公开(公告)号：EP1049545B1

公开(公告)日：2003-01-02

申请号：EP99906164.1

申请日：1999-01-21

申请人： Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

发明人： OLSEN, Douglas, E. ,  BROUWER, Gerald, A. ,  KLEIN, Hans, J. ,  AXELROD, Steven, A. ,  DeVRIES, Charles, R. ,  SCHULTZ, Keith, E. ,  YOUNG, Bruce, A.

IPC分类号： B07C3/08 ,  B07C3/00 ,  B65G47/50

CPC分类号： B65G47/50 ,  B07C3/00 ,  B07C3/008 ,  B07C3/087 ,  B65G2207/18

摘要： The object of the present invention is to provide a dispatch system and a method therefor which significantly increase throughput. It would additionally be desirable to provide a dispatch system which is capable of handling both trays and tubs of various sizes as well as containers which are uncovered, sleeved, or covered with cardboard. A solution for this object is given by a postal dispatch system (20, 20') which dispatches randomly arranged containers (94) of sorted mail to particular dispatch carts (52) comprising: a sortation conveyor (36, 36') having a main line defined by a conveying surface, a plurality of spurs (44, 44') extending from said mail line and a diverter mechanism at each of said spurs (44, 44') which selectively diverts containers (94) from said conveying surface onto the associated one of said spurs (44, 44'); and at least one transport mechanism (50, 50') which transports containers (94) from each of said spurs (44, 44') to a cart (52) juxtaposed with that spur (44, 44'). Said object is even solved by a method of dispatching randomly ordered containers (94) of sorted mail to carts (52), comprising: sorting containers (94) to particular locations, each associated with a cart (52); and transporting containers (94) between each of said particular locations and the associated cart (52).