System for high-speed automatic weighing of items in a mail stream
OwnerK. George Rabindraninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for weighing mail pieces being advanced across a transport path including a weighing module having load cells, an in-feed drive module and a takeaway module. The scale platform is mounted independently of the in-feed drive module and the takeaway module, and the scale platform comprises an uninterrupted mail piece support surface. A control system is provided that acquires a mail piece weight signal when the lead edge of a mail piece reaches a sensor at the exit of the weighing module. Sensors also calculate the velocity of a mail piece as it leaves the weighing module, whereby speed of each mail piece is accelerated to its original speed and position in the mail transport path. Mail weighing throughput rates of up to 10 mail pieces per second are achieved.
Claims12
An apparatus for weighing mail pieces being advanced across a transport path comprising:
- a) a weighing module including a scale platform and load cells adapted to receive the advancing mail pieces, the load cells generating an electrical signal providing an indication of the weight of each mail piece on the scale platform;
- b) an in-feed drive module adapted to deliver advancing mail pieces to the scale platform;
- c) a takeaway module adapted to receive the advancing mail pieces as they leave the weighing module;
- d) the scale platform mounted independently of the in-feed module and the takeaway module, the scale platform adapted to receive advancing mail pieces at a first end of the platform, and to allow advancing mail pieces to leave the platform at a second end of the platform, the platform having an uninterrupted mail piece support surface between said first and second ends;
- e) the uninterrupted mail piece support surface lined with a low-friction material.
An apparatus for weighing mail pieces being advanced across a transport path comprising:
- a) a weighing module including a scale platform and load cells adapted to receive the advancing mail pieces, the load cells generating an electrical signal providing an indication of the weight of each mail piece on the scale platform;
- b) an in-feed drive module adapted to deliver advancing mail pieces to the scale platform;
- c) a takeaway module adapted to receive the advancing mail pieces as they leave the weighing module;
- d) the scale platform mounted independently of the in-feed module and the takeaway module;
- e) the scale platform removably mounted on three load cells with button magnets inserted between each load cell and the scale platform to enable the removable mounting of the scale platform on the load cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.