EP2569099B1 - Method for improving a process for treatment and transport of postal articles in containers, using batch sorting - Google Patents

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to the field of postal sorting and more particularly the automatic sorting of mail according to which mail items are collected and sorted in a first mail processing center to be transported in storage bins to second data processing centers. mail attached to the first mail processing center and wherein sorting the mail in the first center consists of separating the mail items in a sorting machine having a plurality of sorting outlets each using at least one storage bin to form a a number of groups of storage bins in which mail items are stored, these storage bin groups being intended respectively for said second mail processing centers, and wherein the sorting machine is driven by one or more sorting cycles to segment each group of storage bins destined for a second mail processing center in such a way as to differentiate the mail items stored in these bins according to a plurality of delivery destinations associated with said second mail processing center.

Prior art

The invention relates more particularly to a method for optimizing the filling of bins in such a mail processing process especially in the case where the mail items are collected and sorted in a sorting center departure where is carried out sorting routing for be transported by plane, truck or train in storage bins to arrival sorting centers where sorting is carried out. In an arrival sorting center, the mail items arrive in storage bins already pre-sorted by delivery destination which reduces the time required to perform the sorting process in the arrival sorting center. Pre-sorting in the departure sorting center is also known as the name of "outward sorting" while the sorting for the preparation of the postman's tour in an arrival sorting center is known as "inward sorting".

Typically, a sorting machine receives as input a flow of mail items arranged in random order, and provides an ordered flow of mail items at the exit, i.e., a stream of mail items arranged in a predetermined order. In sorting routing, the predetermined order generally corresponds to a separation by delivery destination groups. In the sorting distribution that is performed downstream of the sorting sorting, the predetermined order therefore corresponds to a sequential distribution of mail items by one or more factors.

Several distribution centers attached to each other constitute a postal processing platform that can be spread over a more or less extensive geographical area, for example a national area. In this postal processing platform, each distribution sorting center also constitutes a sorting center with respect to the other distribution sorting centers of the platform.

In general, the sorting machines that are used in a mail processing platform for sorting are provided with a small number of sorting outlets due to cost and space constraints. Typically, these are sorting machines with a hundred sorting outlets operating removable storage bins in which the mail items are stored flat, for example. These storage bins have a storage capacity of about 50 mail items each. Sorting mail items in such a sorting machine may require several sorting cycles and the volume of mail to be processed may require several dozen storage bins per sorting outlet.

A sorting conveyance machine therefore normally comprises a destacking magazine receiving a batch of mail items to sort such as large letters or magazines with or without a paper or plastic envelope; a number of sorting outlets, which are respectively fed in empty removable bins for storing these mail items sorted; and a sorting conveyor interposed between the unstacking magazine and the sorting outlets, and controlled by an electronic processing unit to direct each mailpiece to be sorted to a respective sorting outlet on the basis of an identifier for delivery destination code, normally printed on the mail piece, and an assignment table, kept in memory in the electronic processing unit, correlating the code to a given sorting output of the machine.

In the course of a conventional sorting process, groups of storage bins comprising a large number of partially filled bins are formed because the segmentation of bins in a group of bins intended for a sorting distribution center is generally done. by a change of bin in the sorting outlet considered of the machine. If it is assumed that several dozen delivery destinations can be associated with a distribution sorting center, several tens of partially filled storage bins can be produced at the end of the sorting process for each distribution sorting center. These partially filled storage bins unnecessarily occupy space in the means of mail transport which results in additional costs for the operation of the postal processing platform.

During several sorting cycles in the machine, mail items can be taken from the sorting outlets and placed at the entrance of the machine repeatedly. In certain situations, the relationship between the maximum number of delivery destinations that a sorting machine can handle in a given sorting process, the number of sorting outputs available for the sorting process, and the number of sort cycles in the sorting process. sorting process, can lead to inefficient use of the sorting machine. More particularly, such situations can arise when the number of delivery destinations to be covered is only slightly greater than the maximum number of delivery destinations that can actually be managed by the machine for a certain number of sort cycles, and is much less than the number of delivery destinations to be covered. maximum number of delivery destinations that can be managed with the sorting process using the sorting cycles. Situations of this kind can be managed either by increasing the number of sorting cycles, by increasing the number of sorting outlets, or by dividing the consignment batch into two or more subassemblies to be processed separately.

