their chronological order of arrival at the place of evacuation.
  • step 38 the conveyor 8 is now stopped.
  • step 40 the system for handling the bins of the even outlets is used to transfer the full or partially full bins arranged in these pair sorting outlets on the conveyor 8. These bins still succeed each other on the conveyor 8 in an ordered sequence latest logical destinations of the sorting plan.
  • the conveyor 8 is now commanded to advance the bins to the bins evacuation site where they are all removed (step 44) according to their chronological order of arrival at the place of evacuation.
  • FIGS. 3A to 3G illustrate, in a simplified example, the movement of the bins in the sorting machine 1 at different stages of the process according to the invention.
  • FIGS. 3A to 3G there is shown for the sake of clarity an example of sorting items with only six logical destinations numbered from 1 to 6.
  • the sorting outlet S1 constitutes the sorting outlet closest to the place of evacuation of the items at the output of the machine.
  • the odd sorting outlets are each provided with two bins including a reserve container bearing the reference B and a container already disposed in the sorting outlet bearing the reference A.
  • the sorting output S1 is provided with the bins 1A and 1B and is assigned to the logical destination numbered 1.
  • FIG. 3A shows the sorting machine with empty containers positioned in all the odd and even sorting outlets and also empty containers placed on the conveyor 7 opposite the odd sorting outlets. It can be seen that the first consecutive logical destinations 1,2,3,4 are assigned to the consecutive odd sort outputs S1, S3, S5, S7 and that the subsequent consecutive logical destinations 5,6 are assigned to the consecutive pair sorting outputs S2. S6 because of a tri-pair output out of two.
  • the other sort outputs S4 and S8 without destination assignment serve as a reserve for the pair sort outputs S4 and S8 in case of overflow of the bins in the outputs S4 and S8.
  • FIG. 3B shows the state of the sorting machine before step 30.
  • the bins 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A of the odd sorting outlets S1, S3, S5 and S7 are full and have been transferred to the bins conveyor 8 who is stationary. Otherwise, the empty trays 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B have been transferred (step 24) from the conveyor 7 to the odd sorting outlets S1, S3, S5, S7.
  • the bins 5A, 6A full and the bins 5B, 6B partially full are still in their respective sorting outlets S2, S6, S4, S8.
  • the arrows 50 represent the movement of the conveyor 8 of full containers 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A (step 30) of the width of a sorting outlet so as to leave space on the conveyor of full tanks 8 opposite the odd sorting outlets S1, S3, S5, S7.
  • FIG. 3D the full bins 1A to 4A have been moved (step 30) and the arrows 51 indicate the movement (step 32) of the bins 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B from the odd sorting outlets on the bins conveyor full 8.
  • the bins 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B interposed between the bins 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A and the arrow 52 indicate the movement (step 34) of the bins conveyor 8 for the evacuation (FIG. step 36) bins 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B succeeding on the conveyor 8 in the order of the logical destinations 1 to 4.
  • the conveyor 8 is at a standstill (step 38) and the arrows 53 indicate the movement (step 40) of the containers 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B from the sorting outlets S2, S4, S6, S8 on the conveyor of full bins 8.
  • the arrow 54 indicates the movement of the conveyor 8 (step 42) for the evacuation of the trays 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B which succeed each other on the conveyor 8 according to the order of the logical destinations 5 to 6.
  • the bins are sequentially sequenced with a solid tray evacuation conveyor 8 which is a simple belt conveyor, by sorting two bins by sorting outlets on 50% of the sorting outlets. of the machine.
  • the sorting plan designates a table in machine memory in which are mapped logical destinations (postal address ranges) and logical / physical numbers of sorting outputs.
  • the method according to the invention applies to a static sorting plane or to a dynamic sorting plane.
  • the empty storage tanks are not necessarily positioned opposite the first sorting outlets but can be brought to these first sorting outlets by the conveyor 7 and the automatic handling system. trays.

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  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
EP20060113973 2005-05-27 2006-05-16 Verfahren und Maschine zum Sortieren von Postsendungen mit in-Reihenfolge-bringen von Behältern auf einem Bandförderer Not-in-force EP1726371B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0551402A FR2886177B1 (fr) 2005-05-27 2005-05-27 Procede de tri d'envois postaux avec un sequencement des bacs sur un convoyeur a bande

Publications (2)

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EP1726371A1 true EP1726371A1 (de) 2006-11-29
EP1726371B1 EP1726371B1 (de) 2012-04-04

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EP20060113973 Not-in-force EP1726371B1 (de) 2005-05-27 2006-05-16 Verfahren und Maschine zum Sortieren von Postsendungen mit in-Reihenfolge-bringen von Behältern auf einem Bandförderer

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EP (1) EP1726371B1 (de)
FR (1) FR2886177B1 (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1820575A1 (de) * 2006-02-20 2007-08-22 Solystic Verfahren zur Sortierung von Postsendungen mit einer Sequenzierung der Behälter
WO2009081008A2 (fr) * 2007-12-13 2009-07-02 Solystic Procédé pour trier des envois postaux en utilisant un processus d'allocation dynamique de sorties de tri
FR2940151A1 (fr) * 2008-12-23 2010-06-25 Solystic Machine pour trier des objets postaux grand format et des lettres

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030141226A1 (en) * 2002-01-28 2003-07-31 Nec Corporation Mail sequencing system
US20040016623A1 (en) * 1999-08-13 2004-01-29 Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp., A Corporation Of The State Of Delaware Automatic tray handling system for sorter

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040016623A1 (en) * 1999-08-13 2004-01-29 Rapistan Systems Advertising Corp., A Corporation Of The State Of Delaware Automatic tray handling system for sorter
US20030141226A1 (en) * 2002-01-28 2003-07-31 Nec Corporation Mail sequencing system

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1820575A1 (de) * 2006-02-20 2007-08-22 Solystic Verfahren zur Sortierung von Postsendungen mit einer Sequenzierung der Behälter
WO2009081008A2 (fr) * 2007-12-13 2009-07-02 Solystic Procédé pour trier des envois postaux en utilisant un processus d'allocation dynamique de sorties de tri
WO2009081008A3 (fr) * 2007-12-13 2009-08-20 Solystic Procédé pour trier des envois postaux en utilisant un processus d'allocation dynamique de sorties de tri
US8504192B2 (en) 2007-12-13 2013-08-06 Solystic Method of sorting mailpieces by using a process for dynamically allocating sorting outlets
FR2940151A1 (fr) * 2008-12-23 2010-06-25 Solystic Machine pour trier des objets postaux grand format et des lettres
WO2010072935A1 (fr) * 2008-12-23 2010-07-01 Solystic Machine et procédé pour trier des objects postaux grand format et des lettres
US9108225B2 (en) 2008-12-23 2015-08-18 Solystic Machine for sorting “flats” and letters

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2886177A1 (fr) 2006-12-01
EP1726371B1 (de) 2012-04-04
FR2886177B1 (fr) 2007-06-29

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