U.S. patent application number 14/030591 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-01 for tote and method for automated bagging of items and documents.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cornerstone Automation Systems, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Cornerstone Automation Systems, LLC. Invention is credited to Michael J. Doke.
Application Number | 20140116013 14/030591 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50545636 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140116013 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Doke; Michael J. |
May 1, 2014 |
TOTE AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED BAGGING OF ITEMS AND DOCUMENTS
Abstract
A tote and method for automated packing of items and documents.
In one embodiment, the tote includes: (1) a sidewall defining an
interior having a tote height, (2) a divider coupled to the
sidewall to define an item bin and a document transport slot in the
interior, the divider having a divider height less than the tote
height further to define and provide support for a document cradle
over the item bin and the document transport slot and (3) a door
coupled to the sidewall and moveable between a closed position in
which the door forms a floor for only the item bin and an open
position in which the floor is displaced to open the item bin.
Inventors: |
Doke; Michael J.; (Frisco,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cornerstone Automation Systems, LLC |
Frisco |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Cornerstone Automation Systems,
LLC
Frisco
TX
|
Family ID: |
50545636 |
Appl. No.: |
14/030591 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61720636 |
Oct 31, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/473 ;
220/553 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 5/067 20130101;
B65B 61/20 20130101; B65B 39/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/473 ;
220/553 |
International
Class: |
B65B 5/04 20060101
B65B005/04 |
Claims
1. A tote, comprising: a sidewall defining an interior having a
tote height; a divider coupled to said sidewall to define an item
bin and a document transport slot in said interior, said divider
having a divider height less than said tote height further to
define and provide support for a document cradle over said item bin
and said document transport slot; and a door coupled to said
sidewall and moveable between a closed position in which said door
forms a floor for only said item bin and an open position in which
said floor is displaced to open said item bin.
2. The tote as recited in claim 1 wherein said tote is elongated
and said document cradle and said document transport slot span a
width thereof.
3. The tote as recited in claim 1 wherein said sidewall has a ledge
operable to provide further support for said document cradle.
4. The tote as recited in claim 1 wherein said tote is elongated
and said sidewall has ledges spanning a width thereof and operable
to provide further support for said document cradle.
5. The tote as recited in claim 1 further comprising a hinge
coupling said door to said sidewall.
6. The tote as recited in claim 1 wherein said divider is a first
divider and said tote further comprises a second divider, said
document transport slot centrally located in said interior.
7. The tote as recited in claim 1 wherein said item bin is a first
item bin, said door is a first door and said divider is a first
divider, said tote further comprising: a second divider defining a
second item bin in said interior; and a second door coupled to said
sidewall and moveable between a closed position in which said
second door forms a floor for only said second item bin and an open
position in which said floor is displaced to open said second item
bin.
8. The tote as recited in claim 1 wherein said sidewalls are
substantially normal to a plane of said door.
9. The tote as recited in claim 1 wherein said sidewalls, said
divider and said door are plastic.
10. The tote as recited in claim 1 wherein a length and a width of
said tote are based on dimensions of documents to be placed in said
document cradle.
11. The tote as recited in claim 1 further comprising an identifier
uniquely identifying said tote.
12. A tote, comprising: a sidewall defining an interior having a
tote height; first and second dividers coupled to said sidewall to
define first and second item bins and a document transport slot in
said interior, said first and second dividers having a divider
height less than said tote height further to define and provide
support for a document cradle over said first and second item bins
and said document transport slot; a first door coupled to said
sidewall by a first hinge and rotatable between a closed position
in which said first door forms a floor for only said first item bin
and an open position in which said floor is displaced to open said
first item bin; and a second door coupled to said sidewall by a
second hinge and rotatable between a closed position in which said
second door forms a floor for only said second item bin and an open
position in which said floor is displaced to open said second item
bin.
13. The tote as recited in claim 12 wherein said tote is elongated
and said document cradle and said document transport slot span a
width thereof.
14. The tote as recited in claim 12 wherein said tote is elongated
and said sidewall has ledges spanning a width thereof and operable
to provide further support for said document cradle.
