Postage meter

A postage meter which prints postage indicia onto envelopes using a plurality of extendible and retractable segments, the postage meter comprising:

• a user interface for entering input information;
• a transfer means having a plurality of extendible and retractable segments disposed thereon, the segments being arranged to form variable portions of the postage indicia when extended, the variable portions of the postage indicia comprising a numeric postage amount which includes individual numerals comprised of segments;
• an ink roller, which contacts extended ones of the segments so as to transfer ink from the ink roller to the extended ones of the segments;
• a sensor, which senses an envelope in the postage meter, and which outputs a signal which indicates that an envelope is present in the postage meter;
• and
• a controller which (1) converts the input information into the postage indicia, (2) extends ones of the segments, based on the postage indicia, to form the variable portions of the postage indicia, including the numeric postage amount, from extended segments, and (3) activates the transfer means in response to the signal output by the sensor so that (i) the extended segments receive ink by contacting the ink roller, and (ii) the extended segments transfer the ink received from the ink roller to the envelope.

A method of forming postage indicia onto an envelope using a postage meter which prints postage indicia comprised of a postage amount, barcode information, fixed postage information, and a datestamp, onto envelopes, the postage meter using a plurality of extendible and retractable segments to print the variable portions of the postage indicia including the postage amount and barcode information, an engraved die to print the fixed postage information, and a datewheel assembly to print the datestamp, the method comprising the steps of:

• inputting a postage amount into the postage meter;
• converting the postage amount into barcode information;
• extending appropriate ones of the plurality of extendible and retractable segments based on the postage amount and the barcode information to form the postage amount and the barcode information, respectively, from extended segments, the postage amount comprising individual numerals formed of one or more segments;
• inputting an envelope into said postage meter;
• receiving a signal which indicates that the envelope has been input into the postage meter;
• and
• activating a transfer means having disposed thereon, (1) the extendible segments, (2) the engraved die, and (3) the datewheel assembly, so that the extended segments, the engraved die and the datewheel assembly receive ink from an ink roller and transfer the ink received from the ink roller onto the envelope input into the postage meter.

A method of forming postage indicia on an envelope using a postage meter having a transfer means which forms the postage indicia on the envelope using a plurality of extendible and retractable segments, the method comprising the steps of:

• inputting information into the postage meter;
• converting the input information into postage indicia;
• extending ones of the segments on the transfer means to form variable portions of the postage indicia, the variable portions of the postage indicia comprising a numeric postage amount which includes individual numerals comprised of segments;
• inputting an envelope into the postage meter;
• receiving a signal which indicates that the envelope has been input into the postage meter;
• and
• activating the transfer means so that (1) extended segments contact an ink roller in order to transfer ink from the ink roller onto the extended segments, and (2) the extended segments contact the envelope in order to transfer the ink received from the ink roller to the envelope.