Optical mail piece sensor for postage meter
AssigneeAscom Hasler Mailing Systems, Inc.
InventorsMark Utiger, Anton Poschung
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical trigger is provided for use in a postage meter having a planar paper path. A light source with controllable intensity is mounted above the paper path and shines toward the paper path. A light sensor mounted above the paper path detects the reflected light if any. A dark region is provided below the paper path. More power is supplied to the light source when the sensor detects some light. An actuator is coupled with the printing mechanism of the meter to actuate it for printing of postage. When light is reflected from a mail piece, a timer is started, and when the timer reaches its programmed interval the actuator is actuated. The interval is adjustable by a trimmer adjustment, and two preprogrammed intervals may be selected by a front-panel switch.
Claims29
An optical trigger for use in a postage meter defining a planar paper path having a first side and a second side, the postage meter having printing means actuable for printing postage, the trigger comprising:
- a light source mounted on a first side of the planar paper path and directing its output toward the paper path;
- a light sensor mounted on the first side of the paper path having a sensor output indicative of sensed light received from the paper path, the positions of the light source and light sensor selected so that the light sensor does not receive light in a direct path from the light source;
- a dark region on the second side of the paper path positioned opposite the light source and the light sensor;
- an actuator coupled with the printing means actuating the printing means for printing of postage;
- a user input means generating a user signal;
- and
- a timer means responsive to the user signal and to assertion of the sensor output for actuating the actuator at a time that follows the sensor output by at least one delay interval determined by the user signal.
An optical trigger for use in a postage meter defining planar paper path having a first side and a second side, the postage meter having printing means actuable for printing postage, the trigger comprising:
- a light source mounted on a first side of the planar paper path and directing its output toward the paper path;
- a light sensor mounted on the first side of the paper path having a sensor output indicative of sensed light received from the paper path, the positions of the light source and light sensor selected so that the light sensor does not receive light in a direct path from the light source;
- a dark region on the second side of the paper path positioned opposite the light source and the light sensor;
- an actuator coupled with the printing means actuating the printing means for printing of postage;
- a timer means responsive to the user signal and to the sensor output for actuating the actuator at a time that follows the sensor output by a first at least one first delay interval;
- and
- a first user-accessible trimmer adjusting the first at least one delay interval.
An optical trigger for use in a postage meter defining a planar paper path having a first side and a second side, the postage meter having printing means actuable for printing postage, the trigger comprising:
- a light source with controllable intensity mounted on a first side of the planar paper path and directing its output toward the paper path;
- a light sensor mounted on the first side of the paper path having a sensor output indicative of sensed light received from the paper path, the positions of the light source and light sensor selected so that the light sensor does not receive light in a direct path from the light source,
- a dark region on the second side of the paper path positioned opposite the light source and the light sensor;
- a control means powering the light source and responding to the sensor output by supplying more power to the light source when the sensor output is indicative of sensed light;
- an actuator coupled with the printing means actuating the printing means for printing of postage;
- and
- a timer means responsive to the sensor output for actuating the actuator at a time that follows the sensor output by a first at least one first delay interval.
A method of operation of a postage meter defining a planar paper path having a first side and a second side, the postage meter having printing means actuable for printing postage, the method comprising the steps of:
- directing light toward the paper path;
- detecting light reflected from the paper path;
- responding to the detection of light by starting a timer timing a predetermined interval;
- and
- actuating the printing means upon the expiration of the predetermined interval only if light is still detected.
An optical trigger for use in a postage meter defining a planar paper path having a first side and a second side, the postage meter having printing means actuable for printing postage, the trigger comprising:
- a light source mounted on a first side of the planar paper path and directing its output toward the paper path;
- a light sensor mounted with respect to the paper path having a sensor output indicative of sensed light received from the paper path;
- an actuator coupled with the printing means actuating the printing means for printing of postage;
- a first timer means responsive to the sensor output generating a delayed signal delayed by an at least one delay interval, and actuating the actuator at such time as the delayed signal and the sensor output are both asserted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.