EP1872867A1 - Mail sorting facility - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (2) has presorting devices (4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) and a separation device (6) for processing transmissions (24), which are to be sorted. A transport line (26) and bypasses (36, 48) are provided for transporting the transmissions in respective transportation paths from one presorting device to another presorting device. A control unit (28) is provided for adjusting a distance between the transmissions in the transport line based on the activation of bypasses.

Description

The invention relates to a consignment sorting system with at least three modules for processing consignments to be sorted and a transport line for transporting the consignments in a first transport path from the first, the second and the third module.

For processing shipments, various facilities are known, each performing different functions. For example, there are facilities that only carry out the process of setting up the mailpieces and stamping the postage stamp, or the process of address reading and coding, or the process of fine sorting. Due to ergonomic requirements and process requirements, however, more and more systems are required that can perform several processes. In this case, the corresponding process devices are connected in series, whereby the shipments pass through the entire system. If a process device is not required for a particular function, it is deactivated.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a consignment sorting system that protects consignments.

This object is achieved by a consignment sorting system of the type mentioned above, which according to the invention has a bypass for transporting items to be sorted in a second transport path from the first to the third module, bypassing the second module. By bypassing the second module fewer structures are present at which mechanical stresses, especially damage, can occur. As a result, the consignments are exposed to a lower mechanical stress. It is also possible to shorten the second transport path relative to the first transport path through the bypass, which bypasses the unused second module, whereby the mechanical load of the shipments in addition can be reduced by the shorter transport route. It is also conceivable that the second transport path is indeed as long or longer, bypassing the second module, the programs but more spares, so that nevertheless a conservation of the broadcasts is achieved.

The invention is based on the further idea that different sorting processes can be carried out in separate runs on a consignment sorting system. For example, a facility will be used to read addresses and encode the mailings in a first pass for reading, encoding and presorting into collection bins, and in a second pass will use them as a fine sorting machine which re-sorts the coded and presorted mailings into bins , but according to finer criteria. The modules for reading and coding can be bypassed in the second pass through the bypass, whereby the programs are spared.

The consignment sorting installation can be a mail sorting installation, in particular a letter sorting installation. In this context, a module can be understood to mean a means of modifying the shipment, for example in its position-apart from a pure, targeted transport-or in its components, e.g. by imprinting. A module may include means for positive or negative acceleration, sorting, aligning, inverting, printing, pasting, delaying - e.g. a waiting line, singulating, collecting or the like, and may be, in particular, a means that takes up more of the shipments than a spatially targeted transport.

The transport line includes the bypass, which bypasses a transport sub-strand of the transport strand. The bypass itself comprises a transport sub-string, which is expediently shorter than the bypassed by the bypass conveyor section. The bypass is advantageously free of a module which is the same as the second module or analogous thereto. Under a Sorting the consignment sorting system is also understood to mean processing the consignments in the form of sorting preparation, for example by applying a sorting code, such as an identity code, a destination code or the like. A division of the shipments in at least two containers is understood as sorting. Advantageously, the consignment sorting system comprises a control unit for activating the bypass and steering the consignments through the bypass. In this way, a decision as to whether a shipment stream should run through the bypass, automated and in particular linked with backup functions.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the consignment sorting system comprises a control unit which allows a line of a transmission stream from a plurality of directly successively arranged programs in the bypass and a line of only individual broadcasts from the transmission stream in the bypass - wherein other broadcasts of the transmission current at the bypass passed by - locks. In this way, a collision of shipments behind the bypass can be easily avoided.

A collision of shipments can also be easily avoided if the consignment sorting system includes a control unit for controlling various plant operating modes and activating the bypass depending on the plant operating mode. The consignment sorting system is easy to operate without shipments flowing past the bypass as well as past it. The consignments can therefore not collide behind the bypass. Shipments may be routed past the bypass by the control unit in one plant operating mode and bypassed in the other plant operating mode. A change between the operating modes is expediently only controlled if both the bypass and the bypassed by him transport sub-string is free of shipments, especially only when resting the transport strand or before or after a transport of shipments through the transport strand.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the consignment sorting system comprises a control unit for setting a distance between the items in the transport line in response to activation of the bypass. In this way, a distance between the programs can be set small when the bypass is activated and thus a high shipment throughput can be achieved by the consignment sorting system. This refinement is based on the idea that, due to the avoidance of the second module and the lower load which can be achieved during transport, a smaller displacement of the transmissions occurs relative to one another. Due to the smaller displacement, the distances of the items to each other, e.g. when feeding into the transport line, be reduced. The distance is thus smaller when the bypass is activated than when the bypass is deactivated. By reducing the distances an increase in throughput of shipments through the consignment sorting system can be achieved at the same transport speed. The adjustment of the distance is expediently in a the shipments singulating feeder the consignment sorting system.

