Sorting system for groups of items having recirculation
US6227378A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 24, 1999 |
| Grant date | May 8, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 24, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S209/919
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A sorting system is disclosed, for example for mail items. In the disclosed system, a circulating storage system can receive items from an inlet, and deposit them in an appropriate output receptacle which has been allocated to items in a particular group. For example, the items can be sorted by destination, and each output receptacle can be allocated to a particular destination. In the event that the destination of an item has not output receptacle allocated thereto, the system controller can determine whether to allocate a receptacle, or whether to recirculate the item within the circulating storage system. This possibility allows items to be grouped together within the system, until there are sufficient items for a particular destination to allow them to be handled efficiently, and in particular allows the allocation of output receptacles to destinations to be controlled efficiently.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.