A mail sorting system and method process mail pieces that arrive at a feed point. The mail pieces are classified into machinable mail pieces and non-machinable mail pieces. The machinable mail is processed in an automated sorting machine. Mail pieces with incomplete or incorrect addressing information are classified as rejects and diverted for manual processing. A manual processing station receives the non-machinable mail pieces from the feed point and also the rejects from the automated sorting machine. In the manual processing station the mail pieces are scanned in a scanning device and the images are send to an image processing system, which also receives images from the automated sorting machine. Upon receiving the results from the automated image processing system, an operator completes labeling process from each mail piece.

An empties sorting device includes a sorting table with a table surface, a feed section, and a discharge section. The discharge section has a dividing device with at least one section partition wall. The device further includes a conveying device, which is designed in such a way that the empties can be transferred from the feed section to the discharge section, and a guiding device with a guiding element, designed to be movable at least into a first guiding position associated with a first collecting channel, and a second guiding position associated with a second collecting channel, and a controller designed to control the movement of the guiding element into the first and second guiding positions in accordance with the type of empties. A discharge section partition wall between the collecting channels can be moved parallel to the table surface, thus allowing an associated collecting channel size to be varied.

An empties sorting device includes a sorting table with a table surface, a feed section, and a discharge section. The discharge section has a dividing device with at least one section partition wall. The device further includes a conveying device, which is designed in such a way that the empties can be transferred from the feed section to the discharge section, and a guiding device with a guiding element, designed to be movable at least into a first guiding position associated with a first collecting channel, and a second guiding position associated with a second collecting channel, and a controller designed to control the movement of the guiding element into the first and second guiding positions in accordance with the type of empties. A discharge section partition wall between the collecting channels can be moved parallel to the table surface, thus allowing an associated collecting channel size to be varied.

The invention relates to a method of measuring a 3D profile of an article moving on a conveyor in a certain conveying direction, which method includes a step consisting in using an optical sensor to scan, by triangulation, a laser line projected onto the article moving on the conveyor. The method further includes a step of using the optical sensor to scan, by contrast difference, the article moving on the conveyor, and a step of making combined use of the results of the scans by triangulation and of the scans by contrast difference in a data processor unit for the purpose of measuring the 3D profile of the article.

The invention relates to a method of measuring a 3D profile of an article moving on a conveyor in a certain conveying direction, which method includes a step consisting in using an optical sensor to scan, by triangulation, a laser line projected onto the article moving on the conveyor. The method further includes a step of using the optical sensor to scan, by contrast difference, the article moving on the conveyor, and a step of making combined use of the results of the scans by triangulation and of the scans by contrast difference in a data processor unit for the purpose of measuring the 3D profile of the article.

A mail singulator system determines a position of an optical panel to automatically adjust a loading conveyor speed to prevent stacked and overlapped mailpieces in the singulator and large gaps between mailpieces. The optical panel is configured between the front mailpiece of a mail stack on the loading conveyor and the optical sensor. The optical panel changes position with the pressure exerted by the mail stack and provides signals to the controller to adjust the conveyor speed. An optical sensor may detect a far threshold position or limit distance to increase the speed of the conveyor and may detect a near threshold position of limit distance to reduce the speed of the conveyor. The optical panel may have a low friction surface to allow the mail to slide into the conveyor and an optical surface to allow reliable optical sensor detection of the optical panel position.

A mail singulator system determines a position of an optical panel to automatically adjust a loading conveyor speed to prevent stacked and overlapped mailpieces in the singulator and large gaps between mailpieces. The optical panel is configured between the front mailpiece of a mail stack on the loading conveyor and the optical sensor. The optical panel changes position with the pressure exerted by the mail stack and provides signals to the controller to adjust the conveyor speed. An optical sensor may detect a far threshold position or limit distance to increase the speed of the conveyor and may detect a near threshold position of limit distance to reduce the speed of the conveyor. The optical panel may have a low friction surface to allow the mail to slide into the conveyor and an optical surface to allow reliable optical sensor detection of the optical panel position.

A parcel processing system and method. A method includes inducting a plurality of parcels in a non-machinable parcel stream by a non-machinable parcel processing system. The method includes recording physical characteristics of each of the parcels. The method includes comparing the recorded physical characteristics of each parcel to machinable requirements. The method includes identifying machinable parcels based on the comparison. The method includes sorting the identified machinable parcels to an automation discharge. The method includes transporting all non-machinable parcels to workstations, by the non-machinable parcel processing system, for manual processing.

A parcel processing system and method. A method includes inducting a plurality of parcels in a non-machinable parcel stream by a non-machinable parcel processing system. The method includes recording physical characteristics of each of the parcels. The method includes comparing the recorded physical characteristics of each parcel to machinable requirements. The method includes identifying machinable parcels based on the comparison. The method includes sorting the identified machinable parcels to an automation discharge. The method includes transporting all non-machinable parcels to workstations, by the non-machinable parcel processing system, for manual processing.

The invention relates to a method of measuring a 3D profile of an article moving on a conveyor in a certain conveying direction, which method includes a step consisting in using an optical sensor to scan, by triangulation, a laser line projected onto the article moving on the conveyor. The method further includes a step of using the optical sensor to scan, by contrast difference, the article moving on the conveyor, and a step of making combined use of the results of the scans by triangulation and of the scans by contrast difference in a data processor unit for the purpose of measuring the 3D profile of the article.