CN1525889A - System, method and program for sorting articles - Google Patents

Abstract

An article sorting system (100) comprising a first sorting matrix (300), a second sorting matrix (200) traversing the first sorting matrix (300), and a control system (120) for directing sorted articles (110) to one of a plurality of sorting destinations (501).

Description

System, method and program for sorting items

technical field

The present invention relates to the field of sorting and handling items such as mail including packages and items ready for commercial or industrial applications. In particular, the present invention relates to a delivery and sorting system for use in such operations as a parcel delivery system, a warehouse or a distribution facility in which products ordered by customers are selected and packaged for delivery, and wherein The similar operation of storing items for later use or distribution as stock, raw materials, work in process, or parts.

Background technique

Typically, in a parcel delivery system, parcels are accumulated from various locations for final delivery to a large number of final destinations. In order to meet strict delivery schedules and provide accurate delivery, package delivery companies use various manual and/or automated sorting and delivery systems to match each incoming package with the appropriate delivery to the package's destination.

Simple belt and roller conveyor systems are often used in such package sorting systems to move packages from incoming load bays to outgoing conveyors. Typically, a conveyor belt passes unloaded packages from a truck to a worker who manually sorts them by reading the address information on the shipping labels attached to the packages. The worker then places the package onto a receiving conveyor belt or chute, which can pass the package to a loading bay for loading onto an output truck, or to another sorting station for finer breakdown by destination.

Conveyor belt diverter assemblies have been developed for automatic handling and accelerated handling of items in conveyor belt systems. Examples are found in US Patent 4,798,275 to Leemkuil et al. and US Patent 4,174,774 to Bourgeois, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. However, such diverters are primarily used to divert items away from the main linear conveyor. As such, the systems occupy a considerable amount of space and their throughput is limited by the speed of the linear conveyors. Increasing the speed of linear conveyors generally requires the use of more expensive equipment and control systems, and these effects are often limited by factors such as variable inertia of sorted items, precise timing requirements, and increased maintenance costs. In some conveyor-based systems, throughput is increased without increasing the speed of the conveyor by using a pre-sort subsystem that sends items to multiple linear conveyors depending on the item's destination one of. Such pre-sorting systems typically take up significantly increased space and often add considerable additional cost to the system. The throughput gain from using multiple linear conveyors is partially offset by the increased time required for the presort operation.

Various other systems have been investigated for the three goals of high throughput, compact size and low cost. For example, in the rotary sorter system shown in U.S. Patent 5,284,252 to Bonnet, incorporated herein by reference, the destination code printed on the package is machine readable, and the package is delivered to a rotary distribution assembly mounted on the rotary sorter system. on the power transmission belt module. The individual modules are then rotated and raised or lowered into alignment with one of a plurality of horizontally and vertically spaced target conveyor belts. Once so aligned, the module rollers are operated to output the package onto said target conveyor belt. In Bonnet's system, sorting can be done rapidly without human intervention by a device that occupies a small amount of floor space. Another example is shown in US Patent 6,005,211 to Huang et al., which uses a fixed array of multi-directional conveyor units to sort items to a large number of destinations, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Such sorting systems have had varying but limited effectiveness in achieving high throughput, compact size and low cost, especially in environments requiring sorting of thousands of destinations.

Contents of the invention

The present invention provides a compact, high-speed and efficient article sorting system based on a matrix of conveyor units ("carriages") comprising one or more closed ellipses (each an "upper ring") , the conveyor belt unit loops around the upper loop in steps of fixed distance and duration, each such loop traversing one or more other enclosures of the conveyor belt unit ("carriage") at about four points in different planes Ovals (each a "lower ring"), the conveyor unit loops around the lower ring in steps of fixed distance and duration.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system for sorting articles is shown, which includes: a control unit; a first conveyor belt sorting matrix; and a second conveyor belt sorting matrix below the first conveyor belt sorting matrix . Wherein said first and second conveyor belt sorting arrays are respectively adapted to receive and deliver one or more items to be sorted. The first matrix includes one or more first discharge apertures for discharging the items into the second matrix. The second array includes one or more first discharge locations for discharging the items to one or more collection areas.

According to another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for receiving and discharging articles to be sorted by a sorting system is shown, wherein the apparatus includes a pair of spaced apart side panels sandwiching an inclined The bottom plate portion, the door portion is movably connected to the bottom plate portion and extends outward from the bottom plate portion.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a system for sorting items is shown, the system comprising an induction assembly adapted to receive items for sorting and an upper sorting loop adjacent to the induction assembly and adapted to receive items therefrom, Wherein a lower sorting loop traverses below said upper sorting loop and is adapted to receive items therefrom for conveying the items to a destination assembly adapted to receive items from the upper and lower sorting loops. One or more sensor assemblies mounted to aggregate data on the one or more items provide input to a control device coupled to the induction assembly, the upper sorting loop, the lower sorting loop and the one or more sensor assemblies. The control device communicates output instructions to transfer each item to the destination assembly.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a method for sorting items is shown, the method comprising the steps of: providing a control unit to control the sorting process of the item in a sorting matrix, the sorting matrix comprising a first sorting Base array, second sort base array, and multiple collection destinations. The method also provides for reversing the item. The control unit directs the transfer of items to be sorted from the first array to the second array and transfers the transferred items from the second array to a collection destination.

The present invention provides an improved article sorting system and method, particularly for parcel sorting and delivery systems, but also for sorting systems in warehouses or distribution facilities.

The present invention provides an item sorting system that can sort items into a large number of sorting destinations, yet occupies less space relative to existing sorting systems for the same purpose.

The present invention provides an item sorting system and method in which multiple streams of items can be sorted simultaneously at high throughput rates (even at low line speeds).

The present invention provides an item sorting system and method in which items to be sorted can be forwarded to their sorting destinations in advance and subsequently sorted in some cases based on the expected future location of the items to be sorted and each earlier item. divert.

The present invention provides an item sorting system and method wherein an item to be sorted can be removed from the sorting system if the item is not expected to be delivered to its sorting destination without conflicting with the passage of another item through the sorting system. Diverted in sorting systems for recycling or manual processing.

The present invention provides an item sorting system and method wherein items to be sorted can be scanned for identification and then transferred to their sorting destination without rescanning the item.

The present invention provides an article sorting system and method wherein articles sorted to a particular sorting destination can be aggregated at that destination with other articles sorted to the same destination, and thereafter serve as such and sorted other articles Groups or collections of groups of items are delivered to different destinations, but these different groups of items share one or more common characteristics, such as the same means of transport or container.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a system according to one embodiment of the invention;

2 is a side sectional view of the output operation of the upper ring sorting array and an end sectional view of the lower ring sorting array of the system shown in FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

3 is a side sectional view of the return operation of the upper ring sorting array and an end sectional view of the lower ring sorting array of the system shown in FIG. 1 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

Fig. 4 is the partial view of the upper ring sorting matrix and the lower ring sorting matrix of the system in Fig. 1 and the side view of the outgoing conveyor belt;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the upper ring return operation shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a flow chart representing one embodiment of the inventive method;

Figure 7 is a diagram representing input signals to and control output from the control unit.

Detailed description of the drawings

In order to increase an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference has been made to numerous preferred embodiments shown in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It should be understood, however, that such substitutions and further modifications in the illustrated embodiments, as well as such further applications of the principles of the invention as shown herein, are generally considered essential to the invention, without thereby limiting the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art can expect it.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 , there is shown an exemplary embodiment of the system and method embodying the invention, wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout the several views. A sorting system 100 and method for sorting items such as parcels 110 is provided, the system 100 generally comprising a control system 120; an induction zone assembly 200; an upper annular sorting matrix consisting of longitudinally extending, substantially oval ellipses 300; the lower ring sorting array consisting of laterally extending, substantially oval ellipses 400; the bin loading area assembly 500; the bag loading area assemblies 512, 532 and the loose item loading area assembly 518, each further described below.

Referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the exemplary system 100 is a multi-level system, with loading assemblies 512, 518, 532 occupying the lower levels of the system 100, with collection bin loading assemblies 500 elevated above the loading assemblies 512, 518, 532, The lower ring sorting array 400 is elevated above the bin loading assembly 500, the upper ring sorting array 300 is elevated above the lower ring sorting array 400, and the induction area assembly 200 is elevated above the upper ring sorting array 300. It will be appreciated that the vertical relationship of the different parts of the system may change if some of these parts also use lifting devices. For example, the induction area assembly 200 may be at a lower level relative to other assemblies, and items to be sorted may be lifted to the upper ring sorting matrix 300 by using one or more conveyor belts or other one or more lifting devices. This will be further explained below, a series of conveyor belts 506, 526, located below the bin loading assembly 500, and in the same way a channel 600 is located under the bin loading area assembly 500, substantially in the middle of the bin loading assembly 500 , and starting from the introduction area assembly 200, away from the introduction assembly 200 and in a manner substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the array 300 and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lower ring sorting array 400 towards the upper ring sorting array The distal end of 300 extends longitudinally, thereby dividing collection box 501 into two parts. A plurality of channels 602 extend longitudinally between and substantially parallel to conveyor belts 506 . The conveyor belt 506 extends laterally away from the channel 600 in a first direction shown by arrow 507 to provide a first side portion of the collection bin 501, while the conveyor belt 526 runs in a second direction directly opposite to the direction of the conveyor belt 506, shown by arrow 527. The two directions extend transversely away from the channel 600 thereby providing a second side portion of the collection box 501 .

The conveyor belt 516 is elevated above the conveyor belts 506 , 526 and extends laterally away from the channel 600 . The conveyor belts 506 , 516 , 526 are substantially perpendicular to the channel 600 .

The vertical positioning of the system is further described below by way of example only. Channel 600 is generally located at a lowest point of system 100 . The conveyor belts 506, 526 are elevated a few inches (centimeters) to about a few feet (meters) above the channel 600 in the area of the bin loading assembly 500, and the conveyor belts are raised a further 4-10 feet (1.2m-3m) to reach them. To the exit point of the holding assembly 512 , 518 , 532 . Collection box 501 may be raised above tunnel 600 to a height of 6-10 feet (1.8m-3m). The lower ring sorting array 400 can be elevated 4-6 feet (1m-2m) above the collection box 501 . The upper ring sorting matrix 300 may in turn be elevated 4-6 feet above the lower ring sorting matrix 400 . The induction assembly 200 may rise 4-6 feet (1 m-2 m) above the upper ring sort array 300, making the overall height of the exemplary embodiment 18-28 feet (5 m-9 m). It can be appreciated that further increasing the level of the outgoing conveyors 506, 516, 526, or increasing the level of the collection box 501, or increasing the level of the sorting matrix 300, 400, or increasing the level of the introduction assembly 200 will increase the performance of the system 100. total height. Similarly, the requirement to accommodate larger items may increase the size of the collection bin 501 and the vertical distance between the upper sorting array 300 and the lower sorting array 400 and between the multi-stage induction assemblies 200. In conclusion, the vertical size of the system 100 is not a critical aspect of the invention. Rather, the size of the largest item 110 to be sorted is the primary factor determining the main vertical dimension of the system 100 .

