EP1951447A1

EP1951447A1 - Installation for sorting mailings according to sorting directions

Info

Publication number: EP1951447A1
Application number: EP06806209A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ottmar Kechel
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2005-11-21
Filing date: 2006-10-12
Publication date: 2008-08-06
Also published as: WO2007057078A1; DE102005055763B3; US8005569B2; US20090276083A1

Abstract

Disclosed is an installation for sorting incoming mailings which are assigned to a first plurality of first preselected sorting directions or a second plurality of second remaining sorting directions, according to which the mailings are distributed to receptacles of a track, each mailing being deposited into one of several first receptacles for the first plurality n (n= 2, 3, ...) of first preselected sorting directions or into at least one of the other receptacles for the second plurality m (m= 1, 2, 3, ...) of second remaining sorting directions. At least one external receptacle from an additional track is replaced with a receptacle for one of the preselected first sorting directions of the track via an interface at least during one passage of the track, the additional track is used as a storage device for the receptacles, and replaced receptacles can be redirected to the respective track thereof via the interface, thus dispensing with the need to additionally feed the mailings for remaining sorting directions, among other things.

Description

description

Plant for sorting consignments according to sorting directions

The invention relates to a system for sorting consignments according to sorting directions according to the preamble of claim 1.

Today, the aim is to ensure the sorting of items, such as mail or packages, according to as many sorting directions automatically and with high throughput. In this regard, an installation with a track of containers is known, which are each assigned to a sorting direction and in which the items are divided and stored.

A system of this kind is shown on the basis of FIG. 1 (see also DE 103 05 847 B3), which makes it possible to sort incoming items or items G1, G2 by means of loading devices F1, F2 (so-called "feeders") A maximum throughput of mailpieces to be sorted is defined in the loading devices F1, F2 The mailpieces Gl, G2 are placed in circulating pockets or cassettes A1, A2, ..., AX of a first track LA by means of the suitable loading devices F1, which are arranged laterally. The consignment is transported in its pocket along the track LA until the bag is opposite an empty storage compartment S1, S2, ..., SX, into which the consignment is delivered. In this case, this storage compartment acts as a buffer S between the first track LA and a second track LB, the circulating container Bl, B2, ..., B5, Cl, C2, has e Division of the consignments from the intermediate storage S takes place in accordance with the sorting directions by transfer of the consignments into the different containers. ter, when a corresponding container with respect to the desired storage compartment of the buffer S circulates. Each of these containers is assigned a sorting direction, which for example designates a predominant sorting direction as for a large city or a further, residual sorting direction as for smaller districts. Due to the high number / volume of mailings for predominant sorting directions with respect to programs with remaining sorting directions, in practice a first higher plurality n (n = 2, 3, 4,...) Of containers B1, B2,..., B5 for used predominantly preselected sorting directions in the track LB and a smaller second number m (m = 1, 2, 3, ... and m <n) of other containers Cl, C2 for the remaining sorting directions. Thus, all items from the buffer S in the container Bl, B2, ..., B5 of the second track LB according to the first preselected sorting divided or stored individually, but the remaining items according to the second remaining sorting due to the limited number of still available containers C 1, C 2 are not sorted individually in the second track LB, but stacked together, for example.

Therefore, in this first step, the consignments with predominantly sorting directions are completely sorted, but the further consignments with remaining sorting directions are stored in one or a few containers, without individual sorting. Therefore, a further fine sorting for the remaining shipments is still required, such as by subsequent re-feeding in the superchargers Fl, F2 with now finer setting of the associated sorting directions on the two tracks LA, LB and the buffer S. This further fine sorting can at a certain time of day take place, for example, after the consignments with predominant sorting directions have already been sorted. This process is typically performed manually when an operator of the facility finds that the number of incoming shipments with predominately sorting directions is decreasing. Is this not the case, because a new load of shipments with predominant sorting directions received, these shipments must be sorted later. This means that in most cases the system can only sort a maximum with a throughput that is halved, for example.

The invention has for its object to provide a system for the effective sorting of shipments in containers of a career, wherein the number of containers in the career limited or smaller than the number of actually required sorting directions.

