Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Sorting special items – and certain methods and apparatus for... – Condition responsive means controls separating means
Patent
1995-01-24
1998-03-17
Nguyen, Tuan
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Sorting special items, and certain methods and apparatus for...
Condition responsive means controls separating means
209577, 209604, 209900, 271263, 27126504, B07C 512
Patent
active
057276927
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for checking an envelope for contents.
Many large commercial and government organizations have mail receiving departments which process large volumes of mailing envelopes. The envelopes are often opened automatically and held while the contents are manually removed. The waste envelope is then discarded. It is often desirable to check that the envelope has been properly emptied and that no residual contents remain in the discarded envelope. This process is known as "candling". Some previous candling processes have used optical detectors to measure the envelope opacity, it generally being the case that contents in an envelope increase the envelope opacity. However, these techniques have proved to be unreliable since the opacity of a particular envelope depends not only on the presence of contents, but also on the presence of printing and the fibre density of the envelope paper. A particular case is that of envelopes made of recycled paper, which may be almost opaque in the visible and near infra-red optical spectrum.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of checking an envelope for contents, the method comprising the steps of: envelope; of the envelope from said measured thickness; and, with the determined material thickness, or the multiple of the thickness, of the envelope and determining on the basis of such comparison whether or not the envelope has contents therein.
It has been found that the thickness of the material of envelopes is extremely well controlled by paper manufacturers (which opacity is not) and the present invention takes advantage of this in measuring the envelope thickness. As well as looking for paper contents (such as cheques) remaining in an envelope, the present invention may be used to check for envelopes containing staples, pins, badges, or other similar relatively thin objects.
A mechanical thickness gauge may be used to measure the thickness of the envelope. The mechanical thickness gauge may include a single roller. Alternatively, in some circumstances, it may be preferable to use a plurality of rollers, for example, three rollers. In either case each roller may be supported to pivot about a pivot point, the thickness of the envelope being measured by monitoring pivotable movement of the roller as it passes over the envelope. Pivotal movement of the roller may be monitored by optical means. Other thickness gauges and monitoring means are described in more detail below.
A non-contact method may be used for measuring the thickness of the envelope.
The length of the "envelope" may be measured. This allows items which are clearly too large or too small to be envelopes to be rejected.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for checking an envelope for contents, the apparatus comprising: along the envelope; material of the envelope from said measured thicknesses; and, determined material thickness, or the multiple of the thickness, of the envelope and determining on the basis of such comparison whether or not the envelope has contents therein.
The thickness measuring means may comprise a mechanical thickness gauge. The mechanical thickness gauge may include a single roller. Alternatively, the mechanical thickness gauge may include a plurality of rollers. Three rollers may be used.
The apparatus may comprise means for transporting envelopes through the thickness measuring means.
Where one or more rollers is used as the thickness measuring gauge, the single roller or each roller may be pivotably mounted on a support. The roller or rollers ride over the envelope, pivoting up and down according to varying thickness of the envelope.
Where one or more rollers is pivotally mounted on a support, an optical detector may be provided for monitoring pivotal movement of the roller or rollers. Other thickness gauges and monitoring means are described in more detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR
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Anderson David Russell
Large Timothy Andrew
Nguyen Tuan
Stielow GmbH & Co.
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