But these three solutions are not satisfactory for various reasons. Increasing the number of sorting cycles in a sorting process penalizes a good use of the machine and increases the time and cost of the sorting process. The increase in the number of sorting outlets of the machine also entails additional costs of manufacturing the machine and a larger space for storing it. Moreover, this solution is not necessarily possible for sorting machines already manufactured or installed. Finally, the division of the batch of mail items into subsets may not be compatible with the needs of the end customer and anyway requires to redefine all the machine setting of the sorting process which generates costs and time additional.

Situations may also arise where the number of delivery destinations to be managed is comparable to the maximum number of addressable delivery destinations in the sorting process for a given number of sort cycles, but some delivery destinations have such a high fill rate. they may interfere with the occupation of the sorting outlets during the various sorting cycles which inevitably leads to an inefficient use of the machine.

The use of the interleaves is known from US-2004/0040898 , US-2006/0283784 or US-2005/0045531 .

Presentation of the invention

The object of the invention is therefore to propose a method for optimizing a mail processing process as indicated above by minimizing the number of bins to be transported from one postal processing center to another postal processing center while keeping the same level of separation of mail items.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a method to reduce the proportion of partially full tanks after sorting routing including without penalizing an effective use sorting machines.

The invention is based on the observation that in a sorting process, a major part (approximately 80%) of the mail is spread over a few main delivery destinations (approximately 20%), the rest of the mail being distributed over a large number of other secondary destinations of delivery. It has therefore appeared advantageous to take into account these differences in filling rates (differences in the volume of mail by destination) and to share the sorting section of the postal sorting machine into a first zone comprising a large number of sorting outlets for receiving mail items from high-fill destinations and a second area with a small number of sorting outlets to temporarily receive mail items from low-fill destinations.

The idea underlying the invention is therefore to use the space available in the partially filled bins of mail items of a main destination produced at the end of a first sorting cycle to store there, after inserting a physical separator, the mail items of the secondary destinations that are related to that main destination during a second sort cycle.

A related delivery destination is a destination that is conveyed by the same means of transport as the main destination. Better filling trays can reduce the proportion of partially filled tanks and thus overall reduce the number of trays to transport.

The subject of the invention is therefore a method for optimizing a mail processing process in a sorting machine, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: submitting mail items to a first sorting cycle in a machine according to which a plurality of first sorting outlets of the sorting machine are respectively assigned to a plurality of first delivery destinations and at least one further sorting output of the sorting machine is assigned to a plurality of second delivery destinations, directing through the sorting machine, separators of physical separation of mail items respectively to first sorting outlets and recycling incoming mail items from said other sorting output to the input of the sorting machine and subjecting them to a second sorting cycle according to which the plurality of first sorting outputs are respectively assigned to the plurality of seconds delivery destinations.

If the sorting outlets automatically operate interchangeable and removable storage bins, for example using an automatic tray handling system running along each side of the sorting sort row of sorting machines, at the end of second sort cycle, the mail items respectively of a first main destination and a second destination related to this main destination are sorted into layers in the same tray being separated by a spacer.

1. a) préparer la machine de tri pour un premier cycle de tri des articles de courrier, les sorties de tri de la machine de tri comprenant une pluralité de premières sorties de tri et au moins une seconde sortie de tri distincte desdites premières sorties de tri, la préparation consistant à :
   • a.1 affecter P premières sorties de tri respectivement à P premières destinations de livraison associées à un second centre de traitement du courrier considéré et ce pour chaque second centre de traitement du courrier avec la condition MxP inférieur à N, P supérieur ou égal à 1, les P premières sorties de tri affectées à un second centre étant distinctes des P premières sorties de tri affectées à un autre second centre de traitement du courrier ;
   • a.2 affecter ladite seconde sortie de tri à MxP secondes destinations de livraison associés respectivement aux M seconds centres de traitement du courrier ;
2. b) soumettre les articles de courrier au premier cycle de tri dans la machine de tri pour collecter dans au moins un bac de stockage au niveau de chaque première sortie de tri des articles de courrier correspondant à une première destination de livraison associée à un second centre de traitement du courrier et, au niveau de la seconde sortie de tri, des articles de courrier correspondant aux MxP secondes destinations de livraison ;
3. c) entrer dans la machine MxP intercalaires pour les placer respectivement dans les MxP bacs de stockage en cours de remplissage respectivement au niveau desdites premières sorties de tri ;
4. d) préparer la machine de tri pour un second cycle de tri des articles de courrier, la préparation consistant à :
   • d.1 affecter les MxP premières sorties de tri de la machine de tri respectivement aux MxP secondes destinations de livraison associées aux M seconds centres de traitement du courrier ;
   • d.2 recycler en entrée de la machine de tri les articles de courrier reçus dans la seconde sortie de tri lors du premier cycle de tri ;
5. e) soumettre lesdits articles de courrier recyclés au second cycle de tri dans la machine de tri pour collecter dans chaque bac de stockage en cours de remplissage au niveau de chaque première sortie de tri des articles de courrier correspondant à une seconde destination de livraison, ces articles de courrier correspondant à une seconde destination de livraison étant séparés des articles de courrier correspondant à une première destination de livraison par un intercalaire dans ledit bac de stockage.