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

In this case, a system for sorting (with constant or variable supply throughput) incoming shipments is proposed, in which the transmissions of a first plurality n (n = 2, 3,...) Of first preselected predominant sorting directions or of a second plurality m (m = 1, 2, 3, ...) are assigned by second remaining sorting directions and according to the sorting directions the broadcasts are divided into different containers of a career, each shipment in one of a plurality of first containers for the first plurality of preselected sorting directions or is stored in at least one of the further containers for the second plurality of remaining sorting directions. The fact that at least during a run of the track and an interface at least one external container is replaced from an additional track with a container for one of the preselected sorting directions of the track, including additional feeding of the mail for remaining sorting directions is avoided. In this case, the second plurality m of additional containers may be arbitrarily high, possibly via the first plurality n. Under (coarse) knowledge of the predominant and remaining sorting directions, preferably their estimated shipment volume per hour and per container (= end point of the sorting), the total throughput of the system can also be substantially increased.

Furthermore, other advantages are very diverse, as follows:

A) It can be achieved that shipments to the additional containers (= remote terminals) can be sorted directly without having to reenter them with a substance entry. This entry into a substance input is by far associated with the highest personnel expenditure in processing. This manpower can be reduced by the present invention. It is probably unavoidable that the throughput of an otherwise throughput-optimized sorting system sinks a little by a multiple inflow and outfeed of the external additional container, the savings effect for the work but predominates. For a plant that is believed to have a primary throughput of 100% for overwhelming sorting directions, the throughput will be reduced (to) by e.g. 20%. Taking this into account in the operation of the installations, wherein, for example, for the maximum throughput, e.g. 5 operators would be necessary, for example, by only 4 operators to the plant, so the work productivity can remain the same, with increased terminal number.

B) Using the present invention instead of a more expensive and expensive equipment with e.g. 300 terminals

(^ Containers) in the first runway, a sorting system are realized with only 200 terminals in the first career and 100 outsourced terminals in the additional career, which are supplied only if necessary, the already existing sorting plant. C) During operation of the sorter (= plant for sorting), a sorter function with either a large number of containers and a lower throughput, or a sorter function with fewer containers, depending on the time window that is available and depending on the desired terminal number higher throughput can be selected. This is especially beneficial for a post office because throughout the day, the entire infopost can be split as finely as possible with moderate throughput (just one feed process). In the evening, when the shipments have to be dispatched in due course, the reduced (original) shed number is used for the predominant sorting directions at then high throughput.

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

In particular, both raceways have a total number n + m of containers for predominantly and residual sorting directions, which are exchangeable in pairs between the two raceways. In other words, a container for a remaining sorting direction can also be exchanged with another container for a further, residual sorting direction. All exchange possibilities between containers of both tracks are therefore permitted, depending on the distribution of the sorting directions (predominantly / remainder) of the consignments arriving in the system.

The second career can be realized by means of a simple linear or ring memory.

The interface can be realized according to different exchange principles between the two tracks. You can z. B. include a switchable Abzweigungs- and a feed point, so that a simple Laufbahnerweite- tion of the first career is formed. It may also be a container-selective replacement device on adjacent sections of the two tracks. Here are many realistic However, for reasons of clarity, the subject matter of the invention will not disclose all of these aspects.

The interface between the two raceways may be connected to a control module that activates the interface depending on actual occurring addresses or destinations of the transmissions that are random. In this case, the throughput for sorting consignments with predominantly sorting directions is only slightly reduced, but, statistically speaking, a possible collection or undesired occupancy of consignments with non-predominant sorting directions in a temporary storage S or in the first career LA according to FIG 1 avoided.

An alternative is that the control module activates the interface with a periodic signal. In other words, the throughput is regulated according to the temporal (eg daytime and nighttime) ratio between predominant and remaining sorting directions, so that the most effective sorting is carried out for as many shipments as possible and with at least slowed throughput for the predominant shipments ,

The control module can also activate the interface with a sorting direction selective signal. This variant is the most flexible since, from the knowledge of the spectrum of the sorting directions of the incoming items to be sorted, an exchange plan of the containers can be foreseen at least per run of the first run. This information can be found in the

Control module, a signal that activates the circuit of the interface for existing sorting requirements (eg in the cache). In contrast to a continuous exchange process, no external containers are added to the first runway without secure shipment recording. In all containers, which run along the first track, this ensures during a run that we- at least one shipment is stored.

The control module should also consider changes in the throughput of all incoming transmissions, in particular changes in the individual pluralities n, m of the sorting directions of incoming transmissions. Thus, if necessary, maximum dynamic container allocation with all n + m containers can be achieved either for predominant or for remaining sorting directions.

