System for sorting postal items, and method for sorting postal items

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (1) for sorting postal items (10). The system comprises an inlet region (2) where postal items (10) can be supplied to the system (1), a buffer region (4) which is designed to temporarily store at least one postal item (10), at least one outlet region (3) via which the postal items (10) can be discharged from the system (1), a gripping device (5) which is designed to supply postal items (10) in a gripping region (6) of the gripping device (5) from the inlet region (2) to the buffer region (4) and / or to the outlet region (3), and a control unit (8) which is designed to control the gripping device (5) such that the at least one postal item (10) is provided at the outlet region (3) on the basis of at least one piece of postal item information. The invention additionally relates to a method for sorting postal items (10).

Description

[0001] Mail sorting system and mail sorting method

[0002] It is known in the art that letters can be sorted and prepared by machine in a delivery sequence. The delivery sequence is the order in which the letters are delivered to the respective recipient while a delivery person follows a predetermined route. Larger shipments are currently pre-sorted by hand to ensure the delivery person has an efficient delivery journey and little time is lost en route. This requires a lot of time in the mail center or parcel center to manually sort the mail items that cannot be prepared mechanically into the appropriate delivery sequence. This is usually done by the delivery person themselves, so that a large part of their working time is spent not on the delivery itself, but on preparation for the delivery.

[0003] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a solution that can make a delivery trip more efficient.

[0004] The present invention solves this problem with a system having the features of claim 1 and with a method having the feature of claim 21.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, a system for sorting mailpieces is provided. The system may comprise an input area at which mailpieces can be fed to the system. Furthermore, the system may comprise a buffer area configured to temporarily store at least one mailpiece. Furthermore, the system may comprise at least one output area via which the mailpieces can be output from the system. A gripping device may be provided which is configured to feed mailpieces into a gripping area of ​​the gripping device from the input area, the buffer area, and / or the output area. Furthermore, the system may comprise a control unit configured to control the gripping device such that the at least one mailpiece can be provided at the output area based on at least one piece of mailpiece information.

[0006] Compared to the known prior art, the present invention offers the advantage that the system can fully automatically sort even larger mail items such as smalls or parcels in order to prepare them in a sequence for a delivery person. This means that sorting of the mail items can begin well before the delivery person starts work, so that sorting is completed as soon as the delivery person begins work. This allows the delivery person to directly take the mail items prepared at the output area and begin their route (e.g. the delivery trip). This enables efficient delivery. Furthermore, an increasing volume of mail items that cannot be sorted using conventional, automated sequence sorting systems is to be expected in the future.Furthermore, such a system can also be used in a delivery base for other tasks, such as identifying mailpieces or rough sorting to a few end points. In addition, the system can also be used to prepare mailpieces for automated delivery. The gripping device can be designed to feed mailpieces from the input area directly to the buffer area or the output area. In other words, a mailpiece does not have to be transported through any device first. Analogously, the gripping device can be designed to feed a mailpiece directly from the buffer area to the output area. In summary, a single (i.e. only one) gripping device can be provided which can feed mailpieces from the input area to the buffer area and to the output area. Preferably, only a single buffer area can be provided.In other words, the buffer area can be a single, spatially defined storage area on which mailpieces can be deposited. This can simplify control of the gripping device compared to a case where the gripping device would have to feed mailpieces to a plurality of buffer areas. Thus, the buffer area cannot be configured as an AGV or the like, as this would significantly increase the complexity of the overall system. In contrast, the output area can be implemented with AGVs in some embodiments.

