Patent ID: 7397010

Claim:
A sorting device for flat items of mail, comprising: at least one mail buffer store having a conveying loop and a plurality of storage pockets configured to circulate in the conveying loop, wherein the conveying loop transports the storage pockets at a first transport speed; a loading station assigned to the at least one mail buffer store and configured to load individual items of mail into empty storage pockets; at least one input station having a mail separating device and a transport device for transporting separated items of mail to the loading station of the mail buffer store; a transport path configured to continuously circulate mail containers at a second transport speed; at least one input device for empty mail containers and at least one output device for filled mail containers, both coupled to the transport path; at least one stationary actuator arranged along a straight transfer section and configured to open the storage pockets; and a closing element arranged at an end of the transfer section, wherein the transport path and the conveyor loop are arranged so that the mail containers move underneath the transfer section of the conveyor loop to transfer the individual items of mail from a storage pocket of the conveyor loop to a mail container of the transport path in accordance with a read destination addresses, wherein the storage pockets are configured to open in a controlled manner at a time at which a storage pocket is located in an appropriate position above the associated mail container, and wherein the transport speeds and a length of the transfer section are selected so that, during a time interval in which a storage pocket passes through the transfer section, each mail container moves through underneath this storage pocket.