Method and apparatus for processing envelopes containing contents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077405-B2
Application number	US-202017103300-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2020
Priority date	May 7, 2010
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing mail is provided. A feeder serially feeds envelope from a stack of mail. Two cutters at a cutting station cuts one or two edges of the envelopes. As the envelopes travel from the feeder to the cutters the envelope is jogged on two edges to justify the contents with the envelopes. Additionally, an improved feeder is provided to reduce the number of jams created when feeding the envelopes from the stack.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for feeding envelopes containing contents, comprising the steps of:
stacking a plurality of envelopes containing contents in an input bin to form a stack of envelopes in which the envelopes are in a generally vertical orientation;
displacing the stack toward a feeder;
sensing a pressure of the stack against the feeder;
driving the feeder to attempt to feed an envelope from the stack;
detecting whether the feeder fed the envelope from the stack;
driving the stack toward the feeder a second time to attempt to feed the envelope in response to sensing that the pressure of the stack against the feeder is within a predetermined range and in response to detecting that the feeder did not feed the envelope from the stack during the step of driving the feeder;
driving the stack away from the feeder after the step of driving the stack toward the feeder a second time, wherein the step of driving the stack away from the feeder is in response to sensing that the pressure of the stack against the feeder is within a predetermined range;
driving the feeder to attempt to feed the envelope or another one of the envelopes after the step of driving the stack away from the feeder.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of driving the feeder away from the feeder a second time after the step of driving the feeder to attempt to feed the envelope or another one of the envelopes after the step of driving the stack away from the feeder.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the method of driving the feeder away from the feeder a second time is in response to sensing that the pressure of the stack against the feeder is within a predetermined range and in response to detecting that the feeder did not feed or another one of the envelopes from the stack.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of detecting the vertical angle of the front of the stack of envelopes, and controlling one or more of the steps of driving the stack in response to the detected vertical angle.

Assignees

• Opex Corp

Inventors

• Allen John
• Dewitt Robert R
• Valinsky Joseph

Classifications

• B65H5/00

  Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines ({B65H9/00 takes precedence; } identical mechanisms or parts for delivering or advancing articles from machines B65H29/00; recirculating articles B65H85/00 {, G03B27/6257}) · CPC title

• B65H7/06

  responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed (B65H7/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H2515/34

  Pressure, e.g. fluid pressure · CPC title

• B43M7/02 Primary

  Devices for both opening envelopes and removing contents · CPC title

• B43M7/005 Primary

  with at least two cutting discs · CPC title