More particularly, the subject of the invention is a method of optimizing a mail processing process according to which mail items are collected and sorted in a first mail processing center to be transported in storage bins to M second mail processing centers attached to the first mail processing center, the mail sorting in the first center of separating the mail items in a sorting machine having N sorting outlets each using at least one storage bin to form M groups of storage bins in which the mail items are stored, these M groups of storage bins being intended respectively for said M second mail processing centers, and in which the sorting machine is driven by one or more sorting cycles to segment each group of storage bins destined for a second mail processing center in such a way as to differentiate mail items stored in these bins according to a plurality of delivery destinations associated with said second mail processing center, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

1. a) preparing the sorting machine for a first sorting cycle of mail items, the sorting sorting outlets comprising a plurality of first sorting outlets and at least one second sorting outlet distinct from said first sorting outlets, the preparation consisting of:
   • a.1 assigning P first sorting outlets respectively to P first delivery destinations associated with a second mail processing center in question and for each second mail processing center with the condition MxP less than N, P greater than or equal to 1 the first P sorting outlets assigned to a second center being distinct from the first P sorting outlets assigned to another second mail processing center;
   • a.2 assigning said second sorting output to MxP second delivery destinations respectively associated with the M second mail processing centers;
2. b) subjecting the mail items to the first sorting cycle in the sorting machine to collect in at least one storage bin at each first sorting outlet of the mail items corresponding to a first delivery destination associated with a second center mail processing and, at the second sorting output, mail items corresponding to MxP second delivery destinations;
3. c) enter the MxP interlayers machine to place respectively in MxP storage bins being filled respectively at said first sorting outlets;
4. d) preparing the sorting machine for a second cycle for sorting mail items, the preparation comprising:
   • d.1 assigning the MxP first sorting outputs of the sorting machine respectively to the MxP second delivery destinations associated with the M second mail processing centers;
   • d.2 recycling at the input of the sorting machine the mail items received in the second sorting outlet during the first sorting cycle;
5. e) subjecting said recycled mail items to the second sorting cycle in the sorting machine to collect in each storage bin being filled at each first sorting outlet mail items corresponding to a second destination of delivery, these mail items corresponding to a second delivery destination being separated from the mail items corresponding to a first delivery destination by an interlayer in said storage bin.

• à l'étape a.2) la préparation consiste en outre à affecter une troisième sortie de tri à MxP troisièmes destinations de livraison associées respectivement aux M seconds centres de traitement du courrier ;
• à l'étape b) on soumet les articles de courrier au premier cycle de tri pour collecter au niveau de ladite troisième sortie de tri les articles de courrier correspondant aux MxP troisièmes destinations de livraison ; les étapes suivantes sont mises en oeuvre à la suite de l'étape e):
  • f) entrer dans la machine MxP autres intercalaires pour les placer respectivement dans les MxP bacs de stockage en cours de remplissage respectivement au niveau desdites premières sorties de tri ;
  • g) préparer la machine de tri pour un troisième cycle de tri des articles de courrier, la préparation consistant à :
    • g.1 affecter les MxP premières sorties de tri de la machine de tri respectivement aux MxP troisièmes destinations de livraison associées aux M seconds centres de traitement du courrier ;
    • g.2 recycler en entrée de la machine de tri les articles de courrier reçus dans la troisième sortie de tri lors du premier cycle de tri ;
  • e) soumettre lesdits articles de courrier recyclés au troisième cycle de tri dans la machine de tri pour collecter dans chaque bac de stockage en cours de remplissage au niveau de chaque première sortie de tri des articles de courrier correspondant à une troisième destination de livraison, ces articles de courrier correspondant à une troisième destination de livraison étant séparés des articles de courrier correspondant à une seconde destination de livraison par un intercalaire dans ledit bac de stockage.

