Configuration for closing envelopes

Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor – Envelope sealing type

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C156S578000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06322663

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a configuration for closing envelopes in a mail-processing system once the glued edges of the envelope flaps have been moistened.
Mail-processing systems usually contain a letter/envelope-separating apparatus, in which the letters/envelopes are positioned in a stackwise manner, separated and closed as required. Downstream of this a franking and/or addressing machine with optional weighing scales, and a depositing apparatus are disposed (see German Geschmacksmuster DE 96 09 167.3 in the German Patent Office Design Journal dated 24.05.1997, Part 1a, goods class 18/02). The configuration according to the invention serves for reliably closing envelopes which run through such mail-processing systems.
A franking machine with devices for moistening the glued closing edges of the flaps of envelopes and then for closing the same is known, see Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 23 24 182 A1. The moistening apparatus for this essentially contains a water tank and a supporting arm along with a wick.
The envelopes are stacked such that the flaps are open. The flaps are turned against the envelopes by devices that are not described in any more detail. The envelopes rest flat on a table and are transported along the moistening apparatus by a transporting belt, which projects some way through a longitudinal slot in the table. In this case, the flaps of the envelopes are guided beneath the table.
The moistening apparatus is likewise disposed beneath the table, an open edge section of a supporting arm being located parallel, and transversely, to the table. The flap is pressed against the exposed section of the wick by a resiliently configured moistener casing, with the result that at least the glued closing edge is moistened as it passes.
The flap then passes through an opening in the table and, as the envelope runs through, the flap is pressed against the envelope by a pressure-exerting plate and a pressure mount feed plate, the envelope thus being sealed.
This apparatus allows only a relatively low transporting speed of horizontally located envelopes, since otherwise the capillary action from moistening the flaps is no longer sufficient. Added to this is the fact that the period of time from moistening up until the envelopes are closed is very brief. This results in the risk that the envelope glue does not begin to dissolve sufficiently in the moistening liquid and, consequently, the envelope is not reliably closed.
Meanwhile, the prior art already includes an apparatus which is intended for moistening the glued edges of the flaps of the envelopes and is the constituent part of a letter/envelope-separating apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a configuration for closing envelopes that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, in which the application area and the functional reliability are increased.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a configuration for closing envelopes in a mail-processing system, including:
an envelope-separating apparatus having a moistening apparatus for moistening a glued edge of an envelope flap of an envelope and discharging the envelope in an open state with a moistened glued edge;
a franking device disposed downstream of the envelope-separating apparatus and receiving the envelope, the franking device having pressure-exerting elements for pressing the envelope flap with the moistened glued edge partially against an envelope pocket, the pressure-exerting elements further serving for transporting the envelope; and
a closing module with a closing-roller pair disposed downstream of the franking device and receiving the envelope.
The object of the invention is to provide a configuration of the type mentioned in the introduction in the case of which the envelopes can be transported at a high transporting speed and nevertheless reliably be closed and carefully deposited in a stackwise manner without any follow-up work by hand being necessary.
Since the envelopes are moistened on the glued edges immediately after they have been separated and are only fully closed immediately before they are deposited, this ensures, despite a high transport speed, sufficient time for softening the glued edges and, consequently, a reliable closure of the envelopes.
In specific terms, the fact that the pressure-exerting elements, originally provided just for transporting purposes, are utilized for partially closing the envelopes and that the actual closing operation is carried out by a specifically configured closing module with a closing-roller pair at the end of the mail-processing system. The closing module provides, despite a high transport speed, a sufficient amount of time for the glue to soften and thus a reliable closure of the envelopes.
The configuration of a runner-like pressure-exerting lever and the mounting of the input-driven closing roller, and also the positioning of the spindles of the closing-roller pair, result in that even thick envelopes are closed without creases and folds being formed.
Moreover, the closing-roller pair also assists in depositing the envelopes in the depositing box in a functionally appropriate manner since the run-through speed of the envelopes in this region is adjusted to be at least equal to or greater than that in the printing region of the franking/addressing machine.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a configuration for closing envelopes, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4372416 (1983-02-01), Denzin et al.
patent: 4850580 (1989-07-01), Denzin
patent: 4926787 (1990-05-01), Fassman et al.
patent: 4932188 (1990-06-01), Krasuski et al.
patent: 5684706 (1997-11-01), Harman et al.
patent: 5809752 (1998-09-01), Holbrook
patent: 5949444 (1999-09-01), Geserich et al.
patent: 2 324 182 (1973-11-01), None
patent: 197 05 089 C1 (1998-03-01), None
patent: 197 11 997 A1 (1998-09-01), None
patent: 197 42 893 A1 (1999-04-01), None
patent: 0 352 693 A1 (1990-01-01), None
patent: 0 788 073 A2 (1997-08-01), None
German Design Patent M9609167.3, dated Oct. 22, 1996.

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