Article stack handler/sorter

A method of sorting articles arranged on trays, the method comprising the steps of:

• unstacking an input stack of the trays with the articles thereon by releasing a lowermost first tray of said input stack of the trays onto a first shuttle unit;
• first transporting said first tray on said first shuttle unit along a first portion of a conveyor guideway to an inspection station;
• identifying unacceptable ones of the articles on said first tray which are out of conformance with predetermined specifications;
• second transporting said first tray on a second shuttle unit along a second portion of a conveyor guideway to an output stacking station, wherein said steps of first and second transporting are performed independently of one another;
• and
• stacking said first tray at said output station by adding said first tray to the bottom of an output stack of the trays, wherein said steps of unstacking and stacking are performed independently of one another.

An apparatus for conveying trays populated with articles between a plurality of stations, the apparatus comprising:

• unstacking means arranged at a tray receiving station for receiving a stacked plurality of the trays;
• first conveyor means for receiving a tray from said unstacking means and transporting the tray to an article examination station;
• second conveyor means for receiving the tray at the article examination station and transporting same to an output station;
• stacking means arranged at the output station for receiving the tray from said second conveyor means;
• and
• tray repopulation means arranged intermediate of the article examination station and the output station for replacing a defective one of the articles in the tray with a replacement article.

A method of sorting articles arranged on trays, the method comprising the steps of:

• unstacking an input stack of the trays with the articles thereon by releasing a lowermost first tray of said input stack of the trays onto a first conveyor unit;
• first transporting said first tray on the first conveyor unit to an inspection station;
• identifying unacceptable ones of the articles on the first tray which are out of conformance with predetermined specifications;
• second transporting the first tray on a second conveyor unit to an output stacking station;
• populating the first tray with articles which are in conformance with the predetermined specifications;
• and
• stacking the first tray at the output station by adding the first tray to the bottom of an output stack of the trays.