Single Pass Mail Sorting System

Abstract

A method of mail sorting according to the invention includes the steps of sorting a batch of mail addressed to recipients in a common postal delivery zone with an automated single pass mail sorting machine into groups wherein the mail pieces in each group have a common delivery destination, transporting the groups of sorted mail using an automated conveying system to a delivery point packaging machine, and then packaging the groups of mail pieces with the delivery point packaging machine. Such a method is preferably part of a single pass sorting process wherein a batch of starting mail destined to a common zone is sorted into groups of mail for each destination that are then brought to the delivery point packaging machine in carrier delivery order.

Claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of mail sorting, comprising:
 sorting mail pieces addressed to recipients in a common postal delivery zone into groups, by an automated mail sorting machine, by inserting each mail piece into one of a series of slots in a pod housed in a tower rack, wherein each slot contains one group of mail pieces and the mail pieces in each group have a common delivery destination;   removing the pod from the tower rack after the sorting is complete;   transporting the pod using an automated conveying system to an unloading station; and   extracting each group of mail pieces from each slot in the pod.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising packaging the groups of mail pieces with the delivery point packaging machine. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sorting step is a single-pass sorting process. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automated conveying system includes a pod barge configured to engage the pod, remove the pod from the tower rack, and transport the pod to the unloading station. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the automated conveying system includes a self-propelled pod barge configured to transport the pod to the unloading station. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mail pieces are inserted into the slots on the front of the pod and are extracted from the top of the pod. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the groups of mail pieces are packaged in a delivery point order. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mail pieces are flat mail pieces. 
     
     
         9 . A single pass mail sorting system, comprising:
 a feeder station for receiving and individually handling pieces of mail;   at least one robot for receiving at least one piece of mail from the feeder;   a track system that the at least on robot travels on;   at least one tower having a plurality of pod, each pod having a plurality of pockets;   a pod barge for removing one pod from the tower and transporting the pod.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , the feeder station further comprising an ECR feeder and an OCR module for reading address information on each mail piece, wherein a destination pocket is selected for a mail piece based on the address information. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the robot transports the mail piece from the feeder station to the destination pocket. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein each pocket corresponds to a destination address and separately receives a plurality of mail pieces going to that destination address. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising an unloading station receiving mail pieces from a pod transported from the tower by the pod barge, the unloading station separately packaging mail pieces from each pocket within the pod into individual bundles.