U.S. patent application number 10/348358 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-12 for method and apparatus for processing envelopes containing contents.
Invention is credited to DeWitt, Robert R., Forbes, John R., Huminski, David J., Kojouri, Kazem, Melber, Joseph G. JR., Minbiole, Eric P., Sammaritano, John M., Sullivan, Michael C., York, Michael E..
Application Number | 20050097867 10/348358 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32712532 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050097867 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sammaritano, John M. ; et
al. |
May 12, 2005 |
Method and apparatus for processing envelopes containing
contents
Abstract
A mail processor and a method for processing mail is provided.
The mail processor severs envelopes along one or more edges and
transports the envelopes to a work desk where an operator removes
contents from the envelopes. A feeder draws envelopes from the
bottom of a stack of mail placed in a hopper. The envelopes are
serially fed by the feeder to a cutting assembly that severs each
envelope along one or more edges. A transport assembly tilts each
envelope in an inclined plane and presents the tilted envelope to
an operator. An extractor opens the severed faces of the envelope
to expose the contents to the operator and permit the operator to
remove the contents from the envelope. In one embodiment of the
invention, the envelope is discharged from the extractor to a
verifier that confirms that the envelope is empty prior to disposal
of the envelope.
Inventors: |
Sammaritano, John M.;
(Marlton, NJ) ; DeWitt, Robert R.; (Marlton,
NJ) ; Forbes, John R.; (Media, PA) ; Huminski,
David J.; (Medford, NJ) ; Kojouri, Kazem;
(Maple Glen, PA) ; Melber, Joseph G. JR.; (Delran,
NJ) ; Minbiole, Eric P.; (Cherry Hill, NJ) ;
Sullivan, Michael C.; (Ewing, NJ) ; York, Michael
E.; (Cinnaminson, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DANN, DORFMAN, HERRELL & SKILLMAN
1601 MARKET STREET
SUITE 2400
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103-2307
US
|
Family ID: |
32712532 |
Appl. No.: |
10/348358 |
Filed: |
January 21, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/492 ;
53/381.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B43M 7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
053/492 ;
053/381.3 |
International
Class: |
B65B 043/26 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A device for processing envelopes containing contents,
comprising: a feeder for receiving a stack of envelopes and
serially feeding the envelopes, wherein the feeder comprises an
input bin angled downwardly so that the envelopes in the stack are
angled downwardly; a cutting area disposed forwardly of the feeder,
having a substantially planar horizontal base for receiving an
envelope from the feeder in a generally horizontal orientation, the
cutting area comprising three cutters separated from one another,
each of the cutters being operable to sever an edge of the envelope
so that the envelope can be opened along three edges, wherein the
cutters are positioned around the cutting area so that the envelope
follows a u-shaped path in a substantially horizontal orientation
over the base as the envelope is conveyed past each of the three
cutters in the cutting area; a justifier disposed adjacent the
cutting area, having a base that is substantially co-planar with
the base of the cutting area, wherein the justifier is operable to
receive the envelope from the cutting area in a substantially
horizontal orientation and justify an edge of the envelope; an
extractor operable to pull open the edge-severed envelopes, to
present the contents to an operator while the contents are in the
envelope, so that the operator can manually remove the contents; a
document transport operable to receive the envelope from the
justifier and convey the envelope to the extractor, wherein the
transport is operable to twist the envelope so that the envelope
forms an angle relative to horizontal.
2. The device of claim 1 comprising a gate associated with each of
the cutters in the cutting area, wherein the gates selectively
impede movement of the envelope in the cutting area.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein each gate is pivotable between a
raised position in which the gate impede movement of the envelope
in the cutting area, and a lowered position in which the envelope
can be moved forward through the cutting area.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein each gate is selectively
controlled to dampen the noise made when each gate is pivoted
between the raised position and the lowered position.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein each gate operates to justify an
edge of the envelope.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the input bin is configured to
receive a vertical stack of envelopes.
7. The device of claim 1 comprising a work area positioned in front
of the extractor, wherein the work area is configured for the
operator to be stationed in front of the extractor to remove
documents from envelopes, and the cutting area is positioned
adjacent the work area so that an operator can grasp an envelope at
any of the three cutters while remaining at the work area.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein envelopes in the cutting area,
justifier and transport remain readily accessible to the operator,
so that the operator can readily remove envelopes in the event of a
jam.
9. A device for processing a stack of envelopes containing
contents, comprising: a feeder operable to feed an envelope from a
stack of envelopes, wherein the feeder comprises: a feed belt
having an engagement portion having at least one hole through the
belt, and a smooth section extending substantially the entire
length of the belt wherein the smooth section has a lower
coefficient of friction than the engagement portion; a manifold
having at least on hole to cooperate with the hole in the
engagement portion of the feed belt; a vacuum source for providing
negative pressure to the manifold, so that when the feed belt
rotates to align the belt hole with the manifold hole, negative
pressure is provided through the aligned holes to pull the envelope
from the stack, wherein the vacuum source provides a constant
negative pressure to the manifold; a cutter configured to receive
the envelope from the feeder and sever the envelope along one or
more edges; an extractor operable to open the envelope along one or
more severed edges to present contents of the envelope to an
operator so that the contents can be manually removed.
10. The device of claim 9 wherein the feeder comprises a retard
element to impede the feeding of two envelopes simultaneously.
11. The device of claim 10 wherein the retard is pivotable upwardly
away from the belt.
12. The device of claim 9 wherein the engagement portion of the
belt comprises a plurality of spaced apart holes and the manifold
comprises a plurality of holes spaced apart to align with the holes
in the engagement portion of the belt.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein the surface of the belt adjacent
the engagement portion comprises a low friction surface so that
after the engagement portion of the belt engages the envelope, the
low friction portion of the belt engages the next envelope in the
stack to impede the feeding of two envelopes simultaneously.
14. The device of claim 9 wherein the belt has a single engagement
portion, such that a complete rotation of the belt feeds a single
envelope.
15. A device for processing envelopes containing contents,
comprising: a feeder operable to feed an envelope from a stack of
envelopes; a cutter for cutting the envelope along an edge; a
pivotable gate adjacent the cutter operable to selectively impede
forward movement of the envelope past the cutter, wherein the gate
is operable between an opened position in which the envelope can be
readily displaced past the gate, and a closed position in which the
gate impedes forward movement of the envelope; a controller
operable to control operation of the gate to decelerate the gate as
the gate is displaced between the opened and closed positions to
dampen the noise made by the gate as the gate is displaced between
the opened and closed positions.
16. The device of claim 15 wherein the controller controls the gate
by providing a driving force to drive the gate between the opened
and closed positions, and then temporarily discontinuing the
driving force while the gate is being displaced between the opened
and closed positions.
17. The device of claim 16 wherein the controller is operable to
reapply the driving force after the gate has been displaced between
the opened and closed positions to maintain the gate in either the
opened or closed position.
18. The device of claim 15 comprising a cushion positioned adjacent
the gate to cushion the gate when it is displaced into the opened
or closed position.
19. The device of claim 15 comprising a biasing element biasing the
gate toward either the opened or closed position.
20. A method for processing envelopes containing contents,
comprising the steps of: providing a stack of envelopes; feeding an
envelope from the stack of envelopes; cutting the envelope along an
edge; selectively impeding forward movement of the envelope past
the cutter with a gate, wherein the gate is operable between an
opened position in which the envelope can be readily displaced past
the gate, and a closed position in which the gate impedes forward
movement of the envelope; controlling the operation of the gate to
decelerate the gate as the gate is displaced between the opened and
closed positions to dampen the noise made by the gate as the gate
is displaced between the opened and closed positions.
21. The method of claim 20 comprising the step of providing a
driving force to drive the gate between the opened and closed
positions, and then temporarily discontinuing the driving force
while the gate is being displaced between the opened and closed
positions.
22. The method of claim 21 comprising the step of reapplying the
driving force after the gate has been displaced between the opened
and closed positions to maintain the gate in either the opened or
closed position.
22. The method of claim 20 comprising the step of cushioning the
gate when the gate is displaced into the opened or closed
position.
23. A device for processing envelopes containing contents,
comprising: a feeder operable to feed an envelope from a stack of
envelopes; a cutter for cutting the envelope along an edge; an
extractor comprising: a pair of arms pivotable between a first
position in which the arms are pivoted away from one another and a
second position in which the arms are pivoted toward one another so
that an end of each arm contacts the envelope; a vacuum source for
selectively providing negative pressure to the end of each arm; a
controller operable to control the displacement of the arms and the
vacuum source, wherein the controller is operable to decelerate the
arms as the arms are displaced toward the second position, and the
controller operates to control the vacuum source to provide
negative pressure while the arms decelerate toward the envelope;
and a transport for conveying the envelope from the cutter to the
extractor;
24. The device of claim 23 comprising a drive element connected
with the arms for driving the arms from the first position to the
second position, wherein the controller is operable to control the
drive element to provide a drive force to drive the arms toward the
second position, and wherein the controller is operable to control
the driving element to temporarily discontinue the driving force
before the arms are displaced into the second position.