[0007] The input area can, for example, be a staging area where mail items are automatically or manually staging is possible. For example, the input area can be a table-like element on which mail items can be delivered and deposited. The input area can be an area in which mail items can be staging in a terminal-like manner. In other words, the mail items can remain stationary in the input area in a gripping state. This means that the mail items can be conveyed to the input area and wait there for further handling by the gripping device. This waiting state can be referred to as a gripping state. The input area therefore cannot be a circular conveyor or the like. This can simplify the gripping process of the mail item compared to an input area in which the mail items are continuously conveyed relative to the gripping device.For example, the input area can be driven intermittently so that a piece of goods positioned on the input area is only moved temporarily. In other words, the input area can only move the piece of goods when no gripping process (i.e. gripping of the piece of goods by the gripping device) is currently in progress. The buffer area can be a table-like element on which at least one piece of mail, preferably a plurality of pieces of mail, can be deposited. In particular, the buffer area has a larger area than the input area. In the present case, the area can mean a deposit area on which piece of goods can be deposited. The buffer area is preferably at least twice, more preferably at least five times, as large as the input area.This offers the advantage that the mail items in the input area can be stacked, for example, or placed in a transport container, whereas the mail items in the buffer area can be arranged next to one another, viewed in a horizontal plane. In other words, the mail items in the buffer area can be placed in such a way that they can be individually grasped. This offers the advantage that, while the mail items from the input area can only be removed from a staggered position one after the other (i.e., in a predetermined order that may not correspond to the delivery route of a deliverer), the mail items from the buffer area can be specifically selected and transported away by the gripping device.In other words, the removal from the input area depends on which mailpiece can be gripped first (for example, when the mailpieces are provided in stacks), whereas certain mailpieces can be specifically selected from the buffer area and removed accordingly. The gripping device can be a device that can individually grip and transport a single mailpiece. Preferably, the gripping device has a first movement in which the gripping device transfers a mailpiece from the input area to the output area (for example, when the mailpiece is provided at the input area in the desired order). The gripping device can have a second movement in which the gripping device transfers a mailpiece from the input area to the buffer area.Furthermore, the gripping device can have a third movement in which the gripping device transfers a mailpiece from the buffer area to the output area. The output area can be identical to the input area. The output area can be separate from the input area. A mailpiece can travel from the input area to the output area exclusively by means of the gripping device. In other words, the output area can also be a table-like structure. Additionally or alternatively, the output area can have a conveyor belt so that mailpieces deposited there can be transported automatically. Furthermore, at least one transport box can be provided at the output area, into which the mailpieces can be inserted by the gripping device. The output area can have one or more end stations into which the mailpieces can be sorted.The gripping device can be configured to feed the mailpieces directly or indirectly from the input area to the output area based on at least one piece of mailpiece information. The mailpiece information can be indicative of a deliverer's position in the aisle sequence. In other words, the mailpiece information can be used to determine the position of the respective mailpiece in the aisle sequence to be sorted. Consequently, the gripping device can transport a mailpiece directly from the input area to the output area (first movement) if the mailpiece provided at the input area can be directly sorted into the aisle sequence.However, if the mailpiece that can next be gripped from the input area by the gripping device cannot be transferred directly to the output area because it does not fit into the position in the aisle sequence that is now to be sorted, the gripping device can transfer the mailpiece from the input area to the buffer area (second movement). If this mailpiece, which is then temporarily stored in the buffer area, is next in line to be sorted to the next position in the aisle sequence, the gripping device can feed the mailpiece from the buffer area to the output area (third movement). This can provide an automated sorting system that can automatically sort even larger mailpieces such as smalls or parcels into an appropriate aisle sequence. The gripping device can comprise a mechanical gripper or a pneumatic gripper.More specifically, the gripping device can be a suction gripping device that can suck in and transport a mailpiece by means of negative pressure. Alternatively, the gripping device can be a mechanical gripper that can grip and transport the mailpiece through a positive connection with the mailpiece. The gripping device can be designed to grip only a single mailpiece. In other words, multiple mailpieces cannot be gripped by the gripping device simultaneously. The control unit can be a computer-like device that is designed to receive data, process data, and output data, for example in the form of control commands. The control unit can determine or receive the mailpiece information of the respective mailpiece provided at the input area.For example, the control unit can be connected to a higher-level system that provides the control unit with information about the mail items presented at the input area. This means that the system does not necessarily have to have its own recording unit; rather, information about the mail item already recorded in an upstream process can be used. This makes the system particularly easy to implement into existing systems. Furthermore, the system can also be fed with residual manual sorting. In other words, residual manual sorting can include mail items that have been sorted out of the mechanical sorting process or rejected due to an error. These are usually re-sorted manually in the current state of the art.By means of the gripping device according to one aspect of the invention, which is designed to be able to handle all shapes of mail pieces, even mail pieces that are particularly bulky or unsuitable for conventional machine processing can be handled and sorted accordingly.

