Cam Stacking Assembly for Mail Sorter Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mail-piece sorters face challenges in aligning and sorting mail-pieces of varying sizes without causing jams or damage, as they are not equipped to handle variable forces and sizes effectively, leading to collisions and damage during high-speed sorting.

Innovation Solution

A cam stacking assembly with multiple cam shafts and cams that guide incoming mail-pieces while gently pushing previously stacked ones into sortation bins, ensuring synchronized rotation and alignment, reducing the risk of collisions and damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a singular tack kick is used on a tailing edge of a mail-piece to prevent collisions, then collision prevention is achieved for similar-sized mail-pieces, but it becomes ineffective when processing mail-pieces of varying sizes and can cause jams or damage at high speeds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision preventionVSAvoidhandling variable sizes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The single tack kick mechanism is segmented into multiple independent cam shafts, each with multiple cams positioned at different locations. This allows each cam to handle specific size ranges of mail-pieces independently, providing both reliability for collision prevention and adaptability for varying sizes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The static single tack kick is replaced with dynamic cam mechanisms that can adjust their position and force application points. The cams rotate and can be positioned to accommodate different mail-piece sizes, maintaining effectiveness across variable dimensions while preventing collisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Area of stationary object

If sortation equipment is made smaller to accommodate physical space limitations, then space utilization is improved, but the frequency of jams and damage increases due to higher operating speeds required to meet throughput requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment footprintVSAvoidjams and damage frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple cams are positioned in sequence to provide progressive guidance and cushioning forces on mail-pieces before they enter the sortation bin. This staged approach prevents abrupt stops and collisions that cause damage, even at high speeds required for compact equipment throughput.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The cam mechanisms act as intermediary elements between the high-speed feed path and the sortation bin. They mediate the transition by providing controlled forces and guidance, reducing the direct impact and collision risks that would occur in compact high-speed systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If a rotating arm divert/stacking assembly is used to align sheets in a sortation bin, then general alignment is improved, but the assembly cannot account for variable forces required for different sheet materials and continues to operate causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesheet alignmentVSAvoidvariable force accommodation

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The single rotating arm is segmented into multiple independent cam shafts with multiple cams. Each cam can be independently controlled and positioned to provide appropriate force for different sheet sizes, weights, and materials, maintaining alignment precision while accommodating variable forces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The cam system is designed to handle multiple functions: guiding incoming mail-pieces, preventing collisions, providing alignment forces, and accommodating variable sheet properties. This multi-functional design replaces the single-function rotating arm while improving both precision and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The cam stacking assembly effectively aligns mail-pieces of various sizes, mitigates jams, and reduces damage by using synchronized cam rotation to guide and push mail-pieces into sortation bins, enhancing the sorting efficiency and reliability of mail-piece sorters.

Implementation Method 1

Rotation of the cam shafts may also urge a previously stacked mail-piece away from the cams, and into the sortation bin, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS10730079B2Cam stacking assembly for a mixed sized mail-piece sorter

Publication Date: 2020.08.04 DMT SOLUTIONS GLOBAL CORP D B A BLUECREST

AI summary

According to some embodiments, a stacking assembly accepts mail-pieces traveling from a re-direct mechanism in a first direction and urges a leading edge portion of a mail-piece toward a registration wall of a sortation bin. The stacking assembly may include a plurality of neighboring cam shafts, each with at least one cam, arranged along the first direction, such that rotation of the cam shafts results in synchronized rotation of the cams to guide an incoming mail-piece. Rotation of the cam shafts may also urge a previously stacked mail-piece away from the cams, and into the sortation bin, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.