Abstract: An installation for separating and singulating non-uniform postal articles of the small parcel or packet type comprises a platform for temporarily storing a pile of loosely placed postal articles, a vision system adapted to form digital images of the pile of loose postal articles, which pile is static on the platform, a data-processing unit adapted to use these digital images to identify a postal article to be singulated, i.e. an article that has a pickup face that is not covered by any other postal article, the unit being suitable for delivering data indicating the three-dimensional position, the facing direction, and the dimensions of the pickup face, and a pneumatic pickup head of a robotized arm that is controlled on the basis of the data to lift up the postal article to be singulated via its pickup face, and to deposit the postal article on a deposition zone that is off the platform.

Abstract: The postal sorting machine comprises a sorting conveyor suitable for transporting postal articles in series past sorting outlets and a postal article feed unit having a magazine for loosely storing postal articles to be sorted and a separator that has a robotized arm and a vision sensor and that is suitable for picking up the postal articles to be sorted one-by-one from the magazine and for putting them on the sorting conveyor while placing them in series at constant pitch. The sorting conveyor has a flat conveyor that slopes sideways to form a jogging edge against which the postal articles are jogged by gravity.

Abstract: Feed apparatus for feeding flat articles to a bin carrousel having bins that circulate around a loop in a certain direction comprises a flat conveyor in which the articles are moved in series and as laid flat, and a platform carrousel having tipper platforms each of which is suitable for tilting between a horizontal position and an inclined position and that circulate around a loop in such a manner as to be synchronized with the bin conveyor and in the same direction.

Abstract: The postal sorting machine comprises a sorting conveyor suitable for transporting postal articles in series past sorting outlets and a postal article feed unit having a magazine for loosely storing postal articles to be sorted and a separator that has a robotized arm and a vision sensor and that is suitable for picking up the postal articles to be sorted one-by-one from the magazine and for putting them on the sorting conveyor while placing them in series at constant pitch. The sorting conveyor has a flat conveyor that slopes sideways to form a jogging edge against which the postal articles are jogged by gravity.

Abstract: A postal sorting machine includes a sorting conveyor having sorting outlets, a first feed branch adapted for automatically injecting heterogeneous postal articles of the small parcel type into the sorting conveyor, and a second feed branch adapted for injecting homogeneous flat mailpieces of the letter type, or the magazine type, or of some analogous type into the sorting conveyor. The first feed branch has an inlet adapted for receiving the heterogeneous postal articles loose, and it is provided with at least one robotized handling arm of the “pick and place” type.

Abstract: A storage module (1) comprises a storage zone (3) for storing flat articles (2) by accumulation in a stack and on edge, a main conveyor (9) that extends transversely to the storage zone, a stacking function for transferring an article from the main conveyor to the storage zone and for stacking it at the back of the stack of articles in the storage zone, and an unstacking function for extracting an article from the stack of articles and for transferring it to the main conveyor. The unstacking function comprises an unstacking plate (7) having a perforated belt and controlled suction and disposed between the main conveyor and the storage zone, said unstacking plate having a first segment parallel to the stack of articles and a second segment that is adjacent to the first segment and that extends slantwise relative to the first segment, said controlled suction being disposed in the slantwise second segment of the unstacking plate.

Abstract: Feed apparatus for feeding flat articles to a bin carrousel having bins that circulate around a loop in a certain direction comprises a flat conveyor in which the articles are moved in series and as laid flat, and a platform carrousel having tipper platforms each of which is suitable for tilting between a horizontal position and an inclined position and that circulate around a loop in such a manner as to be synchronized with the bin conveyor and in the same direction.

Abstract: A sorting machine (1) for sorting flat articles (100, 101) having non-uniform physical characteristics, the sorting machine having sorting outlets equipped with stackers (3) controlled by a monitoring and control unit in compliance with a plurality of programs, each of which is assigned to a predefined type of flat article (100, 101) having predetermined physical characteristics and setting predetermined operating parameters such as, in particular, the pitch between said flat articles (100, 101), and the speed at which said flat articles (100, 101) are conveyed, the sorting machine (1) having means for determining the predetermined physical characteristics of each incoming flat article (101) arriving in said stacker (3), said monitoring and control unit being arranged to act after said determination to assign a predefined type of flat article to said flat article (101) arriving in said stacker (3) and to activate the corresponding unstacking program so as to apply predetermined operating parameters while said

Abstract: A storage module (1) comprises a storage zone (3) for storing flat articles (2) by accumulation in a stack and on edge, a main conveyor (9) that extends transversely to the storage zone, a stacking function for transferring an article from the main conveyor to the storage zone and for stacking it at the back of the stack of articles in the storage zone, and an unstacking function for extracting an article from the stack of articles and for transferring it to the main conveyor. The unstacking function comprises an unstacking plate (7) having a perforated belt and controlled suction and disposed between the main conveyor and the storage zone, said unstacking plate having a first segment parallel to the stack of articles and a second segment that is adjacent to the first segment and that extends slantwise relative to the first segment, said controlled suction being disposed in the slantwise second segment of the unstacking plate.

Abstract: A postal sorting machine includes a sorting conveyor having sorting outlets, a first feed branch adapted for automatically injecting heterogeneous postal articles of the small parcel type into the sorting conveyor, and a second feed branch adapted for injecting homogeneous flat mailpieces of the letter type, or the magazine type, or of some analogous type into the sorting conveyor. The first feed branch has an inlet adapted for receiving the heterogeneous postal articles loose, and it is provided with at least one robotized handling arm of the “pick and place” type.

