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US 5,052,875 AGranted
Automated envelope handling system
AssigneeAgissar Corporation
InventorsLester Miller, Szee M. Yao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
By providing a pair of vacuum manifolds positioned on opposite sides of an envelope travel path with the vacuum manifolds being laterally spaced apart, a unique, effective and dependable envelope handling system is achieved whereby the envelope sides are consistently separated and the contents removed therefrom and positioned in a readily accessible channel. Preferably, the envelope handling system also incorporates a sensor for automatically and separately inspecting each side of the envelope to determine the presence of additional material which should be processed. In this way, any such material is automatically discovered for handling by the operator.
Claims16
An envelope handling system for receiving pre-slit envelopes and enabling the removal of the contents from the envelope, said system comprising
- A. envelope transfer means
- a. for receiving pre-slit envelopes, and
- b. automatically advancing the envelope through an envelope transfer pathway, a portion thereof defining a first elongated plane through which said envelope travels;
- B. a first vacuum manifold
- a. mounted in juxtaposed, spaced, adjacent relationship to a first side of the first plane of the envelope transfer pathway,
- b. comprising a first, fixedly mounted envelope contacting face defining a second plane, said second plane forming an acute angle with the first plane, and
- c. connected to a vacuum source for providing suction directly adjacent the envelope transfer pathway through said first envelope contacting face;
- and
- C. a second vacuum manifold
- a. mounted in juxtaposed, spaced, adjacent relationship to the second side of the first plane of the envelope transfer pathway in spaced relationship to the first vacuum manifold,
- b. comprising a second, fixedly mounted envelope contacting face defining a third plane, said third plane forming an acute angle with the first plane, and
- c. connected to a vacuum source for providing suction along the opposite side of the envelope transfer pathway through said second envelope contacting face;
- whereby each side of the pre-slit envelope is separately drawn apart into sliding, contacting, following engagement with the envelope contacting faces, thereby providing a highly effective and efficient envelope separation system which virtually eliminates mishandling of the contents.
10 more elements
An envelope handling system for receiving pre-slit envelopes and enabling the removal of the contents from the envelope, said system comprising
- A. envelope transfer means
- a. for receiving pre-slit envelopes, and
- b. automatically advancing the envelope through an envelope transfer pathway, a portion thereof defining a first elongated plane through which said envelope travels;
- B. a first vacuum manifold
- a. mounted in juxtaposed, spaced, adjacent relationship to a first side of the first plane of the envelope transfer pathway,
- b. comprising a first, fixedly mounted envelope contacting face defining a second plane, said second plane forming an acute angle with the first plane, and
- c. connected to a vacuum source for providing suction directly adjacent the envelope transfer pathway through said first envelope contacting face;
- and
- C. a second vacuum manifold
- a. mounted in juxtaposed, spaced, adjacent relationship to the second side of the first plane of the envelope transfer pathway in spaced relationship to the first vacuum manifold,
- b. comprising a second, fixedly mounted envelope contacting face defining a third plane, said third plane forming an acute angle with the first plane, and
- c. connected to a vacuum source for providing suction along the opposite side of the envelope transfer pathway through said second envelope contacting face;
- D. a contents removal station wherein the contents of the envelope are removed;
- E. first separator means
- a. longitudinally extending through the contents removal station,
- b. having one end thereof positioned in juxtaposed, spaced cooperating relationship with the first envelope contacting face for receiving the leading edge of one side of the envelope and guiding that envelope along a first edge of the separator means, and
- c. guiding the envelope contents along a second edge thereof as the envelope advances out of sliding, following engagement with said first envelope contacting face and is advanced through the contents removal station;
- F. second separator means
- a. longitudinally extending through the contents removal station,
- b. having one end thereof positioned in juxtaposed, spaced cooperating relationship with the second envelope contacting face for receiving the leading edge of the second side of the envelope and guiding that envelope along a first edge of the second separator means, and
- c. guiding the envelope contents along a second edge thereof as the envelope advances out of sliding, following engagement with said second envelope contacting face and is advanced through the contents removal station;
- and
- G. sensor means
- a. positioned at the terminating end of the contents removal station,
- b. constructed for independently sensing each envelope side to determine the presence of any material in any addition to the envelope side, and
- c. providing an output signal whenever the presence of any material to be removed is sensed.
23 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.