Automated mail tray loading system and method
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65G-011/04
B07C-005/00
B65H-031/06
B65H-031/04
B65H-031/30
B07C-005/34
B07C-003/00
B65H-031/24
B65H-043/06
출원번호
US-0378712
(2016-12-14)
등록번호
US-10227201
(2019-03-12)
발명자
/ 주소
Hanson, Bruce
Gavenas, Jeffrey Anthony
출원인 / 주소
Toshiba International Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Baker Botts L.L.P.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
14
초록▼
Presently disclosed embodiments are directed to a system and method for loading mail trays in a sorter without human intervention. Specifically, the disclosed embodiments utilize an automated mail tray having a bottom plate that is selectively moveable between an elevated position and a lowered posi
Presently disclosed embodiments are directed to a system and method for loading mail trays in a sorter without human intervention. Specifically, the disclosed embodiments utilize an automated mail tray having a bottom plate that is selectively moveable between an elevated position and a lowered position. The automated mail tray may be positioned on a shelf under a corresponding output pocket of a mail stacker, and the bottom plate may be elevated to receive mail product transferred from the output pocket to the automated mail tray. After receiving the mail product on the elevated bottom plate, the bottom plate of the mail tray may be lowered so that the mail product is transferred from the output pocket to a position fully situated in the automated mail tray. The mail tray filled with mail product may then be removed from the shelf and replaced with an empty automated mail tray.
대표청구항▼
1. A mail sortation and transportation system, comprising: a mail stacker comprising an output pocket, wherein the mail stacker is configured to receive mail product and to stack at least a portion of the mail product into the output pocket, wherein the output pocket comprises a bottom, wherein the
1. A mail sortation and transportation system, comprising: a mail stacker comprising an output pocket, wherein the mail stacker is configured to receive mail product and to stack at least a portion of the mail product into the output pocket, wherein the output pocket comprises a bottom, wherein the bottom of the output pocket is configured to receive the mail product thereon during stacking of the mail product into the output pocket, wherein the bottom of the output pocket is selectively removable via horizontal sliding of the bottom relative to side walls of the output pocket;a shelf disposed under the output pocket of the mail stacker; andan automated mail tray comprising a bottom plate that is moveable between an elevated position and a lowered position, wherein the automated mail tray is removably disposed on the shelf for receiving mail product transferred from the output pocket, wherein the bottom plate of the automated mail tray is configured to support the mail product disposed thereon in the output pocket when the bottom of the output pocket is removed and the bottom plate is in the elevated position, and wherein the automated mail tray is aligned in a vertical direction with the output pocket when positioned on the shelf under the output pocket such that the bottom plate of the automated mail tray in the elevated position is directly beneath the bottom of the output pocket and flush against the output pocket. 2. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 1, wherein the shelf comprises rollers to facilitate insertion and removal of the automated mail tray. 3. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 1, wherein the output pocket comprises an automated stacker paddle. 4. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 1, wherein the shelf is integrated into the mail stacker. 5. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 4, wherein the mail stacker comprises a plurality of output pockets and is configured to receive mail product and to stack the mail product into at least one of the plurality of output pockets, and a plurality of shelves each disposed under a corresponding one of the plurality of output pockets. 6. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 1, wherein the shelf comprises an open back side to allow the automated mail tray to be inserted or removed from the shelf. 7. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 1, further comprising a tray storage and movement system configured to transport the automated mail tray onto the shelf, away from the shelf, or onto a tray to feeder path. 8. A method, comprising: filling an output pocket of a mail stacker with mail product received at the mail stacker, wherein the output pocket comprises a bottom that supports the mail product received from the mail stacker thereon;positioning an automated mail tray on a shelf under the output pocket, wherein the automated mail tray comprises a bottom plate that is moveable between an elevated position and a lowered position;aligning the automated mail tray with the output pocket when positioning the automated mail tray on the shelf under the output pocket such that the bottom plate of the automated mail tray in the elevated position is flush against the output pocket;raising the bottom plate of the automated mail tray to a position directly beneath the bottom of the output pocket;upon filling the output pocket, horizontally sliding the bottom of the output pocket relative to side walls of the output pocket to remove the bottom of the output pocket from a position supporting the mail product thereon;supporting the mail product within the output pocket via the bottom plate of the automated mail tray positioned in the elevated position; andautomatically transferring the mail product from the output pocket into the automated mail tray by lowering the movable bottom plate of the automated mail tray from the elevated position to the lowered position while the mail product is supported on the bottom plate. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising extracting the automated mail tray with the mail product from the shelf for transportation of the mail product to another location. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising replacing the automated mail tray by positioning another automated mail tray on the shelf. 11. The method of claim 8, further comprising positioning the automated mail tray on the shelf under the output pocket while the output pocket is being filled with the mail product. 12. The method of claim 8, further comprising automatically controlling a position of a stacker paddle disposed in the output pocket to facilitate filling the output pocket with the mail product. 13. The method of claim 8, further comprising detecting whether the output pocket is full of mail product, and controlling the automated mail tray to lower the bottom plate from the elevated position to the lowered position. 14. The method of claim 8, further comprising preventing the mail stacker from filling the output pocket with mail product when the automated mail tray is being traded out for another automated mail tray. 15. A mail sortation and transportation system, comprising: a mail stacker comprising an output pocket, wherein the mail stacker is configured to receive mail product and to stack at least a portion of the mail product into the output pocket, wherein the output pocket comprises side walls, wherein the output pocket comprises an opening at a bottom of the output pocket between the side walls;a shelf disposed under the output pocket of the mail stacker; andan automated mail tray comprising a bottom plate that is moveable between an elevated position and a lowered position, wherein the automated mail tray is removably disposed on the shelf for receiving mail product transferred from the output pocket, wherein the automated mail tray is aligned with the output pocket when positioned on the shelf under the output pocket such that the bottom plate of the automated mail tray in the elevated position covers the opening between the side walls of the output pocket, and wherein the bottom plate of the automated mail tray is configured to support the mail product disposed thereon in the output pocket when the bottom plate is in the elevated position, wherein the bottom plate of the automated mail tray acts as a bottom of the output pocket during stacking of the mail product. 16. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 15, wherein the shelf comprises rollers to facilitate insertion and removal of the automated mail tray. 17. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 15, wherein the output pocket comprises an automated stacker paddle. 18. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 15, wherein the shelf is integrated into the mail stacker. 19. The mail sortation and transportation system of claim 18, wherein the mail stacker comprises a plurality of output pockets and is configured to receive mail product and to stack the mail product into at least one of the plurality of output pockets, and a plurality of shelves each disposed under a corresponding one of the plurality of output pockets.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (14)
Euverard Maynard R. (Clarendon Hills IL) Heide Henry A. (Addison IL), Apparatus and method for loading containers.
Matsumura, Nobuya; Kiyomura, Hiroyuki; Nishino, Kenichi; Takahashi, Kenji; Kanayama, Shinji, Bump bonding unit with tray storage and transport apparatuses.
Berdelle-Hilge, Peter; Buckenmaier, Thomas; Oexle, Dietmar; Zimmermann, Armin, Device for emptying an open-topped mail item container and mail item container.
Euverard Maynard R. (Williamsburg VA) Diver James J. (South Holland IL) Schneider Thomas C. (Oak Forest IL), Pattern forming apparatus and product orienter therefor.
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