REMAINING HAND SORTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SORTING REMAINING HAND MAIL ITEMS

Abstract

A residual hand sorting device for sorting residual hand mail items is provided that includes an infeed conveyor configured to convey at least one residual hand mail item in a first direction, at least one distribution conveyor configured to take over the at least one residual hand mail item from the infeed conveyor and to convey it to at least one output conveyor, and a control unit configured to control the distribution conveyor and/or the output conveyor such that residual hand mail items are collected on the output conveyor in a collection arrangement, wherein the output conveyor is configured to convey the collection arrangement of residual hand mail items in a second direction, and a related method.

Claims

1. A residual hand sorting device for sorting residual hand mail items, comprising: an infeed conveyor configured to convey at least one residual hand mail item in a first direction; at least one distribution conveyor configured to take over the at least one residual hand mail item from the infeed conveyor and to convey it to at least one output conveyor; and a control unit configured to control the distribution conveyor and/or the output conveyor such that residual hand mail items are collected on the output conveyor in a collection arrangement; wherein the output conveyor is configured to convey the collection arrangement of residual hand mail items in a second direction.

2. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 1, wherein at least two residual hand mail items at least partially overlap in the collecting arrangement.

3. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to control the distribution conveyor and/or the output conveyor based on at least one piece of information about the at least one residual hand mail item in such a way that the residual hand mail item is arranged on the output conveyor in the collection arrangement.

4. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 3, wherein the distribution conveyor is inclined with respect to the infeed conveyor and/or the outlet conveyor.

5. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 4, wherein the infeed conveyor comprises at least one pivotable conveyor module configured to convey the residual hand mail item either to the distribution conveyor or to convey it further on the infeed conveyor.

6. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 5, wherein the output conveyor comprises at least a first conveyor section and a second conveyor section, wherein the first conveyor section is arranged upstream in the conveying direction and is inclined relative to the second conveyor section.

7. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 6, wherein the residual hand sorting device has at least one sensor configured to detect whether or not a residual hand mail item exceeds a collection arrangement limit and to output measurement information.

8. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is configured to control the output conveyor based on the measurement information.

9. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 8, wherein the infeed conveyor has at least one input conveyor configured to receive residual hand mail items and to place them on the infeed conveyor.

10. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control the distribution conveyor and/or the output conveyor based on at least one piece of information about the at least one residual hand mail item in such a way that the residual hand mail item is arranged on the output conveyor in the collection arrangement.

11. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the distribution conveyor is inclined with respect to the infeed conveyor and/or the outlet conveyor.

12. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the infeed conveyor comprises at least one pivotable conveyor module configured to convey the residual hand mail item either to the distribution conveyor or to convey it further on the infeed conveyor.

13. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the output conveyor comprises at least a first conveyor section and a second conveyor section, wherein the first conveyor section is arranged upstream in the conveying direction and is inclined relative to the second conveyor section.

14. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the residual hand sorting device has at least one sensor configured to detect whether or not a residual hand mail item exceeds a collection arrangement limit and to output measurement information.

15. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to control the output conveyor based on the measurement information.

16. The residual hand sorting device according to claim 1, wherein the infeed conveyor has at least one input conveyor configured to receive residual hand mail items and to place them on the infeed conveyor.

17. A method for sorting residual hand mail items, comprising: feeding a residual hand mail item from an infeed conveyor to an output conveyor so that the residual hand mail item is arranged in a collecting arrangement on the output conveyor; transporting the residual hand mail item on the output conveyor in the collection arrangement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Individual features of embodiments can be combined with other features or other embodiments to form new embodiments. Advantages and embodiments mentioned in connection with the individual features or embodiments also apply analogously to the new embodiments. Advantages and embodiments explained in connection with the device also apply analogously to the method and vice versa.

[0048] In the following, preferred embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached figures.

[0049] FIG. 1 is a schematic and perspective view of a residual hand sorting device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0050] FIG. 2 is a schematic and perspective view of a part of a residual hand sorting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0051] FIG. 3 is a schematic and perspective view of a part of a residual hand sorting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0052] FIG. 4 is a schematic and perspective view of a part of a residual hand sorting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0053] FIG. 5 is a schematic and perspective view of a residual hand sorting device according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0054] FIG. 6 is a schematic and perspective view of a residual hand sorting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0055] FIG. 1 is a schematic and perspective view of a residual hand sorting device 1 for sorting residual hand mail items 2. The residual hand sorting device 1 comprises an infeed conveyor 3, a distribution conveyor 4 and, in the present embodiment, two output conveyors 5. The infeed conveyor 3 can transport residual hand mail items 2 in a first direction R1. The residual hand mail item 2 can then be fed to the distribution conveyor 4 by a pivoting conveyor module 7. The pivotable conveyor module 7 can be pivoted about a pivot axis 8. From the distribution conveyor 4, the mail item can be fed either to the first output conveyor 5 or to the opposite second output conveyor 5. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the infeed conveyor 3 has two input conveyors 9. The input conveyors 9 are designed to pick up residual hand mail items and feed them to the infeed conveyor 3.