[0008] The gripping area can be the area in which the gripping device can handle mailpieces. In other words, the gripping area can represent an action radius of the gripping device. The gripping area can be defined by a three-dimensional space. In the case where the gripping device has a single attachment point, the gripping area can have the shape of a sphere in three-dimensional space. The input area can, for example, be the area of ​​a conveyor belt that is located in the gripping area of ​​the gripping device. Analogously, the output area can be the area, for example, of a conveyor belt that is located in the gripping area of ​​the gripping device. Thus, the system can be easily retrofitted to existing systems. In other words, the input area and / or the output area do not have to represent an end point or the like, but can also run through the gripping area.The gripping device can only handle mail items within the gripping area. The gripping device preferably has an attachment point that is not movable or displaceable during normal operation of the system. The attachment point can be the center of the gripping area. The gripping area is restricted by obstacles that impede the movement of the gripping device. Such obstacles can be, for example, the floor, other elements, the input area, the buffer area and / or the output area. The output area is preferably designed to provide a transport container into which the at least one mail item can be inserted by the gripping device. The transport container or transport container can be a transport box or the like. The mail items can be stacked on top of one another in the transport container.The transport container can be designed to be moved by the delivery person along their delivery route. For example, the transport container can be a box that the delivery person loads into the delivery vehicle. Furthermore, the transport container can also be an automatically movable box that can be handled by a robot or an automated driverless vehicle (AGV). Because the mail items can be stacked on top of each other in the transport container, the order in which the mail items are to be placed into the transport container is important. Since the delivery person wants to remove the mail items according to their route sequence, i.e., in the order in which the delivery person arrives at the recipient addresses, it is efficient if the used mail items rest on top of the transport container. This can further increase delivery efficiency.Preferably, the maximum distance between the gripping area boundaries is less than 5 m, preferably less than 3 m. For a spherical gripping area, the distance can be a line encompassing two boundaries of the gripping area and the center point (in other words, the diameter of the gripping area). In other words, the system can be installed in a very small space, making implementation of the system particularly easy, even in existing systems.

[0009] The mailpiece information preferably comprises a dimension of the mailpiece, address information of the recipient, weight of the mailpiece, and / or shipping information. The dimension of the mailpiece can describe the dimensions of the mailpiece. Thus, the size of the respective handled mailpiece can be known. This allows the control unit to determine how the mailpiece is to be handled by the gripping device (for example, where the mailpiece is best gripped and at which location in the buffer area and / or the output area the mailpiece is to be placed). This allows efficient use of space, since depending on the size of the mailpieces, they can be handled and deposited individually. The address information can be indicative of where in a delivery person's route sequence the mailpiece is to be sorted. The route sequences of the respective delivery person can be made available to the control unit.Consequently, the control unit can use the address information of the recipient of the respective mailpiece to determine which mailpiece is next in the route sequence. The sequence of mailpieces created in this way can then be used to determine the order in which the mailpieces should be made available at the output area. The shipping information can, for example, be indicative of whether a mailpiece is to be sent cash on delivery, registered mail, registered mail with return receipt, etc. The control unit can then be configured accordingly to make the respective mailpiece available at the output area. For example, it is conceivable for at least two sub-areas to be defined at the output area, in which mailpieces with different properties (e.g. shipping information) can be arranged.This allows mail items sent cash on delivery, for example, to be stored in one area and loaded into the delivery vehicle separately by the delivery person. This can further increase delivery efficiency.

[0010] Preferably, the control unit is designed to output position information for the mailpiece after it has been fed to the output area by the gripping device. The position information can be indicative of where a mailpiece is located at the output area. For example, the output area can have multiple sub-areas defined. If a mailpiece is deposited at a sub-area by the gripping device, the control unit can automatically output the position of the deposited mailpiece. This ensures traceability of the respective mailpieces. Furthermore, this information can be made available to the delivery person so that they know exactly where each mailpiece is located. The information can be made available to the delivery person digitally (e.g., on their PDA or the like).This is particularly advantageous when a variety of transport configurations are provided at the delivery area, into which the mailpieces are sorted based on the respective mailpiece information. This allows the carrier to determine which mailpieces are placed in which container, even without labeling the transport containers. This can further simplify the sorting or acceptance process for the carrier.

