US 6,718,740 B2Granted

Inserting apparatus and method with controlled, master cycle speed-dependent actuator operations

AssigneeBell & Howell Mail and Messaging Technologies Company

InventorsJames R. Rivenbark, Keith A. Harshman, Frank J. Shinn, Bradford D. Henry, Steve W. McCay

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Abstract

In an inserting apparatus and method such as the continuous motion type, a motion controller electrically communicates with an encoder, a first motor driving an insert conveyor assembly, a second motor driving an envelope conveyor assembly, and an actuator operatively interfaced with a peripheral device. The motion controller controls insert conveyor assembly speed, envelope conveyor assembly speed, and the rotational position at which the actuator should be activated, based on the encoder signal. Once during every master cycle, the motion controller calculates the actuator activation position, and causes the first actuator to be activated at the calculated first actuator activation position.

Claims30

Dependent claims

An inserting apparatus operable over a range of master cycle speeds comprising:

(a) a master drive assembly operative over a master cycle and at variable master cycle speeds;
(b) an encoder operatively coupled to the master drive assembly and adapted to produce an encoder signal indicative of a current master cycle speed at which the master drive assembly is operating;
(c) an insert conveyor assembly driven by a first motor at a variable insert conveyor speed;
(d) an envelope conveyor assembly driven by a second motor at a variable envelope conveyor speed;
(e) a first actuator having a substantially constant activation time lag and disposed in actuating communication with a first peripheral device;
and
(f) a motion controller for controlling the insert conveyor assembly speed, the envelope conveyor assembly speed and an activation position of the first actuator based on the encoder signal, the motion controller electrically communicating with the encoder, the first motor, the second motor and the first actuator, wherein, at least once during every master cycle, the motion controller calculates the first actuator activation position and causes the first actuator to be activated at the calculated first actuator activation position.

4 more elements

An inserting apparatus operable over a range of master cycles speeds comprising:

(a) a master drive assembly operative over a master cycle and at variable master cycle speeds;
(b) an encoder operatively coupled to the master drive assembly and adapted to produce an encoder signal indicative of a current master cycle speed at which the master drive assembly is operating;
(c) an insert conveyor assembly driven by a first motor at a variable insert conveyor speed;
(d) an envelope conveyor assembly driven by a second motor at a variable envelope conveyor speed;
(e) a first actuator having a substantially constant activation time lag and disposed in actuating communication with a first peripheral device;
and
(f) a motion controller for controlling the insert conveyor assembly speed, the envelope conveyor assembly speed and an activation position of the first actuator based on the encoder signal, the motion controller electrically communicating with the encoder, the first motor, the second motor and the first actuator;
and
(g) a computer program product operatively associated with the motion controller, the computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps including calculating, at least once during every master cycle, the first actuator activation position and causing the first actuator to be activated at the calculated first actuator activation position.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.