25. The device of claim 24 herein the controller is operable to
control the driving element to provide a further driving force
after the driving force is discontinued and before the second arm
is disposed in the second position.
26. The device of claim 23 comprising a collapsible bellows
attached to the end of each arm, wherein the negative pressure from
the vacuum source is provided through the bellows.
27. A method for processing envelopes containing contents,
comprising the steps of: feeding an envelope from a stack of
envelopes; cutting the envelope along an edge; conveying the cut
envelope to an extractor comprising a pair of arms pivotable
between a first position in which the arms are pivoted away from
one another and a second position in which the arms are pivoted
toward one another so that an end of each arm contacts the
envelope; pivoting the arms from the first position to the second
position while the envelope is positioned between the arms;
decelerating the arms as the arms are pivoted toward the second
position; and providing negative pressure to the arms while the
arms decelerate toward the envelope.
28. The method of claim 27 comprising the step of providing a drive
force to pivot the arms toward the second position, and temporarily
discontinuing the driving force before the arms are pivoted into
the second position.
29. The method of claim 28 comprising the step of providing a
further driving force after the driving force is discontinued and
before the second arm is disposed in the second position.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to mail processing, and more
specifically to an apparatus that opens envelopes on one or more
sides, presents the opened envelopes to an operator so that the
operator can extract the contents from the envelopes, and discards
the envelopes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Automated and semi-automated machines have been employed for
processing documents such as bulk mail. Due to the large quantity
of mail received by many companies, there has long been a need for
efficient opening and sorting of incoming mail. Envelope opening
and document sorting have become particularly important in the area
of remittance processing.
[0003] Utility companies, phone companies, and credit card
companies routinely receive thousands of payment envelopes from
their customers on a daily basis. Typically, a customer payment
envelope contains an invoice stub and some type of customer
payment, usually in the form of a bank check or money order.
[0004] Frequently, the envelopes received in the incoming mail have
varying characteristics. For instance, the height, length and
thickness of the envelopes may vary. In addition, the opacity of
the envelopes may vary significantly due to the differences between
standard envelopes and privacy envelopes commonly used for
financial documents.
[0005] In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus and
method are provided for processing mail that can accommodate a
batch of mail containing envelopes having different
characteristics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In a first aspect of the present invention, a mail processor
is provided which cuts open envelopes and conveys the opened
envelopes to an extraction station where an operator can remove
contents from the envelopes. The mail processor has a feeder that
feeds envelopes from the bottom of a stack of mail placed in a
hopper. The envelopes are serially fed to a cutting assembly that
severs each envelope along one or more edges. The severed envelopes
are sent to a transport assembly which presents each envelope to an
operator. The transport assembly is operable to twist each envelope
in an inclined plane and present the twisted envelope to the
operator. An extractor opens the severed faces of the envelope to
expose the contents to the operator and permit the operator to
remove the contents from the envelope. The envelope is discharged
from the extractor to a verifier that confirms that the envelope is
empty and discharges the empty envelope to a waste container.
[0007] In a second aspect of the invention, a method for processing
mail is provided. An envelope is drawn from the bottom of a stack
of envelopes and fed to a first cutting station where the first
envelope is justified and cut along a first edge. The envelope is
then transported from the first cutting station to a second cutting
station where the envelope is justified and cut along a second
edge. The first envelope is then transported from the second
cutting station to a third cutting station where the first envelope
is justified and cut along a third edge. The first envelope is
discharged to a transport assembly that delivers the envelope to an
operator and twists the envelope at an inclined angle so that a cut
edge on the envelope faces the operator. The severed faces of the
envelope are opened to facilitate removal of the contents from the
envelope. The envelope is then measured to verify that the contents
of the envelope are removed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The foregoing summary as well as the following description
will be better understood when read in conjunction with the figures
in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mail processing
apparatus.
[0010] FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the
apparatus of FIG. 1, showing details of a feeder.
[0011] FIG. 3 is an enlarge fragmentary perspective view of the
feeder shown in FIG. 2.
[0012] FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the apparatus
illustrated in FIG. 1, showing details of a cutter area.
[0013] FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the
apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, showing details of a transport
section.
[0014] FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of the apparatus illustrated
in FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the apparatus
illustrated in FIG. 1, showing details of an extractor.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a side view of the extractor of FIG. 7, showing
the extractor in a closed position.
[0017] FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a verifier of the
apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] Referring to the drawing figures generally, and to FIGS. 1-4
specifically, a mail processor in accordance with the present
invention is shown and designated generally as 20. The mail
processor 20 serially feeds envelopes from a stack and severs one,
two or three edges on each envelope. The edge-severed envelopes are
transported to an extractor and presented one at a time to an
operator seated in the front of the extractor 70. The operator
manually removes the contents from each envelope and sorts the
contents as desired. After the contents are removed from an
envelope, the envelope is advanced to a verifier 80, which verifies
that the envelope is empty before the empty envelope is discharged
into a waste container 27.
[0019] The mail processor 20 has a plurality of staging areas. In
each staging area, individual envelopes are processed and
temporarily held before being sent to a subsequent staging area.
Envelopes are passed through eight staging areas, which include:
(1) a feeder 30, (2) a first cutting station 40A, (3) a second
cutting station 40B, (4) a third cutting station 40C, (5) a
justification station 50, (6) a transport assembly 60, (7) an
extractor 70 and (8) a verifier 80. The work desk 21 is centrally
located in proximity to all the staging areas. In this way, all of
the staging areas are within the operator's reach, permitting the
operator to access most areas of the mail processor 20 without
leaving the work desk.
[0020] Unopened envelopes are initially staged in a hopper 32 that
holds the envelopes in a stacked arrangement. The bottommost
envelope in the stack is drawn into the feeder 30, which is
configured to draw one envelope from the stack at a time. The
feeder 30 discharges the envelope to a cutting assembly 40 that
contains the first cutting station 40A, second cutting station 40B
and third cutting station 40C. The envelopes pass through the
cutting stations and are severed on one or more sides. The
envelopes are then passed to the justification station 50 which
justifies a rear edge on each envelope. The justification station
50 discharges each envelope to the transport assembly 60 which
tilts the severed envelope to an inclined position. The envelope is
transported in the inclined position to the extraction area 70,
where the envelope is opened along the severed edge or edges to
permit the operator to remove the contents from the envelope. From
the extraction area 70, the envelope is transported to the verifier
80, which confirms that the contents of the envelope are removed.
If the envelope is empty, the verifier 80 discharges the envelope
to the waste container 27, which is located beneath the
verifier.
[0021] The mail processor 20 has a central controller 120 which
controls the processing of envelopes through the various staging
areas. The controller 120 communicates with a plurality of sensors
placed in the staging areas. Each sensor monitors conditions at a
staging area and sends an input signal to the controller 120 based
on those conditions. Based on the input signal from the sensor, and
based on parameters set by the operator for the particular job, the
controller 120 sends an output signal back to the staging area to
control operation at that location. For instance, a sensor in the
second cutting station 40B monitors the second cutting station for
the presence of envelopes. When the sensor detects no envelope in
the second cutting station 40B, the sensor sends a signal to the
controller 120, and the controller responds with a signal
instructing the first cutting station 40A to discharge an envelope
to the second cutting station. In the preferred embodiment, an LCD
display panel 112 is connected to the mail processor 20 in
proximity to the work desk 21 and displays information regarding
the operating status of the mail processor.
[0022] The staging areas are functionally separate, and the
controller 120 generally controls the operation of the staging
areas independently from one another. For example, when the sensor
in the second cutting station 40B sends a signal to the controller
120 indicating that there is no envelope in the second cutting
station, the signal does not prompt the controller to send a signal
to the first cutting station 40A to send an envelope to the second
cutting station, and a simultaneous signal to the feeder 30 to send
an envelope to the first cutting station. Instead, the controller
120 simply sends a signal to the first cutting station 40A to send
an envelope to the second cutting station 40B. After the envelope
is sent from the first cutting station 40A to the second cutting
station 40B, a sensor in the first cutting station sends a signal
to the controller 120 indicating that the first cutting station is
empty. The controller 120 then sends a signal to the feeder 30 to
send an envelope to the first cutting station 40A. The independent
operation of the staging areas allows several operations to proceed
simultaneously or asynchronously. In this way, if one staging area
is backed up by a jam or other condition causing a stoppage, the
controller 120 continues to run other areas of the mail processor
20.