Subsequently, the invention will be explained in an embodiment with reference to the drawing.

1 shows a plant according to the prior art,

2 shows a system according to the invention for sorting consignments.

In FIG. 2, in principle, all the technical features of the sorting apparatus according to FIG. 1 are shown. Well, now the

Running track LB referred to as first career (career LA and latches S are not essential for the explanation of the inventive subject matter). At one point of the first track LB, an interface CROSS for exchanging at least one additional container from an external track LC with a container of the first track LB is connected. The interface CROSS is connected to a control module CTRL, which can activate or deactivate the interface CROSS according to already described types.

In this example, and starting from FIG. 1, the interface was activated once so that the container B5 originally associated with the first career was exchanged with an additional container C3 of the external career LC. For example, one or more storage compartments of the schenspeichers S are each emptied with a consignment for the container C3 associated sorting in the here circulating container C3. This means a reduction of the throughput for the sorting direction corresponding to the container B5, but only during a passage of the container C3 along the first conveyor LB. Subsequently, via the interface CROSS, the container C3 can be returned to the external track LC and at the same time the container B5 can be returned to its original track LB. However, other exchanges can be made here if dynamic requirements for individual sorting directions are monitored.

In Fig. 2, in contrast to Fig. 1, the container C2 for an originally residual (i.e., not overwhelming) sorting direction is located in the external track LC instead of the first track LB. The container C2 can circulate along the external track LC as long as there is no transmission for its associated sorting direction in the buffer memory S. As a result, the first track LB has an additional space for a container for a predominant sorting direction.

Another alternative could also be that the external track LC or another, external track on the track LA of Figure 1 is connected via a further interface. In this way, the pockets Al,..., AX relative to the intermediate storage S could deliver the items in such a way that the delivery of the items depends on the existing or the planned available sorting directions in the

Track LB and the track LC occurs.

In the invention, the charging devices Fl, F2, the tracks LA, LB and the buffer S need not be changed. A simple extension of at least one of the running LA, LB is sufficient to increase the throughput of all shipments according to predominant and remaining sorting directions.

If, for example, the track LB has a throughput of 10000 shipments per hour for 100 sorting directions (with 100 containers), the throughput halves to 5000 shipments per hour, if a further 100 sorting directions occur in the buffer S and a further, subsequent sorting has to be carried out.

By virtue of the present invention and with the knowledge that the first 100 predominant sorting directions constitute approximately 90% of the total mail volume per container and that the remaining 100 sorting directions constitute approximately 10% of the total mail volume per container, the overall throughput is reduced by only 10% instead of 50% experience.

Claims

claims

1. system for sorting incoming shipments (Sl, S2, ..., SX), which are assigned to a first plurality (s) of first preselected sorting directions or a second plurality (m) of second remaining sorting directions, according to which the broadcasts Container of a track (LB) are divided, each shipment in one of a plurality of first containers (Bl, B2, ... B5) for the first plurality (s) of first preselected sorting directions or in at least one other container (Cl, C2) for the second plurality (m) of second remaining sorting directions is stored, characterized in that at least during a run of the track (LB) and via an interface (CROSS) at least one external container (C3) from an additional track (LC) with a container (B5) is exchanged for one of the preselected first sorting directions of the track (LB), and that the additional track (LC) is stored as memory for d The container (Bl, B2,... B5, C1, C2, C3) serves and exchanged containers (C3, B5) can be returned to their respective trajectory (LB, LC) via the interface (CROSS).

2. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that both runways (LB, LC) have a total number (n + m) of containers for predominantly and remaining sorting directions, which are exchangeable in pairs between two raceways (LB, LC).

3. Plant according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the additional track (LC) is a linear or a ring memory.

4. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 3, d a d u r c h e c e n e s in that the interface (CROSS) with a control module (CTRL) is connected, which activates the interface depending on actually occurring addresses or destinations of the programs that are random.

5. A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the interface (CROSS) is connected to a control module (CTRL) which activates the interface with a periodic signal.

6. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a cross-connect (CROSS) is connected to a control module (CTRL) which activates the interface with a sorting direction selective signal.

The system of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein: said interface (CROSS) is connected to a control module (CTRL) which controls said interface in response to a change in throughput of incoming transmissions.

8. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 7, d a d u r c h e c e n e s in that the interface (CROSS) with a control module (CTRL) is connected, which controls the interface in dependence on the individual plural numbers (n, m) of the sorting directions of incoming broadcasts.