It is also proposed that the consignment sorting system comprises a control unit for deactivating a bypassed by bypass bypass section in response to activation of the bypass. The wear of the disconnected transport sub-string can be kept low and an emission of noise can be reduced. In addition, the consignment sorting system requires less energy when the transport sub-line is deactivated. A simple deactivation of the transport sub-string can be achieved if the consignment sorting system comprises two independently operable drives for driving the transport strand, wherein the control unit is provided for deactivating the bypassed by the bypass conveyor sub-strand by deactivating one of the drives. Additionally or alternatively, bypassed by the bypass second module can be turned off when activated bypass, whereby wear and energy consumption of the second module can be reduced.

The modules of the consignment sorting system can have different functions. Thus, the first module may be a feeder for separating the mailpieces and feeding them to the transport line, the second module a printer for printing an identity code or destination code on the mailings, and the third module a partitioning device for dividing the mailings into different collecting containers. The maximum speed with which the items can be transported through the system can be determined by the second module, for example the printer, which determines the speed limit of the transport by its printing speed. If the second module bypasses the bypass, it may happen that this upper speed limit is no longer relevant, but another module sets a higher speed limit so that the speed of the shipments can be increased by the system. To set the expediently optimal transport speed of the items, the item sorting system advantageously comprises a control unit for setting a transport speed of the items in the transport line as a function of an activation of the bypass. Depending on the characteristics of the bypassed module or the bypassed modules, a maximum transport speed can be set automatically and an optimum throughput of the system can be achieved.

Illustrations of handwritten addresses are usually issued online to an employee who reads the address and enters it into a computer so that the appropriate mail can be encoded according to the input. For this purpose, a small amount of time is required in which the item is transported in a transport path for generating a time delay between the reading module and the coding module. Such a transport route may have a length of 40 m and more and a plurality of curves. If the second module is a transport path for generating a time delay, by bypassing this module, a considerable protection of the shipments can be achieved. The editing function of the module Here, the time delay and expediently not primarily a transport to a destination, since the transport route is particularly longer than a technically meaningful transport path between modules that it connects. The transport path can be one or more parts, so be interrupted by other modules.

Most of the consignment delivered is usually pre-sorted and no longer needs alignment with a common orientation. For sorting these items, a second module, which has an alignment means for aligning the items in a common orientation, can advantageously be bypassed by the bypass.

In a further development of the invention, the second module has a labeling means for labeling the programs. This module can be conveniently bypassed in a second pass where no coding needs to be done. The labeling means may include a token cancellation or an identification printer, e.g. a barcode printer, its.

If the second module has recording means for recording an image of the programs, then this can advantageously be bypassed by the bypass in a second pass in which addresses are already present in machine-readable form.

As described above, multi-module mail order sorting systems can be used in multiple passports for different functions or sorting processes. For this purpose, the consignment sorting system advantageously comprises a control unit for controlling at least two different sorting methods and for activating the bypass as a function of the sorting method to be carried out. Depending on the sorting method, for example, first the sorting method of reading the addresses and coding and then the sorting method of a fine sorting, one or more bypasses can be simple, in particular automatically, be activated and the shipments are thus spared.

In order to avoid a complicated and error-prone combination of shipments from two transport strands in a common transport sub-strand, the consignment sorting advantageously comprises a control unit that blocks switching from the first to the second transport when there are shipments in a bypassed by the bypass section of transport. For example, switching between the transport routes may only be permitted at the beginning of a sorting process, or switching may only take place after a waiting time that is so long that all shipments have been transported out of the transport sub-line to be bypassed during this time.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment which is shown in a drawing with a single figure.

The FIGURE shows a schematic representation of a consignment sorting system 2 with a number of modules 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 for processing consignments 24 to be sorted on a transport line 26 for transporting the consignments 24 The module 4 is a pre-sorting device into which the mailings 24 are inserted in a sacked manner and which sifts out oversized, too small, too thick or inflexible mailings 24 and allows only standard letters to pass. These are brought to the module 6, which includes a separating device, also called Feeder, which separates the items 26 and sets a predetermined distance from a control unit 28 between them. The control unit 28 is connected to all modules 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and other components of the consignment sorting system 2 control technology.