Abstract: An installation for separating and singulating non-uniform postal articles of the small parcel or packet type comprises a platform for temporarily storing a pile of loosely placed postal articles, a vision system adapted to form digital images of the pile of loose postal articles, which pile is static on the platform, a data-processing unit adapted to use these digital images to identify a postal article to be singulated, i.e. an article that has a pickup face that is not covered by any other postal article, the unit being suitable for delivering data indicating the three-dimensional position, the facing direction, and the dimensions of the pickup face, and a pneumatic pickup head of a robotized arm that is controlled on the basis of the data to lift up the postal article to be singulated via its pickup face, and to deposit the postal article on a deposition zone that is off the platform.

Abstract: Automatic loading/unloading apparatus (1) for automatically loading flat articles (200) stacked on edge into storage trays (300) and for automatically unloading flat articles (200) stacked on edge therefrom, each of the storage trays (300) having a bottom plate (301) provided with a through window (306), said automatic loading/unloading apparatus having a stationary actuator (4) in register with said window and a moving actuator (5) that receives said storage tray (300) and that is mounted to move between: a waiting position in which said stationary actuator (4) is set back from said moving actuator (5) and is not in contact with said flat articles (200); and an unloading position in which said stationary actuator (4) passes through said window (306) while carrying said flat articles (200) until it comes flush with said stacking zone (3) suitable for receiving said flat articles (200) without said storage tray (300) being interposed between said flat articles (200) and said stacking zone (3).

Abstract: A sorting machine (1) for sorting flat articles (100, 101) having non-uniform physical characteristics, the sorting machine having sorting outlets equipped with stackers (3) controlled by a monitoring and control unit in compliance with a plurality of programs, each of which is assigned to a predefined type of flat article (100, 101) having predetermined physical characteristics and setting predetermined operating parameters such as, in particular, the pitch between said flat articles (100, 101), and the speed at which said flat articles (100, 101) are conveyed, the sorting machine (1) having means for determining the predetermined physical characteristics of each incoming flat article (101) arriving in said stacker (3), said monitoring and control unit being arranged to act after said determination to assign a predefined type of flat article to said flat article (101) arriving in said stacker (3) and to activate the corresponding unstacking program so as to apply predetermined operating parameters while said

Abstract: Automatic loading/unloading apparatus (1) for automatically loading flat articles (200) stacked on edge into storage trays (300) and for automatically unloading flat articles (200) stacked on edge therefrom, each of the storage trays (300) having a bottom plate (301) provided with a through window (306), said automatic loading/unloading apparatus having a stationary actuator (4) in register with said window and a moving actuator (5) that receives said storage tray (300) and that is mounted to move between: a waiting position in which said stationary actuator (4) is set back from said moving actuator (5) and is not in contact with said flat articles (200); and an unloading position in which said stationary actuator (4) passes through said window (306) while carrying said flat articles (200) until it comes flush with said stacking zone (3) suitable for receiving said flat articles (200) without said storage tray (300) being interposed between said flat articles (200) and said stacking zone (3).

Abstract: A sorting outlet device including a support surface on which a stack of flat articles is formed by accumulation as the flat articles are inserted, accumulated, and pushed on-edge one-by-one in a main direction against a retaining element for retaining the stack, which element is provided at the front end of the stack. The support surface is mounted to be free to move in translation in the main direction, being moved synchronously with the movement of the retaining element in the main direction. The retaining element is also mounted to move relative to the frame under the effect of accumulation of said articles and associated with means of the winder or counter weight type arranged so as to exert a return force on the stack of flat articles in such a manner as to retain it. A postal sorting machine is equipped with at least one such stacker device.

Abstract: This device has an arrival corridor via which the articles arrive, an article-receiving zone on which a stack (P) of said articles is formed, and a rotary actuator (22) suitable for pushing said articles away against a retaining element (32) for retaining the stack. The actuator (22) has at least one protective member (281, 282) for protecting the last article (N) in the stack (P) being formed, said protective member being suitable for being interposed between said last article and a current article (N+1) coming from the arrival corridor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stacker device comprising a support surface (24, 24?) on which a stack (P) of flat articles (O1-On) is formed as the flat articles are inserted and pushed on-edge one-by-one in a main direction (D) against a retaining element (18) for retaining the stack, which element is provided at the front end of said stack. The support surface (24, 24?) is mounted to be free to move in translation in the main direction (D), being moved synchronously with the movement of the retaining element (18) in said direction, thereby imparting excellent stability to the stack formed in this way. The retaining element (18) is also mounted to move relative to the frame (10) and associated with means arranged so as to exert a return force on the stack of flat articles (O1-On) in such a manner as to retain it. The invention also relates to a postal sorting machine equipped with at least one such stacker device.

Abstract: This device has an arrival corridor via which the articles arrive, an article-receiving zone on which a stack (P) of said articles is formed, and a rotary actuator (22) suitable for pushing said articles away against a retaining element (32) for retaining the stack. The actuator (22) has at least one protective member (281, 282) for protecting the last article (N) in the stack (P) being formed, said protective member being suitable for being interposed between said last article and a current article (N+1) coming from the arrival corridor.

Abstract: A storage bin for mail items comprises a plurality of side walls and a bottom. The bottom comprises two walls that are inclined one relative to the other, one of the two walls constituting a jogging wall for jogging the mail items into alignment in the bottom of the storage bin.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of using a multi-input sorting machine for sorting mail in delivery point order.