With the method of optimizing an automatic mail sorting process according to the invention, at the end of the sorting process, therefore, at most MxP partially filled bins are produced. If the size of the sorting machine is such that additional sorting outlets are still available, the optimization method according to the invention may advantageously have the following particularity:

• in step a.2) the preparation further consists in assigning a third sorting outlet to MxP third delivery destinations associated respectively with the M second mail processing centers;
• in step b) the mail items are submitted to the first sort cycle to collect at the third sorting outlet the mail items corresponding to the MxP third delivery destinations; the following steps are implemented following step e):
  • f) enter the machine MxP other spacers to place respectively in MxP storage bins being filled respectively at said first sorting outlets;
  • g) preparing the sorting machine for a third cycle of sorting the mail items, the preparation comprising:
    • g.1 assigning the MxP first sorting outlets of the sorting machine respectively to the MxP third delivery destinations associated with the M second mail processing centers;
    • g.2 recycling at the input of the sorting machine the mail items received in the third sorting outlet during the first sorting cycle;
  • e) subjecting said recycled mail items to the third sorting cycle in the sorting machine to collect in each storage bin being filled at each first sorting outlet the mail items corresponding to a third destination of delivery, these mail items corresponding to a third delivery destination being separated from the mail items corresponding to a second delivery destination by an interlayer in said storage bin.

It can be understood that in this sorting process, each item of mail is recycled at most once in the machine which helps to reduce the risk of mail damage in addition to limiting the operating costs of the machine.

On the other hand, the division of the sort section can be optimal when the quantity P is determined on the basis of the N / M ratio with the condition that N-MxP remains greater than 1. In practice, the quantity P is determined on a machine sorting system whose number of sorting outlets is predefined. The size P can therefore be adjusted so that the mail items are recycled in principle only once. In the case where the number of delivery destinations is too important for the number of sorting outlets available in the sorting machine, the method according to the invention can be adapted to operate on repeated sorting cycles the second sorting output by example. However, it is also possible to divide the batch of mail items into several subsets and to implement the method according to the invention on each subset of mail items.

Brief presentation of the drawings

An exemplary implementation of the optimization method according to the invention is illustrated by the drawings and is described below in more detail.

The figure 1 schematically illustrates a sorting machine with sorting outlets.

The figure 2 schematically illustrates a configuration of a postal processing platform with a sorting center departure and a plurality of attached arrival sorting centers.

The figure 3 schematically illustrates an assignment of sorting outlets of the machine for a first sorting cycle with the method according to the invention.

The figure 4 schematically illustrates another assignment of sorting outlets of the machine for a second sorting cycle with the method according to the invention.

The figure 5 schematically illustrates yet another assignment of sorting outlets for a third sorting cycle with the method according to the invention.

The figure 6 schematically illustrates the main steps of the optimization method according to the invention.

Description of the embodiments

The postal sorting machine illustrated on the figure 1 is classic in itself. It comprises an entrance with a depiling magazine 1 in which are introduced mail items C arranged in stack on edge. The mailpieces C are unstacked and placed in series one behind the other, for example with a step (space between the front edge of two consecutive articles) constant in a sorting conveyor 3 on the path of which is provided a recognition system 2 automatic mailing address. Each mail item is then directed by the sorting conveyor 3 to a sorting outlet S1, S2, S3 ... S80 as is well known. In the case of the example, the sorting machine comprises eighty sorting outlets that operate interchangeable or removable bins in which the mail items are stored flat.

The figure 2 illustrates a postal processing platform with twenty six mail centers referenced CT. It is understood that the method according to the invention can be applied to smaller or larger platforms.