15. The tote as recited in claim 12 wherein said document transport
slot is located between said first item bin and said second item
bin.
16. The tote as recited in claim 12 wherein said sidewalls are
substantially normal to a plane of said door.
17. The tote as recited in claim 12 wherein said sidewalls, said
divider and said door are plastic.
18. The tote as recited in claim 12 wherein a length and a width of
said tote are based on dimensions of documents to be placed in said
document cradle.
19. The tote as recited in claim 12 further comprising an
identifier uniquely identifying said tote.
20. A method of employing a tote having dividers therein defining
an item bin, a document transport slot and a document cradle in
said tote to insert a document and an item into a bag, comprising:
placing said item into said item bin, a door of said tote being in
a closed position to provide a floor for, and retain said item in,
said item bin; then placing a document into said document cradle;
then pushing said document from said document cradle through said
document transport slot and into said bag; and then opening said
door to cause said items to enter said bag.
21. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said placing said
item is carried out at a first station, said then placing said
document is carried out at a second station and said then pushing
is carried out at a third station.
22. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein said then opening is
also carried out at said third station.
23. The method as recited in claim 20 further comprising conveying
said tote from said first station to said third station via said
second station on a conveyer.
24. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said dividers cause
said document to fold during said pushing.
25. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein at least a portion of
said bag is transparent and a face of said document contains a
mailing address, said method further comprising placing said
document face down into said document cradle such that said mailing
address is visible through said portion after said pushing.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/702,636, filed by Doke on Sep. 18, 2013,
entitled "Systems and Methods for Distributing Pharmaceuticals,"
commonly assigned with this application and incorporated herein by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This application is directed, in general, to automated
bagging equipment and, more specifically, to a tote to support the
automated bagging of items and documents.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Whenever items, such as goods contained in packets, bottles,
jars, vials, boxes, cans, tins, tubes or ampoules, are shipped in
bags (which may take the form of envelopes or pouches), related
documents, such as waybills, bills of lading, invoices,
certificates of origin, insurance certificates, manifests, packing
lists, directions, warnings, or documents bearing postage or other
shipping information, are frequently required to accompany them.
This is especially so when the documents contain information, such
as a mailing address, intended to be viewed from outside the
bag.
[0004] Conventionally, the documents are usually first inserted
into the bag, and then the items are inserted into the bag.
Sometimes this is done by hand, but manual bagging is
time-consuming, tedious and fraught with error. It is best
relegated to small or highly irregular batches of shipments.
[0005] Bagging on any significant scale is thus best performed by
automated bagging equipment. The state-of-the-art in automated
bagging equipment carries out the entire bagging operation
proximate the bag to be inserted. First, documents are printed,
assembled and placed in the bag. Then, items are placed in the bag.
Articulated (robotic) arms are frequently used to bag the documents
and items. Unfortunately, this conventional equipment, while
sophisticated and impressive to watch in operation, is large,
costly and difficult to configure or modify to accommodate
different numbers or sizes of items or documents. Because it
typically surrounds the bag they are filling, the documents, the
items and the bag are difficult to inspect.
SUMMARY
[0006] One aspect provides a tote. In one embodiment, the tote
includes: (1) a sidewall defining an interior having a tote height,
(2) a divider coupled to the sidewall to define an item bin and a
document transport slot in the interior, the divider having a
divider height less than the tote height further to define and
provide support for a document cradle over the item bin and the
document transport slot and (3) a door coupled to the sidewall and
moveable between a closed position in which the door forms a floor
for only the item bin and an open position in which the floor is
displaced to open the item bin.
[0007] Another embodiment of the tote includes: (1) a sidewall
defining an interior having a tote height, (2) first and second
dividers coupled to the sidewall to define first and second item
bins and a document transport slot in the interior, the first and
second dividers having a divider height less than the tote height
further to define and provide support for a document cradle over
the first and second item bins and the document transport slot, (3)
a first door coupled to the sidewall by a first hinge and rotatable
between a closed position in which the first door forms a floor for
only the first item bin and an open position in which the floor is
displaced to open the first item bin and (4) a second door coupled
to the sidewall by a second hinge and rotatable between a closed
position in which the second door forms a floor for only the second
item bin and an open position in which the floor is displaced to
open the second item bin.