[0011] The control unit is preferably designed to control the gripping device such that at least one piece of mail can be sorted out based on piece of mail information. In other words, the system can also perform a control function. If, for example, a piece of mail is processed by the system which is incorrectly present (i.e. which should normally have been processed somewhere else), the system can sort out this piece of mail. Furthermore, the system can issue a notification that a piece of mail has been sorted out. Furthermore, sensors can be provided in the system which can check the handled piece of mail. This can be used to determine whether the properties and / or information about the piece of mail recorded by the sensors match the properties stored in the respective piece of mail information. If a deviation is detected here, the piece of mail can be sorted out.It is conceivable here that the weight of the mailpiece is determined when it is being handled and compared with the weight stored in the mailpiece information. If the mailpiece actually handled is significantly heavier than the stored weight, that mailpiece can be sorted out. The sorted mailpieces can then be sent for further inspection. Furthermore, unidentified mailpieces which, for whatever reason, cannot be assigned a position in the route sequence can be sorted out. The sorting can, for example, take place in a separate area or location from which the mailpieces can be taken out for further inspection or transported further. This means that even problematic mailpieces can be handled flexibly without holding up the rest of the operation. This means that the system can operate efficiently even during peak times (i.e. when the volume of mail is very high).Preferably, the system further comprises a recognition system configured to recognize at least one mailpiece in order to obtain recognition information of the mailpiece. The recognition system can be provided in addition to or alternatively to the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, the mailpiece information of a fed mailpiece can be supplied to the control unit from a higher-level station (for example, a digitization workstation or the like). Using the recognition system, the system itself can capture and / or assign the mailpiece information of a mailpiece. The recognition system can be configured to capture identification data of the fed mailpiece, which are indicative of mailpiece information. Image recognition, for example, can be used here. The image recognition can include an OCR function so that information applied to the mailpiece can be read.Accordingly, the recognition system can have access to a database with which the recorded mailpiece data can be compared. This comparison can then be used to derive the mailpiece information. Furthermore, the assignment can also be made using a mailpiece ID, which was created when the mailpiece was received into the logistics system. Thanks to the individual recognition system, the system can be located at any point in the logistics process. In other words, the system is not dependent on predetermined mailpiece information. Consequently, the system can be used more flexibly.

[0012] Preferably, the control unit is configured to assign a piece of mail piece information to the mail piece based on the identification information. In other words, the control unit may comprise a comparator unit configured to assign the identification information to a piece of mail piece information. In this case, the control unit may have access to a database.

[0013] The recognition system is preferably designed to capture the recognition information optically, in particular by means of a barcode on the mailpiece. In other words, a barcode can be assigned to the mailpiece during processing by a logistics system and physically affixed to the mailpiece. This barcode can be recognized and captured, for example, by a camera system in the recognition system. The barcode can represent the recognition information. Based on the barcode information, the respective mailpiece information can then be assigned to the mailpiece. However, a barcode does not have to be provided. Rather, the camera system can also individually read and record an address or other shipping information on the mailpiece using the OCR function.Furthermore, the control unit can be configured to automatically generate the mailpiece information (e.g., the shipping information) based on shipping information read from the mailpiece. The control unit can store the mailpiece information in a database. This ensures that the system can be operated as an isolated system (i.e., autonomously and, if necessary, without a permanent connection to a central database) and / or can monitor previously recorded information. This allows the overall delivery process to be more efficient and reliable.

[0014] The buffer area is preferably movable so that it can be moved relative to the gripping area of ​​the gripping device. In other words, the buffer area does not have to be completely located within the gripping area all the time. Rather, it may be sufficient for the location in the buffer area at which a mail item is to be deposited to be located within the gripping area at the correct time. This counteracts the problem that the gripping area of ​​a gripping device cannot be expanded at will. This makes it possible to provide a significantly larger buffer area without the gripping device becoming overly complex and expensive. In this context, “movable” can mean that the buffer area is movable so that only part of it is ever located within the gripping area. The control can be implemented by the control unit.For example, it can be implemented so that when the gripping device picks up a mailpiece from the input area, the control unit simultaneously determines the most efficient destination in the buffer area for this mailpiece and controls the buffer area accordingly, so that the destination for the currently gripped mailpiece is moved into the gripping area. If the gripping device with the mailpiece is pivoted towards the buffer area, the destination for the gripped mailpiece can already be predetermined, so that the gripping device can place the mailpiece directly in the buffer area without any waiting time. Mailpieces can also be removed from the buffer area in a similar way. This means that even large quantities of mailpieces can be processed with a relatively small gripping area.

