A sorting conveyor system comprising a main sorting conveyor sorting packages directly into destination receptacles or first onto discharge sorting conveyors and further onto other destination receptacles. Multi-destination discharge chutes service two or more destination receptacles. Package detectors detect packages delivered to the destination receptacles to help identify packages sorted to the wrong destination receptacles.

This disclosure includes a parcel terminal that may include a shelving unit comprising a plurality of shelves that are separated by respective predetermined distances along a dimension of the unit. In an embodiment, the plurality of shelves may be evenly spaced. The parcel terminal may further include a receptable for receiving a parcel from a user, a loader configured to transfer the parcel from the receptacle to a shelf on the shelving unit, and an electronic controller in electronic communication with the loader. The electronic controller may be configured to determine a number of open shelves required to accommodate the parcel based on a size of the parcel and on the respective predetermined distances, to select a set of shelves having at least the required number of open shelves, and to initiate a movement of the loader so as to place the parcel within the selected set of shelves.

A system for sorting and delivering packages to one of a plurality of loading points includes a first movable cart positioned adjacent a first conveyor in a receiving position to receive packages from the first conveyor, a second movable cart positioned in a staging position, the second movable cart being empty, and a vehicle selectively engageable with the second movable cart to move the second movable cart from the staging position to the receiving position while simultaneously abutting and displacing the first movable cart from the receiving position to a transfer position.

A residential pneumatic mailbox and mailing system includes a mailbox, a receiving unit, pneumatic tubing, a courier canister, a compressor, and a control unit. The mailbox is positioned along a curbside of a home. The receiving unit is positioned inside the home or on the outside of the home. The pneumatic tubing is connected between the mailbox and the receiving unit. The courier canister is sized to hold mail and is configured for moving back and forth in the pneumatic tubing between the mailbox and the receiving unit. The compressor and control unit are configured to control the movement of the courier canister within the pneumatic tubing back and forth between the mailbox and the receiving unit. Wherein, the residential pneumatic mailbox and mailing system is configured to transport the mail inside of the courier canister from the mailbox to the receiving unit, and vice versa.

Methods and apparatuses for performing article singulation are provided. An article singulator can include an intake conveyor, an out-take conveyor, and multiple intermediate conveyors. The intake conveyor can receive multiple articles and convey the articles to the multiple intermediate conveyors. Further, the out-take conveyor may convey singulated articles from amongst the multiple articles (e.g. to an outfeed). Further, the multiple intermediate conveyors may include successive conveyors to convey the articles and provide the singulated articles to the out-take conveyor. In some examples, each successive conveyor of the multiple intermediate conveyors may be positioned at a lower level than a preceding conveyor. Further, each successive conveyor can convey the articles in a different direction and at a different speed than a preceding conveyor such that the articles are singulated upon conveyance by the article singulator.

An apparatus and system include an upper stepped chute having a substantially downward sloped configuration; a lower stepped chute having a substantially downward sloped configuration; and an intermediate conveyor section separating the upper stepped chute from the lower stepped chute. The intermediate conveyor section has a slope that is different from the slope of the upper stepped chute and the lower stepped chute.

The present invention relates to the field of using different sensing and detection methods to determine parcel flow density 1D lineal, 2D area or 3D volumetrically on a selected section of a feed conveyor and receiving conveyor and adjusting conveyor speed ratios proportioned according to ratio of desired density to current density to increase the density or volume of parcels in a selected area of the receiving conveyor.

An apparatus and system include an upper stepped chute having a substantially downward sloped configuration; a lower stepped chute having a substantially downward sloped configuration; and an intermediate conveyor section separating the upper stepped chute from the lower stepped chute. The intermediate conveyor section has a slope that is different from the slope of the upper stepped chute and the lower stepped chute.

A system (500) for distributing a stream of articles (100) at a fix pitch (P) includes a belt assembly (250) with belt segments (252) carrying a stream of articles (100), a sensor assembly (510) with sensors (512), a control system (550) interfacing with the belt assembly (250) and the sensor assembly (510), wherein the sensor assembly (510) provides measurements of initial positions of each article of the stream of articles (100) and transmits the measurements to the control system (550), wherein the control system (550) utilizes the measurements to determine deficits of the initial positions to final positions for each article based on a predefined pitch value (P), and wherein the control system (550) controls a speed of the plurality of belt segments (252) to provide the final positions for each article according to the predefined pitch value (P).

A transport container for receiving and transporting goods within a transport or distribution system by conveyor belts and/or roller conveyors. The transport container includes a base from which four sidewalls extend. At least two opposing sidewalls each have a predefined code section to apply a machine-readable code, in particular a barcode or a QR code, and at least one opening, in particular a plurality of slots extending from the base to the upper edge of the sidewall. The openings in the two opposing sidewalls, in particular those openings which are located directly adjacent to and/or at the same height as the predefined code sections, are arranged offset from one another. A system can include the transport container, a conveyor system, and a scanning device.