Method and apparatus for sorting randomly positioned garments minimizing serting conveyor movement

Claim 1

A method of sorting and arranging garments in a preselected order each having an identifying marking affixed thereto and suspended from a garment hanger, the garments being in an unordered sequence prior to the sorting and arranging, the method comprising: (a) sequentially identifying each garment in the unordered sequence from the identifying marking and outputting an identification signal in response thereto; (b) inputting each identification signal to a data storage device; (c) sequentially arranging each garment in the identified sequence thereof on a sorting conveyor having a multiplicity of movable carriers each for receiving a respective garment hanger and garment suspended thereon; (d) rearranging the identification signals such that each of the identification signals is positioned between other identifications signals in the preselected order; (e) assigning a plurality of arranged identification signals to each one of a corresponding plurality of pick-off mechanisms positioned along the sorting conveyor: (f) homing the sorting conveyor such that a preselected carrier on the sorting conveyor is at a preselected starting position; (g) calculating bidirectional movement of the sorting conveyor from the starting position thereof to each of a plurality of potential first positions such that in each of the potential first positions a garment representative of a first identification signal in each of the plurality of arranged identification signals will be positioned for pick-off by the respective pick-off mechanism thereof; (h) selecting one of the calculated movements which is preferred over the other calculated movements to efficiently unload the garments from the sorting conveyor; (i) driving the sorting conveyor a fixed distance in a selected direction in response to the selected calculated movement; (j) activating the respective pick-off mechanism to remove the garment positioned for pick-off from the sorting conveyor; and (k) repeating steps (g) through (j) for successive conveyor positions, wherein successive calculated conveyor movements are based upon the position of the sorting conveyor bidirectionally driven as a result of the preceding conveyor movement.

Claim 2

A method of sorting and arranging garments in a preselected order each having an identifying marking affixed thereto and suspended from a garment hanger, the garments being in an unordered sequence prior to the sorting and arranging, the method comprising: (a) sequentially identifying each garment in the unordered sequence from the identifying marking and outputting an identification signal in response thereto; (b) inputting each identification signal to a data storage device; (c) sequentially arranging each garment in the identified sequence thereof on a sorting conveyor having a multiplicity of movable carriers each for receiving a respective garment hanger and garment suspended thereon; (d) rearranging the identification signals such that each of the identification signals is positioned between other identifications signals in the preselected order; (e) assigning a plurality of arranged identification signals to each one of a corresponding plurality of pick-off mechanisms positioned along the sorting conveyor: (f) homing the sorting conveyor such that a preselected carrier on the sorting conveyor is at a preselected starting position; (g) calculating bidirectional movement of the sorting conveyor from the starting position thereof to each of a plurality of potential first positions such that in each of the potential first positions a garment representative of a first identification signal in each of the plurality of arranged identification signals will be positioned for pick-off by the respective pick-off mechanism thereof; (h) selecting one of the calculated movements which is preferred over the other calculated movements to efficiently unload the garments from the sorting conveyor; (i) driving the sorting conveyor a fixed distance in a selected direction in response to the selected calculated movement; (j) activating the respective pick-off mechanism to remove the garment positioned for pick-off from the sorting conveyor; and (k) repeating steps (g) through (j) for successive conveyor positions, wherein successive calculated conveyor movements are based upon the position of the sorting conveyor bidirectionally driven as a result of the preceding conveyor movement.

Claim 10

A method of sorting items in a preselected order each having an identifying marking affixed thereto, and arranged in an unordered sequence prior to sorting, the method comprising: (a) sequentially identifying each item in the unordered sequence from the identifying marking and outputting an identification signal with response thereto; (b) sequentially arranging each item in the identified sequence thereof on a sorting conveyor having a multiplicity of movable carriers each for receiving a respective item thereon; (c) rearranging the identification signals such that each of the identification signals is positioned between other identification signals in the preselected order; (d) assigning a plurality of arranged identification signals to each one of the corresponding plurality of pick-off mechanisms positioned along the sorting conveyor; (e) positioning the sorting conveyor such that a selected carrier on the sorting conveyor is at a selected position; (f) calculating bidirectional movement of the sorting conveyor to each of a plurality of potential first positions such that in each of the potential first positions an item representative of a first identification signal in each of the plurality of arranged identification signals will be positioned for pick-off by the respective pick-off mechanism thereof; (g) selecting one of the calculated movements which is preferred over the other calculated movements to efficiently unload the items from the sorting conveyor; (h) driving the sorting conveyor a fixed distance in a selected direction in response to the selected calculated movement; and (i) activating the respective pick-off mechanism to remove the item positioned for pick-off from the sorting conveyor.

Claim 11

A method of sorting items in a preselected order each having an identifying marking affixed thereto, and arranged in an unordered sequence prior to sorting, the method comprising: (a) sequentially identifying each item in the unordered sequence from the identifying marking and outputting an identification signal with response thereto; (b) sequentially arranging each item in the identified sequence thereof on a sorting conveyor having a multiplicity of movable carriers each for receiving a respective item thereon; (c) rearranging the identification signals such that each of the identification signals is positioned between other identification signals in the preselected order; (d) assigning a plurality of arranged identification signals to each one of the corresponding plurality of pick-off mechanisms positioned along the sorting conveyor; (e) positioning the sorting conveyor such that a selected carrier on the sorting conveyor is at a selected position; (f) calculating bidirectional movement of the sorting conveyor to each of a plurality of potential first positions such that in each of the potential first positions an item representative of a first identification signal in each of the plurality of arranged identification signals will be positioned for pick-off by the respective pick-off mechanism thereof; (g) selecting one of the calculated movements which is preferred over the other calculated movements to efficiently unload the items from the sorting conveyor; (h) driving the sorting conveyor a fixed distance in a selected direction in response to the selected calculated movement; and (i) activating the respective pick-off mechanism to remove the item positioned for pick-off from the sorting conveyor.