Envelope feeder with selective suction cup assist

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016244286-A1
Application number	US-201615040015-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 10, 2016
Priority date	Feb 20, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The novel solution provides a method for feeding of individual envelopes from a stack of envelopes in a hopper for an inserter machine. At the downstream end of the hopper, a friction feeder serially feeds individual envelopes from the stack. A suction cup is selectively actuated to engage with the envelope to pull a leading portion of the envelope away from the stack to assist the friction feeder in feeding envelopes. Selective actuation is based on monitoring downstream movement of fed envelopes. The suction cup is engaged when the envelopes travel a shorter distance than would be expected based on the movement of the feeder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for feeding of individual envelopes from a stack, the method comprising:
stacking envelopes in a hopper, the hopper having an upstream end and a downstream end; at the downstream end of the hopper, serially feeding individual envelopes from the stack using a friction feeder; selectively actuating a suction cup to engage with the envelope to pull a leading portion of the envelope away from the stack to assist the friction feeder in feeding envelopes.

2 . The method of claim 1 further including removing vacuum from the suction cup in order to release the envelope for further feeding by the friction feeder.

3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selective actuation is based on monitoring downstream movement of fed envelopes, and wherein the suction cup is engaged when the envelopes travel a shorter distance than would be expected based on the movement of the feeder.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the suction cup is engaged when envelopes fail to travel a distance set as a predetermined threshold.

5 . The method If claim 4 wherein the suction cup is engaged for a predetermined number of subsequent envelopes after the predetermined threshold is not met.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selective actuation is based on monitoring downstream movement of fed envelopes, and wherein the suction cup is engaged when a measured distance of movement by the feeder for the envelope to reach a particular downstream location is greater a predetermined nominal distance.

7 . An apparatus for feeding of individual envelopes from a stack, the apparatus comprising:
a hopper for holding a stack of envelopes, the hopper having an upstream end and a downstream end; a friction feeder at the downstream end of the hopper, serially feeding individual envelopes from the stack; a suction cup mechanism that is selectively actuatatable to engage with the envelope to pull a leading portion of the envelope away from the stack to assist the friction feeder in feeding envelopes.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the suction cup mechanism includes a valve for removing vacuum from the suction cup in order to release the envelope for further feeding by the friction feeder.

9 . The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the friction feeder includes an encoder for measuring a distance that a fed envelope has nominally been transported, and an optical sensor that detects an actual position of the envelope at a particular point downstream, and wherein the suction cup is configured to engage when the envelopes travel a shorter measured distance than would be expected based on the movement of the feeder measured by the encoder.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the suction cup is configured to engage when envelopes fail to travel a distance set as a predetermined threshold, based on the comparison of the actual distance traveled compared to the distance expected for travel based on the feeder encoder.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the suction cup is configured to engage for a predetermined number of subsequent envelopes after the predetermined threshold is not met.

12 . The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the friction feeder includes an encoder for measuring a distance that a fed envelope has nominally been transported, and an optical sensor that detects an actual position of the fed envelope at a particular point downstream, and wherein the suction cup is configured to engage when a measured distance of movement by the encoder for the envelope to reach the optical sensor is greater a predetermined nominal distance.

Assignees

• Pitney Bowes Inc

Inventors

• Padros Xavier
• Rozenfeld Boris
• Swinford Brad A

Classifications

• B65H2701/1916

  Envelopes and articles of mail · CPC title

• B65H5/062

  between rollers or balls · CPC title

• B65H5/222 Primary

  by suction devices · CPC title

• B65H3/047

  separating from the top of a pile · CPC title

• B65H2601/12

  Compensating; Taking-up · CPC title