Patent ID: 7138596
Filing Date: 2006-11-21
Classification: B07C,B65H,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for sorting mail to a case having a row of upright slots, wherein each slot corresponds to a destination, comprising: (a) loading a mail piece to be sorted into a delivery robot; (b) determining for the mail piece a destination slot the mail piece is to be delivered to; (c) moving the delivery robot along a rail disposed at the front side of the case near the slots into proximity with an open end of the destination slot; (d) holding the mail piece in an insertion mechanism while extending the insertion mechanism from the robot into the slot; (e) releasing the mail piece from the insertion mechanism while both the insertion mechanism and mail piece are in the slot; (e) retracting the insertion mechanism from the slot; (f) preventing contact between the mail piece and the retracting insertion mechanism from causing the mail piece to be pulled out of the slot with the retracting insertion mechanism; and (g) returning the delivery robot to a loading station whereby steps (a)–(e) may be repeated.