US20050097867A1 - Method and apparatus for processing envelopes containing contents - Google Patents

Abstract

A mail processor and a method for processing mail is provided. The mail processor severs envelopes along one or more edges and transports the envelopes to a work desk where an operator removes contents from the envelopes. A feeder draws envelopes from the bottom of a stack of mail placed in a hopper. The envelopes are serially fed by the feeder to a cutting assembly that severs each envelope along one or more edges. A transport assembly tilts each envelope in an inclined plane and presents the tilted envelope to an operator. An extractor opens the severed faces of the envelope to expose the contents to the operator and permit the operator to remove the contents from the envelope. In one embodiment of the invention, the envelope is discharged from the extractor to a verifier that confirms that the envelope is empty prior to disposal of the envelope.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to mail processing, and more specifically to an apparatus that opens envelopes on one or more sides, presents the opened envelopes to an operator so that the operator can extract the contents from the envelopes, and discards the envelopes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Automated and semi-automated machines have been employed for processing documents such as bulk mail. Due to the large quantity of mail received by many companies, there has long been a need for efficient opening and sorting of incoming mail. Envelope opening and document sorting have become particularly important in the area of remittance processing.
• Utility companies, phone companies, and credit card companies routinely receive thousands of payment envelopes from their customers on a daily basis. Typically, a customer payment envelope contains an invoice stub and some type of customer payment, usually in the form of a bank check or money order.
• Frequently, the envelopes received in the incoming mail have varying characteristics. For instance, the height, length and thickness of the envelopes may vary. In addition, the opacity of the envelopes may vary significantly due to the differences between standard envelopes and privacy envelopes commonly used for financial documents.
• In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus and method are provided for processing mail that can accommodate a batch of mail containing envelopes having different characteristics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• In a first aspect of the present invention, a mail processor is provided which cuts open envelopes and conveys the opened envelopes to an extraction station where an operator can remove contents from the envelopes. The mail processor has a feeder that feeds envelopes from the bottom of a stack of mail placed in a hopper. The envelopes are serially fed to a cutting assembly that severs each envelope along one or more edges. The severed envelopes are sent to a transport assembly which presents each envelope to an operator. The transport assembly is operable to twist each envelope in an inclined plane and present the twisted envelope to the operator. An extractor opens the severed faces of the envelope to expose the contents to the operator and permit the operator to remove the contents from the envelope. The envelope is discharged from the extractor to a verifier that confirms that the envelope is empty and discharges the empty envelope to a waste container.
• In a second aspect of the invention, a method for processing mail is provided. An envelope is drawn from the bottom of a stack of envelopes and fed to a first cutting station where the first envelope is justified and cut along a first edge. The envelope is then transported from the first cutting station to a second cutting station where the envelope is justified and cut along a second edge. The first envelope is then transported from the second cutting station to a third cutting station where the first envelope is justified and cut along a third edge. The first envelope is discharged to a transport assembly that delivers the envelope to an operator and twists the envelope at an inclined angle so that a cut edge on the envelope faces the operator. The severed faces of the envelope are opened to facilitate removal of the contents from the envelope. The envelope is then measured to verify that the contents of the envelope are removed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The foregoing summary as well as the following description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the figures in which:
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mail processing apparatus.
• FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the apparatus ofFIG. 1, showing details of a feeder.
• FIG. 3 is an enlarge fragmentary perspective view of the feeder shown inFIG. 2.
• FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1, showing details of a cutter area.
• FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1, showing details of a transport section.
• FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of the apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1.
• FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1, showing details of an extractor.
• FIG. 8 is a side view of the extractor ofFIG. 7, showing the extractor in a closed position.
• FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a verifier of the apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• Referring to the drawing figures generally, and toFIGS. 1-4 specifically, a mail processor in accordance with the present invention is shown and designated generally as20. Themail processor20 serially feeds envelopes from a stack and severs one, two or three edges on each envelope. The edge-severed envelopes are transported to an extractor and presented one at a time to an operator seated in the front of theextractor70. The operator manually removes the contents from each envelope and sorts the contents as desired. After the contents are removed from an envelope, the envelope is advanced to averifier80, which verifies that the envelope is empty before the empty envelope is discharged into awaste container27.
• Themail processor20 has a plurality of staging areas. In each staging area, individual envelopes are processed and temporarily held before being sent to a subsequent staging area. Envelopes are passed through eight staging areas, which include: (1) afeeder30, (2) afirst cutting station40A, (3) asecond cutting station40B, (4) a third cutting station40C, (5) ajustification station50, (6) atransport assembly60, (7) anextractor70 and (8) averifier80. Thework desk21 is centrally located in proximity to all the staging areas. In this way, all of the staging areas are within the operator's reach, permitting the operator to access most areas of themail processor20 without leaving the work desk.
• Unopened envelopes are initially staged in ahopper32 that holds the envelopes in a stacked arrangement. The bottommost envelope in the stack is drawn into thefeeder30, which is configured to draw one envelope from the stack at a time. Thefeeder30 discharges the envelope to acutting assembly40 that contains thefirst cutting station40A,second cutting station40B and third cutting station40C. The envelopes pass through the cutting stations and are severed on one or more sides. The envelopes are then passed to thejustification station50 which justifies a rear edge on each envelope. Thejustification station50 discharges each envelope to thetransport assembly60 which tilts the severed envelope to an inclined position. The envelope is transported in the inclined position to theextraction area70, where the envelope is opened along the severed edge or edges to permit the operator to remove the contents from the envelope. From theextraction area70, the envelope is transported to theverifier80, which confirms that the contents of the envelope are removed. If the envelope is empty, theverifier80 discharges the envelope to thewaste container27, which is located beneath the verifier.
• Themail processor20 has acentral controller120 which controls the processing of envelopes through the various staging areas. Thecontroller120 communicates with a plurality of sensors placed in the staging areas. Each sensor monitors conditions at a staging area and sends an input signal to thecontroller120 based on those conditions. Based on the input signal from the sensor, and based on parameters set by the operator for the particular job, thecontroller120 sends an output signal back to the staging area to control operation at that location. For instance, a sensor in thesecond cutting station40B monitors the second cutting station for the presence of envelopes. When the sensor detects no envelope in thesecond cutting station40B, the sensor sends a signal to thecontroller120, and the controller responds with a signal instructing thefirst cutting station40A to discharge an envelope to the second cutting station. In the preferred embodiment, anLCD display panel112 is connected to themail processor20 in proximity to thework desk21 and displays information regarding the operating status of the mail processor.