The system 100 has the following structure. Briefly, the system and method work in the manner described below. In this system, items 110 are passed to an induction area assembly 200 . In this lead-in area 200, various tasks are performed, including scanning of tags attached to each item 110 directed by the control system 120, and will be explained in more detail below. The control system 120 diverts each item 110 from the induction zone 200 for manual processing or further pre-processing, or proceeds to the upper ring sorting array 300 . Based on the destination information gathered from each item 110's tag and other information as described below, the control system then directs each advancing item 110 in turn to drop it into the lower ring sorting array 400 or instead for drop. for manual processing or further preprocessing. Similarly, the control system 120 in turn will direct each item 110 to drop from the lower ring sorting array 400 for manual processing or further pre-processing, or to the bin loading assembly 500 for Transported by conveyor belts 506 , 516 , 526 to bag loading assemblies 512 , 532 or loose item loading assemblies 518 . Items 110 that have been fully processed will then be loaded onto the conveyors leading to each item's destination. While some specific operations of the present invention are described in detail below, the further structure of the system 100 will first be described along with outline details of its operation.

As shown, an item 110 to be sorted to one of a number of final sort destinations enters the system 100 at an induction line assembly 200 . In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two lead-in wire assemblies 200 are shown. Each induction line assembly 200 includes a pre-induction holding area assembly 206 that delivers one or more non-converged induction lines 202, 204, and which may include a powered roller conveyor, or may ramp down to an input conveyor 208 for ease of use. Gravity moves the item 110 along it. Each induction line 202, 204 has a plurality of processing areas including an input conveyor 208, a pre-scan accumulation area assembly 210, a scanning area 212, an induction line diversion area assembly 214, a post-inversion accumulation area 238, an induction line to upper ring Outlet 240 and, optionally, lead-in line branch 236 may be included in lead-in line 204 . Each treatment zone 208, 210, 212, 214, 236, 238, 240 extends longitudinally toward the sorting matrix 300, 400, and the zones are generally aligned in a spaced-apart sequence as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . Although in the exemplary embodiment these zones 208, 210, 212, 214, 236, 238, 240 are shown substantially in line with each other and with one of a plurality of respective upper rings, oval sorting rings 302 Straight lines, but they don't need to be. For example, each induction line 202, 204 may convey individual items into its associated upper loop 302 at an oblique angle, and the induction lines 202, 204 and their associated upper loop 302 may be offset from each other.

Each of these processing zones 206, 208, 210, 214, 236, 238, 240 includes one or more conventional powered rollers and/or belt conveyors, where each zone is configured and controlled to perform Advancement, accumulation or singulation functions as described below. The scanning area 212 also includes scanning, weighing and sizing devices, and the reversing area 214 also includes a reversing mechanism, which will be further described below. It should be noted that outlet 240 may optionally be a set of gravity-operated rollers or gravity slides, or a combination of powered rollers and gravity means.

Items 110 are manually or automatically inducted at inlet 208; accumulated in pre-scan accumulation area assembly 210; scanned, weighed, and sized in scan area 212; Manually processed or recirculated if directed by the control system 120; bracket 304 , the upper ring sorting array 300 includes one or more oval sorting rings 302 .

As stated, the induction assembly 200 is configured to divert special handling items 110 that are too large or heavy for the automatic sorting of the system 100, that have unreadable labels, for which the item cannot be scheduled to pass through the sorting Matrix 300, 400 unobstructed paths, or otherwise the item cannot be automatically sorted. In order to accommodate the operation of this special treatment, it will be further explained here that the import assembly 200 also includes an unreadable commutator 216, an unreadable reversing conveyor belt 218, an unreadable processing area assembly 220, and a manual processing Commutator 222, a manual process reversing conveyor belt 224, a manual process treatment area assembly 226, a recirculation commutator 228, a recirculation slide plate 230, a conveyor belt 312 that cannot fall, a recirculation conveyor belt 232 (Fig. 2), again and again The cycle manually handles the commutator 234 . The diverter mechanisms 216, 222, 228 include one or more conventional diverters (not shown), such as pop-up rollers. The conveyor belts 218, 224, 312, 232 may be powered roller conveyors or belt conveyors. It should be noted that during the sorting process, if the article 110 cannot fall at the programmed location of the lower ring sorting matrix 400, then the recirculation slide 311 will be used to locate the lead-in assembly 200 and the upper ring sorting base. Below the array 300 is a recirculation conveyor belt 312 onto which items 110 are diverted from the upper ring sorting array 300 for recycling as described.

Items may drop from the induction line assembly 200 to the conveyor belts 218, 224, the gravity sled 230, or the upper ring bracket 302, or from the gravity sled 230 through gravity sleds (not shown, in addition to the gravity sled 230) to a non-falling conveyor belt. 312; however, other mechanisms may be used, such as unpowered or powered rollers. In addition, conveyor belts 218, 224, 312, 232 or upper loop 300 may also be elevated above lead assembly 200, and if so elevated, a lifting device may further be used to lift items 110 to their height. Similarly, items 110 drop from respective conveyors 218, 224, 312 to commanded destination processing areas 220, 226 or recirculation conveyors via respective gravity slides or conveyors (not shown) or may even utilize general free fall. 232.

In the exemplary embodiment, introduction line 202 is a straight-through line that feeds a single sorting ring 302 . In contrast, the induction line 204 is a diverter line with an induction line branch 236 that allows the line 204 to serve more than one sorting ring 302 . The three sorting rings 302 of this exemplary embodiment can also be used in the form of three individual straight-through wires or a single lead-in wire with two branches. Additionally, single lines and single or multiple branched lines may be used alone, or in any combination, to direct items 110 to as many sorting rings 302 as desired. In practice, only a three-ring system 100 is illustrated here, as further described below. A larger system may contain, for example, 20-50 upper loops and 25 or more lower loops used through any combination of single or multiple branched lead-ins.

Items 110, if not diverted, would move from induction assembly 200 to upper ring sorting array 300, which in the exemplary embodiment includes three horizontally extending, longitudinally extending, closed eggs. A circular sorting ring, referred to herein as upper ring 302 . Each ring 302 has a longitudinal axis extending longitudinally away from and substantially in line with its respective line of introduction 202 , 204 . Each ring 302 has a plurality of upper ring units 304 or brackets, one or more brackets-door levers 303, brackets-conveyor belt chain 716, upper ring floor 306, number of upper ring floor holes 307, number of upper rings Drop slide 308, a non-drop slide 311, a plurality of upper ring drop points 310, 801-808, and a motor and associated drive shaft and transmission (not shown).

The upper ring floor 306 may be a solid floor with holes 307 spaced to allow for the commanded drop, or it may be in the form of a rail system. Referring to FIG. 1 , each carrier-conveyor chain 716 runs the entire inner circumference of its corresponding ring 302 . Referring to FIG. 5 , a conveyor chain 716 is conventionally connected to the side of each pallet 304 using one or more pallet-conveyor connectors 718 . There is a fixed spacing between each bracket 304 . The tie rod 303 of each ring 302 is operated once each time an article falls down the inner elongated sides of the sorting ring 302 . A conventional gearing motor (not shown) is connected to each tie rod 303 and to each inner elongated side of the conveyor chain 716 for that particular loop 302 . Such conventional transmissions may include any combination of drive shafts, motor drive wheels, drive shaft wheels, guide-return wheels, Geneva mechanisms, cams, and the like. Additionally, separate motors may be used for the conveyor chain 716 and pull rod 303 . In normal operation when the carriage-conveyor chain 716 runs intermittently in a forward direction, the tie rod 303 alternates between a first forward direction and a second rearward direction directly opposite the first direction. Exercise intermittently. The direction of travel of the carriage 304 about each ring 302 will depend on the placement of that ring 302 for its associated lead-in outlet 240 . For example, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 , where the lead-in outlet 240 is positioned above the left side of the associated upper ring 302, the brackets 304 on the ring 302 circulate in a clockwise direction; The outlet 240 is instead positioned above and to the right of the associated upper ring 302 on which the carriages 304 circulate in a counterclockwise direction.

An item 110 will drop alone into the carriage 304 and travel around the sorting ring 302 in defined movements 50 or steps, each step having the same specific distance and time. Each step 50 will comprise a series of sub-steps generally referred to as a moving sub-step 55 and a stationary sub-step 56, as will be further described. At a predetermined step 50 in the course of each item 110 traveling around the ring 302, the control system 120 will command each of said items 110 to depart from its pallet 304 or at one of a predetermined number of drop points 801-808. drop along a slide 308 to the lower ring sorting matrix 400, or in the case of a positioning conflict as described below, drop along a slide 311 to the upper part where the drop point 310 cannot be dropped as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 . Falling conveyor belt 312 .

Generally, when directed by control system 120, articles 110 will drop from upper ring sorter array 300 to lower ring sorter array 400, which illustratively includes two laterally extending, closed oval The classification ring 402 . The lower ring 402 is positioned below the upper ring 302 and has a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the upper ring 302 . Each ring 402 has a carriage conveyor chain 716, one or more carriage-door pulls 403, a plurality of lower ring units 404 or carriages, a carriage-conveyor chain 716, lower ring floor 406, one or a plurality of Lower ring floor holes 407, non-drop drop point 408, a drop point for loose items 412, drop points for a number of collection bins (one above each bin) and a motor and transmission (not shown). As noted above, the present invention is suitable for use with any number of upper rings 302 and lower rings 402 .

The lower ring floor 406 may be a solid floor with holes 407 spaced to allow for the commanded drop, or it may be in the form of a rail system. The ring bottom plate 406 may instead have a hole substantially covering the entire elliptical area defined by the inner peripheral surface of the lower ring 402 . Referring to FIG. 1 , each carrier-conveyor chain 716 runs the entire inner circumference of its corresponding ring 402 . A conveyor belt chain 716 is conventionally attached to the front end of each carriage 304 using one or more carriage-conveyor linkages 718 . There is a fixed distance between each bracket 404 . The tie rods 403 of each ring 402 are operated once each time an item falls along the inner elongated sides of the sorting ring 402 . A motor (not shown) is connected to each tie rod 403 using conventional gearing (not shown) and to each inner elongated side of the conveyor chain 716 for that particular ring 402 . Such conventional transmissions may include any combination of drive shafts, motor drive wheels, drive shaft wheels, guide-return wheels, Geneva mechanisms, cams, and the like. Additionally, separate motors may be used for the conveyor chain 716 and pull rod 403 . In normal operation when the carriage-conveyor chain 716 runs intermittently in a forward direction, the tie rods 403 alternate between a first forward direction and a second rearward direction directly opposite the first direction. Run intermittently. Carriage 404 travels around each ring 402 in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by arrows 420 , 422 . Carriage 404 cycles synchronously with step 50 of upper carriage 304 in step 50 . Any item 110 from the upper ring bracket 304 that is received into the lower ring bracket 404 circulates around its lower ring 402 until the item 110 falls to its sorting destination as programmed by the control system 120 as described hereinafter. land. As shown in Figures 2-4, the lower ring 402 is elevated at a height lower than the induction line assembly 200 and upper ring 302, and higher than the sorting destination.