[0023] The mail processor 20 and its various staging areas will now
be described in more detail.
[0024] Feeder
[0025] Referring to FIG. 2, envelopes to be processed are initially
placed in the hopper 32 which is configured to hold the envelopes
in a stacked arrangement. The hopper 32 has a rear wall 33 and a
side wall 34 joined perpendicularly to the rear wall. A bottom wall
35 is connected to the rear wall 33 and side wall 34 to form a
generally rectangular receptacle with the rear wall and the side
wall 34. Referring to FIG. 1, the hopper has a sloped orientation
that urges the envelopes toward the rear wall 33 and side wall 34
under the force of gravity. The rear wall 33 and side wall 34 are
substantially flat and act as stops that justify the envelopes
along a rear edge and a side edge. However, the side wall 34
preferably has at least one ridge 38, and preferably has a
plurality of ridges projecting outwardly from the side wall. The
ridges 38 are configured to operate as ledges supporting the mail
in the stack to reduce the weight of the stack of mail that weighs
down on the envelopes in the bottom of the stack. Reducing the
weight on the envelopes at the bottom of the stack reduces the
likelihood of double-feeding envelopes and improves the feeding of
the envelopes.
[0026] Accordingly, the ridges 38 are configured so that they
project outwardly a sufficient amount to support the right-hand
edge of the envelopes. For instance, the ridges may project
outwardly approximately 1/8-3/8". At the same time, the ridges are
preferably configured so that the envelopes do not get hung-up on
the ridges, which could prevent the stack from laying down properly
on the bottom of the feeder after the bottom envelopes have been
fed. Therefore, preferably, the ridges 38 project outwardly having
a flat portion, and terminating in a rounded edge. The rounded edge
will limit the likelihood that the envelopes will get hung-up on
the ridges 38. The ridges are spaced apart from one another
vertically along the wall, and preferably the spacing between the
bottom-most ridge and the bottom wall 35 of the feeder is greater
than the spacing between the ridges.
[0027] Preferably, the hopper 32 also includes an upper stop 37
projecting from the rear wall 33 of the hopper, laterally spaced
from the side wall 34. The upper stop 37 limits the height of the
stack of envelopes that can be placed in the hopper 32.
Specifically, since the upper stop is spaced from the side wall 34,
the upper stop limits the amount of long envelopes that can be
placed in the hopper. For instance, the upper stop 37 is preferably
spaced apart from the side wall a distance that is slight greater
than the length of a standard #10 envelope, which is approximately
9.5". In this way, the hopper can accommodate a stack of #10
envelope that is as high as the height of the rear wall 33.
However, for envelopes that are longer than #10 envelopes, the
upper stop 37 limits the height of the stack.
[0028] The bottom wall 35 has a generally rectangular aperture or
cut out 36 in the bottom wall 35 of the hopper. The feeder 30 has a
conveyor belt 92 that projects up through the cut out 36 of the
bottom wall 35 in the hopper 32. In operation, the conveyor belt 92
draws the bottom envelope from the stack of envelopes staged in the
hopper 32 and passes the bottom envelope through the feeder 30.
[0029] The feeder 30 is configured to feed envelopes one at a time
from the hopper 32 and transport each envelope to the cutting
assembly 40. Referring to FIG. 3, the conveyor belt 92 is driven by
a drive pulley and supported by an idler pulley. During operation,
the conveyor belt 92 engages and removes envelopes from the bottom
of the stack in the hopper 32. The belt is divided into two
sections, a smooth section 96 and a rough or gripping section 98,
and includes a central layer, such as a nylon fabric. Along the
smooth section 96 of the belt, the central layer is coated with an
outer coating. Along the gripping section 98 of the belt, the
central layer is not coated; it is exposed. In addition, in the
gripping section, preferably the central layer has one or more
holes, so that the gripping section is perforated. Therefore,
suction can be applied through the perforation(s) in the gripping
section to pull the bottom envelope in the hopper toward the belt,
as discussed further below. Preferably, the gripping section 98 has
a higher coefficient of friction than the smooth section.
Therefore, the central layer may be formed of a material having a
relatively high coefficient of friction, or the gripping section
may be coated with a layer of material having a relatively high
coefficient of friction. In addition, preferably the coating that
covers the smooth section 96 is formed of a material having a
relatively low coefficient of friction to provide a durable smooth
surface. For instance, the low friction coating may be formed from
HYPALON.RTM. polyethylene coating manufactured by Colorado Lining
International. It should be noted that although the belt 92
preferably has a single gripping portion 98 as described above, in
certain applications it may be desirable to use a belt having two
or more gripping portions separated by low friction solid
portions.
[0030] The input bin or hopper 32 has a pair of optical sensors
that are used to monitor the feeding of the envelopes. The first
sensor 100 is a sensor that detects the presence of envelopes in
the hopper. If there is an envelope in the hopper, the envelope
blocks the sensor indicating to the controller that there is an
envelope in the hopper that can be fed. When the hopper is empty,
the sensor is not blocked, indicating to the controller that the
hopper is empty. The controller then sends a signal to alert the
operator that the hopper is empty. Preferably, the controller 120
displays a message on the LCD panel 112 that alerts the operator
that the hopper is empty.
[0031] The second sensor in the feeder 30 is a belt sensor 101 that
the controller uses to control the operation of the belt 92 of the
feeder. As described above, preferably the belt has a single
gripping portion 98, so that a full revolution of the belt feeds a
single envelope. Therefore, the controller monitors the location of
the gripping portion 98 to control the feeder so that the
perforations in the gripping portion are aligned with the holes in
the manifold. The controller uses the belt sensor 101 to monitor
the position of the gripping portion. Specifically, the belt sensor
preferably comprises an I/R emitter positioned on one side of the
belt and an I/R receiver positioned on the opposite side of the
belt. Therefore, if the sensor is blocked, the solid portion of the
belt is located over the belt sensor. Conversely, the perforations
of the gripping portion allow the beam from the I/R emitter to be
received by the I/R receiver, so that the gripping portion is
located over the belt sensor if the belt sensor is not blocked. In
this way, the controller can monitor the leading edge of the
gripping section so that the controller can determine how much
farther to drive the belt to align the gripping section with the
manifold.
[0032] As stated earlier, the belt 92 is positioned to engage the
bottom envelope in the hopper 32 and convey the envelope through
the feeder 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the hopper sensor 100 is located
adjacent to the belt 92 and is operable to detect the presence of
an envelope that comes to rest over the belt. If an envelope should
be fed, and the hopper sensor 100 indicates that an envelope is
positioned over the belt, then the controller controls the feeder
to feed an envelope. For instance, if the sensor in the first
cutting area 40A indicates that there is no envelope in the first
cutting area and the hopper sensor indicates that an envelope is
located on the belt 92, then an envelope should be fed from the
feeder to the first cutting area 40A. In response to these sensors,
the controller 120 sends an output signal that activates a motor to
drive the conveyor belt 92.
[0033] As the belt 92 is driven, the belt draws the detected
envelope from the bottom of the stack using a combination of
friction and suction pressure. Friction is provided by the gripping
section 98 of the belt 92. The high friction material engages the
bottom face of the envelope and drags the envelope through the
feeder 30 as the belt is displaced. The engagement between the
detected envelope and the belt 92 is enhanced by suction applied
through the holes 94 in the belt. A vacuum manifold 102 is mounted
directly beneath the belt 92 and is connected to a source of
negative pressure, such as a vacuum pump. The vacuum manifold 102
is maintained under negative pressure and applies a vacuum through
the holes 94 of the belt 92 when the gripping section 98 rotates
into a position above the manifold. As such, the detected envelope
is pulled down into engagement with the surface of the belt by the
suction pressure applied through the holes of the belt.
[0034] The vacuum and frictional force applied to the bottom face
of the envelope by the moving belt 92 is significantly higher than
the frictional resistance between the top face of the envelope and
the overlying stack. As such, the belt is operable to slide the
bottom envelope out from under the stack without drawing the next
envelope from the stack. As the belt draws the detected envelope
into the feeder 30, the coated section 96 of the belt moves into
place beneath the stack and above the vacuum manifold. Since there
are no holes 94 through the belt 92 in the coated section 96,
suction pressure in the manifold no longer penetrates through the
belt. In addition, the smooth surface of the coated section 96
slidably engages the next envelope so that the next envelope does
not frictionally engage the belt and gets pulled into the feeder
30.
[0035] The proper amount of suction pressure to apply through the
belt 92 is largely dependent on the nature and thickness of the
envelopes being fed. Preferably, the mail processor 20 has a
pressure regulator that is adjustable to increase or decrease
pressure as needed. The mail processor 20 may be programmable to
apply a specific suction pressure in response to a parameter set by
the operator that corresponds to a specific type of envelope.