[0015] The buffer area preferably comprises a turntable, a conveyor, a shelf and / or at least one pocket. The turntable offers the advantage that the point in the buffer area at which a mail item is to be deposited or from which a mail item is to be picked up can be moved into the gripping area by turning clockwise or counterclockwise. This enables the target position in the buffer area to be made available quickly, as the shortest route can always be selected. In other words, the area of ​​the buffer area (i.e. the target location) can be brought into the gripping area as quickly as possible. Alternatively, a conveyor such as a conveyor belt or a roller conveyor can be provided, which can be arranged parallel to the input area and the output area, for example.This offers the advantage that a conveyor can be of almost any size, so that even large quantities of mailpieces can be easily accommodated in the buffer area. A shelf can be a three-dimensional structure that can have storage spaces arranged one above the other in the direction of gravity (hereinafter also referred to as the vertical direction). This means that the gripping device can arrange mailpieces not only horizontally next to one another, but also vertically one above the other. Furthermore, this shelf itself can also be designed to be movable, so that the gripping area, which can describe a three-dimensional space, can be optimally utilized. A shelf offers the greatest possible efficiency and use of space, especially when processing so-called small mailpieces. The pocket can, for example, be an expandable device that can be arranged hanging in the gripping area.Similar to the shelf described above, a pocket can have several storage spaces arranged vertically one above the other. The pockets can be made larger or smaller depending on the application. This allows the system to be individually equipped and adapted to the respective application without significant structural changes.

[0016] Preferably, the buffer area is displaceable horizontally and / or vertically with respect to the direction of gravity. As previously described, the buffer area, regardless of its design, can be displaced in at least two directions. The two directions of displacement can be essentially orthogonal to each other. This enables optimal use of space. Reference to directions is always to be understood as referring to an operating position of the system.

[0017] The output area preferably comprises at least one automated, driverless vehicle designed to transport at least one mailpiece. The output area can thus also directly comprise a delivery vehicle, so that no further handling of the mailpieces is necessary after handling by the gripping device. In other words, the gripping device can move the mailpieces directly into a delivery vehicle. In this case, the output area can be arranged in the delivery vehicle. There are currently concepts, for example, that check delivery using automated driverless vehicles (e.g., drones, AGVs, etc.). It is conceivable that the system arranges the mailpieces directly in such vehicles. The arrangement can be implemented based on the mailpiece information, so that the vehicle has precise knowledge of which mailpiece is arranged at which location.This allows the logistics process to be further automated.

[0018] The gripping device can preferably be designed to feed at least one mailpiece from the buffer area and / or the output area to the input area. In other words, the system can also work in reverse. This allows individual consideration to be given to different operating situations. The system can also handle mailpieces multiple times, for example in the case where the buffer area is not large enough to accommodate all of the incoming mailpieces. This allows pre-sorting by the system, on the basis of which subsequent sorting can be carried out later. For example, some of the mailpieces can first be put into the correct sequence and then fed back to the input area. The remaining mailpieces can then be sorted. The mailpieces can then be fed to the output area (for example, if a transport box is available).This allows all mail items to be sorted and fed to the output area in a sorted state. This allows for even more flexibility in responding to different operating conditions. Furthermore, the system can be operated with a very small buffer area (for example, where less space is required). Furthermore, the system can also be used efficiently where large volumes of mail items occur very rarely.

[0019] Preferably, the control unit is configured to control the gripping device such that the mail items are sorted according to their dimensions and placed in the buffer area and / or the output area. This further increases the efficiency of the system, as particularly large mail items can be arranged in a specific location, while small mail items can be arranged in a different location. This eliminates the need to move over the area with the large mail items every time only small mail items need to be picked.

