Patent ID: 8682478
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: B07C

Abstract:
1. A method for handling a plurality of articles using an apparatus, the apparatus including a sorting installation, at least one temporary store, and at least one handling position, the at least one temporary store having a storage device with a closed conveyor track, feeder stations and at least one outward transfer station, wherein a sorting feature is prescribed for each article to be handled, which comprises the steps of: passing the article through the sorting installation, wherein, while the article is passing through the sorting installation, the sorting installation measuring the value that the sorting feature prescribed assumes for the article; storing the article temporarily in the temporary store; removing the article from the temporary store and transporting the article to the handling position; handling the article at the handling position, wherein for each article to be temporarily stored in the temporary store, the method further performs the steps of: sorting articles in the sorting installation using measured sorting feature values such that, as a result of the sorting for the feeder station for the at least one temporary store, a respective sorting order is produced among the articles before the articles reach the feeder station, wherein in the sorting order all the articles for which the sorting feature assumes a same value are disposed in direct succession; splitting the articles to be handled to a plurality of feeder stations; transporting the articles included by the respective sorting order for the feeder station to the feeder station, each of the feeder stations feeding each article transported to the feeder station into the at least one temporary store of the apparatus such that at any time all the articles in the at least one temporary store are disposed in a respective storage order such that in the storage order all the articles for which the sorting feature assumes the same value are disposed in direct succession.