When the item 110 is directed by the control system 120 , the item 110 will drop from its upper ring bracket 304 onto a preprogrammed lower ring bracket 404 . Each bracket 304, 404 includes a bottom member or base plate 704, door member 706, a pair of spaced apart side panels 720, 721, a bracket-door cable 710, cable arc 708, operating member 712, operating member Guide plate 714 , one or more carriage roller wheels 728 and top plate 702 may be included. In the depicted embodiment, the bracket floor 704 is sandwiched between spaced apart side panels 720, 721 and is angled at an angle of approximately 42-48 degrees. Narrower or steeper floors can be used that slope, for example, between about 30-60 degrees. The top plate 702 is connected to each side plate 720 , 721 at the upper front portion of each bracket 304 , 404 and spans each side plate 720 , 721 . In any one of the upper ring brackets 304 , the top plate 702 is inclined at substantially the same angle as the bottom plate 704 and is substantially aligned with the bottom of the bottom plate 704 in the bracket 304 in front of said first bracket 304 . The largest size item 110 that the rack 304 can hold will be one that fits under the top panel 702 and between the side panels 720,721.

As mentioned, the upper loop brackets 304 are positioned in the upper loop 302 in a front facing orientation as shown in FIGS. bracket 304 outside. Each upper ring bracket 304 has an open rear portion 726 behind and below the bottom plate 704 . Since each item 110 can slide out of the bracket 304, the structure leaves a minimum spacing between adjacent brackets 304, wherein the item follows and is under the top plate 702 of the bracket and the bottom plate 704 respectively. and between spaced apart side panels 720, 721 of the bracket in front of the bracket 304. The trays 304 may also be configured without the open rear 726, however, this configuration may require greater spacing between the trays depending on the size of the items 110 to be sorted.

Lower loop brackets 404 are positioned inwardly facing in their lower loop 402 such that items 110 drop into the interior of loop 402 in a direction generally perpendicular to the forward direction of travel of the respective conveyor chain 716 . Because moving the lower ring brackets 404 sideways does not cause their items 110 to fall towards adjacent brackets, they do not require an open rear to get the minimum spacing between brackets 404 . Thus, regardless of the required spacing between adjacent brackets, they may have an open rear or no open rear.

In the exemplary embodiment, bay door 706 may be articulated with base plate 704 by hinges (not shown) or other suitable means, and may be substantially perpendicular to the base plate. One end of the slotted bracket arc 708 is attached to the underside of the door 706 and the other free end travels into a cavity 722 in the base plate 704 when the cable 710 is pulled. One end of the cable 710 is connected to the underside of the door 706 just above the bracket arc 708 and the opposite end is connected to the operating member 714 . The handles 714 of the upper ring bracket 304 protrude outwardly past the side panels 720 and the handles 714 of the lower ring bracket 404 project downwardly past the bottom of the bracket 404 . The manipulator is disposed within a substantially elongated cable guide 714 and is adapted to move back and forth along the length of the guide 714 when actuated by the upper or lower ring pull rods 303 , 403 . Bracket roller wheels 728 are conventionally attached to the side panels 720 , 721 of the upper ring bracket 304 and to the front and rear sides of the lower ring bracket 404 .

Control system 120 will instruct item 110 to drop from its lower tray 404 to one of several destinations. The item may drop into a set of bins 501 of the bin assembly 500, onto the loose item conveyor belt 516, or onto the conveyor belt 410 where the lower loop cannot drop. Each collection box assembly 500 includes a large number of collection boxes 501, as shown in FIGS. 526 above. Sandwiched between the double rows of collection boxes is channel 602 . Passage 602 to collection boxes 501 is provided with a door 504 in each collection box. System frame 604 supports the collection box 501 and the sorting matrix. A collection box partition 502 divides the collection box 501 into two rows. The bag carousel splitter 508 splits the carousel 506, 526 into two sections corresponding to the double row of collection bins 501 above a particular section of the carousel 506, 526. A bulk bag-conveyor diverter 510 diverts bags to one or more target bag loading areas 512 , 532 . Items 110 that drop (also referred to herein as diverting) into a collection bin 501 may, but need not, then be placed in a bag 520 or otherwise aggregated with other items 110 sorted into the same collection bin 501 . Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4 , an item 110 may be diverted from its lower ring bracket 404 down the loose item slide 514 directly to the loose item conveyor belt 516 for delivery to the loose item loading area 518 . At each sort destination 501 , 508 , the correct sorting of the item 110 can be confirmed by the barcode on the label of the item 110 and the unique barcode assigned to each collection bin 501 or loose item loading area 518 . Although only one loose item loading area 518 and associated conveyor belt 516 is shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to have multiple loose item loading areas 518 and associated conveyor belts 516 on the same side of the system, and/or on The opposite side of system 100 from area 518 and conveyor belt 516 has one or more mirrored loose item loading areas and associated conveyor belts.

After the outgoing conveyors 506, 516, 526 have conveyed the items 110 to their specific loading areas 512, 518, 532, the items 110 may be further processed according to common processing characteristics. For example, bags 520 of sorted items 110 arriving at a loading area 512, 532 from multiple collection bins 501 may be loaded onto the same truck for delivery.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the system 100 has a plurality of non-falling conveyor belts 312, 410 and it can be seen that articles 110 can be directed down the non-falling slide 311, or down along the recirculation slide 230 as described above to the conveyor belts. 312. Similarly, the item 110 may either free fall from its lower bracket 404 to the conveyor belt 410 through the drop point 408, or slide down the conveyor belt 410 along a gravity slide (not shown). The conveyor belt 312 runs under the upper ring 302 closest to the end of the upper ring matrix 300 of the introduction wire assembly 200 and substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the upper ring 302 . This conveyor belt 312 eventually leads to a conveyor belt 410 where the lower ring cannot fall. The conveyor belt 410 whose lower loop cannot fall is disposed below the lower loop 402 and the conveyor belt 312 and runs substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction of the lower loop 402 and the conveyor belt 312 . The conveyor belt 410 transfers the articles 110 deposited thereon to the recycling conveyor belt 232, either for transfer to the manual processing assembly 226, or for recycling of the induction line assembly 200. In an alternative embodiment, conveyor belt 312 may bypass conveyor belt 410 and plug directly into recirculation conveyor belt 232 . An additional lower ring non-fall conveyor belt 410 may be installed to allow for diverting non-fall items 110 along either end of the upper ring assembly. In this case, an additional conveyor belt 410 located at the end of the upper ring sorting matrix 300 away from the recirculation conveyor belt 232 may lead to the upper ring conveyor belt 312 that cannot be dropped for transfer to the conveyor belt 232, or as shown in FIG. Two recycling conveyor belts 232 may be installed at the end of the upper endless sorting array 300 away from the recycling conveyor belts 232 .

In the exemplary embodiment, each surface on which an item 110 may slide, such as slide plates 230, 311, 514, chute, carrier door 706, and carrier floor 704 will be coated with a non-slip surface. The orientation of the surface will be in the range of substantially about 42-48 degrees from horizontal, although narrower or steeper slopes/slopes may be used. It should be noted that the elevated nature of the exemplary embodiment allows the present invention to utilize gravity.

Operation of system 100 is controlled by digital control system 120, which directs the sorting and delivery process. The control system 120 includes a processing unit 125 and a plurality of sensor assemblies 130 . The processing unit 125 receives input data from sensor assemblies 130 associated with the various conveyor belts, diverting mechanisms, slides, chutes and sorting destinations as described above and further herein, and it outputs control signals instructing the operation of these devices , to sort and deliver the items 110 in a selected direction so that they reach the final sort destinations 512 , 518 , 532 .

Referring to Figure 7, the control system 120 may be any conventional control system. In the exemplary embodiment, the control system 120 includes a digital processor 125, such as a personal computer or workstation, coupled to a plurality of input sensor assemblies 130 and a plurality of output devices. As shown in Figures 1 and 7 and will be further described, the exemplary embodiment utilizes the following sensors. Position sensors 132 are used to determine the position of the item at several points as the item moves, turns, or falls. Scanners 134 , 136 determine and verify destination information for each item 110 . One or more sizing sensors 138 determine the outer dimensions of each item 110 . A scale or other weighing device 140 determines the weight of each item 110 . Based on these inputs, the control system 120 monitors and directs the movement of the conveyor belts and rollers, determines whether the item should be reversed, and if so, activates the reversing mechanism, determines the drop point, and activates the pull rods to direct the worker to load Sort bags 520 and loose items 110, and print out reports and manifests.

Generally, each position sensor 132 includes a conventional photocell transmitter and receiver, although any detection device may be used. The sensor 132 is typically placed such that the optical path between the transmitter and receiver passes at a height slightly above the surface and generally at right angles to the direction of travel of the item 110 at which position the item 110 passes between the transmitter and the receiver. Pass between the receiver and the receiver over this surface. The sensor assembly 130 detects the passage (or lack thereof) of the item 110 and reports to the control system 120 . The control unit 125 processes and provides such position information as follows.

Sensors 132 placed in holding area 206 warn of a backlog of items 110 in this area. Sensors 132 in pre-scan accumulation area 210 facilitate accumulation and singulation of items 110 to proceed to scan area 212 . After an item 110 has been scanned for identification in the scanning zone 212 , the sensor 132 installed at the exit end of the scanning zone 212 detects the position of the item 110 and reports it to the control unit 125 . Based on this position information, and similar position information recorded for other items 110 passing through the same scanning zone 212 and other single-row advances of the induction line 202, the control unit 125 of the control system 120 does not perform the necessary further scanning, by The position of the item 110 is monitored along the remainder of the induction line assembly 200 with reference to the known sequential position of the item 110 along its respective induction line 202 , 204 . As the item 110 passes through the scanning zone 212, based on the location information, as well as about the weight, size, destination and other determined characteristics of the item 110, the control unit 125 either (1): diverts the item from the induction line to the zone 214 Or (2): advance the article 110 along its introduction line 202, 204, 236 to the introduction line outlet 240, and record the article 110 according to its progress to the upper ring bracket 304 the initial position of .