It will be considered later on to simplify the description of the implementation of the optimization method according to the invention, that the center referenced CTi is a sorting center departure which is attached to twenty five other sorting centers arrival (the center CTi also constituting a sorting center in itself). On the figure 2 , only three other arrival sorting centers are illustrated, namely CT1, CT2 and CT26, for the sake of clarity of this Fig.

For the illustration of the implementation of the method according to the invention, it has therefore considered sorting routing in the center CTi with a sorting machine N = 80 sorting outlets. To carry out a sorting process on M = 26 directions (corresponding to the twenty six distribution centers of the platform), a step P of segmentation of the N sorting outlets of the machine was defined according to the relation P = integer value ( N / M), ie P = 3

With this no segmentation, there are still two spare outputs in the postal sorting machine and for each direction, we can use three sorting outlets to pre-sort three delivery destinations by arrival sorting center.

For the illustration of the implementation of the method according to the invention, it was considered that the number of delivery destinations in each arrival sorting center was a multiple of the segmentation pitch P and in the case of the illustrated example , nine delivery destinations were considered for each direction. By delivery destination, it is necessary to understand a group of distribution addresses which may correspond to one or more rounds of the postman.

Thus, for the postal center CT1, nine destinations A1, A2, A3, A'1 ... A "3 are represented in which A1, A2, A3 are main destinations with a high filling ratio representing a major part (80 % for example) of the mail volume, A'1, A'2, A'3 are destinations related to destinations A1, A2, A3 with lower filling ratio representing a smaller volume of mail (between 10 and 20% for example) and A "1, A" 2, A "3 are still destinations related to destinations A1, A2, A3 and still having a low filling ratio representing an even smaller volume of mail (less than 10% for example) . The same representation of delivery destinations for CT2 with destinations B1, B2,... B "3 and for CT26 with destinations Z1, Z2,... Z" 3 was used.

The idea underlying the invention is therefore to pre-sort globally 9x26 = 234 delivery destinations with a sorting machine with 80 sorting outlets and this by limiting the number of sorting cycles and also by optimizing the filling level of sorting outlets to limit the presence of partially filled trays at the end of the sorting process.

The Figures 3 to 5 with the figure 6 illustrate the main steps of the method according to the invention.

According to the invention, the routing sorting process starts with a step 10 (on the figure 6 ) setting of the sorting machine to prepare a first sorting cycle. In this step 10, further sorting cycles subsequent to the first sort cycle may also be prepared.

In step 6 and as visible on the figure 3 the sorting outlets S1, S2, S3 are assigned to the delivery destinations A1, A2, A3 respectively for the first sorting cycle. The sorting outlets S4, S5, S6 are assigned to the delivery destinations B1, B2, B3, and so on up to the sorting outlets S76, S77, S78 with the delivery destinations Z1, Z2, Z3.

Overall, step 10 therefore consists in allocating P (P greater than 1) successive sorting outlets (in the case of example P is equal to 3) to the first P delivery destinations of each direction representing the largest volume of mail important, the P sorting outlets assigned to a direction being of course distinct from the P sorting outlets assigned to another direction as visible on the figure 3 .

Moreover, the S79 reserve sort output is assigned to the following delivery destinations P (in the order corresponding to a decreasing volume of mail) for all the directions, here therefore at A'1, A'2, A'3 , B '1, B' 2, B'3 ... Z'3.

On the other hand, the reserve output S80 is assigned to the other following delivery destinations (in this order corresponding to a decreasing volume of mail) for all the directions, here therefore at A "1, A" 2, A "3 .. ..Z "3.

Therefore, the above assignment of the sorting outputs in the first sorting cycle amounts to separating the mail flow on a first extended sorting area (S1 to S78) which receives the major part of the mail (80% for example). of the total volume of mail to be separated), on a second zone of restricted sort (S79) which receives a much smaller part of the mail (about 10 to 20% of the volume) and a third sorting area (S80) that receives the rest of the mail is less than 10% of the volume . It is understood that the proportions 80%, 20% and 10% are given by way of non-limiting example for the invention.

The sorting process continues in a sorting step 11 in which the mail items are subjected to the first sort cycle in the machine, and these mail items are sorted and collected in sorting outlets 4 shown in FIG. figure 3 . Line L on the figure 3 symbolizes a system of automatic handling of full bins and empty bins that serves sorting outlets as is well known. The bins being filled in the sorting outlets are arranged on top of the line L while the bins full of mail items and extracts sorting outlets are arranged under the line L. Moreover, the bins associated with a particular sorting output are arranged in column under this sorting output.