• The staging areas are functionally separate, and thecontroller120 generally controls the operation of the staging areas independently from one another. For example, when the sensor in thesecond cutting station40B sends a signal to thecontroller120 indicating that there is no envelope in the second cutting station, the signal does not prompt the controller to send a signal to thefirst cutting station40A to send an envelope to the second cutting station, and a simultaneous signal to thefeeder30 to send an envelope to the first cutting station. Instead, thecontroller120 simply sends a signal to thefirst cutting station40A to send an envelope to thesecond cutting station40B. After the envelope is sent from thefirst cutting station40A to thesecond cutting station40B, a sensor in the first cutting station sends a signal to thecontroller120 indicating that the first cutting station is empty. Thecontroller120 then sends a signal to thefeeder30 to send an envelope to thefirst cutting station40A. The independent operation of the staging areas allows several operations to proceed simultaneously or asynchronously. In this way, if one staging area is backed up by a jam or other condition causing a stoppage, thecontroller120 continues to run other areas of themail processor20.
• Themail processor20 and its various staging areas will now be described in more detail.
• Feeder
• Referring toFIG. 2, envelopes to be processed are initially placed in thehopper32 which is configured to hold the envelopes in a stacked arrangement. Thehopper32 has arear wall33 and aside wall34 joined perpendicularly to the rear wall. Abottom wall35 is connected to therear wall33 andside wall34 to form a generally rectangular receptacle with the rear wall and theside wall34. Referring toFIG. 1, the hopper has a sloped orientation that urges the envelopes toward therear wall33 andside wall34 under the force of gravity. Therear wall33 andside wall34 are substantially flat and act as stops that justify the envelopes along a rear edge and a side edge. However, theside wall34 preferably has at least oneridge38, and preferably has a plurality of ridges projecting outwardly from the side wall. Theridges38 are configured to operate as ledges supporting the mail in the stack to reduce the weight of the stack of mail that weighs down on the envelopes in the bottom of the stack. Reducing the weight on the envelopes at the bottom of the stack reduces the likelihood of double-feeding envelopes and improves the feeding of the envelopes.
• Accordingly, theridges38 are configured so that they project outwardly a sufficient amount to support the right-hand edge of the envelopes. For instance, the ridges may project outwardly approximately ⅛-⅜″. At the same time, the ridges are preferably configured so that the envelopes do not get hung-up on the ridges, which could prevent the stack from laying down properly on the bottom of the feeder after the bottom envelopes have been fed. Therefore, preferably, theridges38 project outwardly having a flat portion, and terminating in a rounded edge. The rounded edge will limit the likelihood that the envelopes will get hung-up on theridges38. The ridges are spaced apart from one another vertically along the wall, and preferably the spacing between the bottom-most ridge and thebottom wall35 of the feeder is greater than the spacing between the ridges.
• Preferably, thehopper32 also includes anupper stop37 projecting from therear wall33 of the hopper, laterally spaced from theside wall34. Theupper stop37 limits the height of the stack of envelopes that can be placed in thehopper32. Specifically, since the upper stop is spaced from theside wall34, the upper stop limits the amount of long envelopes that can be placed in the hopper. For instance, theupper stop37 is preferably spaced apart from the side wall a distance that is slight greater than the length of a standard #10 envelope, which is approximately 9.5″. In this way, the hopper can accommodate a stack of #10 envelope that is as high as the height of therear wall33. However, for envelopes that are longer than #10 envelopes, theupper stop37 limits the height of the stack.
• Thebottom wall35 has a generally rectangular aperture or cut out36 in thebottom wall35 of the hopper. Thefeeder30 has aconveyor belt92 that projects up through the cut out36 of thebottom wall35 in thehopper32. In operation, theconveyor belt92 draws the bottom envelope from the stack of envelopes staged in thehopper32 and passes the bottom envelope through thefeeder30.
• Thefeeder30 is configured to feed envelopes one at a time from thehopper32 and transport each envelope to the cuttingassembly40. Referring toFIG. 3, theconveyor belt92 is driven by a drive pulley and supported by an idler pulley. During operation, theconveyor belt92 engages and removes envelopes from the bottom of the stack in thehopper32. The belt is divided into two sections, asmooth section96 and a rough orgripping section98, and includes a central layer, such as a nylon fabric. Along thesmooth section96 of the belt, the central layer is coated with an outer coating. Along the grippingsection98 of the belt, the central layer is not coated; it is exposed. In addition, in the gripping section, preferably the central layer has one or more holes, so that the gripping section is perforated. Therefore, suction can be applied through the perforation(s) in the gripping section to pull the bottom envelope in the hopper toward the belt, as discussed further below. Preferably, the grippingsection98 has a higher coefficient of friction than the smooth section. Therefore, the central layer may be formed of a material having a relatively high coefficient of friction, or the gripping section may be coated with a layer of material having a relatively high coefficient of friction. In addition, preferably the coating that covers thesmooth section96 is formed of a material having a relatively low coefficient of friction to provide a durable smooth surface. For instance, the low friction coating may be formed from HYPALON® polyethylene coating manufactured by Colorado Lining International. It should be noted that although thebelt92 preferably has a single grippingportion98 as described above, in certain applications it may be desirable to use a belt having two or more gripping portions separated by low friction solid portions.
• The input bin orhopper32 has a pair of optical sensors that are used to monitor the feeding of the envelopes. Thefirst sensor100 is a sensor that detects the presence of envelopes in the hopper. If there is an envelope in the hopper, the envelope blocks the sensor indicating to the controller that there is an envelope in the hopper that can be fed. When the hopper is empty, the sensor is not blocked, indicating to the controller that the hopper is empty. The controller then sends a signal to alert the operator that the hopper is empty. Preferably, thecontroller120 displays a message on theLCD panel112 that alerts the operator that the hopper is empty.
