Sheet feeding or delivering – Feeding – Pack holders
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-20
2003-12-16
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Sheet feeding or delivering
Feeding
Pack holders
C271S157000, C221S197000, C206S499000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06663100
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices that feed envelopes and other sheet-like material from stacks.
2. Background Information
Current estimates place the number of envelopes used annually in the United States at over 100 billion. A significant percentage of these envelopes are used in connection with bulk mailings, and are accordingly filled, addressed and processed by a variety of automated machines. A lynchpin of all automated processes is the automatic envelope inserter. Automatic inserters are large, complex machines that are loaded with contents to be inserted (e.g., individual letter sheets and/or fillers) and envelopes in which these contents are to be inserted. Other machines such as binders, that bind inserts together (into a books, catalogs, newspapers or magazines), presses that apply logos and decoration, addressing machines, and a variety of other machines are also used selectively to process individual sheet-like materials in bulk mailing and other processes. These various devices can be termed generally “utilization devices” as they utilize sheet-like materials that are typically dispensed in stacks.
FIG. 1
shows a high-volume envelope inserter used by industry. The exemplary inserter
100
is a large, modular unit that combines various contents stored in hoppers (not shown) in the rear
102
of the machine and that directs the contents (arrows
104
and
106
) onto a raceway
108
downstream (arrow
110
) toward a stack of envelopes
112
. At each point along the raceway, additional insert sheets are added to the contents. These contents may be folded, or otherwise compacted, to fit within the selected envelope by mechanism within the inserter. Envelopes are drawn from the stack
112
, and directed downstream (arrow
114
) to a inserting station
116
at which the closed-but-unsealed envelope flaps
118
are opened so that the final contents
120
(shown in phantom for clarity) can be inserted thereinto. The filled envelopes
112
are then transferred further downstream (arrow
124
) to a stacking position or further-processing module (not shown).
Industrial inserters are available from a variety of well-known companies including Bell & Howell and Pitney Bowes. One example is the Bell & Howell Imperial™. With reference to the envelope stack
112
, the stacking location or “feed station”
130
consists of a series of upright guide rails
132
,
134
that, respectively, contain the four opposing sides of each envelope in the stack. In most commercially available machines, the envelope stack, as well as the hoppers (not shown) for the insert contents, are open at the top and exposed for easy access. This is, in part, because inserters typically consume envelopes in the range of 3000-25000 pieces per hour. Conversely, the contents hopper and envelope feed station only have capacity for a stack of approximately 300-400 pieces. As such, the various stations of the inserted must be constantly monitored and reloaded by one or more individual operators.
With further reference to
FIG. 2
, the cycle of feed station loading is more-clearly illustrated. A stack of a few hundred blank or pre-printed envelopes
142
is removed from a box
140
of one thousand. The box may be accessed through a top that exposes the envelopes on-edge as shown, or through another opening. In any case, a grouping
150
is lifted manually from the box
140
, often bounced one or more times against a flat surface in an attempt to ensure registration, and then deposited (arrow
152
) to the feed station
130
onto the stack
112
. The envelopes are then drawn out of the stack
112
one at a time using any one of a number of singulating feed techniques. In the exemplary feed station, friction feed rollers
156
,
158
and
160
operate in conjunction with a non-rotating gate wheel
162
to singulate and feed envelopes downstream to the insertion location from the stack bottom. Pushers, vacuum belts and sliding tables are also used to singulate envelopes and/or contents according to alternate arrangements.
The above-described stack-loading technique, in which small discrete bundles are transferred from the box to the feed station, can give rise to may different (often recurring) failures. For example, repetitive loading of relatively small bundles of envelopes increases the possibility of a feed failure for a given envelope from the stack based upon the sudden application of significant force to the stack bottom as envelopes are dropped into the feed station. This is an ongoing concern as stacks are typically fed from their bottoms against the entire overlying weight/friction of the remaining stack. In addition, it is critical that envelopes be loaded in only one orientation every time. In other words, flaps must generally be placed face-up, and in a specific direction. Nevertheless, there are at least four different possible orientations in which rectangular envelopes can be loaded into the stack—of which three out of the four orientations are incorrect. Given the continuous and repetitive nature of the loading process, it is not uncommon for an operator to miss-load envelopes fairly regularly. Moreover, the stack orientation of envelopes required by the inserter may be geometrically reversed from that in which the envelopes are removed from the box. This means that the operator must often rotate, flip over, or otherwise reorient the envelopes each time they are loaded. Over a period of time, the repetitive lifting of a heavy stack of envelopes and constant reorienting of this time can fatigue the operator and cause progressive orthopedic injuries. In fact, the related motions involve slitting open a continuous progression of envelope boxes with sharp blades to remove the contents further exasterbates fatigue and possible injury. Finally, the simple monotony of constantly and repeatedly reloading of relatively small bundles of envelopes into an open hopper seems an unavoidable but equally undesirable byproduct of inserter operation.
Prior proposals for increasing the efficiency of envelope and contents stack-loading have included the feeding of envelopes or insert pieces from large bound rolls, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,350 to Crowley. Alternatively, the feeding of envelopes from large, palletized balk cassettes has been suggested according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,185 to Krantz. However, while these techniques show promise, they require owners of inserting machines to make a large investment to retool the existing install base of machines, which may unacceptably increase production costs thereby straining fragile profit margins. In addition, these techniques may prevent the equipment from being easily returned to conventional bundle-feeding when needed (such as when a small custom job is desired).
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an system and method for providing a large stack of sheet-like materials, such as envelopes, to a utilization device that reduces the number of stack-loading cycles required by the operator and essentially eliminates direct operator contact with discrete bundles of the materials. This system and method should also reduce the amount of effort spent by an operator in preparing a material supply container (box of envelopes) for use, and should increase the stack capacity of existing utilization devices without requiring substantial refit or retooling or the devices' feeding components. This system and method should also preferably allow material supply containers to be easily reused with minimal repair or refit. The containers should be collapsible into easily stored and transported shapes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a system and method for storing and dispensing stacks of sheet-like materials using a container that encloses a large number of stacked, sheet-like materials (such as envelopes) having a common predetermined orientation within the container. The container is arranged with a release mechanism at a di
Bower Kenneth W
Cesari and McKenna LLP
Crowley H. W.
Loginov William A.
Walsh Donald P.
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