Method and apparatus for processing envelopes containing contents
AssigneeOpex Corporation
InventorsJohn Allen, Robert R. DeWitt, Joseph Valinsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for processing mail is provided. A feeder serially feeds envelope from a stack of mail. Two cutters at a cutting station cuts one or two edges of the envelopes. As the envelopes travel from the feeder to the cutters the envelope is jogged on two edges to justify the contents with the envelopes. Additionally, an improved feeder is provided to reduce the number of jams created when feeding the envelopes from the stack.
Claims10
1-17. (canceled)
A method for feeding envelopes containing contents, comprising the steps of:
- stacking a plurality of envelopes containing contents in an input bin to form a stack of envelopes in which the envelopes are in a generally vertical orientation;
- displacing the stack toward a feeder;
- sensing the pressure of the stack against the feeder;
- driving the feeder to attempt to feed an envelope from the stack;
- detecting whether the feeder fed the envelope from the stack;
- iteratively driving the stack toward and away from the feeder in response to detecting that the feeder did not feed the envelope from the stack.
The method of claim 1 comprising the step of driving the feeder to attempt to feed the envelope during the step of iteratively driving the stack.
The method of claim 1 comprising the step of detecting the angular orientation of the front of the stack adjacent the feeder.
An apparatus for feeding envelopes containing contents, comprising:
- an input bin configured to receive a stack of envelopes containing contents;
- a feeder configured to feed an envelope from the stack of envelopes;
- a pusher configured to displace the stack toward the feeder;
- a first sensor sensing a characteristic indicative of the pressure of the stack against the feeder;
- a second sensor operable to detect whether the feeder feeds the envelope;
- a controller operable to control the feeder and the pusher in response to signals received from the first and second sensors, wherein in response to signals from the first and second sensors the controller provides control signals to the pusher to iteratively drive the pusher toward and away from the feeder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.