[0020] Preferably, the control unit is designed to control the gripping device such that the mailpieces are provided to an output area in a sequence based on the state of the mailpieces. In this case, a system can sort the mailpieces for one delivery person or for a plurality of delivery persons. For example, different sub-areas can be defined at an output area, each intended for a delivery person. Each delivery person can have a different route and thus a different sequence of routes. The system can provide the mailpieces according to an output area in accordance with the respective requirements of the delivery person. This also allows the special requirements of each delivery person to be taken into account. For example, one delivery person may be traveling in a motor-driven vehicle, whereas another delivery person may be on a bicycle and a third delivery person may be in an automated, driverless vehicle.Each carrier may have different requirements regarding the order in which mail items are delivered. Carriers may also have other individual requirements, such as the arrangement of particularly heavy mail items. The system can accommodate these requirements by delivering the mail items accordingly at an output area.

[0021] The output area can preferably be designed so as to be displaceable relative to the gripping area. This is particularly advantageous when a large number of sub-areas are provided in the output area. For example, the output area can have a large number of end points, which are difficult to arrange all of in the gripping area. As a result, the gripping area can be relatively compact, whereas the system can sort the mail items into a large number of output sub-areas. For example, it is conceivable for different transport containers to be provided to an output area on a conveyor, which are alternately moved into the gripping area by the conveyor as required by the system (i.e. in which output sub-area the currently handled mail item is to be arranged).

[0022] The buffer area is preferably designed to output at least one mailpiece to the output area based on the mailpiece information of the at least one mailpiece. In other words, the buffer area can additionally or alternatively actively output the mailpieces. Here, it is conceivable for the buffer area to have various sub-compartments that can output mailpieces received therein at specific times. A compartment can represent a destination location in the buffer area. The buffer area can, for example, be designed in a matrix format. If a mailpiece is arranged in a sub-compartment of the buffer area, the sub-area can output the mailpiece upon a command. Here, it is conceivable for the sub-areas of the buffer area to be able to output mailpieces individually through a flap in its floor. The mailpieces can then be transported further by gravity.For example, the output area can be a movable area that can move back and forth below the buffer area. If a part of the output area is located below the buffer area, a command can be initiated for the sub-area of ​​the buffer area to release a mailpiece, whereby the mailpiece can be fed to the output area. In one embodiment, an AGV can move back and forth below the buffer area and pick up the mailpieces from the buffer area in a desired order (i.e., in the aisle sequence). In this case, the output area can be implemented by one AGV. Furthermore, a plurality of AGVs can implement the output area. The at least one AGV can travel individually or in a predetermined manner through the buffer area, and the buffer area can actively feed a mailpiece to the AGV when the at least one AGV reaches a certain position. This allows a higher throughput of mailpieces through the system to be achieved.

[0023] The gripping device preferably comprises a robot. The robot can be implemented as an automated gripper arm. At least one gripper device can be arranged on the gripper arm. The gripper device can be a mechanical gripper and / or a suction cup gripper. Furthermore, a plurality of gripper devices can be arranged on the robot arm so that multiple mailpieces can be handled in parallel.

[0024] Preferably, the input area and / or the output area comprise a conveyor belt. As already described above, the input area can be defined by a conveyor belt that is provided at least partially in the gripping area. Analogously, the output area can be defined by a conveyor belt that is arranged at least partially in the gripping area.

[0025] Preferably, the input area can be configured so that at least one mailpiece can be provided in a transport container. This offers the advantage that the system can also handle and appropriately sort mailpieces arranged in transport containers such as boxes or the like. Thus, the system can also be used to transfer mailpieces to an automated processing system. In other words, the system does not rely on mailpieces being fed by a conveyor belt or the like.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method for sorting mailpieces is provided. The method may comprise providing mailpieces at an input area. Furthermore, mailpiece information of the provided mailpieces may be obtained or determined. The gripping device may then move the mailpieces from the input area to a buffer area and move the mailpieces from the buffer area to an output area, at least one of which is based on the mailpiece information. Alternatively or additionally, the mailpieces may be moved by the gripping device from the input area to the output area based on the mailpiece information.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gripping device can grip individual mailpieces from a box provided at the input area. The system can then identify the mailpiece using a barcode. The mailpiece can then be placed in a buffer area (for example a table or conveyor belt within the gripping area of ​​the gripping device). As soon as the box in the input area is emptied or the buffer area is full, an order of the mailpieces handled so far can be determined based on the delivery operator's route sequence (i.e., mailpiece information). The gripping device can then grip the items in the determined order and place them back in the box. The mailpieces can be placed in the same box from which they were taken. Furthermore, the mailpieces can also be placed in a separately provided transport box.This can reduce the requirement for mailpiece recognition, as the drop-off location is stored. In the case where the system deposits mail into multiple boxes or drop-off areas, deliveries must be made alternately from different boxes during a delivery route. The delivery person can receive information about this digitally by having the control unit output the position information.

