METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING AIRPORT BAGGAGE

摘要

In order, e.g., to improve distribution of baggage in an airport, a solution comprises positioning two or more empty totes above each other, so that the two or more empty totes are supported by a tote station by support members 206, determining, by a control system, when either a single empty tote should be released from the tote station or two or more empty totes should be released from the tote station together and at once, and in response to the determination releasing single empty totes from the tote station or releasing two or more empty totes on top of each other from the tote station. A lowermost 1604 of the two or more empty totes on top of each other supports one or more empty totes 1606 on top of it and the lowermost empty tote is, when released, supported by a support conveyor 204.

主权项

1. A method of distributing airport baggage, in airport baggage totes, in an automated baggage distribution system in an airport, the method comprising:
a) filling a tote with a piece of baggage at an induction, b) moving the tote with baggage in the baggage distribution system, c) emptying the tote from baggage at a discharge, d) determining, by a control system, which of the totes in the baggage distribution system are empty totes, e) positioning two or more empty totes above each other, so that the two or more empty totes above each other are supported by a tote station by support members, wherein the method further comprises: f) determining, by the control system, when either a single empty tote should be released from the tote station or two or more empty totes should be released from the tote station together and at once, and in response to a determination in step f) carrying out method step g) and i) or method steps h) and j), where g), h), i) and j) comprises: g) releasing the single empty tote from the tote station, so that the single empty tote, when released, is supported by a support conveyor of the automated baggage distribution system, h) releasing two or more empty totes from the tote station, so that the two or more empty totes, when released, are supported by the support conveyor, i) moving the single empty tote in the baggage distribution system, and j) moving the two or more empty totes in the baggage distribution system, where the two or more empty totes are on top of each other when released from the tote station, and so that, when released, a lowermost of the two or more empty totes on top of each other supports one or more empty totes on top of it and so that the lowermost of the two or more empty totes on top of each other is then supported by the support conveyor.