• The second sensor in thefeeder30 is abelt sensor101 that the controller uses to control the operation of thebelt92 of the feeder. As described above, preferably the belt has a single grippingportion98, so that a full revolution of the belt feeds a single envelope. Therefore, the controller monitors the location of the grippingportion98 to control the feeder so that the perforations in the gripping portion are aligned with the holes in the manifold. The controller uses thebelt sensor101 to monitor the position of the gripping portion. Specifically, the belt sensor preferably comprises an I/R emitter positioned on one side of the belt and an I/R receiver positioned on the opposite side of the belt. Therefore, if the sensor is blocked, the solid portion of the belt is located over the belt sensor. Conversely, the perforations of the gripping portion allow the beam from the I/R emitter to be received by the I/R receiver, so that the gripping portion is located over the belt sensor if the belt sensor is not blocked. In this way, the controller can monitor the leading edge of the gripping section so that the controller can determine how much farther to drive the belt to align the gripping section with the manifold.
• As stated earlier, thebelt92 is positioned to engage the bottom envelope in thehopper32 and convey the envelope through thefeeder30. As shown inFIG. 2, thehopper sensor100 is located adjacent to thebelt92 and is operable to detect the presence of an envelope that comes to rest over the belt. If an envelope should be fed, and thehopper sensor100 indicates that an envelope is positioned over the belt, then the controller controls the feeder to feed an envelope. For instance, if the sensor in thefirst cutting area40A indicates that there is no envelope in the first cutting area and the hopper sensor indicates that an envelope is located on thebelt92, then an envelope should be fed from the feeder to thefirst cutting area40A. In response to these sensors, thecontroller120 sends an output signal that activates a motor to drive theconveyor belt92.
• As thebelt92 is driven, the belt draws the detected envelope from the bottom of the stack using a combination of friction and suction pressure. Friction is provided by the grippingsection98 of thebelt92. The high friction material engages the bottom face of the envelope and drags the envelope through thefeeder30 as the belt is displaced. The engagement between the detected envelope and thebelt92 is enhanced by suction applied through theholes94 in the belt. Avacuum manifold102 is mounted directly beneath thebelt92 and is connected to a source of negative pressure, such as a vacuum pump. Thevacuum manifold102 is maintained under negative pressure and applies a vacuum through theholes94 of thebelt92 when the grippingsection98 rotates into a position above the manifold. As such, the detected envelope is pulled down into engagement with the surface of the belt by the suction pressure applied through the holes of the belt.
• The vacuum and frictional force applied to the bottom face of the envelope by the movingbelt92 is significantly higher than the frictional resistance between the top face of the envelope and the overlying stack. As such, the belt is operable to slide the bottom envelope out from under the stack without drawing the next envelope from the stack. As the belt draws the detected envelope into thefeeder30, thecoated section96 of the belt moves into place beneath the stack and above the vacuum manifold. Since there are noholes94 through thebelt92 in thecoated section96, suction pressure in the manifold no longer penetrates through the belt. In addition, the smooth surface of thecoated section96 slidably engages the next envelope so that the next envelope does not frictionally engage the belt and gets pulled into thefeeder30.
• The proper amount of suction pressure to apply through thebelt92 is largely dependent on the nature and thickness of the envelopes being fed. Preferably, themail processor20 has a pressure regulator that is adjustable to increase or decrease pressure as needed. Themail processor20 may be programmable to apply a specific suction pressure in response to a parameter set by the operator that corresponds to a specific type of envelope. Accordingly, the suction force applied by thevacuum manifold102 is preferably adjustable so that the suction force does not penetrate through the bottommost envelope and pull additional envelopes into thefeeder30.
• To reduce the likelihood that thefeeder30 will draw more than one envelope from the stack at a time, the feeder has one or more retarding blocks104 above theconveyor belt92, as shown inFIG. 3. The retarding blocks are configured to permit passage of the bottommost envelope that engages the belt while substantially preventing passage of additional envelopes that are carried or “caught” on top of the bottommost envelope. Specifically, the retarding blocks104 are biased into engagement with the belt by tension springs. Theblocks104 are supported by linkages that permit the blocks to be pivotally displaced away from the belt against the bias of the tension springs. When a single envelope is drawn by thebelt92, the envelope is pulled by the belt such that the forward edge of the envelope abuts the retard blocks104. The suction force and frictional engagement between the belt and the envelope overcome resistance from the retard blocks104. As such, the forward edge of the envelope passes under the retard blocks104 and through the feeder. Thebelt92 is driven with sufficient velocity to drive the forward edge of the envelope beneath the bottom edge of the retard blocks104. As the envelope is driven under the retard blocks104, the blocks are displaced upwardly from the belt and swung a small distance away from the belt on their respective linkages to create clearance for the envelope between the retard blocks and the belt.
• When one or more envelopes are drawn into the feeder with the bottommost envelope, any envelopes that rest on top of the bottom envelope do not frictionally engage the grippingsection98 of theconveyor belt92. In addition, the suction from the manifold does not penetrate through the bottom envelope and exert significant pressure on the other envelopes in the stack. As a result, the envelopes on top of the bottom envelope are generally not retained on the belt by the friction or suction forces acting on the bottom envelope. As the envelopes on the bottom envelope contact the retard blocks104, the envelopes are restrained by the retard blocks as the bottom envelope passes beneath the retard blocks and through thefeeder30.
• Cutting Assembly
• Thefeeder30 discharges envelopes into the cuttingarea40 where the envelopes are severed along one or more edges. Referring now toFIG. 4, the cuttingassembly40 has a generally horizontal platform or floor41. The floor41 is divided into three cutting stations: a thefirst cutting station40A, asecond cutting station40B and a third cutting station40C. The cuttingstations40A,40B and40C haverotary cutters45 that are each operable to sever an edge of an envelope as the envelopes are passed through the cutting stations. Envelopes are transported through the cuttingstations40A,40B and40C by a plurality ofdrive wheels44 that project through the floor41 of the cuttingassembly40. Thedrive wheels44 are oriented to convey each envelope toward therotary cutter45 in each cutting station. Thedrive wheels44 contact the underside of envelopes to carry the envelopes through the cutting assembly. A motor continuously rotates thedrive wheels44 during operation of themail processor20. In this way, envelopes are readily passed through the cutting stations by the drive wheels as soon as the envelopes enter the cutting station. In the preferred embodiment, thedrive wheels44 run continuously and are switched off only in the event of a stoppage. For example, thedrive wheels44 may be stopped in the event of a jam or if thehopper sensor100 detects no more envelopes in thehopper32. In such a case, after a predetermined delay, the system controller switches off thedrive wheels44. The delay allows thedrive wheels44 to continue running for a brief period until envelopes are cleared from the cuttingassembly40.