[0008] Another aspect provides a method of employing a tote having
a divider therein defining an item bin, a document transport slot
and a document cradle in the tote to insert a document and items
into a bag. In one embodiment, the method includes: (1) placing the
items into the item bin, a door of the tote being in a closed
position to provide a floor for, and retain the items in, the item
bin, (2) then placing a document into the document cradle, (3) then
pushing the document from the document cradle through the document
transport slot and into the bag and (4) then opening the door to
cause the items to enter the bag.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0009] Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a tote to
support the automated packing of bags with one or more items and
one or more documents;
[0011] FIGS. 2A-2D are respective top plan, front-side elevational,
bottom plan and right-side elevational views of the tote embodiment
of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of automated
packing and shipping equipment operable to employ a tote to carry
out the automated packing of bags with one or more items and one or
more documents;
[0013] FIGS. 4A-4E are a series of elevational sectional views of
the tote embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2A-2D showing the placing of one
or more items and one or more documents into the tote and the
inserting of the one or more documents and the one or more items
into a bag;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a bag
containing one or more items and one or more documents; and
[0015] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method of
employing a tote to insert one or more items and one or more
documents into a bag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] As stated above, conventional bagging equipment is large,
costly, difficult to configure and scale and surrounds the bag it
is filling such that the documents, the items and the bag into
which the documents and items are to be placed are difficult to
inspect.
[0017] It is realized herein that the process of bagging can be
significantly improved by decentralizing it, such that its steps
can be carried out at different locations rather than a single,
central location. It is further realized herein that a novel tote
may be introduced allowing the bagging process not only to be
decentralized and verifiable but simplified, such that the bagging
equipment itself may be simpler.
[0018] Accordingly, introduced herein are various embodiments of a
tote and method for automated bagging of one or more items and one
or more documents. In general, the tote features at least one item
bin and a document cradle in which the item(s) and document(s) to
be inserted into a bag ("bagged") may be placed, typically along a
series of stations, allowing the item(s) and document(s) to be
inspected, if so desired. Thereafter, the tote's design provides a
structure by which the document(s) and item(s) may be inserted into
a bag in a straightforward manner and without requiring complex
mechanical apparatus, such as articulated (robotic) arms.
[0019] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a tote 100
to support the automated packing of bags with one or more items and
one or more documents.
[0020] The tote 100 includes a sidewall. In FIG. 1, the sidewall
includes a front sidewall portion 102, a left sidewall portion 104,
a right sidewall portion 106 and a rear sidewall portion 108. The
sidewall defines an (unreferenced) interior having a tote height H.
First and second dividers 110, 112 are coupled to the sidewall to
define first and second item bins 114, 118 and a document transport
slot 118 in the interior. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the document
transport slot 116 is centrally located in the interior of the tote
100. In alternative embodiments, the document transport slot 116 is
offset from the center and, in one embodiment, fully offset toward
either the left sidewall portion 104 or the right sidewall portion
106 such that the tote 100 has only one item bin.
[0021] The tote 100 further includes a document cradle. FIG. 1 does
not separately reference the document cradle. However, the document
cradle in the embodiment of FIG. 1 is that portion of the interior
of the tote 100 that overlies the first and second dividers 110,
112 and has a depth D. Accordingly, the first and second dividers
110, 112 have a divider height H-D (less than the tote height H) to
define and provide support for the document cradle over the first
and second item bins 114, 118 and the document transport slot 116.
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the sidewall (specifically the left
sidewall portion 104 and the right sidewall portion 106) have
ledges 120, 122 operable to provide further support for the
document cradle. In an alternative embodiment, only one sidewall
has a ledge. In another alternative embodiment, no sidewalls have
ledges.