Accordingly, the suction force applied by the vacuum manifold 102
is preferably adjustable so that the suction force does not
penetrate through the bottommost envelope and pull additional
envelopes into the feeder 30.
[0036] To reduce the likelihood that the feeder 30 will draw more
than one envelope from the stack at a time, the feeder has one or
more retarding blocks 104 above the conveyor belt 92, as shown in
FIG. 3. The retarding blocks are configured to permit passage of
the bottommost envelope that engages the belt while substantially
preventing passage of additional envelopes that are carried or
"caught" on top of the bottommost envelope. Specifically, the
retarding blocks 104 are biased into engagement with the belt by
tension springs. The blocks 104 are supported by linkages that
permit the blocks to be pivotally displaced away from the belt
against the bias of the tension springs. When a single envelope is
drawn by the belt 92, the envelope is pulled by the belt such that
the forward edge of the envelope abuts the retard blocks 104. The
suction force and frictional engagement between the belt and the
envelope overcome resistance from the retard blocks 104. As such,
the forward edge of the envelope passes under the retard blocks 104
and through the feeder. The belt 92 is driven with sufficient
velocity to drive the forward edge of the envelope beneath the
bottom edge of the retard blocks 104. As the envelope is driven
under the retard blocks 104, the blocks are displaced upwardly from
the belt and swung a small distance away from the belt on their
respective linkages to create clearance for the envelope between
the retard blocks and the belt.
[0037] When one or more envelopes are drawn into the feeder with
the bottommost envelope, any envelopes that rest on top of the
bottom envelope do not frictionally engage the gripping section 98
of the conveyor belt 92. In addition, the suction from the manifold
does not penetrate through the bottom envelope and exert
significant pressure on the other envelopes in the stack. As a
result, the envelopes on top of the bottom envelope are generally
not retained on the belt by the friction or suction forces acting
on the bottom envelope. As the envelopes on the bottom envelope
contact the retard blocks 104, the envelopes are restrained by the
retard blocks as the bottom envelope passes beneath the retard
blocks and through the feeder 30.
[0038] Cutting Assembly
[0039] The feeder 30 discharges envelopes into the cutting area 40
where the envelopes are severed along one or more edges. Referring
now to FIG. 4, the cutting assembly 40 has a generally horizontal
platform or floor 41. The floor 41 is divided into three cutting
stations: a the first cutting station 40A, a second cutting station
40B and a third cutting station 40C. The cutting stations 40A, 40B
and 40C have rotary cutters 45 that are each operable to sever an
edge of an envelope as the envelopes are passed through the cutting
stations. Envelopes are transported through the cutting stations
40A, 40B and 40C by a plurality of drive wheels 44 that project
through the floor 41 of the cutting assembly 40. The drive wheels
44 are oriented to convey each envelope toward the rotary cutter 45
in each cutting station. The drive wheels 44 contact the underside
of envelopes to carry the envelopes through the cutting assembly. A
motor continuously rotates the drive wheels 44 during operation of
the mail processor 20. In this way, envelopes are readily passed
through the cutting stations by the drive wheels as soon as the
envelopes enter the cutting station. In the preferred embodiment,
the drive wheels 44 run continuously and are switched off only in
the event of a stoppage. For example, the drive wheels 44 may be
stopped in the event of a jam or if the hopper sensor 100 detects
no more envelopes in the hopper 32. In such a case, after a
predetermined delay, the system controller switches off the drive
wheels 44. The delay allows the drive wheels 44 to continue running
for a brief period until envelopes are cleared from the cutting
assembly 40.
[0040] Envelopes are serially fed from the hopper 32 to the cutting
area 40, as discussed earlier. The cutting stations are configured
to sever one envelope at a time on a different edge. Referring to
FIG. 4, cutting stations 40A, 40B and 40C have gates 46 that
control the passage of envelopes to the cutting stations. Each gate
46 is configured and operated in a substantially similar manner.
Accordingly, the following description of one of the gates is
applicable to each of the gates in the cutting area.
[0041] Each gate 46 is generally rectangular and connects to a
solenoid-actuated arm that extends and retracts to pivot the gate
between a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised
position, the gate 46 is disposed in a generally vertical
orientation, which prevents the envelope from being transported out
of the cutting station. In the lowered position, the gate 46 is
disposed in a generally horizontal or flat orientation against the
floor 41, permitting passage of envelopes out of their respective
cutting stations. The gate 46 is biased toward and retained in the
raised position by a biasing element. The biasing element may be a
torsion spring, compression spring or tension spring formed of
stainless steel or other resilient material. The gate 46 is
pivotable to the lowered position by a solenoid that pivots the
gate against the upward bias of the biasing element. The floor 41
has a rectangular recess 43 with dimensions slightly larger than
the dimensions of the gate 46. The recess 43 is adapted to receive
the gate 46 in a flush position against the floor 41 when the gate
is pivoted to the lowered position. In the lowered position, the
gate 46 rests inside the recess 43, permitting envelopes to be
discharged from the cutting station without contacting the lowered
gate.
[0042] As described above, the gate 46 is driven downwardly into an
opened position by a solenoid, and is released so that a biasing
element displaces the gate upwardly into a closed position.
However, the gate may be operated in alternative ways. For
instance, the gate may be biased downwardly into the opened
position and the solenoid may be used to drive the gate upwardly
into the closed position. Alternatively, rather than a solenoid,
the gate could be driven by a linkage that is rotated by a motor or
other drive element. Accordingly, the operation of the gates is not
limited to a particular linkage or drive element.
[0043] The solenoid actuated gate 46 is operated in response to
activity at other staging areas of the mail processor 20. As
discussed earlier, the cutting stations 40A, 40B and 40C and
justification station 50 have sensors that detect the presence and
absence of envelopes. When a sensor at a particular staging area
detects the absence of an envelope (i.e. when the station has
"cleared"), the sensor sends a signal to raise the gate 46 at the
preceding staging area. This prevents an envelope from being
discharged prematurely from one staging area to a subsequent
staging area, resulting in accumulation of multiple envelopes at a
particular location.
[0044] The cutting stations 40A, 40B and 40C will now be described
in greater detail. Envelopes are fed from the feeder 30 to the
first cutting station 40A. Cutting station 40A has a guide rail 42
and a plurality of drive wheels 44 that are oriented at an angle of
approximately 45.degree. with respect to the guide rail and the
gates 46, so that the drive wheels convey the envelope both
forwardly toward the gate, and laterally toward the guide rail.
When envelopes are fed into the first cutting station 40A, the
envelopes land on top of the drive wheels 44, which urge the
envelope against the guide rail. As the envelope is urged against
the guide rail 42, the envelope is justified against the guide rail
on a first edge.
[0045] If an envelope is present in the second cutting station, the
solenoid connected to gate 46 is switched off, permitting the
biasing element to pivot the gate to the raised position. In the
raised position, the gate 46 temporarily blocks passage of the
envelope from the first cutting station 40A. Although the drive
wheels 44 continue rotating, the envelope is maintained in place by
the gate 46. When the second cutting station 40B is cleared, a
signal is sent to the controller 120. In response, the controller
120 sends a signal to the solenoid arm connected to gate 46 in the
first cutting station 40A, and the gate is pivoted to the lowered
position. In the lowered position, gate 46 rests in the recess 43
so that the gate is flush against the floor 41 to permit the
envelope to be discharged from the first cutting station 40A with
minimal obstruction or contact with the lowered gate. Specifically,
the gate 46 is below the top edge of the drive wheels 44 so that
the envelope does not contact the gate as the envelope is conveyed
on the drive wheels. The drive wheels 44 advance the envelope over
the lowered gate 46 while keeping the first edge justified. A
rotary cutter 45 is positioned in the path of the envelope with a
rotary blade positioned transversely to the direction in which the
envelope is advanced. As the envelope advances past the blade, the
blade severs the first edge of the envelope. The blade severs a
narrow strip from the envelope and the severed strip drops through
an opening in the floor 41 into a scrap chute. The scrap chute
discharges the strip into a scrap bin 25.
[0046] After being severed, the envelope is advanced by the rollers
into the second cutting station 40B. As with the first cutting
station 40A, the second cutting station 40B has a guide rail 42 and
a plurality of drive wheels 44 oriented at an angle of
approximately 45.degree. with respect to the guide rail 42. The
envelopes ride on top of the drive wheels 44, which urge the
envelopes against the guide rail 42. As the envelope is urged
against the guide rail 42, the envelope is justified against the
guide rail on a second edge. The angled rollers 44 also convey the
envelope toward a gate 46, which separates the second cutting
station 40B from the third cutting station 40C. As with gate 46 in
cutter section 40A, the gate 46 in cutter section 40B is maintained
in a raised position by a biasing element, preventing the envelope
from being passed to the third cutting station 40C until the third
cutting station is cleared.