[0028] The invention enables the provision of a robotic pick-and-place system with an intermediate buffer for sequence sorting. This has not previously been performed mechanically, as mail items in the smalls, parcels, bags, etc. ranges have individual dimensions and properties. The present invention offers the advantage of requiring less space compared to a conventional parcel sorter. Furthermore, pre-sorting can be implemented at night before the delivery staff start their shift. This can increase delivery efficiency. Due to the expected increase in the volume of smaller shipments in view of the general e-commerce trend and ecological aspects through minimalist packaging, the quantity of such shipments will increase. Furthermore, the system can also be used for a mixed parcel spectrum including letters, smalls, bags, parcels, etc.It is also conceivable that the system could also be used for other tasks in a delivery base, such as identifying shipments or rough sorting to a few end points.

[0029] Individual features or embodiments of the present invention can be combined with other features or other embodiments to form new embodiments. Embodiments and advantages mentioned in connection with the features or embodiments also apply analogously to the new embodiments. Advantages and embodiments mentioned with reference to the device also apply analogously to the method, and vice versa.

[0030] In the following, the invention is described in detail based on the attached drawing.

[0031] Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Fig. 2 shows a flowchart illustrating a method according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0033] Fig. 1 schematically shows a system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 1 comprises an input area 2, at which mail items 10 are provided. In the present embodiment, a box with a plurality of mail items 10 is provided in or at the input area 2. Furthermore, the system 1 comprises a gripping device 5, which is designed to handle the mail items 10. The system 1 comprises a buffer area 4, in which the mail items 10 can be temporarily stored. The gripping device 5 can transfer the mail items 10 from the input area 2 to the buffer area 4. Furthermore, the system 1 comprises an output area 3, at which the mail items 10 can be output. In the present embodiment, a box is in the output area

[0034] 3, into which the mail items 10 are sorted. The gripping device 5 has a gripping area 6. In Fig. 1, the gripping area 6 is shown as a two-dimensional circle.

[0035] Nevertheless, the gripping area 6 is described by a three-dimensional sphere. The buffer area 4 is designed to be displaceable. More precisely, the buffer area 4 can be moved back and forth in the direction of movement 7 of the buffer area 4 (see Fig. 1). A control unit 8 can control the gripping device 5 and the movement of the buffer area 4. This allows a parallel movement of the gripping device 5 and displacement of the buffer area 4 to be realized. Optionally, the control unit can check the position of the mail pieces on the buffer area 4 and / or the output area 3 if they are to be picked from there. This check can be done, for example, using visual monitoring instruments. Furthermore, the system 1 comprises a recognition system 9, which is designed to optically recognize mail pieces 10 that are picked up from the input area 2.The control unit 8 is designed to remove the mail items 10 from the input area 2 and / or the buffer area.

[0036] 4 in the order required by a delivery person's route sequence and to provide them to the output area 3. In other words, the system 1 can implement a route sequence of the randomly fed mail items 10 at the output area 3.

[0037] Fig. 2 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In step S1, mailpieces 10 are provided at an input area 2. In a step S2, mailpiece information of the provided mailpieces 10 is obtained or determined. The mailpiece information is obtained by forwarding the mailpiece information from a higher-level system 1 upstream in the processing sequence of the mailpieces 10. The mailpiece information is determined by the recognition system 9 of the system 1. Here, the mailpiece information can be obtained and / or determined. This can, for example, enable a verification of already predetermined mailpiece information. In step S3, the mailpieces 10 are moved by means of a gripping device 5 from the input area 2 to the buffer area 4 and the mailpieces 10 are moved from the buffer area 4 to the output area 3, based on the mailpiece information.Additionally or alternatively, the mailpieces 10 are moved by gripping device 5 in a step S4 from the input area 2 to the output area 3 based on the mailpiece information. This is the case when the mailpieces 10 are already present in the correct order at an input area 2 and therefore do not need to be temporarily stored. Due to the direct feedability from the input area 2 to the output area 3, temporary storage in the buffer area 4 is not necessary. This allows the buffer area 4 to be used efficiently.