Sensor 132 also facilitates the accumulation and singulation of items 110 along introduction wire assembly 200, as described above. In addition to scanning zone 212 , sensors 132 are positioned at appropriate intervals in each portion of each induction wire assembly 200 to detect gaps between items 110 advancing along induction wire assembly 200 . This gap typically results from either (1) a less rapid introduction of the item 110 at the induction line entrance 208; Towards. To prevent such gaps from reducing throughput, such gaps are closed by accumulating items 110 in a single row in a single row at each of the following two points along each induction line 202, 204: (a). before the inlet port; and (b). Just before the inlet port outlet 240. This accumulation is accomplished in the illustrated embodiment in a conventional manner by the combined use of multiple zones of conventional powered roller conveyors. To assist control system 120 in monitoring the position of each item 110 along lead-in line assembly 200, a conventional singulation conveyor is used just downstream of each accumulation point, as accumulated items 110 pass through each of the two accumulation points. One advances to singulate the accumulated items 110. This singulation of items 110 allows control system 120 to distinguish between a first item 110 and a second item 110 immediately following the first item.

From time to time the control unit 125 determines that the item 110 must be reversed, for example when it is determined that the item 110 is too large or heavy for the sorting matrix 300, 400, or when the control system 120 cannot plan for the item 110 not to result in A "location conflict" when routing to a classified destination. In such cases, sensors 132 installed at each diversion point in the induction diversion zone 214 will confirm the passage of such commanded diversion items 110 . Also, these sensors 132 will alert the passage of any item 110 that is not commanded but incorrectly diverted.

As shown, items 110 that are not diverted in diversion zone 214 move toward exit 240 , past a sensor 132 before reaching exit 240 . Two other sensors 132 are mounted below the chute descending from the lead-in outlet 240 at the opposite end of each upper ring 302 to detect the advancement of the item 110 to the upper ring bracket 304 located below the chute.

In the event that an earlier item 110 fails to drop from where its lower ring bracket is programmed to its final sort destination, resulting in a location conflict (this will be explained below), or in the event of a device failure, the item 110 can be controlled by the control system Guided, does not or cannot drop from its upper ring bracket 304 to its preprogrammed lower ring bracket 404 . A sensor 132 is mounted on each upper ring 302 at a drop point 310 to detect the presence of an item 110 in the upper ring bracket 304 located at that drop point 310 . The control system 125 will command the item 110 to drop to the non-fall conveyor belt 312 at the drop point 310 . One or more additional sensors 132 are mounted below each drop point 310 to detect the passage of articles 110 down the chute extending from that drop point 310 to the conveyor belt 312 . An additional sensor 130 is mounted at a point further along each lower ring 302 between the drop point 310 and the upper ring bracket 304 just below the lead-in outlet 240 to determine the Each upper ring bracket 304 is empty.

The sensor assembly 130 is similarly used to determine a drop from the lower ring 402 . First, sensors 132 are installed at each drop point 408 and loose item drop point 412 to detect items 110 either by entering the lower loop non-falling conveyor belt 410 or down the chute 514 into the loose item conveyor belt 516, respectively. Second, a sensor 132 is installed at the entrance of each collection bin 501 to determine the passage of items into the collection bin 501 .

Other sensor assemblies 130 include a plurality of scanners 134 , 136 , sizers 138 , 140 and a scale or other weighing device 140 . As will be further described, the item 110 will be scanned at the beginning of its passage through the system 100 and optionally at the end of its passage through the system 100 . The initial scan may be performed by a conventional scanner 134 located in the scan area 212 . In scanning zone 212 , each item 110 may also be sized by one or more sizing sensors 138 and weighed by a conventional scale or other weighing device 140 . If the system 100 senses that the size or weight of the item 110 is out of specification based on automated processing, or if the item's tag information is determined to be unreadable, or if the item fails to meet other criteria programmed by the system 120 (e.g., the item is assigned to An address that cannot be delivered), the control unit 125 will make the item 110 switch in the switch zone 214 at an appropriate time. A final scan, optionally performed to determine the correct classification of the item 110 , will be performed by another scanner 136 in each destination area 501 , 518 . It will be appreciated that the control system 120 may utilize additional sensors 132 throughout the system 100 . For example, the sensor 132 may be used at the beginning and end of each conveyor belt, at the top and bottom of each slide or chute, at each destination, and at various intermediate locations along the path.

Referring now to Figures 1-8, the operation of system 100 will be described in detail. Items 110 are manually or automatically inducted one by one at the induction line entry 208 of each induction line 202 , 204 . Each incoming item 110 will have been pre-labeled with an item identification barcode or other optical code (not shown), which may be associated with information previously communicated to the control system 120 when the label was created , this information will include at least the sort destination of the item 110 within the sorting system 100, but may include other information about the item 110 as well. Item 110 may be inducted in an orientation that allows its barcode to be automatically scanned in scanning zone 212 . For example, in one embodiment, scanner 134 is a conventional overhead omni-directional scanning device that requires each item 110 to be inducted with its encoded label facing upward in any horizontal direction.

In the pre-scanning accumulation area 210 of each induction line 202, 204, the inducted articles 110 are: (1) arranged in a single row along the induction line 202, 204, separated by conventional means such as non-parallel rollers or ejection wheels; All of the items 110 are aligned on one side of the induction lines 202, 204, so that the control system 120 can then record and monitor the sequential position of each item 110 once the items 110 have been scanned in the scanning zone 212 as described above; and (2) Accumulate the articles 110 at the exit end of the pre-scan accumulation area 210 just before the scanning area 212 .

After the incoming articles 110 have been accumulated in single rows at the exit end of the pre-scanning accumulation area 210, they are singulated one after the other and advance to the scanning area 212, which includes the belt of the powered conveyor. One or more partial segments. Items 110 are scanned, weighed, and sized in this scanning zone 212 and then advanced to an induction switchover zone 214 as described above. The scanner 134 may be a conventional laser scanner or a video scanner with a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) sensor over the belt. An example of the latter system is described in US Patent No. 5,308,960, incorporated herein by reference. The weight of the item can be obtained by conventional scales or other weighing equipment. For example, the weighing device 140 may be a conventional on-the-fly weighing device installed below the conveyor belt in the scanning zone 212 , which can weigh the item 110 as it passes through the scanning zone 212 . Any conventional sizing sensor assembly may be used to size the item 110 . In one embodiment, sizing is performed using a CCD-based sizing system that can determine all three-dimensional dimensions of the item 110 as it moves through the scanning zone 212 . In another embodiment, the sizing is performed by multiple sets of photosensor assemblies 130 mounted along the sides, above and/or below the scan zone 212, each dimension being measured at sufficiently closely spaced intervals with the accuracy required by the application.

Based on information determined by scanning, weighing, and sizing the item 110, the control system 120 determines whether the item 110 is to be diverted off the induction lines 202, 204 in the induction line diversion area 214 for recirculation, manual processing or other specific processing. More specifically, if the tag code of an item 110 is unreadable, the item 110 will be diverted at an unreadable diversion point 216 by an eject roller or other conventional diverter to an unreadable conveyor belt 218 for use in unreadable processing. After rescanning and, if necessary, relabeling at zone 220 , items will be recycled to the induction line assembly 200 or hand-delivered to one of the sorting destinations 501 , 512 , 518 , 532 after the processing zone. If, according to preset criteria resident in the control unit 125, the item 110 has a size or weight that makes it unsuitable for automatic sorting on the sorting matrix 300, 400, the control unit 125 will direct the item 110 in the Manual handling diversion point 222 is diverted to manual handling conveyor belt 224 for manual handling in manual handling area 226 after which the item is manually delivered to its sort destination 501 , 512 , 518 , 532 . Optionally, additional or different diversion points may be placed in the lead-in diversion area 214 to send the unsuitable items 110 directly to the one or more loose item loading areas 518 without any intermediate Manual processing or delivery.

Each item 110 may have 4 chances to drop at drop point 800 from the upper ring bracket 304 of the item 110 to the lower bracket 404 on the lower ring 402 sorted to the sorting purpose of each item 110 land. Two such opportunities occur in the output run and two such opportunities occur in the return run of the upper rack 304 where the item 110 is occupying. If more than one lower ring 402 is sorted to the item's 110 final sort destination, then that item 110 will have an additional 4 chances to drop on each such ring 402 . For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , there are two lower rings 402 . If the item 110 is addressed to some kind of compressed (zip) code, the collection box 501 for the compressed code is fed by the two lower rings 402 (this structure is not shown in Figure 1), the item will have 8 times There are 4 chances for each of the two lower rings 402 to drop chances to reach the box designated for that compressed code.

There will be a "location conflict" if and as long as the control system 120 is unable to plan a hassle-free transfer of an item 110 through the sorting matrix 300, 400 due to all 4 ( or more) drop chance 800 is not expected to be used. This will only be the case if each lower bracket 404 that exists below each such drop point 800 is expected to be occupied by an earlier item 110 . If there is a location conflict, the control system 120 will direct the article 110 to reverse at the recirculation diversion point 228, after which the article will travel down the recirculation slide 230 leading to the upper non-falling conveyor belt 312, and then to the recirculation slide 230. Loop conveyor belt 232 . The item 110 is then recycled for re-introduction onto the lead-in line assemblies 202, 204, or instead will be diverted to the manual processing area 226 at the recirculation diversion point, so that when the item 110 is in the area 226 After having been rescanned, it is manually processed and delivered to one of the classification destinations 501, 512, 518, 532 as directed by the control system.

The control system 120 uses the following information once the item 110 has been scanned, weighed and sized in the scanning area 212 to determine whether the item 110 can be delivered to its sort destination without a location conflict will be known or determined by the control system 120 . For simplicity, the following description assumes that the item 110 has 4 chances to drop from its upper ring tray 304 to its lower ring 302 to be delivered to its final sorting destination:

A. The sort destination for the item 110, which will be the collection bin 501 or drop point to the loose item conveyor belt 412, and the specific lower ring 402 serving the sort destination, hereinafter also referred to as the "target lower ring" 402 .

B. The number of system steps 50 required for each of the 4 drop opportunities 800 for an item 110 to reach its target lower ring 402 . The number of steps in this system is calculated by the control system based on the following data:

1. The number of other non-reversed items 110 preceding the own item 110 on the same induction line 202, 204 will determine the number of steps 50 required for the own item 110 to reach the induction line exit 240. In the case of a split induction line 204, if necessary, the control system 120 can adjust the number of steps 50 by changing the sequential distribution of the items 110 between the two branches of the split induction line 204 as will be further explained below to prevent location conflicts; and

2. The number of system steps 50 required for an item 110 to reach each of its 4 drop opportunities 800 after the item 110 has advanced into its lower ring bracket 304 .

C. When this item 110 gets there, it is expected that there is an earlier conveyed item 110 in the lower ring bracket 404 below one or more of the 4 drop opportunities 800 for the item 110, hereinafter referred to as "blocking" Items" 110. In anticipation of the presence of blocking items 110, the control system 120 considers the conveyance route planned in advance for each of the earlier items 110, including not only the earlier items 110 already in the lower ring bracket 404, but also the The earlier item 110 is still in the upper ring bracket 304 or on the induction line 202,204.