The sorting process is continued in step 12 by the introduction of interleaves 5 (or separators for storage bins) arranged in the input stack 1 of the machine and then by a control of the sorting machine capable of making directing each interlayer 5 into each tray 4 currently being filled in a sorting outlet of the first sorting section, namely S1 to S78 as illustrated in FIG. figure 4 .

The sorting process is then continued in step 13 by recycling the mail items stored in the bins of the standby output S79 (second area of the sorting section) at the input of the machine for a second sorting cycle. these mail items.

The setting of the machine for assigning the sorting outlets for the second sorting cycle can be provided in step 10 above as indicated above. The assignment of the sorting outlets in this second sorting cycle consists in assigning the sorting outlets S1, S2, ... S78 (of the main sorting section) to the delivery destinations A'1, A'2, A '. 3, B'1, B'2, B'3, ... Z'2, Z'3 as illustrated on the figure 4 . For each destination, therefore, the consecutive sorting outlets of the first sorting section are assigned to the first P destinations. related from this direction.

Mail items taken from exit S79 and recycled at the entrance to the machine are therefore submitted (step 14 on the figure 6 ) in a sorting machine in the second sorting cycle to be sorted in the sorting outlets S1 to S78 as illustrated in FIG. figure 4 . At the end of this sorting cycle, new bins 4 full of mail items were produced by sorting outlets S1 to S78 and bins 4 are being filled in these sorting outlets.

The process is then continued again by a step 15 for inserting tabs 5 at the input of the machine sorting and control machine to direct these tabs each to a partially full storage bin at each sorting outlet. S1 to S78 as visible on the figure 5 .

The sorting process is then continued in step 16 by recycling the mail items stored in the bins of the standby output S80 (third area of the sorting section) at the input of the machine for a third sorting cycle. these mail items. The figure 5 illustrates the third cycle of sorting. In this third sorting cycle, the sorting outlets S1 to S78 are assigned to the delivery destinations A "1, A" 2, A "3, B" 1, B "2,... Z" 1, Z "2 , Z "3. Therefore, P consecutive outputs are assigned to the P second related destinations of each direction.

Finally, we submit in step 17 ( figure 6 ), the mail items taken from the reserve output S80 and recycled to the input of the sorting machine in the third sorting cycle to sort them into the sorting outlets S1 to S78 of the main sorting section.

At the end of step 17, the sorting process is terminated. As visible on the figure 5 for each sorting outlet S1 to S78 of the main sorting section, a number of trays 4 of mail items having a single partially filled container were produced. For each direction such as CT1, therefore produces at most three partially full bins on all bins filled with mail items and corresponding to this direction. Moreover, the mail items corresponding to the different delivery destinations such as A1, A'1, A "2 are differentiated in the bins by the tabs 5 which makes it possible, during the subsequent distribution sorting, to easily extract the mail items from the bins while maintaining the order of the pre-sorting carried out during the sorting process.

It should be noted that during the various sorting cycles of the sorting process, a signaling label may be affixed to the bins comprising an interlayer for separating two strata of mail items so that this separation is easily identifiable by a machine operator. when sorting distribution.

In a conventional sorting process, the proportion of partially filled bins can reach about 25% of the total bins produced by sorting. The method of optimizing the sorting process according to the invention makes it possible to reduce this proportion to around 9%, which contributes to reducing the cost of transporting mail items between the various sorting centers of a platform.

The sorting step P of the sorting outlets depends in principle on the number of sorting outlets available in the sorting machine, the number of delivery destinations to be covered and the number of mail processing centers to be used. The segmentation of the sorting outlets of the example above corresponds to a maximum operating efficiency of a sorting machine having 80 sorting outlets to sort out 234 delivery destinations spread over 26 postal processing centers.