[0047] When the third cutting station 40C is cleared, the sensor in
the third cutting station sends a signal to the controller 120. In
response, the controller 120 sends a signal to activate the
solenoid connected to gate 46 in the second cutting station 40B and
pivot the gate to the lowered position. In the lowered position,
gate 46 rests in a recess 43 and flush with the floor 41 of the
cutting assembly 40. The rollers 44 advance the envelope over the
gate 46 while keeping the second edge justified. A rotary cutter 45
is positioned in the path of the envelope with a rotary blade
positioned transversely to the direction in which the envelope is
advanced. As the envelope advances past the blade, the blade severs
the second edge of the envelope. The blade removes a relatively
narrow strip from the envelope which drops through an opening in
the floor 41 into the scrap chute. The scrap chute discharges the
strip into the scrap bin 25.
[0048] After being severed, the envelope is advanced by the rollers
44 into the third cutting station 40C. As with the first and second
cutting stations 40A and 40B, cutting station 40C has a guide rail
42 and a plurality of drive rollers 44 oriented at an angle of
approximately 45.degree. with respect to the guide rail 42. The
envelopes ride on top of the drive rollers 44, which convey or bias
the envelopes against the guide rail 42. As the envelope is biased
against the guide rail 42, the envelope is justified against the
guide rail along a third edge. The angled rollers 44 also convey
the envelope toward a gate 46, which separates the third cutting
station 40C from the envelope justification station 50. Gate 46 is
maintained in a raised position by a biasing element, preventing
the envelope from advancing to the justification station 50 until
the justification station is cleared.
[0049] When the justification station 50 is cleared, a signal is
sent to the controller 120. In response, the controller 120 sends a
signal to activate the solenoid connected to gate 46 in the third
cutting station 40C to pivot the gate to the lowered position. In
the lowered position, the gate rests in a recess 43 and flush with
the floor 41 of the cutting assembly 40. The rollers 44 advance the
envelope over the gate 46 while keeping the third edge justified. A
rotary cutter 45 is positioned in the path of the envelope with a
rotary blade positioned transversely to the direction in which the
envelope is advanced. As the envelope advances past the blade, the
blade severs the third edge of the envelope. The blade removes a
relatively narrow strip from the envelope which drops through an
opening in the floor 41 into the scrap chute. The scrap chute
discharges the strip into the scrap bin 25.
[0050] The three cutters 40A, 40B, 40C are operable to cut three
edges of the envelopes, as discussed above. Preferably, the
envelopes are fed from the feeder 30 such that the first cutter 40A
cuts the right-hand or trailing edge of the envelope. Then the
second cutter 40B cuts the top edge of the envelope (i.e. the edge
facing the operator when the envelope is located at the extractor
70). Finally, the third cutter 40C cuts the left-hand or leading
edge of the envelope.
[0051] A build-up of scraps in the scrap chute can interfere with
the operation of the cutting blades, causing a jam. To reduce the
potential for jams, a sensor is preferably mounted in the scrap
chute to monitor the presence of scraps. If the sensor detects an
accumulation of scraps beyond a threshold level, a signal is sent
to the controller indicating that a build-up of scraps exists. The
controller shuts down operation of the mail processor 20 in
response to the signal, and a message on the LCD display prompts
the operator to clear the scrap chute. The operation of the mail
processor 20 resumes after the operator clears the scrap chute.
[0052] When the gates 46 are pivoted to the lowered position, noise
may be generated from the gates as they contact the floor 41 of the
cutting assembly. The gates 46 preferably comprise noise reduction
features to dampen and minimize the sound created when the gates
are pivoted to the lowered position. The floor 41 of the cutting
assembly preferably comprises a plurality of stops 108 that project
from the floor. The stops are operable to contact the gates as the
gates are lowered and prevent the gates from contacting the floor
41. Each stop 108 is formed of a soft resilient material, such as
soft plastic or rubber, that dampens noise when the gates are
lowered against the stops.
[0053] Additionally, the controller 120 preferably controls the
operation of the gates in a manner to minimize noise generated when
the gates are lowered. In particular, the signals are preferably
timed to switch on the solenoid and apply the force necessary to
pivot the gates downwardly to a position just above the stops 108.
When the gates reach a position just above the stops 108, the
solenoid is deactivated so that the solenoid stops driving the
solenoid arm forwardly. The momentum of the arm continues to drive
the gate downward, but the biasing force of the spring counteracts
the momentum of the moving arm to slow down the arm, allowing the
gate to come to rest. Optimally, the gate comes to rest just as it
reaches the stop as the force from the biasing element gradually
counteracts the downward displacement of the gate. However, the
gate may come to rest just before hitting the stop. In this way,
the gates are slowed and preferably stopped upon contacting the
stops, or immediately prior to contacting the stops, substantially
eliminating noise created when the gates are lowered. After the
gate contacts the stop, the solenoid is reactivated to hold the
gate against the stop. In other words, the controller 120 controls
the operation as follows. The solenoid is activated to drive the
gate downward. Before the gate contacts the stops 108, the solenoid
is deactivated briefly to allow the gate to coast to the down
position against the stops. The solenoid is then reactivated to
hold the gate down against the stops.
[0054] The deactivation and reactivation of the solenoid can be
controlled in one of several ways to minimize noise associated with
the lowering of gates. For instance, the position of the solenoid
arm can be monitored and the solenoid can be deactivated and
reactivated in response to the position of the solenoid arm.
However, preferably, the solenoid is time controlled. Specifically,
the solenoid is activated for a set period of time, and then
deactivated for a set period of time before being reactivated.
Preferably, these time periods can be varied to control the speed
of the gate and the amount of noise dampening.
[0055] Preferably, the gate is also controlled to dampen the noise
made when the gate is pivoted back up into the up position.
Specifically, to raise the gate, the solenoid is deactivated and
the spring displaces the gate to the raised position. Preferably,
just before the gate reaches the raised position, the solenoid is
activated briefly to slow down the gate. The solenoid is then
deactivated again to allow the spring to maintain the gate in the
completely raised position.
[0056] Similar to the lowering of the gate, the solenoid is
preferably time controlled during the raising of the gate.
Specifically, the solenoid is deactivated for a set period of time
and then briefly reactivated for a set period of time before being
deactivated again. Preferably, these time periods can be varied to
control the speed that the gate is raised and the amount of
dampening when the gate is raised.
[0057] Thus far, it has been assumed that envelopes passing through
the cutting assembly 40 are severed on first, second and third
edges. The mail processor 20 is configured to sever up to three
edges of the envelope, and may be set to sever only one edge or any
combination of edges, as desired. For example, the cutting assembly
40 may be operated to sever an envelope along the right edge and
top edge or along the left edge and the top edge. Additionally, the
cutters may be adjusted so that none of the cutters cuts an edge of
the envelopes.
[0058] Edge cutting is controlled by adjusting the position of the
guide rails 42 at each cutting station. The guide rails 42 are
infinitely adjustable in response to rotation of adjustment dials
49. Referring to FIG. 1, each guide rail 42 is connected to a
manual adjustment dial 49 that projects above the cutting assembly
40 within reach of the operator. The adjustment dials 49 are
operable to move the guide rails laterally toward or away from the
cutting stations to set the justified edges at a desired position
relative to the cutting blades 45. By setting the position of the
rails 42 relative to the blades 45, the operator can select the
depth of cut along the justified edges, or select no cut along the
edges. To set the depth of cut at a cutting station, the guide rail
42 is moved to a position relative to a line representing the
cutting line of the blade 45. To sever the envelope edge, the guide
rail 42 is adjusted to a position outside the blade line. To select
no cut, the guide rail 42 is adjusted to a position inside the
blade line. In the latter case, the envelope passes through the
cutting station without contacting the cutting blade 45.
[0059] Justification Station
[0060] After passing through the cutting area 40, the envelope is
advanced by the rollers 44 into the justification station 50. The
justification station 50 justifies the bottom edge and leading edge
of the envelope so that the envelope is properly located in the
transport when the envelope is stopped at the extractor 70.
Referring to FIG. 4, the justification station 50 comprises a rear
justification wall 52 and a gate 56 that operates in a similar
manner to the gates 46 in the cutting area 40. The justification
station also includes a plurality of rollers 54 oriented at an
angle of approximately 45.degree. with respect to the rear
justification wall and the gate 56. The rollers 54 are operable to
transport the severed envelope toward the rear justification wall
52 and the gate 56 so that the envelopes are justified against the
rear wall 52 and the gate 56 to justify the bottom edge and leading
edge of the envelopes, respectively.
