Systems and methods for high throughput sorting
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsScott R. Bombaugh, Tuan A. Le, Charles P. McLellan, Christopher M. Stratton
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Abstract
A high throughput sorting device is disclosed. The device includes a first sorter and a second sorter, each of the first and second sorters having a plurality of cells each configured to support, carry, and deposit an item. The device can also include at least one shared chute extending below a portion of the first sorter and a portion of the second sorter. The at least one chute can be configured to receive an item deposited by each of the plurality of cells and transport the item to an endpoint. The device can also include a base configured to support the at least one shared chute and the first and second sorters.
Claims8
A method of high throughput sorting, comprising:
- placing, by a first inductor, a first item onto a first cell in a first section of a sorter;
- placing, by a second inductor, a second item onto a second cell in a second section of the sorter, wherein the first and second sections of the sorter are disposed parallel to each other;
- associating the first cell with the first item in a memory;
- associating the second cell with the second item in the memory;
- scanning the first and second items to read first and second destination information located on the first and second items;
- determining a first delivery destination for the first item and determining a second delivery destination for the second item based on the read first and second destination information;
- determining sort destinations for the first item and for the second item based on the determined delivery destinations;
- associating the first cell and the second cell with the sort destination in the memory;
- moving the first cell along the sorter to a first location positioned over a chute leading to the sort destination;
- depositing the first item onto the chute from the first cell at the first location such that the chute guides the first item to the sort destination;
- moving the second cell along the sorter to a second location positioned over the chute, the second location being different from the first location;
- and
- depositing the second item onto the chute from the second cell at the second location such that the chute guides the second item to the sort destination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.