If the control system 120 initially determines that only one of the 4 drop opportunities 800 for the item 110 will be used, the control system 120 will typically be programmed to drop the item 110 at the drop opportunity 800 . If instead 2, 3 or 4 drop opportunities 800 for the item 110 were available, the control system 120 would select among these drop opportunities 800 according to pre-established criteria residing within the control system. For example, these criteria may include: the guidance of the delivery path from each drop opportunity 800 to the sorted destination of the item 110, the relative probability of a location conflict with the following item 110 caused by each rerouting (the probabilities may be expressed in other information based on the control system 120's analysis of historical data on the allocation of earlier items 110 in sorted destinations), and the advantage of maintaining the flexibility to reroute items 110 later for reasons such as As a result, the item 110 is designated to drop at the first chance in the 2, 3 or 4 drop opportunities 800 even if the subsequent drop opportunities 800 present a more direct delivery path.

If the control system 120 initially determines that there will be a location conflict for the present item 110, i.e., a blocking item 110 will occupy the lower ring bracket 404 below each of the 4 drop opportunities 800, the control system 120 can still pass the earlier The conveyed item 110 is re-routed to avoid this location conflict. The earlier conveyed items 110 considered for re-routing will include each of the four blocking items 110, but additional earlier conveyed items 110 may be included as required, if necessary. For example, the control system 120 may evaluate each of the following diversion opportunities where:

1. If any of the 4 blocking items 110 has not reached its lower ring bracket 404, and at least one replaceable dropper 800 is reserved for the blocking item 110, the control system 120 can be reprogrammed to make the blocking item 110 The item 110 drops to its target lower ring 400 at a different drop opportunity 800 , thereby forming a drop opportunity 800 for the present item 110 .

2. If only its originally programmed drop chance 800 remains for each of the 4 blocked items 110, but one or more of these blocked items 110 has not advanced past all of its blocked drop chances 800, then The control system 120 may "unblock" one or more of the blocked drop opportunities 800 of the blocked item 110 by rerouting one of the items 110 that would otherwise have blocked the blocked item 110 .

3. If the sorting system 100 includes more than one diverted induction line 204, even if the item 110 itself is on a non-diverted induction line 202, the control system 120 can get additional rerouting opportunities. For example, if the item 110 is on a diverted induction line 204, the control system 120 may initially transfer the item 110 to either of the two upper rings 302 fed by the diverted line 204, where efficiently Creates 8 drops instead of 4 drops 800 for this item 110. If the present article 110 is instead located on a non-shunting introduction line 202, but more than one obstructing article 110 is located on a diverting introduction line 204, then if the obstructing article 110 has not reached the branch 236 on its introduction line 204, The control system 120 may redirect such a blocking item 110 to a drop opportunity 800 on the other branch 236 of the diverted induction line 204 .

4. In addition to these rerouting opportunities, the control system 120 can also be programmed to convey past an earlier item 110 even if an alternate conveyance path cannot be designed for the earlier item 110 . Such a diversion may be desirable, for example, if the present item 110 needs to be sorted quickly, but the blocking item 110 does not need to be sorted as quickly. In this case, the earlier blocked item 110 would be reprogrammed to remain in its upper loop bracket 304 and drop to the upper non-drop conveyor belt 312 at the end of its loop around its upper loop 300 .

Thus, the intersecting ring structure of the sorting system 100 reduces the probability of location conflicts by creating at least 4 drop opportunities 800 at each upper ring 302 . The statistical probability of an unavoidable location conflict depends on several other factors in addition to the above reasons, mainly including: the number of lower rings 402, the number of upper rings 302 and the degree to which items 110 are conveyed unevenly in the lower ring 402. While this statistical probability can be very low in some classification system 100 configurations, it can be further reduced by including but not limited to the rerouting methods described above, the theoretical probability of an inevitable location conflict cannot be completely eliminated. Therefore, the sorting system 100 must provide some means of reversing the items 110 due to the unavoidable position conflicts of the items 110 .

As noted above, one such method of diversion, as shown in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. The method reduces or prevents any reduction in throughput by closing gaps that exist in the flow of items 110 . An alternative approach, not further described here, would simply push each "position conflicting" item 110 into the upper ring bracket 304 without the item 110 reaching each of its 4 drop opportunities 800 First determine if there will be a location conflict, then use the sensor assembly 130 to detect if there is an earlier item 110 under each of the 4 drop opportunities 800 when the present item 110 gets there. In this alternative method, any item 110 that is blocked at all 4 drop opportunities 800 will be conveyed to the drop point 310 to the conveyor belt 312 on its upper loop 302 and then recirculated as described above or manual processing.

If the control system 120 is able to plan an obstacle-free conveyance path for the item 110 as described above, the item 110 will continue through the post-reversed accumulation area 238, which begins at the scanning area 212 (and thus includes The outlet end of the reversing area 214) ends at the lead-in line outlet 240. The post-reversed accumulation area 238 is dedicated to the accumulation of non-reversed articles 110 at the inlet line exit 240 while maintaining the order of the articles 110 in a single row. Gaps in the flow of articles 110 will be formed by the diversion of articles 110 in diversion zone 214 . On a split induction line 204 feeding the two upper rings 302 , the control system 120 causes articles 110 to be distributed to each branch in the split induction line 204 . This will be done using conventional diverting devices such as sub-surface pop-up pulleys mounted between the rollers on powered roller conveyors. As noted above, the control system 120 may adjust the distribution of items 110 between branches on the diverted induction line 204, if necessary, to resolve positional conflicts. For example, if an item is substantially swapped between two branches 236 , the control system 120 may instead direct two subsequent items 110 to be directed to the same branch 236 in order to avoid otherwise creating a location conflict for the second item 110 . As shown, the sorting system 100 can accommodate a single induction line 200 being trifurcated or even further bifurcated, assuming only (1) that the control system 120 can monitor the sequential position of all items 110 as they are dispensed along the plurality of branches 236, And (2) the item 110 can be advanced fast enough to ensure that the item 110 reaches the lead-in line exit 240 at each branch 236 at the beginning of each system step 50 .

The article 110 proceeds from the post-reversing area 238 to the induction line exit 240 . The items 110 are accumulated at the lead-in line outlet 240 and then singulated and advanced to a stationary upper ring tray 304 one at a time. Only one item 110 occupies any one upper ring bracket 304 at a time. In a stationary sub-step 56 of each system step 50, an object 110 is advanced from each induction line 202, 204 in this manner. The timing of the system step, the stationary sub-step 56 and the moving sub-step 55 will be further explained below. Accordingly, the tray 304 does not move when items 110 are stacked therein. The target carrier 304 for the item 110 will be moved into position during the move sub-step 55 . In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings (see FIGS. 2-4 ), the article 110 first advances through the lead-in line exit 240, then down the gravity slide, and finally onto the inclined carriage floor 704, where The movement of items there is blocked by the carriage door 706. In the preferred embodiment, the door 706 projects outwardly at a generally right angle from the sloped floor of the upper ring bracket 304 . The door 706 is articulated with the upper ring bracket 304 by a hinge 709 (not shown) on the bottom edge. This hinged connection allows the door 706 to be pulled down as described below in stationary substep 56, so that the carriage floor 704 and lowered door 706 form a continuous sloped surface leading to the top to bottom of the carriage 304, thereby enabling Item 110 slides down to lower ring bracket 404 as described below. Unless the bay door is pulled down, either by some bias such as a spring load or by a latch mechanism (not shown) with sufficient resistance to prevent the movement of the item 110 from sliding into the bay 304 to maintain its "default" up position. Each bracket 304 , 404 end block 720 , 721 prevents disengagement of the item 110 at either end of the bracket 304 , 404 . If the bracket 304 includes a top block 702, this top block 702 will prevent the item 110 from passing over the bracket door 706 when falling into its upper ring bracket 304, and then the top block 702 will ensure that the item 110 is dropped into the lower ring bracket. Item 110 will not contact bracket 304 before this top block 702 when in rack 404 .

Carriages 304 , 404 are loaded on their respective sorting rings 302 , 402 . As noted above, the exemplary sorting matrix 300, 400 includes three horizontal, longitudinally extending, closed, elliptical sorting rings 302 elevated above two horizontal, transversely extending, closed, elliptical sorting rings 402. . At each matrix 300 , 400 stage, the carriages 304 , 404 are connected to the conveyor chain 716 by conventional connectors 718 . It will be appreciated that a powered drive cable, shaft or other mechanism may be used instead of the powered drive chain 716 to drive the carriages 304, 404 around the rings 302, 402. On the two-loop stage 300 , 400 , the carriages 304 , 404 are connected to the conveyor chain 716 at intervals around their respective loops 302 , 402 . The spacing between each bracket 304 on the upper ring can be the same distance (or indeed a plurality of such distances), and the spacing between each bracket 404 on the lower ring can likewise be the same distance (or actually multiple such distances). such a distance). Generally, the spacing between brackets 304 on each upper ring 302 will be the same, and the spacing between brackets 404 on each lower ring 402 will be the same. But the uniform spacing between the upper ring brackets 304 need not be the same as the uniform spacing between the lower ring brackets 404 . Notwithstanding the spacing between brackets 304, 404, provided: (1) the spacing between any two brackets 304, 404 on a given ring 302, 402 is the same distance (or indeed a plurality of such distances) , and (2) in the case of the upper ring 302, the system 100 will work equally well if the spacing between the upper brackets 304 is not so close as to impede the falling of items. By way of example only, the spacing between all brackets 304 on the upper ring 302 may be about 48 inches (1.2 m) and the spacing between all brackets 404 on the lower ring 302 may be about 30 inches (76 cm) . Similarly, the trays 304, 404 may have almost any size, depending on the largest size of the items 110 to be sorted.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, the weight of each carriage 304, 404 is supported by rollers 728 attached to the carriages 304, 404, although other methods of supporting and guiding the carriages may be used instead, Such as rail system. This point has been illustrated, the front end or open end of each upper ring bracket 304 faces the direction that upper ring 302 advances, and the article 110 that falls on the lower ring bracket 404 from its bracket 304 is positioned at the front end of upper ring bracket 304. Drop in the hole 307 of the upper ring bottom plate 306. Instead, the front or open end of each lower ring bracket 404 faces the inside of the ellipse formed by the lower ring 402, which is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the lower ring 402, from which lower ring bracket 404 falls to the collection bin 501 or drop point. Each item 110 on 412 passes in this inward direction.

Each upper ring 302 and each lower ring 402 cycles through a timed system step 50 . Each step 50 includes a moving sub-step 55 and a stationary sub-step 56 . The duration of each system step is the same as that of the two loops 302, 402 and is pre-set by the control system 120 primarily based on the determined duration necessary to reliably complete each of the two sub-steps 55, 56.