• Envelopes are serially fed from thehopper32 to the cuttingarea40, as discussed earlier. The cutting stations are configured to sever one envelope at a time on a different edge. Referring toFIG. 4, cuttingstations40A,40B and40C havegates46 that control the passage of envelopes to the cutting stations. Eachgate46 is configured and operated in a substantially similar manner. Accordingly, the following description of one of the gates is applicable to each of the gates in the cutting area.
• Eachgate46 is generally rectangular and connects to a solenoid-actuated arm that extends and retracts to pivot the gate between a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, thegate46 is disposed in a generally vertical orientation, which prevents the envelope from being transported out of the cutting station. In the lowered position, thegate46 is disposed in a generally horizontal or flat orientation against the floor41, permitting passage of envelopes out of their respective cutting stations. Thegate46 is biased toward and retained in the raised position by a biasing element. The biasing element may be a torsion spring, compression spring or tension spring formed of stainless steel or other resilient material. Thegate46 is pivotable to the lowered position by a solenoid that pivots the gate against the upward bias of the biasing element. The floor41 has arectangular recess43 with dimensions slightly larger than the dimensions of thegate46. Therecess43 is adapted to receive thegate46 in a flush position against the floor41 when the gate is pivoted to the lowered position. In the lowered position, thegate46 rests inside therecess43, permitting envelopes to be discharged from the cutting station without contacting the lowered gate.
• As described above, thegate46 is driven downwardly into an opened position by a solenoid, and is released so that a biasing element displaces the gate upwardly into a closed position. However, the gate may be operated in alternative ways. For instance, the gate may be biased downwardly into the opened position and the solenoid may be used to drive the gate upwardly into the closed position. Alternatively, rather than a solenoid, the gate could be driven by a linkage that is rotated by a motor or other drive element. Accordingly, the operation of the gates is not limited to a particular linkage or drive element.
• The solenoid actuatedgate46 is operated in response to activity at other staging areas of themail processor20. As discussed earlier, the cuttingstations40A,40B and40C andjustification station50 have sensors that detect the presence and absence of envelopes. When a sensor at a particular staging area detects the absence of an envelope (i.e. when the station has “cleared”), the sensor sends a signal to raise thegate46 at the preceding staging area. This prevents an envelope from being discharged prematurely from one staging area to a subsequent staging area, resulting in accumulation of multiple envelopes at a particular location.
• The cuttingstations40A,40B and40C will now be described in greater detail. Envelopes are fed from thefeeder30 to thefirst cutting station40A.Cutting station40A has aguide rail42 and a plurality ofdrive wheels44 that are oriented at an angle of approximately 45° with respect to the guide rail and thegates46, so that the drive wheels convey the envelope both forwardly toward the gate, and laterally toward the guide rail. When envelopes are fed into thefirst cutting station40A, the envelopes land on top of thedrive wheels44, which urge the envelope against the guide rail. As the envelope is urged against theguide rail42, the envelope is justified against the guide rail on a first edge.
• If an envelope is present in the second cutting station, the solenoid connected togate46 is switched off, permitting the biasing element to pivot the gate to the raised position. In the raised position, thegate46 temporarily blocks passage of the envelope from thefirst cutting station40A. Although thedrive wheels44 continue rotating, the envelope is maintained in place by thegate46. When thesecond cutting station40B is cleared, a signal is sent to thecontroller120. In response, thecontroller120 sends a signal to the solenoid arm connected togate46 in thefirst cutting station40A, and the gate is pivoted to the lowered position. In the lowered position,gate46 rests in therecess43 so that the gate is flush against the floor41 to permit the envelope to be discharged from thefirst cutting station40A with minimal obstruction or contact with the lowered gate. Specifically, thegate46 is below the top edge of thedrive wheels44 so that the envelope does not contact the gate as the envelope is conveyed on the drive wheels. Thedrive wheels44 advance the envelope over the loweredgate46 while keeping the first edge justified. Arotary cutter45 is positioned in the path of the envelope with a rotary blade positioned transversely to the direction in which the envelope is advanced. As the envelope advances past the blade, the blade severs the first edge of the envelope. The blade severs a narrow strip from the envelope and the severed strip drops through an opening in the floor41 into a scrap chute. The scrap chute discharges the strip into ascrap bin25.
• After being severed, the envelope is advanced by the rollers into thesecond cutting station40B. As with thefirst cutting station40A, thesecond cutting station40B has aguide rail42 and a plurality ofdrive wheels44 oriented at an angle of approximately 45° with respect to theguide rail42. The envelopes ride on top of thedrive wheels44, which urge the envelopes against theguide rail42. As the envelope is urged against theguide rail42, the envelope is justified against the guide rail on a second edge. Theangled rollers44 also convey the envelope toward agate46, which separates thesecond cutting station40B from the third cutting station40C. As withgate46 incutter section40A, thegate46 incutter section40B is maintained in a raised position by a biasing element, preventing the envelope from being passed to the third cutting station40C until the third cutting station is cleared.
• When the third cutting station40C is cleared, the sensor in the third cutting station sends a signal to thecontroller120. In response, thecontroller120 sends a signal to activate the solenoid connected togate46 in thesecond cutting station40B and pivot the gate to the lowered position. In the lowered position,gate46 rests in arecess43 and flush with the floor41 of the cuttingassembly40. Therollers44 advance the envelope over thegate46 while keeping the second edge justified. Arotary cutter45 is positioned in the path of the envelope with a rotary blade positioned transversely to the direction in which the envelope is advanced. As the envelope advances past the blade, the blade severs the second edge of the envelope. The blade removes a relatively narrow strip from the envelope which drops through an opening in the floor41 into the scrap chute. The scrap chute discharges the strip into thescrap bin25.
• After being severed, the envelope is advanced by therollers44 into the third cutting station40C. As with the first andsecond cutting stations40A and40B, cutting station40C has aguide rail42 and a plurality ofdrive rollers44 oriented at an angle of approximately 45° with respect to theguide rail42. The envelopes ride on top of thedrive rollers44, which convey or bias the envelopes against theguide rail42. As the envelope is biased against theguide rail42, the envelope is justified against the guide rail along a third edge. Theangled rollers44 also convey the envelope toward agate46, which separates the third cutting station40C from theenvelope justification station50.Gate46 is maintained in a raised position by a biasing element, preventing the envelope from advancing to thejustification station50 until the justification station is cleared.
