US 7,396,011 B2 · Progressive modularity assortment system with high and low capacity bins

Abstract

A modular bin or pocket has an integrated transport assembly and mail piece diverter assembly and is usable in a bin stacker section in mail handling and sorting systems. The modular bin is individually removable, interchangeable and replaceable from the bin stacker sections of the mail processing system to allow for repair or maintenance of malfunctioning bins leading to reduced down time of the mail processing system. The modular bin further enables vertical and/or horizontal progressive modularity, i.e., vertical and/or horizontal expansion, of the bin stacker sections of the mail processing system which allows for cost-effective expansion of mail handling systems. Further, there is disclosed a tray management system and a tier diverter system that are usable in mail handling systems that use the modular bin with double sided bin stacker sections or single sided bin stacker sections with or without a turnaround section.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A modular stacker section for use in a mail sorting system, the modular stacker section comprising:

a frame;
one or more base supports attached to the frame providing a horizontal arrangement of a plurality of bin attachment points;
and
a plurality of sort bin modules operatively positioned and detachably secured at the bin attachment points, each of the sort bin modules comprising:
(a) a tray for receiving mail pieces diverted from a transport path of the stacker section;
(b) a motor;
(c) a belt driven by the motor;
and
(d) a coupling for operatively positioning and detachably securing the sort bin module to one of the bin attachment points,
wherein the belts of the sort bin modules participate in moving mail pieces along the transport path of the stacker section, and wherein:
at least one of the sort bin modules has a tray of a first size providing a first capacity to receive mail pieces;
at least one other sort bin module has a tray of a second size larger than the first size so as to provide a second capacity to receive a larger number of mail pieces than the first capacity;
and
each attachment point is compatible with the sort bin modules of the first and second capacities.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Progressive modularity assortment system with high and low capacity bins

Life of this patent

Progressive modularity assortment system with high and low capacity bins

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12