In this moving sub-step 55 , the carriages 304 , 404 are advanced around their respective ring 302 , 402 at a distance equal to the spacing between the carriages 304 , 404 on that ring 302 , 402 . During this stationary sub-step 56, the carriages 304, 404 remain stationary. But if a rack 304, 404 contains an item 110 that has been programmed to fall at this rest position, then at the beginning of this rest substep 56 its rack door 706 will be pulled down (as described below), and will This downward position is maintained long enough for the item 110 to slide out of its holder 304,404. The door 706 will then release to return to its preset default up position.

As shown, the duration of system step 50 is the same for both ring arrays 300 , 400 . However, this duration does not have to be equally distributed between the two substeps 55 , 56 , the time distribution between the two substeps 55 , 56 in each of the two ring arrays 300 , 400 can be different. It is also not necessary that step 50 starts at exactly the same moment in each ring matrix 300,400. However, the steps 50 in the two arrays 300, 400 must be sufficiently synchronized that whenever an item 110 is dropped from its upper ring bracket 304 onto the lower ring bracket 404, the lower ring bracket 404 is at rest. Below the whereabouts of 800 opportunities. In an exemplary embodiment of the system 100, this would require that the sub-steps 55, 56 in each loop 302, 402 be of approximately the same duration in which the system step 50 begins approximately at the same time, Or the time in the lower ring 402 is slightly later than the time in the upper ring 302 . Although any one sub-step 55, 56 can be completed early, the sub-step 55, 56 can never be started early.

Merely by way of example, the duration of the system step 50 in a preferred embodiment is approximately 5 seconds, approximately half of this duration being allocated to each sub-step 55,56. However, as mentioned above, the system step 50 can have any duration, which can be divided in any way between the moving sub-step 55 and the stationary sub-step 56 (and can be divided between each of the two sorting matrices 300, 400 different allocation between the two sub-steps in ), as long as the duration of the system step 50 is the same in the two classification matrices 300, 400, and enough time is allocated to each system step 50 and each sub-steps 55, 56 to complete the actions required in each of the steps 50 and sub-steps 55, 56.

Thus, it can be seen that the system 100 operates in the step 50 of defining the duration and in the movement sub-step 55 of defining the duration and distance of movement, which allows the control system 120 to anticipate when the item 110 moves through the system 100 is the position of each item 110 in each future step 50. Although the system 100 will generally work with all upper rings 302 and lower rings 402 advancing during each system step 50, if one or more upper rings 302 and/or one or more lower rings 402 are either moving If it remains stationary in substep 55, or is completely disengaged from the rest of the classification system 100, the system 100 can work normally, but in each case the control system 120 records this immobility of the ring 302, 402 and Item 110 is re-routed as needed.

As shown, items 110 will drop from upper ring 304 to lower ring 404 in stationary substep 56 . In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, this transfer of items 110 programmed by the control system 120 is accomplished by lowering the carriage door 706 of the carriage 304 to form a gravity slide leading to the target lower ring carriage 404 . As the drop occurs in stationary sub-step 56, after each of the items 110 fall outwardly from one or more upper ring brackets 304 and into one or more target lower ring brackets 304, the brackets 304, 404 The rings 302, 402 with which they are associated will remain stationary.

As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the formed slideway includes (1) a carriage floor 704; (2) a carriage door 706; In the system frame 604 below the ring floor 306 and down to the target lower ring bracket 404 . During a slide down the chute 308, the item will follow one of two chute paths depending on the orientation of the carriage 304, 404 at the time of the particular fall. The first chute path 812 is defined by the item 110 sliding down the chute 308 and continuing its slide down the carrier floor 704 of the target lower ring carrier 404 . While advancing along the chute path 812 , the movement of the slide item 110 is prevented by the carriage door 706 of the target lower ring carriage 404 . The second chute path 814 is defined by the items 110 sliding down the chute 308 and continuing their slide down the carrier door 706 of the target lower ring carrier 404 . In this case, the movement of the sliding item 110 is prevented by the bracket floor 704 of the target lower ring bracket 404 . Although the structure of the exemplary system 100 allows for two chute paths 812 , 814 , the system 100 may alternatively be configured to include only one or the other of the two chute paths 812 , 814 .

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , items 110 drop from their upper ring bracket 304 to their lower ring bracket 404 as soon as the bracket door 706 of that bracket 304 is pulled down in stationary substep 56. (not shown in Figure 5). The carriage door 706 is pulled down by a carriage door cable 710 connected to the bottom of the door 706 . The cable 710 passes through a hole (not shown) in the base plate 704 and is connected at its other end to a rigid steering block 712 protruding from a side plate 720 of the upper ring bracket 304 . In each stationary sub-step 56, the steering block 712 of each upper ring bracket 304 above the drop machine 800 will be placed in direct contact with the steering block tensioner (not shown) connected to the tie rod mechanism 303. In contrast, the mechanism 303 is supported by a frame 604 and driven by a motor and associated transmission (not shown). In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5 , the tensioner is an air powered device in turn utilizing signals received from the control system 120 through a controlled solenoid valve (not shown). Any other type of connection (instead of cable 710 shown in FIG. 5 ) between the carriage door 706 and the manipulation block, manipulation block, actuator and/or tensioner arrangement may be used instead, as long as they are used in combination. , they may cause the bay door 706 to be pulled down in response to one or more signals received from the control system 120 . The item 110 is thereby caused to slide down in the tray 303 , 404 and out of the tray 303 , 404 as programmed by the control system 120 .

In response to a signal from the control system 120, an electromagnet (not shown) or other actuating mechanism will move the tensioner such that when the motor and associated transmission mechanism (not shown) moves the pull rod 303 forward Far enough that when the carriage door cable 710 will pull down the carriage door 706, it engages the actuating block 712, thereby causing the item 110 to slide down from the carriage 304 and out, through the lower ring floor hole 307 to the slideway 308 , eventually into its target lower ring bracket 404 . In FIG. 5, the steering block 712, when tensioned, will move within its cable guide 714 in the direction that the carriage 302 is moving. However, in alternative embodiments, block 712 may also move in the opposite direction or in any other direction as long as the operating block is moved a sufficient distance for the cable 710 to pull down on door 706 . After the item 110 has dropped onto its target rack 404, the tensioner will retract, releasing the handle block 712 and returning the spring-loaded rack door 706 to its preset default "up" position, thus The manipulation block 712 is also returned to its original position. In FIG. 5, as the carriage 304 advances in the following movement sub-steps, it will also cause retraction of the manipulation block 712, while the manipulation block 712 will move away from the tensioner when this advancement occurs. All drops from the brackets 304, 404 occur essentially as described, with some differences from the lower ring bracket 403, which will be described below.

As noted above, items 110 will typically be diverted in the induction diversion zone 214 if unavoidable location conflicts prevent the control system 120 from designing an unobstructed conveyance path for the sort destinations 501, 518 of the items 110. For this reason, the item 110 in the upper ring bracket 304 typically drops into the lower ring bracket 404 before it reaches the drop point 310 onto the upper non-drop conveyor belt 312 . The drop point 310 is located outside of all visible drop opportunities 800 on the upper ring 302 . Items 110 that cannot be dropped from their upper ring brackets 304 before reaching this drop point 310 for any reason will be commanded by the control system 120 to drop 310 therefrom in the stationary sub-step 56 . As mentioned above, possible reasons for such a required drop onto the non-falling conveyor belt 312 include: (1) due to some non-programmed reason, such as a mechanical failure, the item 110 cannot be dropped from its upper ring bracket 304; 2) the control system 120 has determined that the planned conveyance path of the item 110 is blocked due to an earlier item 110 not being able to drop from its lower ring bracket 404 as programmed to its sort destination; or (3) due to a later item 110 Desiring to be sorted more quickly, the control system 120 has redirected the items 110 to drop at the drop point 310 to allow later items 110 to be conveyed through the sorting system 100 . This could be another reason for such a fall.

As shown in FIG. 1 , each lead-in wire outlet 240 is located near the end of the upper ring matrix 300 of the lead-in wire assembly 200 shown in FIG. The outer periphery of the lower ring matrix 400 . The system 100 can alternatively be configured such that part or all of the lead-in line assembly 200 is located above the sorting matrix 300, 400, so that each lead-in line outlet 240 is located farther forward and above the sorting matrix 300, 400, while Not around or near them as shown in Figure 1. In this alternative configuration, the upper non-falling conveyor belt 312 may also be located farther in the area of the sorting matrix 300, 400 since the upper non-falling conveyor belt 312 generally occupies substantially the same position relative to the lead-in line exit 240. in front of them, rather than around or near them. For example, in this alternative configuration, the upper non-falling conveyor belt 312 may be located above a channel 602 as described below, sandwiched between two adjacent double rows of collection bins 501 and parallel to the two Adjacent double rows of collection boxes 501 operate. Similarly, although in the illustrative example shown in FIG. 1 , the lower ring non-falling conveyor belt 410, described below, is located outside the perimeter of the upper ring sort array 300, the system 100 may alternatively be configured with an upper ring sort base The lower ring inside the perimeter of the array 300 is a conveyor belt 410 that cannot fall. For example, the lower loop non-falling conveyor belt 410 may be positioned above a channel 600 as described below that separates the two sections of the collection bin 501 assembly.

The drop of an item 110 from its upper ring bracket 304 at a drop point 310 will occur as follows. The sensor assembly 130 is placed at the drop point 310 along the non-falling chute 311 of the upper ring, and along the upper ring 302 after the drop point 310 and before the lead-in exit 240 of the associated lead-in line 202 , 204 . at one or more points. These sensor assemblies 130 detect the presence of each item 110 arriving at the drop point 310 and confirm its drop, thereby enabling the control system 120 to monitor the position of the item 110 and ensure that it is within the induction line exit 240 of the associated induction line 202, 204. Each lower upper ring bracket 304 is empty so that a new item 110 can be pushed into the upper ring bracket 304 . Each drop of item 110 at drop point 310 proceeds in the same manner as described above for producing a drop at drop point 800 . The sensor 132 will confirm that the non-falling item 110 falls onto the drop chute 311 leading to the upper non-falling conveyor belt 312 . The drop is further confirmed by an upper ring sensor 132 positioned along the upper ring 302 downstream of the drop point 310 but before the outlet 240 feeding the ring 302 . Once the item 110 has reached the non-fall conveyor belt 312, it will proceed to the recirculation conveyor belt 232 for recycling to the induction line assembly 200 or manual processing.