• When thejustification station50 is cleared, a signal is sent to thecontroller120. In response, thecontroller120 sends a signal to activate the solenoid connected togate46 in the third cutting station40C to pivot the gate to the lowered position. In the lowered position, the gate rests in arecess43 and flush with the floor41 of the cuttingassembly40. Therollers44 advance the envelope over thegate46 while keeping the third edge justified. Arotary cutter45 is positioned in the path of the envelope with a rotary blade positioned transversely to the direction in which the envelope is advanced. As the envelope advances past the blade, the blade severs the third edge of the envelope. The blade removes a relatively narrow strip from the envelope which drops through an opening in the floor41 into the scrap chute. The scrap chute discharges the strip into thescrap bin25.
• The threecutters40A,40B,40C are operable to cut three edges of the envelopes, as discussed above. Preferably, the envelopes are fed from thefeeder30 such that thefirst cutter40A cuts the right-hand or trailing edge of the envelope. Then thesecond cutter40B cuts the top edge of the envelope (i.e. the edge facing the operator when the envelope is located at the extractor70). Finally, the third cutter40C cuts the left-hand or leading edge of the envelope.
• A build-up of scraps in the scrap chute can interfere with the operation of the cutting blades, causing a jam. To reduce the potential for jams, a sensor is preferably mounted in the scrap chute to monitor the presence of scraps. If the sensor detects an accumulation of scraps beyond a threshold level, a signal is sent to the controller indicating that a build-up of scraps exists. The controller shuts down operation of themail processor20 in response to the signal, and a message on the LCD display prompts the operator to clear the scrap chute. The operation of themail processor20 resumes after the operator clears the scrap chute.
• When thegates46 are pivoted to the lowered position, noise may be generated from the gates as they contact the floor41 of the cutting assembly. Thegates46 preferably comprise noise reduction features to dampen and minimize the sound created when the gates are pivoted to the lowered position. The floor41 of the cutting assembly preferably comprises a plurality of stops108 that project from the floor. The stops are operable to contact the gates as the gates are lowered and prevent the gates from contacting the floor41. Each stop108 is formed of a soft resilient material, such as soft plastic or rubber, that dampens noise when the gates are lowered against the stops.
• Additionally, thecontroller120 preferably controls the operation of the gates in a manner to minimize noise generated when the gates are lowered. In particular, the signals are preferably timed to switch on the solenoid and apply the force necessary to pivot the gates downwardly to a position just above the stops108. When the gates reach a position just above the stops108, the solenoid is deactivated so that the solenoid stops driving the solenoid arm forwardly. The momentum of the arm continues to drive the gate downward, but the biasing force of the spring counteracts the momentum of the moving arm to slow down the arm, allowing the gate to come to rest. Optimally, the gate comes to rest just as it reaches the stop as the force from the biasing element gradually counteracts the downward displacement of the gate. However, the gate may come to rest just before hitting the stop. In this way, the gates are slowed and preferably stopped upon contacting the stops, or immediately prior to contacting the stops, substantially eliminating noise created when the gates are lowered. After the gate contacts the stop, the solenoid is reactivated to hold the gate against the stop. In other words, thecontroller120 controls the operation as follows. The solenoid is activated to drive the gate downward. Before the gate contacts the stops108, the solenoid is deactivated briefly to allow the gate to coast to the down position against the stops. The solenoid is then reactivated to hold the gate down against the stops.
• The deactivation and reactivation of the solenoid can be controlled in one of several ways to minimize noise associated with the lowering of gates. For instance, the position of the solenoid arm can be monitored and the solenoid can be deactivated and reactivated in response to the position of the solenoid arm. However, preferably, the solenoid is time controlled. Specifically, the solenoid is activated for a set period of time, and then deactivated for a set period of time before being reactivated. Preferably, these time periods can be varied to control the speed of the gate and the amount of noise dampening.
• Preferably, the gate is also controlled to dampen the noise made when the gate is pivoted back up into the up position. Specifically, to raise the gate, the solenoid is deactivated and the spring displaces the gate to the raised position. Preferably, just before the gate reaches the raised position, the solenoid is activated briefly to slow down the gate. The solenoid is then deactivated again to allow the spring to maintain the gate in the completely raised position.
• Similar to the lowering of the gate, the solenoid is preferably time controlled during the raising of the gate. Specifically, the solenoid is deactivated for a set period of time and then briefly reactivated for a set period of time before being deactivated again. Preferably, these time periods can be varied to control the speed that the gate is raised and the amount of dampening when the gate is raised.
• Thus far, it has been assumed that envelopes passing through the cuttingassembly40 are severed on first, second and third edges. Themail processor20 is configured to sever up to three edges of the envelope, and may be set to sever only one edge or any combination of edges, as desired. For example, the cuttingassembly40 may be operated to sever an envelope along the right edge and top edge or along the left edge and the top edge. Additionally, the cutters may be adjusted so that none of the cutters cuts an edge of the envelopes.
• Edge cutting is controlled by adjusting the position of the guide rails42 at each cutting station. The guide rails42 are infinitely adjustable in response to rotation of adjustment dials49. Referring toFIG. 1, eachguide rail42 is connected to amanual adjustment dial49 that projects above the cuttingassembly40 within reach of the operator. The adjustment dials49 are operable to move the guide rails laterally toward or away from the cutting stations to set the justified edges at a desired position relative to thecutting blades45. By setting the position of therails42 relative to theblades45, the operator can select the depth of cut along the justified edges, or select no cut along the edges. To set the depth of cut at a cutting station, theguide rail42 is moved to a position relative to a line representing the cutting line of theblade45. To sever the envelope edge, theguide rail42 is adjusted to a position outside the blade line. To select no cut, theguide rail42 is adjusted to a position inside the blade line. In the latter case, the envelope passes through the cutting station without contacting thecutting blade45.
