Patent ID: 7156220

Claim:
A method for handling trays for use with an article sorter, the article sorter including a plurality of sorter units and a plurality of corresponding tray support areas for positioning a tray while the tray is being filled with sorted articles, said method comprising: providing a conveying surface along the sorter units; conveying empty trays along said conveying surface; stopping empty trays that are being conveyed along said conveying surface with a tray stopping device that is positioned at least partially below said conveying surface and operable to project a portion of said tray stopping device above said conveying surface to engage and stop an empty tray; moving stopped empty trays from said conveying surface to the tray support areas in a direction generally transverse to said conveying surface; at least partially filling the empty trays at the tray support areas; and moving partially filled trays from the tray support area onto said conveying surface.