Method and apparatus for synchronizing a document feeder with a mail sorting conveyor

Apparatus for merging a mailpiece from a mail feed station into a designated mailpiece location of a constant speed mail sorting conveyor, such apparatus comprising:

• means for advancing the mailpiece to a synchronization stop position along a merge conveyor from the feed station to the sorting conveyor at a relatively constant mail infeed speed;
• means for decelerating the mailpiece as the mailpiece approaches the stop position using a relatively constant deceleration rate along a pre-determined deceleration line of a speed versus time profile from the relatively constant mail infeed speed toward the stop position;
• means for receiving a send signal from the mail sorting conveyor;
• means for accelerating the mailpiece at a relatively constant acceleration rate substantially equal to the substantially constant deceleration rate from the stop position to the relatively constant mail infeed speed along a pre-determined acceleration line of the speed versus time profile, where the mailpiece has reached the stop position upon receipt of the send signal;
• means for maintaining the speed of the mailpiece at a constant mail holding speed until the mailpiece's speed intersects the acceleration line and then accelerating the mailpiece at a relatively constant acceleration rate from the intersection point to the relatively constant mail infeed speed along the pre-determined acceleration line, where the mailpiece has not reached the stop position upon receipt of the send signal, but has begun to decelerate toward the stop position;
• and
• means for merging the mailpiece with the designated mailpiece position on the mail sorting conveyor.

A method of synchronizing entry of a mailpiece from a mail feeder into a designated mailpiece location of a mail sorting conveyor, comprising the steps of:

• decelerating the mailpiece from a relatively constant mail infeed speed to a synchronization stop position along a pre-determined constant deceleration line of a speed versus time profile;
• receiving a send signal from the mail sorting conveyor;
• where the mailpiece has reached the stop position upon receipt of the send signal, accelerating the mailpiece from the stop position to the mail feeder speed along a pre-determined acceleration line of the speed versus time profile having a slope substantially equal to the slope of the deceleration line;
• where the mailpiece has not reached the stop position upon receipt of the send signal, maintaining the speed of the mailpiece at a constant mail holding speed until the mailpiece's speed intersects the acceleration line and then accelerating the mailpiece from the intersection point to the relatively constant mail infeed speed along the pre-determined acceleration line;
• and
• merging the mailpiece with the designated mailpiece position on the mail sorting conveyor.

A method of synchronizing entry of a mailpiece from a mail feeder into a designated mailpiece location of a mail sorting conveyor, comprising the steps of:

• decelerating the mailpiece from a mail infeed speed as the mailpiece approaches a synchronization stop position along a pre-determined constant deceleration line of a speed versus time profile;
• receiving a send signal from the mail sorting conveyor;
• where the mailpiece has reached the stop position upon receipt of the send signal, accelerating the mailpiece from the stop position to the mail infeed speed along a pre-determined acceleration line of the speed versus time profile;
• where the mailpiece has not reached the stop position upon receipt of the send signal, but has begun to decelerate toward the stop position, maintaining the speed of the mailpiece at a constant mail holding speed until the mailpiece's speed intersects the acceleration line and then accelerating the mailpiece from the intersection point to the relatively constant mail infeed speed along the pre-determined acceleration line;
• and
• merging the mailpiece with the designated mailpiece position on the mail sorting conveyor.

A method of merging a mailpiece from a mail feed station into a designated mailpiece location of a constant speed mail sorting conveyor, such method comprising the steps of:

• advancing the mailpiece to a synchronization stop position along a merge conveyor from the feed station to the sorting conveyor at a relatively constant mail infeed speed;
• decelerating the mailpiece as the mailpiece approaches the stop position using a relatively constant deceleration rate along a predetermined deceleration line of a speed versus time profile from the relatively constant mail infeed speed toward the stop position;
• receiving a send signal from the mail sorting conveyor;
• where the mailpiece has reached the stop position upon receipt of the send signal, accelerating the mailpiece at a relatively constant acceleration rate substantially equal to the substantially constant deceleration rate from the stop position to the relatively constant mail infeed speed along a pre-determined acceleration line of the speed versus time profile;
• where the mailpiece has not reached the stop position upon receipt of the send signal, but has begun to decelerate toward the stop position, maintaining the speed of the mailpiece at a constant mail holding speed until the mailpiece's speed intersects the acceleration line and then accelerating the mailpiece at a relatively constant acceleration rate from the intersection point to the relatively constant mail infeed speed along the pre-determined acceleration line;
• and
• merging the mailpiece with the designated mailpiece position on the mail sorting conveyor.