Sheet feeding or delivering – Delivering – To receiver for pack of sheets
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-03
2001-06-26
Brahan, Thomas J. (Department: 3652)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Delivering
To receiver for pack of sheets
C212S177000, C212S201000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250629
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to stacking systems and methods, and more particularly to systems and methods for stacking mailpieces processed by a postage meter or franking machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Use of a postage meter to frank postage on mailpieces is ubiquitous. A stacking system is often used to efficiently assemble the mailpieces after they are processed by the postage meter. One such stacking system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,995, issued Apr. 1, 1997 to Nobile et al. (hereinafter “the Nobile patent”), which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Specifically, the Nobile stacking system uses a pressure pad to direct mailpieces received from the postage meter onto a set of conveyance belts in the system to cause consecutive mailpieces to be arranged in a shingled overlapped relationship. The pressure pad is also used to exert force on the mailpieces to ensure feeding contact between the mailpieces and the conveyance belts. The conveyance belts transport the shingled mailpieces toward a stacking wall against which the mailpieces are pushed upwardly to form a stack.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Although it is advantageous to use a pressure pad in a stacking system, e.g., the Nobile stacking system, to help assemble mailpieces, it has been recognized that a prior art pressure pad actually causes problems in certain applications. One such problem arises when the prior art pressure pad is used in a stacking system collecting mailpieces that include window enveloped mailpieces, hereinafter simply referred to as “window envelopes.” In particular, in assembling a stream of mailpieces, the prior art pressure pad deflects each mailpiece at such a sharp angle that its leading edge would land on the window part of any window envelope preceding the mailpiece. Consequently, the mailpiece gets caught by an edge of the window of the window envelope as the mailpiece and the window envelope are being pushed against the stacking wall. The mailpiece that gets caught invariably causes a congestion in the midstream of the mailpieces to be assembled, resulting in a disheveled pile at best. A prolonged congestion causes spilling of the succeeding mailpieces over the stacking system. Some of the mailpieces may even be deflected at the congestion off the stacking system, especially when the stacking system operates at a high speed. Disadvantageously, using the stacking system with the prior art pressure pad, the mailpieces to be assembled may get lost because of the spillover and/or deflection.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, the length of a pressure pad is selected such that the end thereof extends past the leading window edge of a deflected window envelope as it lands on the conveyance belts. As such, the leading edge of a succeeding mailpiece deflected by the pressure pad would land beyond the leading window edge of the window envelope, thereby effectively averting any unwanted congestion described above.
Another problem with the prior art pressure pad is that it causes mailpieces to be unevenly distributed by the conveyance belts. This problem stems from the fact that the prior art pressure pad comes in contact with the mailpieces on the conveyance belts too soon, before the last mailpiece deflected by the pressure pad fully settles on the conveyance belts.
Thus, in accordance with an aspect of the invention, a friction causing connector, e.g., a washer having coarse surfaces, is applied to the connection of the pressure pad to the stacking system for delaying the pressure pad from contacting the mailpieces until after the last deflected mailpiece fully settles on the conveyance belts.
It has also been recognized that a mailpiece stacking system, when used with a postage meter, normally needs to be manually attached to a mailing machine incorporating the postage meter. Such an attachment needs to be simple and convenient, without having to lift the mailing machine, which is significantly heavy. At the same time, the attachment needs to afford proper alignment of the stacking system with the mailing machine to allow efficient feeding of mailpieces from the mailing machine to the stacking system. In addition, such an alignment needs to withstand vibrations caused by the operation of the stacking system and the mailing machine.
Thus, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, a connector is provided underneath the stacking system for attaching it to the mailing machine. The connector, e.g., a hook having a C-shaped opening, is used to slidably and snugly hook onto a support knob on the underside of the mailing machine through the opening. Advantageously, using the inventive arrangement, the stacking system can be attached to, and thereby aligned with, the mailing machine on the same support surface without having to lift the mailing machine. Because of the tight fit of the hook onto the support knob, the risk of the stacking system and the mailing machine becoming misaligned due to vibrations occasioned by their operation is reduced.
Many mailing machines provide the option of printing out postage marked labels for putting onto bulk size mailpieces that are too large to be processed by the machines. When a prior art stacking system, e.g., the Nobile stacking system, is used with such mailing machines generating the postage marked labels, the pressure pad therein would peel the labels off their backing upon contacting the labels. Thus, it may be desirable to operate the stacking system with the pressure pad being raised when labels are generated, thereby preventing the pressure pad from contacting the labels.
Thus, in accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the pressure pad provides a catch nub for engaging with a stub shaft, mounted on the frame of the stacking system, when the pressure pad is raised to maintain its raised position. Preferably, the catch nub has a gradual angular surface such that it can be easily disengaged from the stub shaft with a mild downward force on the pressure pad. Accordingly, the pressure pad can readily be returned to the normal operative position.
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Brown Michael A.
Nobile John
Oefinger Mark M.
Ascom Hasler Mailing Systems Inc.
Brahan Thomas J.
McLaughlin James F.
Perman & Green LLP
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