Mailpiece Sorter Stacking Assembly Cam Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mailpiece sorters face issues with mailpiece damage and jamming due to high-speed diversion and accumulation in sortation bins, as they do not adequately account for variable forces and weights of mailpieces, leading to misalignment and abrasion.
Innovation Solution
A divert/stacking assembly with a re-direct mechanism, a Leading Edge urge roller, a support blade, and a Trailing Edge alignment device using a dual-lobed cam driven by a stepper motor to align mailpieces on-edge within sortation bins, minimizing damage and jamming through controlled alignment and separation from high-speed belts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed feed path is used to increase throughput, then productivity increases, but mailpiece damage and jamming increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic speed control of the ingestion assembly, varying the rotational speed of rollers based on mailpiece characteristics. The system accelerates and decelerates smoothly to match mailpiece weight and thickness, preventing abrupt stops and continuous contact that cause damage while maintaining high overall throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters including roller speed, divergence angle, and contact force based on detected mailpiece properties. By adjusting these parameters dynamically, the system optimizes handling for each mailpiece to prevent damage while maintaining productivity
2Manufacturing precision
If continuous contact with roller or belt is maintained, then alignment is improved, but mailpiece abrasion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ingestion assembly uses periodic acceleration and deceleration cycles rather than continuous operation. The system accelerates to align mailpieces, then decelerates to minimize contact, creating a rhythmic pattern that achieves alignment while reducing cumulative abrasion from continuous belt or roller contact
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary divergence forces to separate mailpieces from the feed path before they can accumulate abrasion damage. By proactively creating separation between the mailpiece and continuous-contact surfaces, the system prevents abrasion while maintaining alignment through controlled periodic contact
3Device complexity
If variable forces are not accounted for, then device complexity is reduced, but sorting accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect mailpiece characteristics such as weight, thickness, and orientation in real-time. This feedback information is used to dynamically adjust roller speed, divergence angle, and contact force, enabling accurate sorting of variable mailpieces without requiring an overly complex pre-configured force control system
Solution Approach 2:
The ingestion assembly automatically adapts to different mailpiece types by using sensor feedback to self-adjust operational parameters. The system serves itself by detecting mailpiece properties and automatically modifying handling forces, eliminating the need for manual configuration while maintaining sorting accuracy
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 solution effectively aligns mailpieces in sortation bins, reducing the risk of damage and jamming by using a dual-lobed cam to manage torque and prevent abrasion, ensuring precise alignment and smooth operation even with varying mailpiece weights and sizes.
Implementation Method 1
The TE alignment device includes a stepper motor rotationally driving a cam about a rotational axis. The cam defines a surface operative to urge the trailing edge portion of each selected mailpiece toward the support blade and into alignment with the stack.
Implementation Method 2
The TE alignment device includes a stepper motor rotationally driving a cam about a rotational axis
Implementation Method 3
The support blade is moveably mounted relative to the LE urge roller to allow the accumulation of additional mailpieces between the LE urge roller and the support blade
Data Source
AI summary
A divert assembly is described for a mailpiece sorter operative to sort mailpieces into one of a plurality of sortation bins. The divert assembly comprising a re-direct mechanism for selectively re-directing mailpieces travelling along a feed path into the sortation bin and causing each selected mailpiece to be re-directed at an angle relative to the stack of mailpieces to be accumulated in the sortation bin. The divert assembly also including a stacking assembly including a Leading Edge (LE) urge roller, a support blade, and a Trailing Edge (TE) alignment device. The LE urge roller accepts and urges each of the selected mailpieces toward a sidewall of the sortation bin while the support blade holds each of the selected mailpieces between the urge roller and the support blade and in an on-edge parallel relationship relative thereto. The support blade is moveably mounted relative to the LE urge roller to allow the accumulation of additional mailpieces between the LE urge roller and the support blade. The TE alignment device includes a stepper motor rotationally driving a cam about a rotational axis. The cam defines a surface operative to urge the trailing edge portion of each selected mailpiece toward the support blade and into alignment with the stack.