Card mailer system and method of preparing card packages for mailing

Abstract

An automate card package mailer for preparing card packages (60) composed of one or more cards(50) attached to matching carrier forms (33) for mailing has a carrier folding apparatus that is programmable to fold the carriers into different configurations including Z-fold, C-fold, bi-fold and no-fold, has a controller (42) that controls the movement of carriers by different amounts relative to a first folding arm to achieve different first folds, folds the carriers by pushing the fold location on the surface of the carriers into the nib of a first pair of folding pinch rollers with a first pivotally mounted folding arm after guiding the carrier with a slanted guide and an arcuate guide to the desired position beneath the folding arm, makes a second fold with a second pivotally mounted arm that pushes another fold location on a carrier into the nib of a second pair of rotating pinch rollers while a holding member holds a folded section upright in a well. When only one fold is desired the second guide member is moved to and kept at bridging location to guide the folded edge of a carrier to the second pair of folding pinch rollers. When a no-fold configuration is desired, the first folding arm is moved to an upper guide position to help guide the carrier through the first pair of pinch rollers and the second folding arm is moved to and kept in the bridging location to pass the unfolded carrier over the well and to the second pair of folding rollers without folding. Cards are attached to the carriers before folding by dropping them onto a carrier and a support to keep an adhesive pad space from the carrier and then pushing them into the nib of a pair of rollers.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.