# US 8,772,664 B2 · Method and device for sorting flat mail items > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,664 B2 - Document ID: US8772664B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/489,874 - Filed: 2012-06-06 - Published: 2012-09-27 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2007-12-05 - Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Armin Zimmermann - Inventors: Armin Zimmermann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772664B2 ## CPC - B07C 3/02: Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution - B65H 3/045: {for separating substantially vertically stacked articles} - B65H 3/34: Article-retaining devices controlling the release of the articles to the separators - B65H 5/26: Duplicate, alternate, selective, or coacting feeds - B65H 31/06: the articles being piled on edge - B65H 83/025: {onto and from the same side of the pile or stack} - B65H 2701/1916: Envelopes and articles of mail - Y10S 209/90: Sorting flat-type mail - 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) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A method is specified for sorting flat mail items, which allows sorting according to delivery order to be carried out swiftly and reliably. With the method a first sorting pass is carried out in a first segment with at least N storage modules of a sorting device and a second sorting pass is then carried out in a second segment with at least N storage modules of the sorting device. The overflow items, which are assigned to a storage module that has been closed because it is full, are deposited into one of the other storage modules in the first sorting pass and are included in the sorting process of the second sorting pass. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for sorting flat mail items with a sorting device having at least a first and a second segment, each of the segments having at least N storage modules, each storage module operable in an insertion mode where flat mail items are inserted into the storage module, and in a withdrawal mode where flat mail items are withdrawn from the storage module, the method comprising the steps of: carrying out a first sorting pass in the first segment; subsequent to the first sorting pass, carrying out a second sorting pass in the second segment; during the first sorting pass, depositing overflow mail items assigned to a storage module that has been closed because it is full into another one of the storage modules, where the another one of the storage modules is operated in the insertion mode; subsequently emptying the another one of the storage modules having the overflow mail items, where the another one of the storage modules is operated in the withdrawal mode; and including the overflow mail items emptied from the another one of the storage modules in the emptying step in a sorting process of the second sorting pass. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises examining the flat mail items to determine a mailing destination before sorting and the flat mail items that are not recognized during the examination are deposited in the a storage module provided for this purpose, with the overflow mail items being deposited in a same storage module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, which further comprises carrying out a second recognition attempt on hitherto unrecognized mail items before the second sorting pass. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, which further comprises switching the overflow mail items to a storage module of the second segment before the recognition attempt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, which further comprises including the overflow mail items in the sorting process in the second sorting pass one of immediately before and after a closed storage module is emptied. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises depositing the overflow mail items into a storage module of the second segment in the first sorting pass. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises depositing the overflow mail items as secondary mail items in at least one partially occupied storage module of the first segment between the first and second sorting passes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the storage module, which is occupied in a secondary manner with overflow mail items, is a storage module, which is provided for emptying after a closed storage module in the second sorting pass. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises allocating the storage module emptied last in the first sorting pass a smaller destination area than a previous one before the first sorting pass. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, which further comprises depositing the overflow mail items as secondary mail items in at least one partially occupied storage module of the first segment during the first sorting pass. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, which further comprises depositing the mail items, which are assigned originally to the storage module occupied in a secondary manner after a secondary occupation, as secondary mail items in at least one further storage module of the first segment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the storage module occupied in a secondary manner is a storage module, which is provided for emptying after the closed storage module in the second sorting pass. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein in a case of a storage module containing the overflow mail items the overflow mail items are emptied out of the storage module first, then another storage module is emptied and then the former storage module is emptied completely.