If the control system 120 determines that the upper ring bracket 304 is occupied when the upper ring bracket 304 reaches below the lead-in line exit 240, the control system 120 will close that particular lead-in line 202, 204 for a system step 50, to prevent the next new item 110 on a column from falling onto the still occupied upper ring bracket 304 . At the next system step 50 after the lead-in lines 202, 204 are closed, the still occupied upper ring bracket 304 will have advanced a position outside the lead-in line exit 240, and an empty bracket 304 should be in under the outlet 240 so that the lead-in line assembly 202 can be restarted. The infallible item 110 can then be reprogrammed to drop at a potential drop opportunity 800 on its second loop around the upper ring 302 . If the item 110 cannot fall as desired on its second loop around the upper ring 302 (e.g., due to a mechanical failure preventing it from falling or because the item is jammed or otherwise cannot slide freely out of its holder 304) , and then it can be manually removed. It is necessary to stop the upper ring 300 to allow this manual removal. In each instance where closure of the upper loop 300 is required, the control system 120 will adjust the conveyance path of the items 110 on the affected upper loop 300 as necessary.

Similarly, each lower ring 402 has one or more drop points 408 to a lower non-drop conveyor belt 410, if an item has passed its intended sort destination without being programmed to drop from its lower ring bracket 404, then Item 110 can be programmed to fall there. The sensor assembly 130 located at each sort destination 501 , 518 , 532 will detect and report to the control system 120 each drop of an item 110 to that sort destination. If the control system 120 cannot receive a programmed drop to sort destination report, the control system 120 will: (1) re-route the non-fall item 110 to the nearest drop point leading to the lower non-fall conveyor belt 410 408, the lower infallible conveyor belt 410 transfers the article 110 to the recirculation conveyor belt 232 in turn; and (2) divert any subsequent article 110 since the infallible article 110 has caused an undesired position conflict. It should be noted that the inability of an item 110 to fall where it is programmed to drop from its lower ring bracket 404 only causes positional conflicts for subsequent items 110 that have not yet reached their own lower ring bracket 404; In the upper ring bracket 304 or on its lead-in lines 202,204. If an alternate unobstructed conveyance path cannot be planned for the following item 110, the control system 120 will instead be reprogrammed to keep the following item 110 in its upper ring bracket 304 until it has reached the upper inaccessible path. The drop point 310 of the falling conveyor belt 312 where the items 110 will drop for recycling or manual processing as described above.

If the sorting system 100 is not malfunctioning, it will generally never need to divert the items 110 to the lower non-drop conveyor belt 410. But the control system 120 can use a sensor assembly installed at the entrance of each collection bin 501 or at the drop point 412 leading to the loose item chute 514 to detect a "full" condition (or other obstruction) at the entrance, In this case the control system 120 may re-route the items 110 intended for this sorting destination to the lower non-falling conveyor belt 410 . For either or both of these reasons, the sorting system 100 will typically include at least one such drop point 408 leading to the lower non-drop conveyor belt 410, and may include multiple drop points 408—for example, at each end of the lower loop 402. One on one side - thereby removing items 110 that fail to fall from the programmed lower ring 402 .

As noted above, items 110 may be conveyed to recirculation conveyor 232 from one of three sources: induction line diversion zone 214 , any upper loop bracket 304 or any lower loop bracket 404 . Items 110 arriving on recycling conveyor belt 232 are typically recycled to return to the intended induction holding area 206 for reinduction without additional manual handling. Optionally, as described above, control unit 125 may be located at recirculation diversion point 234 to divert the items 110 from recirculation conveyor 232 to manual processing area 226 for rescanning and manual transfer to their respective sorting purposes land. This could be done, for example, near the end of sorting, when the last items 110 passing along the recirculation conveyor 232 are likely to reach their sorting destination more quickly if handled manually.

More typically, however, items 110 will arrive at their sorted destinations in the following manner. In system step 50, an item 110 programmed to drop to its target lower ring bracket 404 will progress around its lower ring 402 until it reaches its programmed sorting destination, which may be either a collection bin 501 or a A drop point 412 leading to a loose item chute 514, shown in FIG. 4, is provided for transfer into a loose item holding area 518, which will be described below.

In the stationary sub-step 56 the item 110 will drop to its sorting destination 501 , 412 . If item 110 fails to drop where programmed, it will be redirected by control system 120 as described above to instead drop at drop point 408 leading to lower non-fall conveyor belt 410 where it will be conveyed to Recirculation conveyor belt 232 is used for reintroduction or diversion to manual processing areas.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures, the drop from the lower ring bracket 404 to its sorting destination is in the same manner as the item 110 is dropped from the upper ring bracket 304 to the lower ring bracket 404 as described above. proceed, except that: due to the inward orientation of the carriages 404 on the lower ring 302, (1) the articles 110 fall inwardly in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the lower ring 402; The bottom or back of each lower ring bracket 404 protrudes, rather than the sides as on the upper ring bracket 304 , and the associated tensioning mechanism is positioned below or behind the lower ring bracket 404 accordingly.

Items 110 falling from its lower ring bracket 404 onto the loose item conveyor belt 516 will be conveyed to the loose item holding area 518 . As shown, the present invention will accommodate additional loose item conveyors 516 and associated loose item holding areas 518 . For example, mirrored loose item area components may be added on opposite sides of the exemplary system 100 . Also, since a commercially available embodiment may have a large number of upper rings 302 and lower rings 402, there will be a corresponding increase in the possible number of loose item compartment assemblies.

Instead, the item 110 that falls into the collection bin 501, together with one or more other items 110 that have been sorted into the same collection bin 501, will typically be manually removed from the collection bin 501 and then grouped, e.g. In the bag 520, the grouping is then transferred to the bag loading area 512,532 by manually or placing the bag 520 on a bag conveyor 506,526 leading to the bag loading area 512,532. Once an item 110 has arrived at the collection bin 501 or the loose item loading area 518, a rescan of the item's 110 label barcode confirms that the item 110 is correctly sorted to its sorted destination. This rescanning is performed by scanner 136, which may be a hand-held manual scanner or a stationary automated scanner.

The stationary or handheld scanner 136 can also be used to scan bags at any number of locations. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 , each bag carousel 506 , 526 is functionally diverted by a bag carousel diverter 508 that is suspended from the system frame 604 from the bag carousel 506 , 526 above. This diversion enables a single bag conveyor 506 , 526 to serve as two adjacent rows of collection bins 501 intended for two different respective bag loading areas 512 , 532 . Pouch carousel diverters 510 , 530 positioned near the end of each diverter section of the respective bag conveyors 506 , 526 divert the bags 520 to the appropriate bag loading areas 512 , 532 . Each bag 520 will be tagged to identify the collection box 501 that filled the bag, and if there are other bags from other collection boxes 500 that are transferred to the same bag loading area 512, 532, this bag will be identified with other bags. 520 distinctions. If the label of the bag 520 includes an optically readable barcode, the bag can be confirmed to be delivered correctly by the scanner 136, or visual inspection can be used instead to confirm that the bag was delivered correctly.

As described in detail above, the control system 120 utilizes logic circuits to monitor the status of items from introduction to discharge. The basic structure of the control system 120 and its accompanying logic functions can be summarized with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 . In step 1 , each item 110 is introduced at the induction line assembly 200 and scanned, weighed and sized in the scanning zone 212 of said assembly 200 . If the scanner 134 can read the tag of the item 110 in step 2, and if the weight or size of the item 110 does not exceed the parameters of the automatic processing in step 3, then in step 4 the control unit 125 will estimate whether all The drop chance will be blocked as expected. If in step 4 a drop opportunity is found, then in step 5 the control unit will push the item into the next bracket 303 on the upper ring 304 . If in step 6 the control unit 125 did not anticipate any unplanned failure of any earlier item 110, and if in step 7 the control unit did not place any later item requiring an unplanned diversion of the item 110 If the priority of 110 is raised above the priority of the present item 110, the present item 110 will be instructed to drop into the target lower ring bracket 404 at step 8 as scheduled. If the item successfully falls to the lower ring, and if it cannot fall from the lower ring 404 as instructed in step 9, it will be transferred to the appropriate collection bin 501 at step 10, or to the scattered Item loading area 518 . If the item 110 is transferred to the collection bin 501 in step 11, the control unit 125 will output a control signal commanding the activation electromagnet to pull down the door 706 over the appropriate drop point to the appropriate collection bin 501 . The falling item 110 will then be scanned with the scanner 136 and the control unit 125 will provide the scanner with information about which bag 520 the item will be placed in, if any. The item 110 will be placed in a suitable bag in step 12 and placed on the conveyor belt 506, 527 to transfer it in sequence to the bag loading area 512, 532 in step 13. If item 110 is directed to loose item loading area 518 , it proceeds down loose item chute 514 to loose item conveyor 516 in step 14 for delivery to loading area 518 and is finally scanned with scanner 136 in step 17 .

Returning to step 2, if the tag is unreadable, the item 110 will be diverted at the diverter assembly 214 to the non-read processing area 220 . If in step 15 the control unit 125 determines that the article is at the end of sorting, a control signal will direct the article to the manual processing area 226 to be rescanned with the scanner 136 in step 16, and either in step 11 manually conveyed to its designated collection bin 501 for bagging in step 12 and conveyed to the bag loading area 512, 532 in step 13, or commanded by a control unit signal transmitted to the scanner 136 in step 17 Manual delivery to the loose item loading area 518. If in step 3 the size of the item 110 is not suitable for automatic processing, a control signal will cause the item to be diverted in diversion zone 214 to manual processing conveyor 224 to be passed to manual processing zone 226 in step 16 . The items will then either proceed to either of the loose item loading areas 518 via steps 16 and 17, or be transferred to the bag loading areas 512, 532 via steps 16, 11, 12 and 13 described above. If all drop opportunities are blocked in step 4, the control unit 125 will determine in step 18 whether the downstream item can be rerouted, and if so, the item 110 will proceed to step 5, then as described above; and if not If so, the items 110 will be directed to the recirculation conveyor 232 via the recirculation chute 230 or non-falling conveyor 312, and then to their final destination via steps 15-17 or step 13 as described above. If drop point 800 is expected to be blocked at step 6, and if diversion is feasible at step 19, item 110 will be redirected by control unit 125 at step 22 and item 110 will pass through step 9 and subsequent steps as described above advance to its destination. If a request for a downstream diversion is received in step 7, the control unit 125 will determine the feasibility of the request in step 21 and, if possible, the item 110 will be redistributed in step 22, and then through steps 9 and subsequent The steps as described above are transmitted to their final destination. If this is not possible, the item 110 will be advanced at step 8 to its original assigned tray 404 and then conveyed to its destination through step 9 and subsequent steps as described above. Finally, if at step 9 the item 110 fails to fall from its lower loop 404, the control unit transfers the item at step 20 to a recirculation conveyor and is then sent to its final destination through the subsequent steps as described above.

