Abstract: A sortation bin module having a conveyor and diverter module for pneumatically securing, releasing and diverting selected mailpieces to a bank of sortation bins. The conveyor module includes a conveyor surface for transporting sheet material along the feed path and a pneumatic system for developing a pressure differential across the conveyor surface to hold the sheet material on the conveyor surface during transport. The diverter module includes a diverter surface for sorting sheet material from the conveyor surface, i.e., diverting sheet material from the feed path. The diverter module, furthermore, includes a pneumatic system for developing a pressure differential across the diverter surface to hold the sheet material on the diverter surface during sortation. The conveyor and diverter surfaces are also arranged such that the surfaces oppose each other to define a transfer interface.

Abstract: A sortation bin module having a conveyor and diverter module for pneumatically securing, releasing and diverting selected mailpieces to a bank of sortation bins. The conveyor module includes a conveyor surface for transporting sheet material along the feed path and a pneumatic system for developing a pressure differential across the conveyor surface to hold the sheet material on the conveyor surface during transport. The diverter module includes a diverter surface for sorting sheet material from the conveyor surface, i.e., diverting sheet material from the feed path. The diverter module, furthermore, includes a pneumatic system for developing a pressure differential across the diverter surface to hold the sheet material on the diverter surface during sortation. The conveyor and diverter surfaces are also arranged such that the surfaces oppose each other to define a transfer interface.

Abstract: A displacement system and sorting apparatus for transposing the orientation of mailpiece from a first position to a second position such that the mailpiece may occupy a reduced space envelope within sortation bins/trays of a mailpiece sorter. The displacement system comprises first and second pairs of cooperating elements each defining a nip for accepting first and second portions, respectively, of the mailpiece therebetween. Further, the system includes a means for driving the first and second pairs of cooperating elements such that the first and second portions of mailpiece are each conveyed along a feed path at different velocities thereby transposing the mailpiece about an axis and changing the orientation of the mailpiece from the first to the second positions. The cooperating elements may include rolling elements such as nip rollers, spherical elements or belt pairs. The sortation bins/trays are adapted to support the short edge while guiding the long edge of the mailpiece.