Claims (4)

1. A method of optimizing a process for handling mail in a sorting machine, comprising the following steps: subjecting (11) mailpieces to a first machine-sorting cycle in which a plurality of first sorting outlets (S1-S78) of the sorting machine are allocated to respective ones of a plurality of first delivery destinations (A1-Z3) and at least one other sorting outlet (S79) of the sorting machine is allocated to a plurality of second delivery destinations (A'1-Z'3); directing (12) separators for physically separating mailpieces through the sorting machine to respective ones of the first sorting outlets (S1-S78); re-circulating (13) to the inlet of the sorting machine the mailpieces coming from said other sorting outlet (S79); and subjecting (14) them to a second sorting cycle in which the plurality of first sorting outlets (S1-S78) are allocated to respective ones of the plurality of second delivery destinations (A'1-Z'3).
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein mailpieces are collected and sorted in a first mail handling center so as to be transported in storage bins to M second mail handling centers in communication with the first mail handling center, the sorting of the mail in the first center consisting in separating the mailpieces in a sorting machine having N sorting outlets, each of which uses at least one storage bin so as to form M groups of storage bins in which the mailpieces are stored, these M groups of storage bins being for respective ones of said M second mail handling centers, and wherein the sorting machine is controlled by one or more sorting cycles so as to segment each group of storage bins for a second mail handling center in such a manner as to distinguish between the mailpieces stored in said bins depending on a plurality of delivery destinations associated with said second mail handling center, said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

   a) preparing the sorting machine for a first sorting cycle for sorting the mailpieces, the sorting outlets of the sorting machine comprising a plurality of first sorting outlets and at least one second sorting outlet distinct from said first sorting outlets, the preparation consisting in:

   a.1 allocating (10) P first sorting outlets to respective ones of P first delivery destinations associated with a second mail handling center in question, and doing so for each second mail handling center with the condition M × P less than N, where P is greater than 1, the P first sorting outlets allocated to a second center being distinct from the P first sorting outlets allocated to another second mail handling center; and in

   a.2 allocating said second sorting center to M × P second delivery destinations associated with respective ones of M second mail handling centers;

   b) subjecting (11) the mailpieces to the first sorting cycle in the sorting machine so as to collect, in at least one storage bin at each first sorting outlet, mailpieces corresponding to a first delivery destination associated with a second mail handling center and, at the second sorting outlet, mailpieces corresponding to the M × P second delivery destinations;

   c) inputting (12) into the sorting machine M × P separators so as to place them in respective ones of the M × P storage bins being filled at respective ones of said first sorting outlets;

   d) preparing the sorting machine for a second sorting cycle for sorting the mailpieces, the preparation consisting in:

   d.1 allocating the M × P first sorting outlets of the sorting machine to respective ones of the M × P second delivery destinations associated with the M second mail handling centers; and in

   d.2 re-circulating (13) into the inlet of the sorting machine the mailpieces received in the second sorting outlet during the first sorting cycle; and

   e) subjecting (14) said re-circulated mailpieces to the second sorting cycle in the sorting machine so as to collect, in each storage bin being filled at each first sorting outlet, mailpieces corresponding to a second delivery destination, these mailpieces that correspond to a second delivery destination being separated from the mailpieces that correspond to a first delivery destination by a separator in said storage bin.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said sorting outlets include a third sorting outlet that is distinct from said first and second sorting outlets;
   wherein, in step a.2), the preparation further consists in allocating the third sorting outlet to M × P third delivery destinations associated with respective ones of the M second mail handling centers; and
   wherein, in step b), the mailpieces are subjected to the first sorting cycle so as to collect, at said third sorting outlet, the mailpieces corresponding to the M × P third delivery destinations;
   the method further comprising the following steps, subsequent to step e):

   f) inputting (15) into the sorting machine M × P other separators so as to place them in respective ones of the M × P storage bins being filled at respective ones of the said first sorting outlets;

   g) preparing the sorting machine for a third sorting cycle for sorting the mailpieces, the preparation consisting in:

   g.1 allocating the M × P first sorting outlets of the sorting machine to respective ones of the M × P third delivery destinations associated with the M second mail handling centers; and in

   g.2 re-circulating (16) into the inlet of the sorting machine the mailpieces received in the third sorting outlet during the first sorting cycle; and

   e) subjecting (17) said re-circulated mailpieces to the third sorting cycle in the sorting machine so as to collect, in each storage bin being filled at each first sorting outlet, mailpieces corresponding to a third delivery destination, these mail pieces that correspond to a third delivery destination being separated from the mail pieces that correspond to a second delivery destination by a separator in said storage bin.
4. A method according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the magnitude P is determined on the basis of the ratio N/M.

Images