• Justification Station
• After passing through the cuttingarea40, the envelope is advanced by therollers44 into thejustification station50. Thejustification station50 justifies the bottom edge and leading edge of the envelope so that the envelope is properly located in the transport when the envelope is stopped at theextractor70. Referring toFIG. 4, thejustification station50 comprises arear justification wall52 and agate56 that operates in a similar manner to thegates46 in the cuttingarea40. The justification station also includes a plurality ofrollers54 oriented at an angle of approximately 45° with respect to the rear justification wall and thegate56. Therollers54 are operable to transport the severed envelope toward therear justification wall52 and thegate56 so that the envelopes are justified against therear wall52 and thegate56 to justify the bottom edge and leading edge of the envelopes, respectively.
• Thegate56 is connected to a solenoid actuated arm that pivots the gate between a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, thegate56 is disposed in a generally vertical orientation, which prevents envelopes from being advanced from thejustification station50 to the next staging area. In the lowered position, thegate56 is disposed in a generally horizontal or flat orientation against the floor of thejustification station50. Thegate56 is biased toward and retained in the raised position by a biasing element, which may be a torsion spring, tension spring, or compression spring formed of stainless steel or other resilient material. Thegate56 is pivoted to the lowered position by a solenoid which pivots the gate against the bias of the biasing element when the solenoid receives a signal from theprocessor20. The floor of thejustification station50 has arecess53 with dimensions slightly larger than the dimensions of thegate56. Therecess53 is adapted to receive thegate56 in a flush position against the floor when the gate is pivoted to the lowered position. In the lowered position, thegate56 rests inside therecess53, permitting envelopes to be discharged from the justification station with minimal contact with the lowered gate.
• Transport Assembly
• Referring now toFIG. 5, thetransport assembly60 receives envelopes from thejustification station50 and transports the envelopes to theextractor area70 where the contents of the envelopes are removed by the operator. Thetransport assembly60 has a first end which receives envelopes from the justification station, and a second end that discharges envelopes to theextractor area70. A transport sensor64 is mounted at the second end of thetransport assembly60 and is operable to detect the presence or absence of envelopes at the second end. When the sensor at the second end of thetransport assembly60 indicates that the second end is cleared, a signal is sent to thecontroller120. In response, thecontroller120 sends a signal to the solenoid arm connected to thegate56 to pivot the gate to the lowered position. Since thegate56 no longer restricts passage of the envelope from thejustification station50, therollers54 in the justification station advance the envelope into the first end of thetransport assembly60.
• Thetransport assembly60 comprises a pair ofbelts62 that extend from the justification station and terminate prior to theextractor area70. For clarity, one of thebelts62 is not shown inFIG. 5 so that other features may be shown. Thetransport belts62 are mounted onvertical pulleys63,65, respectively, and extend in parallel engagement with one another. The vertical pulleys63,65 are located at the first end of thetransport assembly60 and are operable to receive envelopes discharged from thejustification station area50.
• Thebelts62 are fed around a pair ofinclined pulleys66,68 located at the second end of the transport assembly. The inclined pulleys66,68 are oriented at an acute angle with respect to a vertical axis throughvertical pulleys63,65. As such, thetransport belts62 undergo angular rotation, or twist, as they extend from the first end of the transport assembly to the second end of the transport assembly. As thebelts62 are displaced around thevertical pulleys63,65 and theinclined pulleys66,68, envelopes carried between the belts are rotated from a generally horizontal or flat orientation at the first end of the transport assembly to an inclined orientation at the second end of the transport assembly.
• Ordinarily, the operator is seated at thework desk21 looking downwardly on theextractor area70. The inclined pulleys66,68 are configured to rotate the envelope so that the envelope is conveyed to theextractor70 with a severed edge raised upwardly toward the operator, as shown inFIG. 6. In this way, the operator can comfortably look down and see into the interior of the severed envelope, enabling the operator to identify and extract the envelope contents. The inclined pulleys66,68 may be oriented at a large range of angles to accommodate the operators at thework desk21. In the preferred embodiment, the inclined pulleys are oriented at an angle between 45°-60° with respect to a vertical axis.
• Extractor
• Referring toFIG. 5, thetransport belts62 are positioned adjacent to theextractor area70 and discharge envelopes into the extractor area from the second end of thetransport assembly60. Theextractor area70 has anextractor belt71 operable to receive envelopes as they are discharged from the second end of thetransport assembly60 and convey the envelopes to a pair of extractor arms74a,74b.The extractor arms74a,74b,as described in more detail later, are operable to pull apart each envelope along severed edges to present the contents of the envelope to the operator. Theextractor belt71 is driven by anextractor drive roller73 which is oriented at the same angle as theinclined pulleys66,68 in thetransport assembly60. Envelopes are pinched between theextractor belt71 and a plurality ofidler rollers75 above the belt. Like thedrive roller73, theidler rollers75 are oriented at the same angle as theinclined pulleys66,68 in thetransport assembly60. In this way, the envelopes are generally maintained in the same twisted orientation as they are passed from thetransport assembly60 to theextractor belt71.
• Theextractor belt71 conveys envelopes between the extractor arms74a,74band stops each envelope at a point when a preselected area on the envelope is positioned between the extractor arms. Passage of envelopes through theextractor area70 is controlled by an extractor sensor77 mounted beneath the extractor arms74a,74b.The extractor sensor77 is operable to detect the presence or absence of envelopes between the extractor arms74a,74band stop the belt when the envelopes reach a desired position between the arms. The leading edge of each envelope is detected by the extractor sensor77 as the envelope is conveyed by theextractor belt71 through the extractor arms. The stopping position of the envelope is determined by the transport sensor64. When the transport sensor64 detects the trailing edge the controller stops the motor that drives theextractor belt71. Thebelt71 is stopped when a predefined time has elapsed after the transport sensor64 detects the trailing edge of the envelope. In this way, the envelope passes between the extractor arms74a,74b,and is stopped so that an interior portion of the envelope is positioned between the arms. As will be described in more detail below, the predefined elapsed time is programmable as a parameter based on the configuration of the envelopes being processed.
• The foregoing description is applicable to the control of the envelopes when the device is set to be used by a right-handed operator. Specifically, for a right-handed operator, the position of the trailing edge is generally an important consideration to optimally position the envelope in front of the operator (i.e. to make it easiest for the operator to extract the contents). Alternatively, the device can be set to position the envelope for a left-handed operator. When set to position the envelope for left-handed operation, the extractor sensor77 detects the leading edge and in response to detecting the leading edge, the controller stops the motor that drives theextractor belt71. Thebelt71 is stopped when a predefined time has elapsed after the sensor detects the leading edge of the envelope. Preferably, when the device is set for right-handed operation, the cutters are set so that the top and right-hand edges are cut open; and when the device is set for left-handed operation, the cutters are set so that the top and left-hand edges are cut open.
