# US 10,245,620 B2 · Parcel sorting system and method

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- Number: US 10,245,620 B2
- Document ID: US10245620B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/326,411
- Filed: 2016-07-20
- Published: 2018-05-03
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-22
- Assignees: Hangzhou Yameilijia Technology Co., Ltd.; Jianqing Zhu
- Applicants: Hangzhou Yameilijia Technology Co., Ltd.; Jianqiang Zhu
- Inventors: Juejing Xu; Jianqiang Zhu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245620B2

## CPC

- G05B 19/41895: {using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] (control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00)}
- B07C 3/008: {Means for collecting objects, e.g. containers for sorted mail items (pile receivers in general B65H31/00)}
- B07C 3/02: Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
- B07C 3/06: Linear sorting machines in which articles are removed from a stream at selected points
- B07C 3/08: using arrangements of conveyors {(transport of sheets B65H; transport in general B65G)}
- B07C 3/14: using light-responsive detecting means {(for information carriers G06K7/14)}
- B07C 3/18: Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks {(applying data to information carriers G06K1/12)}
- B07C 5/36: Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution {(sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02)}
- B65G 1/0492: {with cars adapted to travel in storage aisles}
- B65G 1/06: with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level (B65G1/12 takes precedence)
- B65G 1/065: {with self propelled cars}
- B65G 1/137: with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
- B65G 1/1373: {for fulfilling orders in warehouses}
- B66F 9/063: {Automatically guided}
- G05D 1/0291: {Fleet control (monitoring fleets in traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/127, G08G1/127)}
- G05D 1/692: involving a plurality of disparate vehicles
- G06Q 10/08: Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
- G06Q 10/083: Shipping
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- B07C 2301/00: Sorting according to destination
- B07C 2501/0063: Using robots
- B65G 1/0464: {with access from above}
- B65G 2201/0285: Postal items, e.g. letters, parcels
- B65G 2203/0216: Codes or marks on the article
- B65G 2203/044: Optical
- B65G 2209/02: Batch order forming, e.g. several batches simultaneously
- G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- B66F: HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD ({invalid lifting devices A61G7/10; } mounting artificial islands on piles or like supports E02B17/00; scaffolding combined with lifting devices E04G1/22; lifting devices for sliding forms E04G11/24; lifting of buildings E04G23/06; shores or struts E04G25/00; lifts or other hoisting devices on ladders E06C7/12; props for mining E21D15/00)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A parcel sorting system and method. The parcel sorting system comprises a parcel sorting device (100) and a parcel collecting device (101); the parcel sorting device is provided thereon with a plurality of parcel inspection inlets (104) and a plurality of parcel outlets (102), and the parcel collecting device is located just below the parcel sorting device; the parcel outlets on the parcel sorting device communicate with the parcel collecting device; the parcel outlets are respectively located at the middle or/and edges of the parcel sorting device; the parcel collecting device is provided thereon with storage devices (103) at positions under respective parcel outlets; and diameter of the storing device is larger than that of the parcel outlet. When the method is used, the parcel sorting efficiency is obviously improved; the implementation is convenient; and popularization and application are facilitated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A parcel sorting system, comprising a parcel sorting device and a parcel collecting device, wherein the parcel sorting device is provided with a plurality of parcel checking inlets and a plurality of parcel outlets, and the parcel collecting device is located directly below the parcel sorting device; and
the plurality of parcel outlets on the parcel sorting device are respectively in communication with the parcel collecting device; the plurality of parcel outlets are respectively located at the middle and edges of the parcel sorting device; and the parcel collecting device is provided thereon with storage devices, with one storage device located at each of positions under parcel outlets, and an opening diameter of the storage device is greater than a diameter of the parcel outlets.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The parcel sorting system according to claim 1, wherein each of the parcel checking inlets is provided with one parcel information acquisition device; the parcel checking inlets are in one-to-one correspondence with the parcel information acquisition devices, the parcel information acquisition devices are configured to acquire parcel information of the parcels to be sorted that enter the parcel checking inlets corresponding to the parcel information acquisition devices, and the parcel information contains destinations of the parcels to be sorted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The parcel sorting system according to claim 2, wherein the system further comprises a control device, and the control device is in connection with all the parcel information acquisition devices so as to obtain the parcel information acquired by all the parcel information acquisition devices, to obtain the destinations of the respective parcels to be sorted; and
the system further comprises a plurality of mobile transport devices, the mobile transport devices are all in connection with the control device, the control device is pre-provided with parcel outlets respectively corresponding to different destinations, and the control device is further configured to control, according to the obtained destinations of the parcels to be sorted, at least one of the mobile transport devices to transport the parcels to be sorted to the parcel outlets corresponding to the destinations of the parcels to be sorted.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The parcel sorting system according to claim 3, wherein the system further comprises a detection device and a transfer device, the detection device is configured to detect whether the storage device is full and to transmit to the control device the obtained information about whether the storage device is full, and the transfer device is configured to transfer the storage device which is full according to an instruction from the control device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The parcel sorting system according to claim 4, wherein each of the mobile transport devices is configured to load one parcel to be sorted or a plurality of parcels to be sorted that go to a same destination; and
the destination information is carried in a destination address information code, the destination address information code is provided on the parcel to be sorted, each of the parcel information acquisition devices comprises a scanner, and the scanner is configured to scan the information code for obtaining the destination of the parcel to be sorted.