The individualized items are clamped by the transport line 26 between two elastic bands and the module 10th transported, which is designed as alignment and aligns the items 24 in passing at its lower edge. Without interruption, the mail items 24 are then guided by the transport line 26 past a reading device 30, for example a bar code reader and address reading device, which reads an optionally present on programs 24 barcode or on the mailings 24 printed address. Since the programs coming from the module 6 24 usually carry no barcode and some programs 24 have handwritten addresses that can not be detected by the reader 30, the programs 24 are guided by the transport line 26 to an image pickup device 32, from both sides of the Programs 24 recordings in a bitmap format and the control unit 28 feeds. The control unit 28 sends images of those broadcasts 24 whose address is not machine-readable online to an unillustrated reading center in which the images are displayed on screens and read by personnel who input at least parts of the address via a keyboard. This data is passed on to the control unit 28 online.

In the further course of the sorting process, the mail items 24 are fed to the module 12 which is designed as an alignment means, which brings the mail items 24 into a uniform orientation, for example such that the address of all the mail items 24 is upside down and the stamp is aligned in the transport direction. In module 14, the authenticity of the stamp is then checked and the stamp is canceled.

Now all transmissions 24 are fed to the module 16, which is designed as an approximately 50 m long transport path for generating a time delay of about 14 seconds. This delay allows the reading personnel a few seconds to key in the read address before the mail items 24 arrive at the module 18, which executes a bar code on the non-machine readable mailings 24. This barcode indicates at least a part of the address of the respective mailing 24, which is thus machine-readable is. In a likewise executed as a labeling module 20 mailings 24, to whose address there is a forwarding order glued, a forwarding label, which is then printed with the forwarding address. Lastly, the mail items 24 are conveyed from the transport line 26 to the module 22, which is a divider, and roughly distributes the mail items 24 into a plurality of containers according to their address, for example, 100 postal codes per container. Conceivable as a module 22 for processing the consignments 24 is also a distribution device in only two collection points or a shipment collection means for feeding to a further sorting.

It consignment sorting system 2 also includes with the module 8, a second feeder for separating consignments 24, which are already prepared by companies delivered. These items are already aligned uniformly and provided with a promotion fee stamp, so that they no longer require editing by the modules 12 and 14. In a further system operating mode, therefore, the mail sorting system 2 can be fed by the module 8, in which the control unit 28 activates a corresponding switch 34, which leads the mailings 24 into a bypass 36 and thus past the modules 12 and 14. The bypass 36 comprises a transport sub-strand 38, which is driven by its own drive 40, so that the control unit 28 can set the transport sub-strand 38 in an activation of the bypass 36 in motion and bring in a deactivation of the bypass 36 to rest. Likewise, a transport sub-strand 42, which supplies the modules 12, 14, associated with its own drive 44, which - depending on the state of the bypass 36 - can be turned on or off.

The activation of the bypass 36 may be effected by the control unit 28 when the consignment sorting system 2 is not fed by the module 6, but solely by the module 8 with corresponding uniformly oriented and depreciated consignments 24. In this case, the plant operating mode becomes switched over and the modules 12, 14 and the drive 44 are turned off by the control unit 28. However, there is also the possibility that the module 8 automatically loads the mail sorting plant 2 when the module 6 has large loading gaps, for example when the presorting device has run empty. In this case, the control unit 28 waits until no more shipments are in the transport sub-strand 42 and then activates the new plant operating mode and thus the module 8 and the bypass 36. As long as the transport sub-strand 42 is not free of transmissions 24 blocks the control unit 28 the bypass 36. In such a short-term activation of the bypass 36, the modules 12, 14 remain in operation and the drive 44 in motion. If the module 6 reports a new charging requirement, for example after a manual filling, the control unit 28 switches over the system operating modes again.