• When the extractor sensor77 detects the presence of an envelope between the extractor arms74a,74b,the sensor sends a signal to thecontroller120, and the controller stops theextractor belt71, as stated earlier. In addition, the controller sends a signal to stop thetransport belts62 in thetransport assembly60. When the extractor sensor77 detects that theextractor area70 is cleared, the extractor sensor sends a signal to thecontroller120, and the controller activates thetransport assembly60 to convey a subsequent envelope to theextractor belt71.
• Theextractor70 operates to pull apart the faces of the edge-severed envelopes and present the contents so that an operator can easily remove the documents. After the operator removes the contents, a sensor sends a signal to the controller that the contents have been extracted. The empty envelope is then transported to theverifier80 and another envelope is fed to theextractor70. Referring toFIG. 1, themail processor20 has asorting rack110 located above thework desk21. Thesorting rack110 is configured for use with a plurality of bins or shelves, which are omitted fromFIG. 1 for clarity. After the operator removes the contents from an envelope, the operator can manually sort, reorient and place the contents in a bin or shelf on thesorting rack110.
• Referring now toFIGS. 7-8, theextractor70 includes a pair ofvacuum suction cups72. The suction cups72 are mounted on the extractor arms74a,74b,which are oriented toward one another so that the suction cups generally oppose one another. The extractor arms74a,74bare hollow and have central conduits that connect to a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump is operable to apply negative pressure through the conduits in the extractor arms74a,74band through thesuction cups72. The suction cups72 engage the faces of an envelope in theextractor70 and pull the faces apart under the influence of the negative pressure. InFIGS. 7-8, theextractor70 is shown in two alternative positions. Specifically, the extractor arms are pivoted away from one another in an open position inFIG. 7, and pivoted toward one another in a closed position inFIG. 8.
• Referring now toFIG. 7, the extractor arms74a,74bstraddle theextractor belt71. Before an envelope passes in between the extractor arms74a,74b,the arms are pivoted away from one another. When the envelope enters the extractor, the arms74a,74bpivot toward one another and negative pressure is supplied to thesuction cups72 so that the suction cups engage the faces of the envelope. The arms then pivot away from one another, pulling apart the faces of the envelope. The suction cups pull the faces apart along the severed edges to allow the operator to remove the contents of the envelope.
• The pivoting motion of the extractor arms74a,74bis controlled by anelliptical cam76 and a pair ofcam followers78. Thecam76 is mounted on a cam shaft located beneath the pivot arms74a,74b.Each extractor arm74a,74bis connected to afollower arm78 mounted on opposite sides of thecam76. Amotor104 rotates thecam76, which in turn displaces thefollowers78. Thefollowers78 each have acircular hub79 that cooperatively engages the profile of thecam76. As the cam rotates76, thehubs79 are displaced by the profile of the cam, which in turn displaces the followers to pivot the extractor arms.
• InFIG. 7, the position of thecam76 corresponds to a position in which the extractor arms are fully opened. In this position, thehubs79 onfollower arms78 engage the major diameter of theelliptical cam76. InFIG. 8, the position of thecam76 corresponds to a position in which the extractor arms are completely closed. When the extractor arms are completely closed, thehubs79 onfollower arms78 engage the minor diameter of theelliptical cam76.
• The extractor arms74a,74bare biased toward the closed position by atension spring106, as shown inFIGS. 7-8. Thetension spring106 is connected between a lower end of one of thefollower arms78 and thecam shaft79. The lower ends of the follower arms move toward and away from thecam shaft79 as the extractor arms pivot. When the extractor arms are in a closed position, thehubs79 engage the minor diameter of thecam76, so that the lower ends of the followers are positioned closer to each other and to the cam shaft. In this condition, thespring106 is in the contracted condition, so that tension is released from thespring106. When the extractor arms are in an open position, thehubs79 engage the major diameter of thecam76, displacing the lower ends of the followers outwardly from the cam shaft. This extends thespring106 so that the spring is in the tensioned condition, as shown inFIG. 7. In this condition, the spring biases the lower ends of thefollowers78 toward one another so that the extractor arms are biased toward the closed position.
• If negative pressure is applied after thesuction cups72 are pivoted into contact with the envelope faces, negative pressure may bleed through the envelope faces and pull the contents of the envelope against the faces of the envelope when the arms are pivoted away from one another. Therefore, the pivot motion of the extractor arms74a,74band the application of negative pressure are preferably timed so that suction does not penetrate through the envelope and pull on the contents of the envelope. In the preferred embodiment, operation of the extractor motor is programmed to switch off as the pivot arms74a,74bconverge upon the envelope. When the motor is shut off, the moving pivot arms74a,74bdecelerate until thecam76 andfollowers78 come to rest. The motor is timed to shut off so that the pivot arms decelerate and preferably come to a stop within a short distance of the envelope faces. After the motor is shut off, negative pressure is applied through thesuction cups72 to pull the envelope faces outwardly in contact with the suction cups. By applying suction pressure in this manner, the suction pressure is applied to the envelope from a small distance. This distance or gap reduces the potential for suction to bleed through the envelope and pull on the contents of the envelope. After suction is applied, the suction pulls the faces of the envelope up against the suction cups. Since the suction cups are bellows-shaped, the suction cups collapse when the envelope faces contact the suction cups. When the suction cups collapse, the envelope faces are pulled away from the contents in the envelope.
• After the extractor arms slow down and/or stop, the motor is resumed and the pivot arms continue to converge a short distance until thefollowers78 engage the minor diameter of theelliptical cam76. After the minor diameter of thecam76 rotates past the follower, the pivot arms74a,74bandsuction cups72 move apart and pull the envelope faces outwardly. Outward movement of the pivot arms74a,74bcontinues until thefollowers78 engage and rotate past the major diameter of thecam76.