[0022] In the specific embodiment of FIG. 1, the tote 100 is
elongated, having a length L and a width W, and the document cradle
and the document transport slot 116 span W. In the illustrated
embodiment, L and W are based on dimensions of the one or more
documents to be placed in the document cradle. For example, in one
embodiment, W is a little over 8.5 inches and L is a little over 11
inches to accommodate standard, letter-sized documents. In an
alternative embodiment, W is a little over 210 mm and L is a little
over 297 mm to accommodate standard, A4-sized documents.
[0023] The tote 100 further has a first door 124 coupled to the
sidewall. More specifically, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the first
door 124 is coupled to the left sidewall portion 104 by a first
hinge 126. The first door 124 is movable (e.g., rotatable) between
a closed position (shown in FIG. 1) in which the first door 124
forms a floor for only the first item bin 114 (and not the document
transport slot 116). The first door 124 is further movable to an
open position (shown in FIG. 4E) in which the floor is displaced to
open the first item bin 114.
[0024] The tote 100 further has a second door 128 coupled to the
sidewall. More specifically, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the
second door 128 is coupled to the right sidewall portion 106 by a
second hinge 130. The second door 128 is movable (e.g., rotatable)
between a closed position (shown in FIG. 1) in which the second
door 128 forms a floor for only the second item bin 118 (and not
the document transport slot 116). The second door 128 is further
movable to an open position (shown in FIG. 4E) in which the floor
is displaced to open the second item bin 118.
[0025] From the above, it is apparent that no door or floor
obstructs the document transport slot 116. Thus, an unobstructed
opening 132 exists at the bottom of the document transport slot
116.
[0026] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the sidewalls (i.e. the front
sidewall portion 102, the left sidewall portion 104, the right
sidewall portion 106 and the rear sidewall portion 108) are
substantially normal to a plane of the first and second doors 124,
128 when they are in their closed positions. In an alternative
embodiment, the sidewalls lean slightly outward.
[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, the front sidewall portion
102, the left sidewall portion 104, the right sidewall portion 106,
the rear sidewall portion 108, the first and second dividers 110,
112 and the first and second doors 124, 128 are plastic. In the
illustrated embodiment, the first and second hinges 126, 130 are at
least partially plastic as well. Alternative embodiments employ
other materials, such as metal, for one or more of the front
sidewall portion 102, the left sidewall portion 104, the right
sidewall portion 106, the rear sidewall portion 108, the first and
second dividers 110, 112, the first and second doors 124, 128 and
the first and second hinges 126, 130.
[0028] The illustrated embodiment of the tote 100 further includes
an identifier 134, such as a barcode or a radio-frequency
identification (RFID) tag uniquely identifying the tote 100 from
others like it. The identifier 134 may be employed to track
shipments during bagging.
[0029] FIGS. 2A-2D are respective top plan, front-side elevational,
bottom plan and right-side elevational views of the tote 100. FIGS.
2A-2D show the how the height of the first and second dividers 110,
112 are related to the ledges 120, 122 in the illustrated
embodiment and thus how the first and second dividers 110, 112 and
the ledges 120, 122 cooperate to support documents in the document
cradle. FIGS. 2A-2D further show that the first and second doors
124, 128 provide floors for the first and second item bins
(unreferenced) without obstructing the document transport slot
116.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of automated
packing and shipping equipment (unreferenced) operable to employ a
tote to carry out the automated packing of bags with one or more
items and one or more documents. The equipment of FIG. 3 typically
operates according to control software, which determines when and
how many items are placed in each tote as it moves through various
stations of the equipment. If each tote includes an identifier, the
control software may read the identifier to identify or confirm the
identity of the tote, preferably before adding items or documents
to it. Those skilled in the pertinent art are familiar with control
software structure, languages and techniques, which are outside the
scope of this disclosure.