### Claim 6

A parcel sorting method applied to a parcel sorting system, wherein the parcel sorting system comprises a parcel sorting device and a parcel collecting device; the parcel sorting B device is provided with a plurality of parcel checking inlets and a plurality of parcel outlets, and the parcel collecting device is located directly below the parcel sorting device; the plurality of the parcel outlets on the parcel sorting device are respectively in communication with the parcel collecting device, and the plurality of the parcel outlets are respectively located at the middle and edges of the parcel sorting device; and the parcel collecting device is provided thereon storage-devices, with one storage device located at each of positions under the parcel outlets, an opening diameter of the storage device is greater than a diameter of the parcel outlet, and the method comprises:
presetting correspondence relationships between the parcel outlets and the parcels to be sorted that go to different destinations;
obtaining the destinations of the parcels to be sorted;
transporting the parcels to be sorted to the parcel outlets corresponding to the destinations of the parcels to be sorted; and
delivering, through the parcel outlets, the parcels to be sorted into the storage devices under the parcel outlets.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The parcel sorting method according to claim 6, wherein each of the parcel checking inlets is provided with one parcel information acquisition device, the parcel checking inlets are in one-to-one correspondence with the parcel information acquisition devices, and the step of obtaining the destinations of the parcels to be sorted comprises:
acquiring, by individual parcel information acquisition devices, the parcel information of the parcels to be sorted that enter the parcel checking inlets corresponding to the parcel information acquisition devices, with the parcel information containing the destinations of the parcels to be sorted.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The parcel sorting method according to claim 7, wherein the system further comprises a control device and a plurality of mobile transport devices, the correspondence relationships between the parcel outlets and the parcels to be sorted that go to different destinations are preset in the control device, and the step of transporting the parcels to be sorted to the parcel outlets corresponding to the destinations of the parcels to be sorted, comprises:
obtaining, by the control device, the parcel information acquired by all the parcel information acquisition devices to obtain the destinations of the respective parcels to be sorted; and
controlling at least one of the mobile transport devices according to the obtained destinations of the parcels to be sorted to transport the parcels to be sorted to the parcel outlets corresponding to the destinations of the parcels to be sorted.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The parcel sorting method according to claim 8, wherein the system further comprises a detection device and a transfer device, and the method further comprises:
obtaining, by the control device, the information detected by the detection device about whether the storage device is full or not, and when obtaining information indicating that the storage device is full, transmitting to the transfer device an instruction for transferring the storage device which is full.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The parcel sorting method according to claim 9, wherein each of the mobile transport devices is configured to load one parcel to be sorted or a plurality of parcels to be sorted that go to a same destination; and
the destination information is carried in a destination address information code, the destination address information code are provided on the parcel to be sorted, each of the parcel information acquisition devices comprises a scanner, and the scanner is configured to scan the information code for obtaining the destinations of the parcels to be sorted.