[0056] FIG. 2 is a schematic and perspective view of a part of the sorting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. More specifically, FIG. 2 shows in detail the two input conveyors 9 of the sorting device 1 shown in FIG. 1. In the present embodiment, the input conveyors 9 are located in a fourth plane which is inclined relative to the first plane. The input conveyors 9 of the present embodiment are realized as belt conveyors. Furthermore, the input conveyor has ribs 91 which can ensure the safe transportation of a residual hand mail item. A camera 92 is also shown schematically, which is provided above each input conveyor 9. The camera can pick up the residual hand mail item which is placed on the input conveyor 9, in order to record the dimensions and/or the address of the residual hand mail item.

[0057] FIG. 3 is a schematic and perspective view of the sorting device 1 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. More precisely, a part of the infeed conveyor 3 is shown in FIG. 3. The conveyor module 7 is also visible. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the conveyor module is in the second position. In other words, a residual hand mail item transported on the infeed conveyor 3 can be fed to the underlying distribution conveyor 4 via the conveyor module 7. The conveyor module 7 can be pivoted about a pivot axis 8. When the conveyor module 7 is in the first position, it forms a flat surface with the remaining conveyor surface of the infeed conveyor 3 and can transport residual hand mail items further in the first direction.

[0058] The guide element 41 of the distribution conveyor 4 can also be seen in FIG. 3. If a residual hand mail item is fed to the distribution conveyor 4 via the conveyor module 7, the residual hand mail item collides with the guide element 41. This ensures predefined positioning of the residual hand mail item on the distribution conveyor 4.

[0059] FIG. 4 is a schematic and perspective view of a part of the residual hand sorting device 1 according to the embodiments shown in FIG. 1. More specifically, the output conveyor 5 is shown in FIG. 4. The output conveyor 5 has a first conveyor section 51 and a second conveyor section 52. The first conveyor section 51 is inclined relative to the second conveyor section 52. In other words, residual hand mail items that are applied to the output conveyor must be conveyed on the first conveyor section against the force of gravity. Furthermore, the output conveyor 5 has a first sensor 53 and a second sensor 54. In the present embodiment, the sensors 53, 54 are designed as light barriers. The first conveyor 53 can check whether the collection arrangement 6 is formed correctly. The second sensor 54 can output a signal when the output conveyor 5 is full. Downstream of the output conveyor 5, a removal 55 is recognizable, at which a user can remove the collection arrangement of residual hand mail items.

[0060] FIG. 5 is a schematic and perspective view of a sorting device 1 according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. The sorting device 1 of the present embodiment differs from the embodiment described above in that a plurality of conveyor modules 7 connected in series are provided, each of which is assigned a distribution conveyor 4. Each distribution conveyor is in turn assigned an output conveyor 5. The individual features of the individual devices correspond to the embodiment described above. Thus, a plurality of distribution conveyors 4 connected in series can be provided in order to further increase the sorting depth. Furthermore, a collection arrangement 6 is shown in FIG. 5, in which residual hand mail items are transported in a collection arrangement on the output conveyor 5.

[0061] FIG. 6 is a schematic and perspective view of a sorting device 1 according to a further embodiment of the present disclosure. The sorting device 1 of the present embodiment essentially corresponds to the previous embodiment, with the difference that the labeling device 12 is now also recognizable. Furthermore, a plurality of input conveyors 9 are provided, which feed the residual hand mail items 2 onto the feed conveyor 3. A label is then attached to the labeling device on the residual hand mail item and transported onwards to the respective output conveyors 5. A collection container 13 is located at the very end of the infeed conveyor 3, into which, for example, residual hand mail items that require manual handling can be deposited.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0062] 1 Residual hand sorting device [0063] 2 Residual hand mail items [0064] 3 Infeed conveyor [0065] 4 Distribution conveyor [0066] 5 Output conveyor [0067] 6 Collection arrangement [0068] 7 Conveyor module [0069] 8 Pivot axis [0070] 9 Input conveyor [0071] 11 Control unit [0072] 12 Labeling device [0073] 13 Container [0074] 51 First conveyor section [0075] 52 Second conveyor section [0076] 53 First sensor [0077] 54 Second sensor [0078] 55 Issue [0079] 91 Rib [0080] 92 Camera [0081] 41 Sliding element