Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Sorting special items – and certain methods and apparatus for... – Traveling item turned to predetermined position
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-23
2001-03-06
Nguyen, Tuan N. (Department: 3653)
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Sorting special items, and certain methods and apparatus for...
Traveling item turned to predetermined position
C209S900000, C156S212000, C156S443000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196392
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of article handling and, more particularly, to the field of handling intermixed pieces of mail.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Over the years, various mail feeding, handling, and sorting systems have been developed for feeding, handling, and sorting pieces of mail. Adhesive tabs or seals have also been used to close or seal the loose edges of a paper, brochure, envelope, magazine or other articles of mail being handled or transported. The loose edge of a piece of mail, for example, is closed or sealed to allow the mail to be handled by feeding and processing machinery and to provide a degree of confidential nature to the closed or sealed mail. Increasing the speed and accuracy of placement of these tabs, however, has become more important as mail quantities increase, as labor becomes more expensive, and as more and improved automation is desired.
In order to provide significant improvements in the speed and efficiency in placing of these tabs, systems were developed for aligning and tabbing mail. An example of such a system can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,366 by Bell titled “Aligning And Tabbing Method And Apparatus.” This patent is also assigned to the same assignee of the present application. This patent describes an apparatus which rotates an article 90 degrees to be aligned properly to receive tabs.
Mail, however, can vary significantly in thicknesses, material substrates, e.g., coated or slick stock, recycled paper, bond stock, newsprint, and booklets, widths, and lengths. Tabbing or sealing such a variety of or intermixed pieces of mail can be difficult. Accordingly, there still exists a need for a method and system for a more efficient and quicker method and apparatus for selectively feeding and tabbing intermixed pieces of mail and still having some assurance that a selected edge thereof will be quickly and efficiently tabbed or sealed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing background, the present invention advantageously provides a method and apparatus for quickly and efficiently tabbing or sealing a selected edge of intermixed pieces of mail. The present invention also advantageously provides a method and apparatus for feeding, aligning, and tabbing intermixed pieces of mail having a plurality of different widths, lengths, and thicknesses.
More particularly, the present invention provides a method of feeding and tabbing intermixed pieces of mail which preferably includes positioning a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail having a plurality of different widths, lengths, and thicknesses so that each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail has a commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed. The commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed is preferably defined as an edge or side being generally perpendicular to the address of the piece of mail or when reading the address of the piece of mail. Each piece of mail is also preferably positioned so as to have a common orientation with respect to a predetermined path of travel. The method also includes positioning at least one tab on each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail.
Another method of feeding and tabbing intermixed pieces of mail according to the present invention preferably includes providing a feeder for feeding a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail downstream and positioning a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail having a plurality of different widths, lengths, and thicknesses in the feeder so that each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail has a commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed. The method also preferably includes positioning a tabber downstream from the feeder and directly aligned with and adjacent the commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed. The method further preferably includes conveying the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail downstream to the tabber without rotating each of the plurality of pieces of mail and positioning at least one tab on each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail being conveyed.
Yet another method of feeding and tabbing intermixed pieces of mail according to the present invention preferably includes providing a feeder for feeding a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail downstream and positioning a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail having a plurality of different widths, lengths, and thicknesses in the feeder so that each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail has a commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed. The positioning of the plurality of intermixed pieces preferably includes aligning each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail so that the lead edge or side of each piece of mail being fed downstream comprises the commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed. The method also preferably includes positioning at least one tab on each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail.
A further method of feeding and tabbing intermixed pieces of mail according to the present invention preferably includes providing a feeder for feeding a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail downstream and positioning a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail having a plurality of different widths, lengths, and thicknesses in the feeder so that each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail has a commonly-oriented, unsealed edge to be tabbed. The commonly-oriented, unsealed edge to be tabbed is preferably defined as either the right side or the left side of a piece of mail, e.g., generally perpendicular to the address orientation when reading the address of the piece of mail. The positioning of the plurality of intermixed pieces preferably includes aligning each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail so that the lead edge being fed downstream comprises the commonly-oriented, unsealed edge to be tabbed. The method also preferably includes conveying each of the plurality of intermixed and aligned pieces of mail downstream and positioning at least one tab on each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail.
The present invention also provides an apparatus for feeding and tabbing intermixed pieces of mail. The apparatus preferably includes intermixed mail feeding means for feeding a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail having a plurality of different widths, lengths, and thicknesses so that each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail has a commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed. The commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed is preferably defined as being generally perpendicular to the address of the piece of mail or when reading the address of the piece of mail. The apparatus also includes tabbing means positioned downstream from the feeding means and directly aligned with and adjacent the commonly-oriented edge to be tabbed for positioning at least one tab on each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail. The apparatus can further include conveying means positioned downstream from the feeding means for conveying the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail directly to the tabbing means without rotation of each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail.
The present invention also advantageously includes a method of tabbing a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail. The method preferably includes sensing the length of each edge to be tabbed of a plurality of intermixed pieces of mail. The intermixed pieces of mail preferably have at least a plurality of lengths and widths. The method also includes locating at least one predetermined region of each edge to be tabbed of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail responsive to the length thereof and positioning at least one tab onto each of the plurality of intermixed pieces of mail at the at least one predetermined region.
The apparatus and method advantageously enhance the speed and efficiency of mail flowing downstream or through mail handling or sorting operation such as associated with postal services. The feeding and tabbing according to the method of the present invention, for example, can seal mail on the leading edge or side for ease of handling or sorting with other automated mail handling or sorting equipment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2145334 (19
Barber Daniel Wayne
Lopez Steven Wynn
Allen Dyer Doppelt Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A.
Nguyen Tuan N.
Profold, Inc.
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