[0031] FIG. 3 shows a conveyor 300 on which multiple totes 100-1,
100-2, 100-3, 100-4, 100-5, 100-6 are conveyed among multiple
stations at which are located several item dispensers 310-1, 310-2,
310-3, 310-4, a document printer 330 and a document inserter/item
inserter 350. The item dispensers 310-1, 310-2, 310-3, 310-4 are
operable to place respective items 320-1, 320-2, 320-3, 320-4 in
the totes 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4, 100-5, and the document
printer 330 is operable to print and place one or more documents
340 in the totes 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4, 100-5. Those skilled
in the pertinent art are familiar with dispensers and printers in
the context of packing and shipping processes; a general discussion
of them is outside the scope of this disclosure. The document
inserter/item inserter 340 eventually inserts the document(s) and
the item(s) in bags corresponding to the totes 100-1, 100-2, 100-3,
100-4, 100-5.
[0032] As is apparent in FIG. 3, the totes 100-1, 100-2, 100-3,
100-4, 100-5 receive appropriate items 320-1, 320-2, 320-3, 320-4
as they move along the conveyor 300 toward the document printer
330. More specifically, the items 320-1, 320-2, 320-3, 320-4 are
placed, e.g., fall, into the item bin(s) of each tote 100-1, 100-2,
100-3, 100-4, 100-5. Those skilled in the pertinent art will
understand that the items placed in each tote 100-1, 100-2, 100-3,
100-4, 100-5 may differ in number and kind as dictated by the
control software, allowing each of the totes 100-1, 100-2, 100-3,
100-4, 100-5 to contain different numbers or kinds of items and
different numbers or kinds of documents.
[0033] After the last of the items is placed into a particular
tote, that tote is conveyed to the document printer 330, whereupon
the document printer 330 prints and places one or more documents
340 into the particular tote. In the context of FIG. 3, the one or
more documents 340 are deposited into the document cradle of the
tote 100-5 over the one or more items previously placed in the tote
100-5. Other documents are printed and placed in the document
cradles of the other totes 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4 over their
respective items after the items have been placed in the totes
100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4 in various stations. Those skilled in
the pertinent art will understand that the documents placed in each
tote 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4, 100-5 may differ in number and
kind as dictated by the control software, allowing each of the
totes 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4, 100-5 to contain different
numbers or kinds of documents.
[0034] In one embodiment, a sheet of padding material may be placed
in or over the document(s) in the document cradle. The sheet of
padding material travels with the document(s) through the document
transport slot and therefore may be regarded as simply another page
of the document(s). Possible motivations for including a sheet of
padding material include protecting the document(s) from damage by
contact with the item(s) or protecting the item(s) from external
damage during shipping. The sheet of padding material may also help
to retain the document(s) against the wall of the bag, which may be
particularly advantageous if the bag has a transparent portion
through which some information printed on the document(s) may be
read.
[0035] After the item(s) and document(s) have been placed in a
particular tote, that tote is conveyed to the document
inserter/item inserter 350, whereupon the illustrated embodiment of
the document inserter/item inserter 345 causes the document(s) and
the item(s) to be inserted into the bag 360 in that order, namely
the document(s) first, followed by the item(s). Accordingly, the
particular embodiment of the document inserter/item inserter 350
illustrated in FIG. 3 has a push blade 351 operable to translate to
push the document(s) out of the document cradle and through the
document transport slot of each tote and into the bag 360. The
illustrated embodiment of the document inserter/item inserter 350
further has one or more other actuators 352, 353 operable to move
(e.g., translate or rotate) the door(s) of the tote to an open
position and thereby cause the item(s) to enter the bag 360.
Alternative embodiments of the document inserter/item inserter 350
have apparatus other than the push blade 351 for pushing one or
more documents through the document transport slot and the other
actuators 352, 353 for opening the door(s). If the tote has more
than one door (and hence more than one item bin, other alternative
embodiments of the document inserter/item inserter 350 are operable
to open the doors sequentially rather than simultaneously. These
embodiments allow items placed in one item bin to be inserted into
the bag before items placed in another bin.
