Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-24
2004-02-03
Mackey, Patrick (Department: 3651)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S223000, C700S228000, C271S272000, C271S003200, C271S265020, C271S189000, C270S058020, C270S052090
Reexamination Certificate
active
06687569
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a buffer transport module in a high speed mass mail processing and inserting system. The buffer transport provides a staging area for transferring asynchronously produced accumulations of documents generated by the inserter input subsystem to the synchronous transport of the inserter chassis. The buffer transport further provides “parking spots” for accumulations of documents that are already in the process of creation when downstream modules stop.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Inserter systems, such as those applicable for use with the present invention, are typically used by organizations such as banks, insurance companies and utility companies for producing a large volume of specific mailings where the contents of each mail item are directed to a particular addressee. Also, other organizations, such as direct mailers, use inserts for producing a large volume of generic mailings where the contents of each mail item are substantially identical for each addressee. Examples of such inserter systems are the 8 series, 9 series, and Advanced Productivity System (APS™) inserter systems available from Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford Conn.
In many respects, the typical inserter system resembles a manufacturing assembly line. Sheets and other raw materials (other sheets, enclosures, and envelopes) enter the inserter system as inputs. Then, a plurality of different modules or workstations in the inserter system work cooperatively to process the sheets until a finished mail piece is produced. The exact configuration of each inserter system depends upon the needs of each particular customer or installation.
Typically, inserter systems prepare mail pieces by gathering collations of documents on a conveyor. The collations are then transported on the conveyor to an insertion station where they are automatically stuffed into envelopes. After being stuffed with the collations, the envelopes are removed from the insertion station for further processing. Such further processing may include automated closing and sealing the envelope flap, weighing the envelope, applying postage to the envelope, and finally sorting and stacking the envelopes.
The input stages of a typical inserter system are depicted in FIG.
1
. At the input end of the inserter system, rolls or stacks of continuous printed documents, called a “web,” are fed into the inserter system by a web feeder
10
. The continuous web must be separated into individual document pages. This separation is typically carried out by a web cutter
20
that cuts the continuous web into individual document pages. Downstream of the web cutter
20
, a right angle turn
30
may be used to reorient the documents, and/or to meet the inserter user's floor space requirements.
The separated documents must subsequently be grouped into collations corresponding to the multi-page documents to be included in individual mail pieces. This gathering of related document pages occurs in the accumulator module
40
where individual pages are stacked on top of one another.
The control system for the inserter senses markings on the individual pages to determine what pages are to be collated together in the accumulator module
40
. In a typical inserter application, mail pieces may include varying number of pages to be accumulated. For example, the phone bill for a person who lives by himself may be much shorter than the another phone bill representing calls made by a large family. It is this variation in the number of pages to be accumulated that makes the output of the accumulator
40
asynchronous, that is, not necessarily occurring at regular time intervals.
Downstream of the accumulator
40
, a folder
50
typically folds the accumulation of documents, so that they will fit in the desired envelopes. To allow the same inserter system to be used with different sized mailings, the folder
50
can typically be adjusted to make different sized folds on different sized paper. As a result, an inserter system must be capable of handling different lengths of accumulated and folded documents.
Downstream of the folder
50
, a buffer transport
60
transports and stores accumulated and folded documents in series in preparation for transferring the documents to the synchronous inserter chassis
70
. By lining up a back-log of documents in the buffer
60
, the asynchronous nature of the upstream accumulator
40
will have less impact on the synchronous inserter chassis
70
. For example, if a particularly long phone bill were being formed in the accumulator
40
, a larger than normal gap might form with the preceding document. However, this gap will not have an affect on synchronous placement of documents on the chassis
70
because the buffer
60
preferably includes enough documents that the longer document can “catch up” before its turn to be placed on the synchronous chassis
70
.
Another important function of the buffer
60
is its ability to “park” document accumulations when the chassis
70
is stopped, or otherwise unable to accept documents. When the chassis
70
must be stopped, for example as a result of a jam, a signal is typically sent to the web feeder
10
and web cutter
20
to cease operating. However, pages that are already in the process of being cut, or that are in the right angle turn
30
, or in the folder
50
, need a place to come to rest. Such components in the inserter input stage run all the time, and do not have the capability of halting part-way through their processes.
The accumulator
40
typically provides one or two parking spots, or stopping stations, for such documents that are “in progress.” However, documents in the. accumulator
40
may have to be sent downstream to make room for further “in progress” documents from upstream. When the chassis
70
is stopped, there must be at least enough stopping stations in the buffer
60
and accumulator
40
to accept all of the “in progress” documents and pages. In particular, when the mail pieces are comprised of shorter numbers of pages, more stopping stations may be needed because more document accumulations result from the same number of pages being cut.
Accordingly, it is desirable that the buffer
60
be designed to include enough stopping stations to satisfy the parameters of the accumulation lengths and page counts as required by the inserter user.
In the prior art buffer depicted in
FIG. 2
, six stopping stations are provided over a forty-two inch buffer length. The space within each stopping station being seven inches. Each of the prior art stopping stations,
1
,
2
,
3
,
4
,
5
, and
6
, includes a roller nip
14
. When a document accumulation must stop at a stopping station, the respective roller nip
14
is stopped. When it is time for a document accumulation to move to the next stopping station, the respective roller nip
14
drives the accumulation downstream.
The seven inch spacing between roller nips
14
is longer than the typical document accumulation to be transported. Accordingly, a mechanism for moving accumulations between roller nips
14
is provided. This mechanism is comprised of o-ring belts
13
that are driven around the length of the buffer transport system by rollers
12
. These o-ring belts
13
and rollers
12
run continuously and provide for transportation of accumulations between roller nips
14
at different stopping stations. The o-ring belts
13
continue to run even when one or more of the stopping stations and respective roller nips
14
are stopped. When an accumulation is stopped at the roller nips
14
, the o-ring belts
13
slip over and under the accumulations. Accordingly, the tension of the o-ring belts
13
is light, and the surfaces in contact with the accumulations have low friction. As such, rollers
12
and belts
13
are incapable of implementing any control over the stopping and starting of movement of documents in the buffer. Rather, control of the relative movement of documents within the buffer is provided by the roller nips
14
.
The roller nips
14
are controlled in accordance with predeter
Masotta John R.
Skinger Gregory P.
Sussmeier John W.
Wright William J.
Chaclas Angelo N.
Cummings Michael J.
Mackey Patrick
Malandra, Jr. Charles R.
Pitney Dowes Inc.
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