Facility wide mixed mail sorting and/or sequencing system and components and methods thereof

US9758315B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Lockheed Martin Corporation · US

Inventors

• David Bailey · Vestal, US
• Wayne Blackwell · Chenango Forks, US
• Matthew Bossard · Montrose, US
• Michael Finney · Endicott, US
• Mark Gaug · Vestal, US
• John Hartman · Oakland, US
• Jamie Micha · Binghamton, US
• William Olver · Binghamton, US
• Michael Riess · Kerpen, DE
• Gerald Sensenig · Vestal, US
• Clifford Solowiej · Apalachin, US
• Bruce Williams · Endwell, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 10, 2015
• Grant date: Sep 12, 2017
• Expiry date: Aug 11, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S209/90
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The invention generally relates to a facility wide sorting and/or sequencing system for improving product processing operations and, more particularly, to a facility wide system and related functionality for simultaneously sorting and sequencing mixed mail pieces such as, for example, flats and letter mail pieces. The flats and letter mail pieces are placed in frames so that all types of mail pieces can be sorted and/or sequenced simultaneously through merging and diverting a stream of filled trays into and out of different streams at a full or substantially full transport speed.