[0061] The gate 56 is connected to a solenoid actuated arm that
pivots the gate between a raised position and a lowered position.
In the raised position, the gate 56 is disposed in a generally
vertical orientation, which prevents envelopes from being advanced
from the justification station 50 to the next staging area. In the
lowered position, the gate 56 is disposed in a generally horizontal
or flat orientation against the floor of the justification station
50. The gate 56 is biased toward and retained in the raised
position by a biasing element, which may be a torsion spring,
tension spring, or compression spring formed of stainless steel or
other resilient material. The gate 56 is pivoted to the lowered
position by a solenoid which pivots the gate against the bias of
the biasing element when the solenoid receives a signal from the
processor 20. The floor of the justification station 50 has a
recess 53 with dimensions slightly larger than the dimensions of
the gate 56. The recess 53 is adapted to receive the gate 56 in a
flush position against the floor when the gate is pivoted to the
lowered position. In the lowered position, the gate 56 rests inside
the recess 53, permitting envelopes to be discharged from the
justification station with minimal contact with the lowered
gate.
[0062] Transport Assembly
[0063] Referring now to FIG. 5, the transport assembly 60 receives
envelopes from the justification station 50 and transports the
envelopes to the extractor area 70 where the contents of the
envelopes are removed by the operator. The transport assembly 60
has a first end which receives envelopes from the justification
station, and a second end that discharges envelopes to the
extractor area 70. A transport sensor 64 is mounted at the second
end of the transport assembly 60 and is operable to detect the
presence or absence of envelopes at the second end. When the sensor
at the second end of the transport assembly 60 indicates that the
second end is cleared, a signal is sent to the controller 120. In
response, the controller 120 sends a signal to the solenoid arm
connected to the gate 56 to pivot the gate to the lowered position.
Since the gate 56 no longer restricts passage of the envelope from
the justification station 50, the rollers 54 in the justification
station advance the envelope into the first end of the transport
assembly 60.
[0064] The transport assembly 60 comprises a pair of belts 62 that
extend from the justification station and terminate prior to the
extractor area 70. For clarity, one of the belts 62 is not shown in
FIG. 5 so that other features may be shown. The transport belts 62
are mounted on vertical pulleys 63, 65, respectively, and extend in
parallel engagement with one another. The vertical pulleys 63, 65
are located at the first end of the transport assembly 60 and are
operable to receive envelopes discharged from the justification
station area 50.
[0065] The belts 62 are fed around a pair of inclined pulleys 66,
68 located at the second end of the transport assembly. The
inclined pulleys 66, 68 are oriented at an acute angle with respect
to a vertical axis through vertical pulleys 63, 65. As such, the
transport belts 62 undergo angular rotation, or twist, as they
extend from the first end of the transport assembly to the second
end of the transport assembly. As the belts 62 are displaced around
the vertical pulleys 63, 65 and the inclined pulleys 66, 68,
envelopes carried between the belts are rotated from a generally
horizontal or flat orientation at the first end of the transport
assembly to an inclined orientation at the second end of the
transport assembly.
[0066] Ordinarily, the operator is seated at the work desk 21
looking downwardly on the extractor area 70. The inclined pulleys
66, 68 are configured to rotate the envelope so that the envelope
is conveyed to the extractor 70 with a severed edge raised upwardly
toward the operator, as shown in FIG. 6. In this way, the operator
can comfortably look down and see into the interior of the severed
envelope, enabling the operator to identify and extract the
envelope contents. The inclined pulleys 66, 68 may be oriented at a
large range of angles to accommodate the operators at the work desk
21. In the preferred embodiment, the inclined pulleys are oriented
at an angle between 45.degree.-60.degree. with respect to a
vertical axis.
[0067] Extractor
[0068] Referring to FIG. 5, the transport belts 62 are positioned
adjacent to the extractor area 70 and discharge envelopes into the
extractor area from the second end of the transport assembly 60.
The extractor area 70 has an extractor belt 71 operable to receive
envelopes as they are discharged from the second end of the
transport assembly 60 and convey the envelopes to a pair of
extractor arms 74a, 74b. The extractor arms 74a, 74b, as described
in more detail later, are operable to pull apart each envelope
along severed edges to present the contents of the envelope to the
operator. The extractor belt 71 is driven by an extractor drive
roller 73 which is oriented at the same angle as the inclined
pulleys 66, 68 in the transport assembly 60. Envelopes are pinched
between the extractor belt 71 and a plurality of idler rollers 75
above the belt. Like the drive roller 73, the idler rollers 75 are
oriented at the same angle as the inclined pulleys 66, 68 in the
transport assembly 60. In this way, the envelopes are generally
maintained in the same twisted orientation as they are passed from
the transport assembly 60 to the extractor belt 71.
[0069] The extractor belt 71 conveys envelopes between the
extractor arms 74a, 74b and stops each envelope at a point when a
preselected area on the envelope is positioned between the
extractor arms. Passage of envelopes through the extractor area 70
is controlled by an extractor sensor 77 mounted beneath the
extractor arms 74a, 74b. The extractor sensor 77 is operable to
detect the presence or absence of envelopes between the extractor
arms 74a, 74b and stop the belt when the envelopes reach a desired
position between the arms. The leading edge of each envelope is
detected by the extractor sensor 77 as the envelope is conveyed by
the extractor belt 71 through the extractor arms. The stopping
position of the envelope is determined by the transport sensor 64.
When the transport sensor 64 detects the trailing edge the
controller stops the motor that drives the extractor belt 71. The
belt 71 is stopped when a predefined time has elapsed after the
transport sensor 64 detects the trailing edge of the envelope. In
this way, the envelope passes between the extractor arms 74a, 74b,
and is stopped so that an interior portion of the envelope is
positioned between the arms. As will be described in more detail
below, the predefined elapsed time is programmable as a parameter
based on the configuration of the envelopes being processed.
[0070] The foregoing description is applicable to the control of
the envelopes when the device is set to be used by a right-handed
operator. Specifically, for a right-handed operator, the position
of the trailing edge is generally an important consideration to
optimally position the envelope in front of the operator (i.e. to
make it easiest for the operator to extract the contents).
Alternatively, the device can be set to position the envelope for a
left-handed operator. When set to position the envelope for
left-handed operation, the extractor sensor 77 detects the leading
edge and in response to detecting the leading edge, the controller
stops the motor that drives the extractor belt 71. The belt 71 is
stopped when a predefined time has elapsed after the sensor detects
the leading edge of the envelope. Preferably, when the device is
set for right-handed operation, the cutters are set so that the top
and right-hand edges are cut open; and when the device is set for
left-handed operation, the cutters are set so that the top and
left-hand edges are cut open.
[0071] When the extractor sensor 77 detects the presence of an
envelope between the extractor arms 74a, 74b, the sensor sends a
signal to the controller 120, and the controller stops the
extractor belt 71, as stated earlier. In addition, the controller
sends a signal to stop the transport belts 62 in the transport
assembly 60. When the extractor sensor 77 detects that the
extractor area 70 is cleared, the extractor sensor sends a signal
to the controller 120, and the controller activates the transport
assembly 60 to convey a subsequent envelope to the extractor belt
71.
[0072] The extractor 70 operates to pull apart the faces of the
edge-severed envelopes and present the contents so that an operator
can easily remove the documents. After the operator removes the
contents, a sensor sends a signal to the controller that the
contents have been extracted. The empty envelope is then
transported to the verifier 80 and another envelope is fed to the
extractor 70. Referring to FIG. 1, the mail processor 20 has a
sorting rack 110 located above the work desk 21. The sorting rack
110 is configured for use with a plurality of bins or shelves,
which are omitted from FIG. 1 for clarity. After the operator
removes the contents from an envelope, the operator can manually
sort, reorient and place the contents in a bin or shelf on the
sorting rack 110.
[0073] Referring now to FIGS. 7-8, the extractor 70 includes a pair
of vacuum suction cups 72. The suction cups 72 are mounted on the
extractor arms 74a, 74b, which are oriented toward one another so
that the suction cups generally oppose one another. The extractor
arms 74a, 74b are hollow and have central conduits that connect to
a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump is operable to apply negative
pressure through the conduits in the extractor arms 74a, 74b and
through the suction cups 72. The suction cups 72 engage the faces
of an envelope in the extractor 70 and pull the faces apart under
the influence of the negative pressure. In FIGS. 7-8, the extractor
70 is shown in two alternative positions. Specifically, the
extractor arms are pivoted away from one another in an open
position in FIG. 7, and pivoted toward one another in a closed
position in FIG. 8.