[0038] List of reference symbols:

[0039] 1 System 2 Input area

[0040] 3 Output area

[0041] 4 Buffer area

[0042] 5 Gripping device

[0043] 6 Gripping area 7 Direction of movement of the buffer area

[0044] 8 Control unit

[0045] 9 Recognition system

[0046] 10 postal items

Claims

Claims 1. System (1) for sorting mail items (10), comprising an input area (2) at which mail items (10) can be fed to the system (1), a buffer area (4) which is designed to temporarily store at least one mail item (10), at least one output area (3) via which the mail items (10) can be output from the system (1), a gripping device (5) which is designed to feed mail items (10) in a gripping area (6) of the gripping device (5) from the input area (2) to the buffer area (4) and / or the output area (3), and a control unit (8) which is designed to control the gripping device (5) such that the at least one mail item (10) is provided at the output area (3) based on at least one piece of mail item information.

2. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein the output area (3) is designed to provide a transport container into which the at least one mail item (10) can be introduced by the gripping device (5).

3. System (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mailpiece information comprises a dimension of the mailpiece (10), address information of the recipient, a weight of the mailpiece (10) and / or shipping information.

4. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (8) is designed to output position information for the mail item (10) after a mail item (10) has been fed to the output area (3) by the gripping device (5).

5. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (8) is designed to control the gripping device (5) such that at least one mail item (10) can be sorted out based on mail item information.

6. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a recognition system (9) configured to recognize at least one mail item (10) in order to obtain recognition information of the mail item (10).

7. System (1) according to claim 6, wherein the control unit (8) is designed to assign mailpiece information to a mailpiece (10) based on the recognition information of that mailpiece (10).

8. System (1) according to claim 6 and 7, wherein the recognition system (9) is designed to capture the recognition information optically, in particular by means of a barcode on the mail item (10).

9. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the buffer region (4) is movable so that it can be displaced relative to the gripping region (6) of the gripping device (5).

10. System (1) according to claim 9, wherein the buffer area (4) comprises a turntable, a conveyor, a shelf and / or at least one pocket.

11. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the buffer region (4) is displaceable horizontally and / or vertically with respect to the direction of gravity.

12. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the output area (3) comprises at least one automated, driverless vehicle which is designed to transport at least one mail item (10).

13. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping device (5) is designed to feed at least one mail item (10) from the buffer area (4) and / or the output area (3) to the input area (2).

14. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (8) is designed to control the gripping device (5) such that the mail items (10) are provided in the buffer area (4) and / or the output area (3) sorted according to their dimensions.

15. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (8) is designed to control the gripping device (5) such that the mail items (10) are provided at the output area (3) in a sequence of a deliverer of the mail items (10).

16. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the dispensing area (3) is designed to be displaceable relative to the gripping area (6).

17. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the buffer area (4) is designed to output at least one mail item (10) to the output area (3) based on the mail item information of the at least one mail item (10).

18. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping device (5) comprises a robot.

19. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the input area (2) and / or the output area (3) comprises a conveyor belt.

20. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the input area (2) is designed such that the at least one mail item (10) can be provided in a transport container.

21. A method for sorting mail items (10), comprising: Providing mail items (10) at an input area (2), Obtaining and / or determining mailpiece information of the provided mailpieces (10), Moving the mail pieces (10) by means of a gripping device (5) from the input area (2) to a buffer area (4) and moving the mail pieces (10) from the buffer area (4) to an output area (3) based on the mail piece information, and / or moving the mail pieces (10) by means of a gripping device (5) from the input area (2) to the output area (3) based on the mail piece information.

22. Method according to claim 21, wherein the gripping device (5) grips individual mail items (10) from a box provided at the input area (2).

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