Inserting apparatus for discrete objects into envelopes and related methods
AssigneeKern International, Inc.
InventorsPeter Kern, Reinhard Buri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for inserting a paper or film object or a stack of such objects into an envelope. A feeding apparatus moves the object toward an insertion station and a vacuum drum has a surface adapted to engage and move the envelope toward the insertion station. A ramp element is coupled to the vacuum drum and is adapted to support a leading portion of the envelope as the envelope moves With the vacuum drum.
Claims29
An apparatus for inserting a paper or film object or a stack of such objects:
- into an envelope, comprising:
- a feeding apparatus for moving the object toward the envelope;
- a vacuum drum having a surface adapted to engage and move the envelope toward the object;
- and
- a ramp element coupled to said vacuum drum and including a generally flat surface tangential to said vacuum drum adapted to support the envelope as the envelope moves with said vacuum drum.
An apparatus for inserting a paper or film object or a stack of such objects into an envelope, comprising:
- a feeding apparatus for moving the object toward the envelope;
- a vacuum drum having a surface adapted to engage and move the envelope toward the object and a vacuum source continuously generating a negative pressure at said surface;
- a ramp element coupled to said vacuum drum and stationary relative thereto, said ramp element including a generally flat surface tangential to said vacuum drum adapted to support the envelope as the envelope moves with said vacuum drum.
An automatic envelope stuffing apparatus having a first end associated with feeding of a roll of paper and a processing apparatus for converting the roll of paper into discrete sheets, the envelope stuffing apparatus further comprising:
- an apparatus for inserting the discrete sheets of paper into envelopes, said apparatus including:
- (a) a feeding apparatus for inserting the discrete sheets of paper toward the envelopes;
- (b) a vacuum drum having a surface adapted to engage and move the envelopes toward the discrete sheets;
- and
- (c) a ramp element coupled to said vacuum drum and including a generally flat surface tangential to said vacuum drum and adapted to support the envelopes as the envelopes move with said vacuum drum.
A method of inserting a paper or film object or a stack of such objects into an envelope, comprising:
- moving the object toward an insertion station;
- applying negative pressure against the envelope to engage the envelope against a rotating surface;
- moving the rotating surface to move the envelope toward the insertion station;
- and
- supporting a leading portion of the envelope with a relatively stationary surface as the envelope moves with the rotating surface.
An apparatus for processing envelopes and a paper or film object or a stack of such objects to be inserted into the envelopes, comprising:
- a frame structure;
- a support plate mounted on said frame structure and generally stationary relative thereto, said support plate having a generally flat surface for supporting a stack of the envelopes in a generally upright orientation;
- a pressure sensing lever mounted on said frame structure and having a sensing surface oriented transverse to said support plate, said pressure sensing lever being pivotally movable in response to pressure exerted by the stack of the envelopes, said pressure sensing lever positioned relative to said support plate to permit a leading portion of a first envelope of the stack to extend into a region behind said sensing surface;
- a feeding apparatus for moving the object toward an envelope of the stack of envelopes;
- a vacuum drum supported from said frame structure and having a surface adapted to engage and move the envelope toward the object;
- and
- a ramp element coupled to said vacuum drum and including a generally flat surface tangential to said vacuum drum adapted to support the envelope as the envelope moves with said vacuum drum.
A method of processing envelopes and a paper or film object or a stack of such objects to be inserted into the envelopes, the method comprising:
- moving the object toward an insertion station;
- applying negative pressure against the envelope to engage the envelope against a rotating surface;
- moving the rotating surface to move the envelope toward the insertion station;
- supporting a leading portion of the envelope with a relatively stationary surface as the envelope moves with the rotating surface;
- applying a first force against a stack of the envelopes to move them toward the insertion station;
- engaging a first envelope of the stack with a pivotally movable surface;
- pivotally moving the movable surface in response to the first force;
- and
- applying a second force against the stack of envelopes different from the first force.
A method of processing envelopes and a paper or film object or a stack of such objects to be inserted into the envelopes, the method comprising:
- moving the object toward an insertion station;
- applying negative pressure against the envelope to engage the envelope against a rotating surface;
- moving the rotating surface to move the envelope toward the insertion station;
- biasing a stack of the envelopes toward an envelope feed position;
- sensing pressure on a lead envelope at the feed position resulting from the biasing;
- and
- controlling the biasing in response to the sensing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.