Mail piece stiffness detector
AssigneeSiemens Energy & Automation, Inc.
InventorDavid M. Sanford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for determining the stiffness of mail pieces includes a bar or similar deflector for contacting a mail piece conveyed past the bar by a conveyor system, and vibrates when in contact with a passing mail piece, either due to the impact of the mail piece or by the action of a device which causes the deflector to vibrate before the mail piece hits it. A sensor measures a parameter indicative of change in the vibrations of the deflector and generates a signal indicative of the measured parameter. A processor, e.g. programmable controller or circuit, receives the signal from the sensor and determines a stiffness value for the mail piece based on decay in vibrations of the deflector caused by contact with the mail piece.
Claims11
An apparatus for determining the stiffness of passing mail pieces comprising:
- a deflector positionable to contact mail pieces conveyed past the deflector by a conveyor system, which deflector vibrates when in contact with a passing mail piece;
- a sensor that measures a parameter indicative of change in the vibrations of the deflector and generates a signal indicative of the measured parameter;
- and
- a processor that receives the signal from the sensor and determines a stiffness value for the mail piece based on decay in vibrations of the deflector caused by contact with the mail piece.
A method for removing excessively stiff mail pieces being transported on a conveyor system from a mail processing machine, comprising:
- feeding mail pieces to be processed one at a time into a conveyor of the mail processing machine;
- conveying the mail pieces one at a time past an apparatus for determining the stiffness of passing mail pieces, which apparatus includes a deflector positioned to contact mail pieces conveyed past the deflector by the conveyor, which deflector vibrates when in contact with a passing mail piece, a sensor that measures a parameter indicative of change in the vibrations of the deflector and generates a signal indicative of the measured parameter, and a processor that receives the signal from the sensor and determines a stiffness value for the mail piece based on decay in vibrations of the deflector caused by contact with the mail piece;
- determining the stiffness of each mail piece using the stiffness determining apparatus;
- and
- diverting out of the mail processing machine mail pieces having excessive stiffness.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.