Systems and methods for stamping packaged goods in the nature of cigarettes

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for processing tobacco-oriented goods is disclosed. The method includes moving, in a consecutive sequence, a plurality of tobacco product containers across a path. The path takes them within range of a pushing mechanism. The consecutive sequence is determined based at least upon a picking support component that causes the plurality of tobacco product containers to interject tobacco product containers of a first order in between two different collections of tobacco product containers of a second order. The method also includes utilizing the pushing mechanism so as to remove the tobacco products of the second order from the consecutive sequence. This is done through activation of the pushing mechanism so as to route the tobacco products of the second order to a takeaway mechanism.

1 . A computer-implemented method for processing tobacco-oriented goods, the method comprising:
 moving, in a consecutive sequence, a plurality of tobacco product containers across a path that takes them within range of a pushing mechanism configured to effectuate an ejection of any of the tobacco product containers onto a takeaway mechanism such that the ejection causes at least one of the tobacco product containers to be removed from the consecutive sequence, and wherein the consecutive sequence is determined based at least upon a picking support component that causes the plurality of tobacco product containers to interject tobacco product containers of a first order in between two different collections of tobacco product containers of a second order; and   utilizing the pushing mechanism so as to remove the tobacco products of the second order from the consecutive sequence by activating the pushing mechanism so as to route the tobacco products of the second order to the takeaway mechanism while the tobacco products of the first order continue along the path.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein when the tobacco products of the first order continue along the path after said activation of the pushing mechanism they continue along the path to within range of a second pushing mechanism configured to effectuate an ejection of the tobacco products of the second order onto a second takeaway mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the consecutive sequence is determined based on batch-organized picking instructions generated by the picking support component. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tobacco product containers is a plurality of cigarette cartons. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the path takes the plurality of tobacco products within range of a plurality of pushing mechanisms, including said pushing mechanism. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said moving the plurality of tobacco product container across the path comprises moving the plurality of tobacco product containers in the consecutive sequence along a conveyor belt. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the plurality of tobacco product containers comprises moving the plurality of tobacco product containers within a product flow that includes a flow through a tax jurisdiction stamping machine. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method for processing tobacco-oriented goods, the method comprising utilizing an automated pushing mechanism to respond to instructions from a batch handling software component by pushing a plurality of individual tobacco product containers out of a moving consecutive flow of batch picked tobacco product containers based on an indication that the plurality of individual tobacco product containers are being shipped to the same location as part of the same order. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of individual tobacco product containers are organized in the moving consecutive flow such that not all tobacco product containers being shipped to the same location as part of the same order are adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the tobacco product containers are cigarette cartons. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising routing each of the individual tobacco product containers through a stamp machine. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising routing each of the individual tobacco product containers through a stamp machine such that each individual tobacco product container is stamped with a tax jurisdiction stamp. 
     
     
         13 . A method for processing tobacco-oriented goods, the method comprising:
 picking a sequence of tobacco product containers and placing them consecutively on a takeaway mechanism, wherein the sequence blends individual units of multiple tobacco product orders together such that the tobacco product orders are not completely picked consecutively from one order to the next such that the sequence is not organized consecutively from one order to the next; and   disrupting the sequence by diverting a set of the tobacco product containers out of the sequence, wherein each container in the set of the tobacco product containers is stamped with a tax jurisdiction stamp.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the set of the tobacco product containers is selected based on assignment to a particular one of the tobacco product orders. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein disrupting comprises activating a pushout mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein disrupting comprises routing down a takeaway mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein disrupting comprises routing to a packing station. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the tobacco product containers are cigarette cartons. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein disrupting comprises activating a pushout mechanism so as to re-route the set of the tobacco product containers down a takeaway mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the takeaway mechanism is a conveyor belt.