In a second pass controlled by the control unit 28, the mail sorting system 2 can be used for fine sorting in a further plant operating mode, eg for fine sorting of the mailings 24 pre-sorted in the first pass as described above. The containers filled with mail items 24 are then removed from the module 22 and the consignments 24 contained therein are fed into the feeder of the module 8, which again separates the consignments 24 and feeds them to the transport line 26. These shipments 24 are all uniformly oriented, canceled and provided with a machine-readable address or identity code, which are read by the reader 30. For further fine sorting, therefore, the modules 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 are not required. Therefore, a switch 46 is switched by the control unit 28 so that a second bypass 48 is activated, which comprises a transport sub-strand 50. This is driven by a separate drive 52 and can therefore be driven or shut down independently of the other parts of the transport line 26. If the items are guided over the bypass 48 in the transport path at a second pass, the modules 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, the drives 40, 44 and a further drive 54 are switched off, so that the corresponding part of the consignment sorting plant 2 rests and the consignment sorting plant 2 runs quietly and with little wear.

In addition, a distance between the transmissions 24 in the feeder of the module 8 is set, which is smaller than a distance between transmissions 24, which pass through the modules 16, 18 and 20. The usual throughput of the consignment sorting plant 2 is calculated according to: $$\begin{array}{cc}\mathit{throughput}& \mathit{=}\mathit{transport\; speed}\mathit{/}\left(\mathit{piece\; length}\mathit{+}\mathit{distance}\right)\hfill \\ & \mathit{=}\mathit{3}\mathit{.}\mathit{5}\mathit{m}\mathit{/}\mathit{s}\mathit{/}\left(\mathit{200}\mathit{mm}\mathit{+}\mathit{80}\mathit{mm}\right)\hfill \\ & \mathit{=}\mathit{45,000}\mathit{broadcasts}\mathit{/}\mathit{hour}\mathit{,}\hfill \end{array}$$

und damit eine Steigerung von 3.461 Sendungen pro Stunde, was rund 8% entspricht.By about 3 m long bypass 48 more than 50 m transport route and a passage through the modules 16, 18, 20 avoided, whereby the distance can be set 20 mm lower. This results in a throughput of $$\begin{array}{cc}\mathit{throughput}& \mathit{=}\mathit{3}\mathit{.}\mathit{5}\mathit{m}\mathit{/}\mathit{s}\mathit{/}\left(\mathit{200}\mathit{mm}\mathit{+}\mathit{60}\mathit{mm}\right)\hfill \\ & \mathit{=}\mathit{48461}\mathit{broadcasts}\mathit{/}\mathit{stune}\hfill \end{array}$$

and thus an increase of 3,461 shipments per hour, which corresponds to about 8%.

The maximum transport speed is determined by the printer of the module 20 during complete operation of the mail sorting system 2. If the modules 18, 20 deactivated with active bypass 48, the control unit 28, the transport speed of the shipments 24 according to other conditions faster, whereby the throughput of the consignment sorting system 2 can be further increased.

Claims (10)

A consignment sorting system (2) having at least three modules (4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) for processing consignments (24) to be sorted, a transport line (26) for transporting the consignments (24 ) in a first transport path from the first, the second and the third module (4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) and a bypass (36, 48) for transporting items to be sorted ( 24) in a second transport path from the first to the third module (4, 6, 8, 10, 16, 18, 20, 22), bypassing the second module (12, 14, 16, 18, 20)
characterized by a control unit (28) for setting a distance between the transmissions (24) in the transport line in front of the bypass (26) in response to an activation of the bypass (36, 48). A consignment sorting system (2) according to claim 1,
characterized by a control unit for controlling various plant operating modes and activating the bypass in response to the plant operating mode. Consignment sorting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized by a control unit (28) for deactivating a bypass line (42, 50) bypassed by the bypass (36, 48) as a function of an activation of the bypass (36, 48). Consignment sorting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized by a control unit (28) for setting a transport speed of the mail items (24) in the transport line (26) as a function of an activation of the bypass (36, 48). Consignment sorting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the second module (16) is a transport path for generating a time delay. Consignment sorting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the second module (12) comprises alignment means for aligning the mail items (24) in a common orientation. Consignment sorting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the second module (14, 18, 20) has a labeling means for labeling the items (24). Consignment sorting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the second module (32) has a receiving means for receiving an image of the items (24). Consignment sorting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized by a control unit (28) for controlling at least two different sorting methods and for activating the bypass (36, 48) as a function of the sorting method to be carried out. Consignment sorting system (2) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized by a control unit (28) which blocks switching over from the first to the second transport path when consignments (24) are located in a transport sub-string (42, 50) bypassed from the bypass (36, 48).

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