[0074] Referring now to FIG. 7, the extractor arms 74a, 74b
straddle the extractor belt 71. Before an envelope passes in
between the extractor arms 74a, 74b, the arms are pivoted away from
one another. When the envelope enters the extractor, the arms 74a,
74b pivot toward one another and negative pressure is supplied to
the suction cups 72 so that the suction cups engage the faces of
the envelope. The arms then pivot away from one another, pulling
apart the faces of the envelope. The suction cups pull the faces
apart along the severed edges to allow the operator to remove the
contents of the envelope.
[0075] The pivoting motion of the extractor arms 74a, 74b is
controlled by an elliptical cam 76 and a pair of cam followers 78.
The cam 76 is mounted on a cam shaft located beneath the pivot arms
74a, 74b. Each extractor arm 74a, 74b is connected to a follower
arm 78 mounted on opposite sides of the cam 76. A motor 104 rotates
the cam 76, which in turn displaces the followers 78. The followers
78 each have a circular hub 79 that cooperatively engages the
profile of the cam 76. As the cam rotates 76, the hubs 79 are
displaced by the profile of the cam, which in turn displaces the
followers to pivot the extractor arms.
[0076] In FIG. 7, the position of the cam 76 corresponds to a
position in which the extractor arms are fully opened. In this
position, the hubs 79 on follower arms 78 engage the major diameter
of the elliptical cam 76. In FIG. 8, the position of the cam 76
corresponds to a position in which the extractor arms are
completely closed. When the extractor arms are completely closed,
the hubs 79 on follower arms 78 engage the minor diameter of the
elliptical cam 76.
[0077] The extractor arms 74a, 74b are biased toward the closed
position by a tension spring 106, as shown in FIGS. 7-8. The
tension spring 106 is connected between a lower end of one of the
follower arms 78 and the cam shaft 79. The lower ends of the
follower arms move toward and away from the cam shaft 79 as the
extractor arms pivot. When the extractor arms are in a closed
position, the hubs 79 engage the minor diameter of the cam 76, so
that the lower ends of the followers are positioned closer to each
other and to the cam shaft. In this condition, the spring 106 is in
the contracted condition, so that tension is released from the
spring 106. When the extractor arms are in an open position, the
hubs 79 engage the major diameter of the cam 76, displacing the
lower ends of the followers outwardly from the cam shaft. This
extends the spring 106 so that the spring is in the tensioned
condition, as shown in FIG. 7. In this condition, the spring biases
the lower ends of the followers 78 toward one another so that the
extractor arms are biased toward the closed position.
[0078] If negative pressure is applied after the suction cups 72
are pivoted into contact with the envelope faces, negative pressure
may bleed through the envelope faces and pull the contents of the
envelope against the faces of the envelope when the arms are
pivoted away from one another. Therefore, the pivot motion of the
extractor arms 74a, 74b and the application of negative pressure
are preferably timed so that suction does not penetrate through the
envelope and pull on the contents of the envelope. In the preferred
embodiment, operation of the extractor motor is programmed to
switch off as the pivot arms 74a, 74b converge upon the envelope.
When the motor is shut off, the moving pivot arms 74a, 74b
decelerate until the cam 76 and followers 78 come to rest. The
motor is timed to shut off so that the pivot arms decelerate and
preferably come to a stop within a short distance of the envelope
faces. After the motor is shut off, negative pressure is applied
through the suction cups 72 to pull the envelope faces outwardly in
contact with the suction cups. By applying suction pressure in this
manner, the suction pressure is applied to the envelope from a
small distance. This distance or gap reduces the potential for
suction to bleed through the envelope and pull on the contents of
the envelope. After suction is applied, the suction pulls the faces
of the envelope up against the suction cups. Since the suction cups
are bellows-shaped, the suction cups collapse when the envelope
faces contact the suction cups. When the suction cups collapse, the
envelope faces are pulled away from the contents in the
envelope.
[0079] After the extractor arms slow down and/or stop, the motor is
resumed and the pivot arms continue to converge a short distance
until the followers 78 engage the minor diameter of the elliptical
cam 76. After the minor diameter of the cam 76 rotates past the
follower, the pivot arms 74a, 74b and suction cups 72 move apart
and pull the envelope faces outwardly. Outward movement of the
pivot arms 74a, 74b continues until the followers 78 engage and
rotate past the major diameter of the cam 76.
[0080] The extent to which the extractor arms 74a, 74b are pivoted
away from each other is a parameter that can be varied and adjusted
for a particular job. The amount that the extractor arms open is
controlled by the extractor motor. When an envelope enters the
extractor 70, the extractor arms 74a, 74b are fully opened. The
motor drives the cam 76 so that the extractor arms 74a, 74b
converge toward one another and stop just short of contacting the
envelope. The distance through which the extractor arms pivot away
from each other to open an envelope, and thereby expose the
contents to the operator, is controlled by how much further the cam
76 is rotated after the arms are fully closed. To fully open the
extractor arms 74a, 74b, the cam 76 is rotated another ninety
degrees past the point where the arms are fully closed, and then
stopped. To open the extractor arms 74a, 74b to an intermediate
position, after the extractor arms are fully closed, the cam is
rotated less than ninety degrees before being stopped.
[0081] When the extractor arms are opened to an intermediate
position, the bias force of the tension spring 106 on the follower
78 and cam 76 may cause the cam to rotate in a reverse direction.
To limit the reverse rotation caused by the tension spring 106, the
rotary motion of the motor is preferably transmitted to the cam by
a ratchet-type clutch so that the cam can only rotate in one
direction.
[0082] As stated earlier, the extractor belt 71 is stopped when a
predefined time has elapsed after the transport sensor 64 detects
the trailing edge of an envelope. In this way, the envelope is
stopped so that an interior portion of the envelope is positioned
between the extractor arms. The predefined elapsed time is
programmable as a parameter based on the configuration of the
envelopes being processed. More specifically, the elapsed time is
programmed so that the suction cups 72 engage the envelope at a
generally central location and away from windows or other features
that interfere with extraction. Many envelopes have open windows or
apertures through the front face of the envelope. If a suction cup
72 engages the envelope at or near the window, the suction pressure
may pull on the contents of the envelope and interfere with
extraction. Similar results can occur if the suction cups 72 engage
plastic covered windows on envelopes. The elapsed time between
initial detection of an envelope at the extractor 70, and stoppage
of the extractor belt 71 is programmable as a function of several
variables, including the location of windows relative to the
leading edge of the envelope, and the velocity of the belt. As
such, the extractor operation can be modified when necessary to
accommodate specific envelope designs.
[0083] As noted earlier, the extractor belt 71 and idler rollers 75
engage and pinch the envelope as the belt transports the envelope
through the extraction area 70. Preferably, the envelope is
positioned so that the top edge of the envelope is optimally
positioned for convenient removal of the contents. To properly
position the envelopes in the transport, the bottom edge of the
envelopes are justified by the justification station 50. The bottom
edge of the envelope may be controlled by adjusting the rear
justification wall 52 in the justification station 50. The rear
justification wall 52 is adjustable to set the bottom edge of the
envelope at a desired alignment relative to the extractor belt 71
and idler rollers 75.
[0084] The extractor 70 has one or more sensors operable to scan
the envelope and detect when the contents of the envelope have been
removed. When the sensor detects that the contents have been
removed, the sensor sends a signal to the controller 120, and the
controller activates the extractor belt 71 to convey the envelope
to the verifier 80. In addition, if an envelope is sitting at the
second end of the transport assembly 60, the controller activates
the transport belts 62 to advance that envelope to the extractor
belt 71.
[0085] The extractor 70 operates in three different modes for
determining whether the contents have been extracted from the
envelope: removal mode, differential mode, and content activation
mode. The simplest mode is the removal mode. A pair of optical
sensors 196 (see FIG. 1) are located on the work desk 21 in front
of the extractor area 70, as shown in FIG. 1. The sensors 196 are
offset from one another, with one sensor disposed to the left side
of the extractor area 70 and the other sensor disposed on the right
side of the extractor area. When the operator removes the contents
from an envelope, the contents are passed over one of the sensors
196, depending on whether the operator removes the contents with
his or her left hand or right hand. In particular, the contents are
generally passed over the left sensor when removed with the
operator's left hand, and over the right sensor when removed with
the operator's right hand. Preferably, the mail processor 20 is
programmable so that the operator can enter a parameter to
designate left-handed extraction or right-handed extraction. In
this way, the controller 120 can be programmed to switch on the
sensor 196 corresponding to the hand used during extraction, and
leave the other sensor deactivated.
