Automated mail sorting system and method
AssigneeRobert Haines
InventorRobert Haines
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated mail sorting system configured to position individual pieces of mail in one of a plurality of nested postal totes, including a denesting assembly configured to squeeze an upper portion of a postal tote of a plurality of nested postal totes to ease in separation of the postal tote from the plurality of nested postal totes, a traverse assembly configured to enable lifting of the postal tote from the plurality of nested postal totes and to transport the postal tote along a lateral distance, and a stacker assembly configured to receive the postal tote from the traverse assembly and to transport the postal tote past a feeder assembly for the positioning of individual pieces of mail within the postal tote.
Claims19
An automated mail sorting system configured to position individual pieces of mail in one of a plurality of nested postal totes, the automated mail sorting system comprising:
- a denesting assembly including one or more push contacts configured to selectively actuate between a neutral position and a denesting position, wherein in the denesting position the one or more push contacts squeeze an upper portion of a postal tote of a plurality of nested postal totes to ease in separation of the postal tote from the plurality of nested postal totes;
- a traverse assembly including one or more suction cups configured to selectively adhere to a surface of the postal tote to enable lifting of the postal tote from the plurality of nested postal totes, the traverse assembly further including a carriage configured to transport the postal tote along a lateral distance;
- and
- a stacker assembly including a tray configured to receive the postal tote from the traverse assembly, and a carriage configured to transport the postal tote past a feeder assembly for the positioning of individual pieces of mail within the postal tote.
An automated mail sorting system, comprising:
- a denesting assembly including one or more push contacts configured to selectively actuate between a neutral position and a denesting position, wherein in the denesting position the one or more push contacts squeeze an upper portion of a postal tote of a plurality of nested postal totes to ease in separation of the postal tote from the plurality of nested postal totes;
- a traverse assembly including one or more suction cups configured to selectively adhere to a surface of the postal tote to enable lifting of the postal tote from the plurality of nested postal totes, the traverse assembly further including a carriage configured to transport the postal tote along a lateral distance;
- a friction feeder configured to receive individual pieces of mail for delivery into a postal tote;
- and
- a stacker assembly including a tray configured to receive the postal tote from the traverse assembly, and a carriage configured to transport the postal tote past the feeder assembly for the positioning of individual pieces of mail within the postal tote.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.