[0036] Still further alternative embodiments of the document
inserter/item inserter 350 reverse the order in which bagging
occurs, namely being operable first to open the door(s), causing
the item(s) to be inserted, and thereafter insert the document(s)
by pushing them through the document transport slot. Still other
embodiments carry out the functions of inserting the document(s)
and inserting the item(s) in separate stations. Thereafter the bag
360 is typically sealed and deposited into a box of outbound
shipments 370, and the bagging process continues with a subsequent
tote.
[0037] FIGS. 4A-4E are a series of elevational sectional views of
the tote embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2A-2D showing the placing of one
or more items and one or more documents into the tote and the
inserting of the document(s) and item(s) into a bag.
[0038] FIG. 4A shows various items 320 loaded in the (unreferenced)
first and second item bins of an example tote 100, with the first
and second doors 124, 128 in the closed position. Thus, FIG. 4A
represents the state of a tote after the one or more items have
been loaded but before any document has been loaded.
[0039] FIG. 4B shows one or more documents 340 loaded in the
(unreferenced) document cradle above the (unreferenced) first and
second item bins and shows particularly how the first and second
dividers 110, 112 and the ledges 120, 122 may cooperate support the
documents 340 in the (unreferenced) document cradle. The first and
second doors 124, 128 remain in the closed position. Thus, FIG. 4B
represents the state of a tote after the one or more documents 340
have been loaded but before any documents 340 or items 320 are
inserted into a bag.
[0040] FIG. 4C shows a push blade 331 of a document inserter/item
inserter descending and contacting the document(s) 340. In the
illustrated embodiment, the push blade 331 and the first and second
dividers 110, 112 cooperate to cause the document(s) 340 to begin
to fold as they enter the document transport slot 116.
[0041] FIG. 4D shows the push blade 331 continuing to translate
through the document transport slot, pushing the document(s) 340
along with it and furthering the folding of the document(s) 340.
The push blade 331 continues to translate until the one or more
documents 340 are substantially or fully inserted into the bag
360.
[0042] FIG. 4E shows the moving of the first and second doors 124,
128 into their open position, causing the one or more items 320 to
be inserted into the bag 360. As is evident, the first and second
doors 124, 128 may enter the bag 360 and perhaps spread it and
ensure that the item(s) are successfully inserted into it. In
alternative embodiments, the first and second doors 124, 128 do not
touch the bag 360.
[0043] After the item(s) 320 have been inserted into the bag 360,
the first and second doors 124, 128 may be returned to their closed
position and the tote queued to be employed in the bagging of
another shipment of items.
[0044] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of one embodiment of a bag 360
containing one or more items 320 and one or more documents 340.
FIG. 5 is presented primarily for the purpose of showing how the
document(s) 340 may be positioned relative to the item(s) 320 in
the bag 360. The bag 360 is typically sealed with a crimp or fold
510 in one end (e.g., the end through which the document(s) 340 and
the item(s) 320 were inserted).
[0045] The bag 360 may further include a transparent portion 520
and one face of the document(s) 340 may include a mailing address
or other shipping information that may be advantageous to view
after bagging has been completed. Accordingly, the face of the
document(s) 340 containing the shipping information may be caused
to coincide with the transparent portion 520 by placing the
document(s) face down into the document cradle with the shipping
information on the bottom-most of the document(s) 340 such that the
shipping information is visible through the transparent portion 520
after inserting the document(s) 340.
[0046] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of a method of
employing a tote, such as one of the various tote embodiments
described above, to insert one or more documents and one or more
items into a bag. The method begins in a start step 610. In a step
620, the one or more items are placed into the one or more item
bins of the tote, the one or more doors of the tote being in a
closed position to provide a floor for, and retain the items in,
the one or more item bins. In a step 630, one or more document(s)
are then placed into the document cradle. In a step 640, the one or
more documents are pushed from the document cradle through the
document transport slot and into the bag. In a step 650, the one or
more doors are moved to their open position to cause the one or
more items to enter the bag. In a step 660, the bag is sealed. The
method ends in an end step 670.
[0047] Those skilled in the art to which this application relates
will appreciate that other and further additions, deletions,
substitutions and modifications may be made to the described
embodiments.
* * * * *