[0086] In the differential mode, an optical sensor beneath the
extractor arms 74a, 74b measures the thickness of each envelope
immediately after the extractor arms pull apart the faces of the
envelope. That is, the thickness of the envelope is measured before
the operator extracts the contents. The optical sensor continuously
measures the thickness of the envelope and its contents, and
calculates the difference between the measured thickness and the
initial thickness. If the difference in thickness is greater than a
predetermined limit, a signal is sent to the controller 120
indicating that the contents were removed from the envelope. The
controller 120 then advances the envelope to the verifier 80 and
advances a next envelope from the transport assembly 60 to the
extractor belt 71. Preferably, the work desk 21 includes a second
optical sensor similar to the first sensor. The second sensor
monitors the thickness of the envelope in the same way as the first
sensor. When two sensors are employed, the measurements from the
two sensors are averaged and compared against the predetermined
limit to determine whether the contents were extracted. Use of
multiple sensors decreases the potential for advancing an envelope
based on an inaccurate thickness measurement.
[0087] If the operator removes all of the contents from the
envelope, but the differential thickness is not greater than the
predetermined limit, the envelope will not be advanced from the
extractor 70. In such instances, the operator can advance the empty
envelope by pressing an override button (not shown). Pressing the
button activates the extractor drive roller 73 and belt 71 to
advance the empty envelope to the verifier 80. Pressing the button
may also advance any envelope in the transport assembly 60 into the
extractor area 70.
[0088] The content activation mode is like the differential mode in
that the sensor continuously measures the thickness of the envelope
as the envelope sits in the extractor area. However, in the content
activation mode, the sensor measures the thickness of the envelope
after the contents is removed. In addition, the thickness measured
by the sensor is compared to a thickness standard based on the
thickness of an envelope and a variation tolerance. If the sensor
detects a thickness that is less than the thickness standard, a
signal is sent to the controller indicating that the contents were
removed from the envelope. The envelope is then advanced to the
verifier 80, and any envelope staged in the transport assembly 60
is conveyed to the extractor belt 71. Preferably, two sensors are
employed, both of which monitor the thickness of the envelope, as
described above. When two sensors are employed, the measurements
from the two sensors are averaged and the average is compared
against the thickness standard.
[0089] If the operator removes the contents from the envelope, but
the thickness detected by the sensor is not below the thickness
standard, the envelope does not advance. In such instances, the
operator can advance the empty envelope by pressing the override
button. When the override button is pressed, the controller 120
sends a signal that activates the extractor belt 71. The extractor
belt then conveys the empty envelope to the verifier 80. In
addition, if an envelope is staged in the transport assembly 60,
the controller 120 sends a signal to activate the transport belts
62 which discharge the staged envelope to the extractor area
70.
[0090] The thickness standard used in the content activation mode
can be determined in several ways. For example, the thickness
standard can be based on the first envelope in a job. To do so, a
job is placed in the hopper 32, and the mail processor 20 advances
the lead envelope in the job through the cutting assembly 40,
justification station 50 and transport assembly 60 to the extractor
70. The operator then removes the contents from the envelope, and
the thickness sensor measures the thickness of the envelope after
the contents are extracted. The thickness standard is then
calculated based on the thickness of the empty envelope and a
predetermined variation tolerance. To advance the first envelope to
the verifier 80, the operator presses the override button.
[0091] Alternatively, and preferably, the thickness standard is
calculated based on the average thickness of the envelopes
processed in a job. To determine the thickness standard, a job is
placed into the hopper 32, and the mail processor 20 advances the
first envelope in the job to the extractor 70. The operator then
removes the contents from the envelope. After the operator ensures
that the contents have been removed, the operator presses the
override button and the sensor checks the thickness of the empty
envelope. The thickness value is stored and the thickness standard
is calculated based on the stored thickness and a predetermined
tolerance. The empty envelope is then conveyed to the verifier 80
and the second envelope in the job is conveyed to the extractor 70.
The operator then removes the contents of the second envelope. If
the thickness of the second empty envelope is less than the
standard based on the first envelope, then the second envelope is
assumed to be empty. The thickness of the second envelope is stored
and the thicknesses of the first two envelopes are averaged to
establish a new thickness standard. The second envelope is conveyed
to the verifier 80, and a third envelope in the job is conveyed to
the extractor 70. If, on the other hand, the thickness of the empty
second envelope is greater than the standard based on the first
envelope, then the operator must advance the second envelope by
pressing the override button after checking to ensure the contents
were removed.
[0092] As envelopes in the job are processed, each successive
envelope is compared against a thickness standard based on the
average thickness of the previous empty envelopes in the job. To
reduce the amount of stored information, a maximum of sixteen empty
envelopes are used to determine the average thickness. For example,
if the 100th envelope enters the extractor 70 and its contents are
removed, the thickness of the empty 100th envelope is compared
against a standard based on the average of the thicknesses of
envelopes 84 through 99.
[0093] The verifier 80 is located at the end of the extractor belts
71. The verifier 80 checks the thickness of each envelope to ensure
that all of the contents have been removed from the envelope before
the envelope is discarded into the waste container 27. The verifier
80 can use an optical sensor to check the thickness of the
envelope, similar to the optical sensor or sensors used by the
extractor 70. However, the verifier preferably checks the thickness
of the envelope by measuring the distance between the outer
surfaces of the envelope faces. To measure this distance, the
verifier 80 includes a Hall effects sensor 82, as shown in FIG.
9.
[0094] The Hall effects sensor 82 includes a sensor board 83
disposed adjacent a magnet 84 that is mounted on a linkage that
biases the magnet toward the sensor. The magnetic field created by
the magnet 84 is measured by the sensor board 83 as a function of
the distance between the magnet and sensor. The magnet and sensor
are linked to a pair of rollers 87 between which envelopes are
pinched when the envelopes enter the verifier 80. When an envelope
enters the verifier 80, the arms are forced apart, thereby
separating the magnet 84 and the sensor board 83 accordingly,
changing the magnetic field intensity. To determine a zero
thickness reference value, an empty envelope is fed to the
verifier, and the sensor 82 takes a magnetic field measurement
corresponding to the thickness of the empty envelope. The status of
subsequent envelopes are determined based on the zero thickness
reference value.
[0095] Alternatively, the reference value used by the verifier 80
to check the envelopes is calculated based on the average thickness
of the previous sixteen envelopes and a variation tolerance,
similar to the method described above for determining a thickness
standard for the extraction step in the content activation mode.
However, in the present instance, the calculation of the reference
value differs from the calculation of the standard used in the
extraction step. When calculating the reference value for the
verifier 80, if the measured thickness of an empty envelope is
greater than the current reference value, the thickness measurement
for the envelope is not factored into the running average. For
example, when calculating the thickness reference for the 100th
envelope in a job, if the thickness of the 90th empty envelope was
thicker than the reference value based on the previous sixteen
envelopes, the thickness of the 90th envelope would not be included
in the average used to calculate the reference value for the 100th
envelope. Therefore, the reference value for the 100th envelope
would be based on the average thickness of envelopes 83 through 89
and 91 through 99, assuming that the thicknesses of those envelopes
were less than the reference value at the time they were
measured.
[0096] If the verifier 80 measures a thickness that is greater than
the reference value, then a signal is sent to the controller 120
indicating that the envelope in the verifier 80 is not empty. An
indicator light (not shown) is lit indicating to the operator that
the envelope at the verifier should be removed and checked to
ensure that all of the contents were removed. A verifier sensor 95
adjacent the Hall effects sensor 82 detects the presence of the
envelope in the verifier 80. Until the operator removes the
envelope from the verifier, the extractor belt 71 will not advance
any envelopes, regardless of whether the envelope in the extractor
area 70 is empty. Further, as long as an envelope is staged in the
verifier 80, the extractor belt 71 will not advance any envelopes
past the extractor 70 when the override button is pressed.
[0097] If the verifier 80 detects a thickness that is less than the
reference value, a signal is sent to the controller 120 indicating
that the envelope at the verifier is empty. The controller 120 then
activates the extractor belt 71 to advance the envelope out of the
extractor and into a trash chute that discards the envelope into
the waste container 27 beneath the verifier 80. If an envelope is
staged in the extractor 70, the extractor belt 71 conveys that
envelope to the verifier 80, assuming that the sensors in the
extractor area detect an empty envelope.
[0098] The controller 120 controls the operation of the extraction
transport belt 71 to ensure that the trailing edge of each envelope
stops in the same position in the verifier 80 relative to the Hall
effect sensor 82. By monitoring the trailing edge, the mail
processor 20 ensures that an envelope is not accidentally fed past
the verifier 80 and directly into the waste container 27 when a job
of variable length envelopes is processed.
[0099] The terms and expressions which have been employed are used
as terms of description and not of limitation. There is no
intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any
equivalents of the features shown and described or portions
thereof. It is recognized, therefore, that various modifications
are possible within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Accordingly, the invention incorporates variations that fall within
the scope of the following claims.
* * * * *