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US 2010/0059920 A1Published application
Envelope conveying and positioning apparatus and related methods
AssigneeKern International, Inc.
InventorsPeter Kern, Reinhard Buri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for processing envelopes. A support plates and a pressure sensing lever support a stack of envelopes in a generally upright orientation. The pressure sensing lever pivots in accordance with pressure exerted by the stack of envelopes. A feeding apparatus is operatively coupled to a sensor such that pivotal movement of the pressure sensing lever is detected by the sensor and the feeding apparatus changes the pressure exerted against the stack of envelopes.
Claims25
An apparatus for processing envelopes in a generally upright orientation, comprising:
- a frame structure;
- a support plate mounted on said frame structure and stationary relative thereto, said support plate having a generally flat surface for supporting a stack of the envelopes in a generally upright orientation as the envelopes move in a travel direction, and
- 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 downstream of said sensing surface in the travel direction, the leading portion of the first envelope extending transversely to a remainder of the first envelope.
An apparatus for processing envelopes in a generally upright orientation, 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;
- and
- a stop member in fixed orientation relative to said support plate and configured to orient the stack of envelopes at an acute angle relative to said support plate.
2 more elements
An apparatus for processing envelopes in a generally upright orientation, 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, and
- 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,
- wherein said pressure sensing lever includes first and second elongate portions respectively disposed on opposite sides of a pivot thereof, said first portion including said sensing surface, said second portion operatively coupled to said sensor, said second portion being longer than said first portion.
1 more element
An apparatus for processing envelopes in a generally upright orientation, 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;
- and
- a stop member oriented transversely to said support plate for supporting the stack of envelopes, said stop member being adjustable in accordance with a predetermined length of the envelopes.
2 more elements
An automatic envelope stuffing apparatus having a first end associated with feeding of a roll of paper, a processing apparatus for converting the roll of paper into discrete sheets, and a stuffing apparatus for inserting the discrete sheets into envelopes, further comprising;
- a frame structure;
- a support plate mounted on said frame structure and stationary relative thereto, said support plate having a generally flat surface for supporting a stack of the envelopes in a generally upright orientation as the envelopes move in a travel direction, and
- 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, 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 downstream of said sensing surface in the travel direction, the leading portion of the first envelope extending transversely to a remainder of the first envelope.
A method of processing a stack of envelopes, comprising:
- applying a first force against the stack of envelopes to move them in a travel direction;
- engaging a first envelope of the stack with a pivotally movable surface;
- extending a leading portion of the first envelope into a region downstream of the movable surface in the travel direction while maintaining a remainder of the first envelope upstream of the movable surface, the leading portion extending transversely to the remainder of the first envelope;
- 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.
3 more elements
A method of feeding single envelopes from a stack of envelopes moving in a travel direction, comprising:
- biasing the stack toward an envelope feed position;
- extending a leading portion of a lead envelope of the stack so that the leading portion is oriented transversely to a remainder of the lead envelope;
- sensing pressure on the lead envelope at the feed position resulting from the biasing;
- removing the lead envelope from the stack by engaging the leading portion thereof;
- and
- controlling the biasing in response to the sensing.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.