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US 9,527,114 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for opening and sorting envelopes
AssigneeOPX Corporation
InventorsDavid R Helmlinger, Robert DeWitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for processing mail by severing an edge of each envelope in a stack of mail. The apparatus includes an input bin for receiving a stack of mail. A feeder feeds the bottom envelope from the input bin to a transport that conveys the envelope along an envelope path. A cutter positioned along the envelope path severs one edge of the envelopes. A detector detects a characteristic of the envelope and a sorter sorts the envelope in response to the detected characteristic.
Claims12
An apparatus for opening envelopes, comprising:
- an input bin for receiving a stack of envelopes;
- a transport for conveying the envelopes along an envelope path;
- a sensor for detecting the height of an envelope while the transport conveys the envelope in a face down orientation
- a cutter positioned along the envelope path operable to sever an edge of the envelope wherein the cutter is positioned adjacent the sensor so that the cutter cuts the envelope while the sensor detects the height of the envelope;
- a gate moveable between a first position and a second position to direct the envelope toward a first area or a second area after the cutter severs an edge of the envelope;
- a controller operable to control the gate in response to the height of the envelope detected by the sensor.
3 more elements
An apparatus for opening envelopes, comprising:
- a transport for conveying a batch of envelopes along an envelope path, wherein the transport comprises a base;
- a cutter positioned along the envelope path operable to sever an edge of an envelope;
- a printer operable to print on the envelope as the transport conveys the envelope along the envelope path in a face down orientation, wherein the printer is spaced from the base to create a gap;
- and
- a deflector positioned on the base in the gap to deflect the envelope upwardly toward the printer, wherein the deflector comprises a resiliently deformable leg so that the deflector partially collapses when the envelope is conveyed over the deflector.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.