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.
Claims20
A high throughput sorting device, comprising:
- a sorter including a first sorter section parallel to a second sorter section, the first sorter section and the second sorter section comprising a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells in each of the first and second sorter sections configured to move in a loop, each cell including a pair of doors forming a platform configured to:
- support an item in a closed configuration, and
- deposit the item from the cell in an open configuration;
- a plurality of chutes, each chute extending below the first sorter section and the second sorter section, the plurality of chutes configured to receive items deposited through the plurality of cells and to transport the items to a plurality of sorting destinations;
- and
- a base configured to support the first sorter section, the second sorter section, and the plurality of chutes.
A method of high throughput sorting, comprising:
- placing a first item onto a first cell on a first section of a sorter;
- moving the first cell along the sorter to a first location positioned over a chute configured to guide items deposited on the chute to a 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;
- placing a second item onto a second cell on a second section of the sorter;
- moving the second cell along the sorter in a direction opposite of the first cell, 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.
A sorting device comprising:
- means for placing a first item onto a first cell on a first section of a sorter;
- means for moving the first cell along the sorter to a first location positioned over a chute configured to guide items deposited on the chute to a sort destination;
- means for 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;
- means for placing a second item onto a second cell on a second section of the sorter;
- means for moving the second cell along the sorter to a second location positioned over the chute, the second location different from the first location;
- means for 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.