As shown in FIG. 7 and described above, the control system 120 has a number of inputs and outputs. The sensor assembly provides input to the control unit 125 . More specifically, information is aggregated to each item 110 that enters the system 110 . Initially, scanner 134 obtains destination information from a tag on item 110 . For example, the information may include discrete destination codes. This information is sent to the control unit 125 . Additionally, sizer 138 and scale 140 gather physical data about each item 110, including outer diameter and weight. The sizer 138 and scale 140 communicate this data to the control unit 125 . Sensors 132 are suitably placed around the perimeter of the sorting system 100 wherever it is desired to track the passage of items for use in confirming proper operation. This sensor reports to the control unit 125 whether the item has passed or not passed. The control unit will receive other input information including, but not limited to, the status of the conveyor belts, motors, and carriage assemblies.

Control unit 125 processes various inputs and controls the operation of system 100 based on this information and the logical paths described herein. Outputs from the control unit include outputs to the induction component 200 , to the upper ring sort matrix 300 , to the lower ring sort matrix 400 , to the destination component 500 and to the scanner 136 . More specifically, the control unit 125 has any number of outputs M, where M is any positive integer, where M is typically the number of mechanisms on the import assembly 200 that the control unit 125 sends output signals to. Examples of such mechanisms include, but are not limited to, reversing mechanisms 216, 222, 228, 234, singulation mechanisms (not shown), and ejection mechanisms. Similarly, the control unit 125 has any number of outputs N, where N is any positive integer, where N is typically the number of mechanisms controlled by the control unit 125 on the upper ring sort matrix 300 . Examples of such mechanisms include, but are not limited to, pull rod 303 electromagnets, motors, and reversing mechanisms that activate manipulation block 712 tensioners. It is within the scope of the teaching of the present invention that the control unit directly controls the movement that the conveyor belt normally acts as a conventional transmission linking the motors and these devices when operating the drawbar itself. In any case, the controller may stop the motor in the case of a second failure to fall. Returning to the output of the lower ring sort matrix, the control unit 125 has any number of outputs L, L being any positive integer, where L is generally the number of mechanisms controlled by the control unit 125 on the lower ring sort matrix 400 . Examples of such mechanisms include, but are not limited to, pull rod 403 electromagnets, motors, and reversing mechanisms that activate manipulation block 712 tensioners. Furthermore, the control unit 125 also has any number of outputs K, K being any positive integer, where K is typically the number of mechanisms controlled by the control unit 125 on the destination assembly 500 . Examples of such mechanisms include, but are not limited to, diverters 510, 530 and one or more information displays (not shown) located around collection bin 501 . Finally, the control unit 125 transmits an output signal to the scanner 136 in order to provide feedback or instructions to the worker performing the final scan.

While the invention has been shown and described in detail in the drawings and specification, the same examples are to be considered as illustrative rather than restrictive in character, and it is to be understood that only preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, and in the context of the invention All changes and modifications within the spirit of the substance are to be protected.

Claims (56)

1. A system for sorting items comprising: control unit; The first conveyor belt sorting matrix; a second conveyor sorting matrix positioned below the first conveyor sorting matrix; The first and second conveyor belt sorting arrays are respectively adapted to receive and deliver one or more items to be sorted, wherein The first matrix includes one or more first discharge apertures for discharging the article into the second matrix, and the second matrix includes one or more first discharge holes for discharging the article into the second matrix. One or more first discharge positions for a collection area. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second matrix of conveyor belts passes transversely beneath the first matrix of conveyor belts. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first array and the second array each have a closed loop configuration. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first matrix of conveyor belts includes a first discharge aperture proximate each point where it crosses the second matrix of conveyor belts. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the closed loop configuration is an ellipse. 6. The system of claim 4, wherein the closed loop configuration is a quadrilateral. 7. The system of claim 4, wherein the item is moved around the system in a series of steps. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the steps have known fixed intervals. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control unit uses the known intervals at which each item moves around the system in a step-wise manner to determine the current location of each item and the projected position of each item. One or more future locations. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control unit schedules the discharge of each item at the one or more first discharge holes. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the control unit instructs each item to be ejected as it reaches its respective planned ejection orifice. 12. The system of claim 9, wherein the control unit schedules the discharge of each item at one or more first discharge locations. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the control unit instructs each item to be ejected as it reaches its respective planned ejection location. 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the fixed interval includes a time component having a known duration. 15. The system of claim 8, wherein the fixed interval includes a distance component defining a known distance traveled by the item. 16. The system of claim 8, wherein the fixed interval includes a time component of a known duration and a distance component of a known distance traveled by the item. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the time component duration is the same for items on the first conveyor sorting matrix and for items on the second conveyor sorting matrix. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the items on the first conveyor sorting matrix move according to a first value of the distance component, and the items on the second conveyor sorting matrix move according to a first value of the distance component. A binary shift, and the first value is not equal to the second value. 19. The system of claim 14, wherein the time component has a duration of up to about 6 seconds. 20. The system of claim 14, wherein the time component has a duration of up to about 6 seconds or more. 21. The system of claim 15, wherein the distance component has a value up to about 48 inches (1.2 m). 22. The system of claim 15, wherein the distance component has a value up to a distance of about 48 inches (1.2 m) or greater. 23. The system of claim 18, wherein the first value is greater than about 40 inches (1 m) and the second value is greater than about 30 inches (76 cm). 24. The system of claim 16, further comprising one or more secondary discharge holes and one or more secondary discharge locations for any items that cannot be discharged as directed. 25. The system of claim 24, wherein said first and second conveyor arrays each further comprise a plurality of adjacent closed loop tracks. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein each step includes a moving sub-step and an action sub-step, all items in the system move a distance equal to the distance component in the moving sub-step, and in the moving sub-step Eject one or more items in an action substep. 27. A system for sorting items comprising: Import component suitable for receiving classified items; an upper sorting circuit adjacent to the induction assembly and adapted to receive items therefrom; a lower sorting loop traversing below said upper sorting loop and adapted to receive items therefrom; Destination assemblies suitable for receiving items from the upper and lower sorting loops; installing one or more sensor assemblies for aggregating data on the one or more items; and a control device coupled to the induction assembly, the upper sorting loop, the lower sorting loop, and one or more sensor assemblies and adapted to receive input information therefrom and communicate output instructions thereto to facilitate delivery of each input item to the destination assembly . 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the upper and lower loops are each oval in shape. 29. The system of claim 27, wherein an item on the upper loop has a first opportunity for discharge to the lower loop each time the upper loop crosses the lower loop. 30. The system of claim 29, wherein the item is moved around the system in a series of steps from the induction module to the destination module. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein said steps have known fixed intervals. 32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the control unit utilizes data gathered by one or more sensor assemblies and the known intervals at which each item moves around the system in a stepped fashion to facilitate determining A current location for each item and one or more projected future locations for each item. 33. The system of claim 32, wherein the control unit schedules one or more first ejection opportunities for each item. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein the control unit diverts any item on the induction assembly that the control unit determines cannot be ejected at any one or more second ejection opportunities. 35. The system of claim 34, wherein the upper circuit further includes one or more second ejection opportunities. 36. The system of claim 35, wherein the control unit instructs the item to be ejected at a second ejection opportunity if the item cannot be ejected at a first ejection opportunity. 37. The system of claim 36, wherein the upper loop and the lower loop each comprise a plurality of adjacent tracks. 38. The system of claim 37, wherein the adjacent upper rails are substantially perpendicular to the adjacent lower rails. 39. The system of claim 38, wherein the item is expelled by gravity. 40. The system of claim 39, wherein the induction assembly includes one or more diverting end regions adapted to transfer items to one or more upper tracks. 41. The system of claim 40, wherein in the event that the control system cannot plan a drop at any first discharge position on any track provided by said diverting end region, the control system Commands an item to change direction. 42. The system of claim 41, wherein ejection can occur at each of the first ejection opportunity and the second ejection opportunity in the same step. 43. The system of claim 37, further comprising a plurality of receptacles carried by each track and adapted to deliver items to be sorted along the track, each receptacle comprising a pair of spaced apart side panels, an inclined bottom panel sandwiched between the side panels, and a door movably connected to the bottom panel and extending outward from the bottom panel. 44. The system of claim 43, wherein the items to be sorted enter the receptacle by sliding down its floor. 45. The system of claim 43, wherein items to be sorted enter the receptacle by sliding down its door. 46. The system of claim 43, wherein items to be sorted enter the receptacle by sliding down its floor or its door. 47. The system of claim 46, wherein the movable door portion is lowered toward the floor portion so that the contents of the receptacle will be discharged by sliding down and out of the receptacle. 48. The system of claim 47, wherein the upper loop receptacle is aligned with the lower loop receptacle so that items slide out of the upper loop receptacle to be discharged down into the underlying aligned receptacle. Lower loop receiver. 49. The system of claim 47, wherein the lower loop receptacle is aligned to discharge items thereinto. 50. Apparatus for receiving and discharging articles to be sorted by a sorting system, the apparatus comprising: a pair of spaced side panels; an inclined floor portion sandwiched between the side panels; and A door portion movably connected to the bottom plate portion and extending outward from the bottom plate portion. 51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein items to be sorted enter the apparatus by sliding down the door. 52. The device of claim 50, wherein items to be sorted enter the device by sliding down the floor portion. 53. The device of claim 50, wherein items to be sorted enter the device by sliding alternately along the door portion or the floor portion. 54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the movable door moves downward to allow the item to slide down and out. 55. A system for sorting items comprising: an elevated induction line comprising longitudinally extending rows of conveyor belt units adapted to receive and transfer one or more articles from one unit to another; The conveyor belt unit of the introduction line includes one or more accumulation units, one or more information accumulation units, one or more reversing units and a discharge unit; a plurality of longitudinally extending upper classification ellipses positioned adjacent and of reduced height relative to the lead-in line; a plurality of laterally extending lower class ellipses oriented below and substantially perpendicular to said upper class ellipse; a plurality of sorting destinations disposed substantially below the upper and lower sorting ellipses and configured to receive items therefrom; a control device comprising a control unit and a plurality of sensor groups; said information gathering unit is configured with one of said sensor groups adapted to determine specific classification information of an item, including its delivery information, its external dimensions and its weight; The classification information gathering unit sensor group includes a label reader, a sizer and a scale; said upper and lower sorting ellipses each include a plurality of receptacles adapted to receive said items and deliver them to their respective sorting destinations; The receptacle includes a pair of spaced apart upwardly extending side panels, an inclined floor portion sandwiched between the side panels; and a door portion articulated to the floor portion and extending outwardly from the floor portion at substantially right angles thereto, Wherein, the sensor group of the information gathering unit transmits the classification information to the control device for processing and determining the travel path of each item from the induction line to a final destination. 56. A method for classifying items comprising the steps of: providing a control unit to control the sorting process; Provide the first classification matrix; providing a second sorting matrix positioned below the first sorting matrix; Provide multiple collection destinations; transferring items to be sorted from the first array to the second array; transporting the transported item from the second array to a collection destination; providing one or more diversion destinations if the item cannot be transferred from the first array to the second array; and If the item cannot be transferred from the second matrix to the collection destination, one of a plurality of diversion destinations is provided.

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