• The extent to which the extractor arms74a,74bare pivoted away from each other is a parameter that can be varied and adjusted for a particular job. The amount that the extractor arms open is controlled by the extractor motor. When an envelope enters theextractor70, the extractor arms74a,74bare fully opened. The motor drives thecam76 so that the extractor arms74a,74bconverge toward one another and stop just short of contacting the envelope. The distance through which the extractor arms pivot away from each other to open an envelope, and thereby expose the contents to the operator, is controlled by how much further thecam76 is rotated after the arms are fully closed. To fully open the extractor arms74a,74b,thecam76 is rotated another ninety degrees past the point where the arms are fully closed, and then stopped. To open the extractor arms74a,74bto an intermediate position, after the extractor arms are fully closed, the cam is rotated less than ninety degrees before being stopped.
• When the extractor arms are opened to an intermediate position, the bias force of thetension spring106 on thefollower78 andcam76 may cause the cam to rotate in a reverse direction. To limit the reverse rotation caused by thetension spring106, the rotary motion of the motor is preferably transmitted to the cam by a ratchet-type clutch so that the cam can only rotate in one direction.
• As stated earlier, theextractor belt71 is stopped when a predefined time has elapsed after the transport sensor64 detects the trailing edge of an envelope. In this way, the envelope is stopped so that an interior portion of the envelope is positioned between the extractor arms. The predefined elapsed time is programmable as a parameter based on the configuration of the envelopes being processed. More specifically, the elapsed time is programmed so that thesuction cups72 engage the envelope at a generally central location and away from windows or other features that interfere with extraction. Many envelopes have open windows or apertures through the front face of the envelope. If asuction cup72 engages the envelope at or near the window, the suction pressure may pull on the contents of the envelope and interfere with extraction. Similar results can occur if thesuction cups72 engage plastic covered windows on envelopes. The elapsed time between initial detection of an envelope at theextractor70, and stoppage of theextractor belt71 is programmable as a function of several variables, including the location of windows relative to the leading edge of the envelope, and the velocity of the belt. As such, the extractor operation can be modified when necessary to accommodate specific envelope designs.
• As noted earlier, theextractor belt71 andidler rollers75 engage and pinch the envelope as the belt transports the envelope through theextraction area70. Preferably, the envelope is positioned so that the top edge of the envelope is optimally positioned for convenient removal of the contents. To properly position the envelopes in the transport, the bottom edge of the envelopes are justified by thejustification station50. The bottom edge of the envelope may be controlled by adjusting therear justification wall52 in thejustification station50. Therear justification wall52 is adjustable to set the bottom edge of the envelope at a desired alignment relative to theextractor belt71 andidler rollers75.
• Theextractor70 has one or more sensors operable to scan the envelope and detect when the contents of the envelope have been removed. When the sensor detects that the contents have been removed, the sensor sends a signal to thecontroller120, and the controller activates theextractor belt71 to convey the envelope to theverifier80. In addition, if an envelope is sitting at the second end of thetransport assembly60, the controller activates thetransport belts62 to advance that envelope to theextractor belt71.
• Theextractor70 operates in three different modes for determining whether the contents have been extracted from the envelope: removal mode, differential mode, and content activation mode. The simplest mode is the removal mode. A pair of optical sensors196 (seeFIG. 1) are located on thework desk21 in front of theextractor area70, as shown inFIG. 1. Thesensors196 are offset from one another, with one sensor disposed to the left side of theextractor area70 and the other sensor disposed on the right side of the extractor area. When the operator removes the contents from an envelope, the contents are passed over one of thesensors196, depending on whether the operator removes the contents with his or her left hand or right hand. In particular, the contents are generally passed over the left sensor when removed with the operator's left hand, and over the right sensor when removed with the operator's right hand. Preferably, themail processor20 is programmable so that the operator can enter a parameter to designate left-handed extraction or right-handed extraction. In this way, thecontroller120 can be programmed to switch on thesensor196 corresponding to the hand used during extraction, and leave the other sensor deactivated.
• In the differential mode, an optical sensor beneath the extractor arms74a,74bmeasures the thickness of each envelope immediately after the extractor arms pull apart the faces of the envelope. That is, the thickness of the envelope is measured before the operator extracts the contents. The optical sensor continuously measures the thickness of the envelope and its contents, and calculates the difference between the measured thickness and the initial thickness. If the difference in thickness is greater than a predetermined limit, a signal is sent to thecontroller120 indicating that the contents were removed from the envelope. Thecontroller120 then advances the envelope to theverifier80 and advances a next envelope from thetransport assembly60 to theextractor belt71. Preferably, thework desk21 includes a second optical sensor similar to the first sensor. The second sensor monitors the thickness of the envelope in the same way as the first sensor. When two sensors are employed, the measurements from the two sensors are averaged and compared against the predetermined limit to determine whether the contents were extracted. Use of multiple sensors decreases the potential for advancing an envelope based on an inaccurate thickness measurement.
• If the operator removes all of the contents from the envelope, but the differential thickness is not greater than the predetermined limit, the envelope will not be advanced from theextractor70. In such instances, the operator can advance the empty envelope by pressing an override button (not shown). Pressing the button activates theextractor drive roller73 andbelt71 to advance the empty envelope to theverifier80. Pressing the button may also advance any envelope in thetransport assembly60 into theextractor area70.
• The content activation mode is like the differential mode in that the sensor continuously measures the thickness of the envelope as the envelope sits in the extractor area. However, in the content activation mode, the sensor measures the thickness of the envelope after the contents is removed. In addition, the thickness measured by the sensor is compared to a thickness standard based on the thickness of an envelope and a variation tolerance. If the sensor detects a thickness that is less than the thickness standard, a signal is sent to the controller indicating that the contents were removed from the envelope. The envelope is then advanced to theverifier80, and any envelope staged in thetransport assembly60 is conveyed to theextractor belt71. Preferably, two sensors are employed, both of which monitor the thickness of the envelope, as described above. When two sensors are employed, the measurements from the two sensors are averaged and the average is compared against the thickness standard.
• If the operator removes the contents from the envelope, but the thickness detected by the sensor is not below the thickness standard, the envelope does not advance. In such instances, the operator can advance the empty envelope by pressing the override button. When the override button is pressed, thecontroller120 sends a signal that activates theextractor belt71. The extractor belt then conveys the empty envelope to theverifier80. In addition, if an envelope is staged in thetransport assembly60, thecontroller120 sends a signal to activate thetransport belts62 which discharge the staged envelope to theextractor area70.
• The thickness standard used in the content activation mode can be determined in several ways. For example, the thickness standard can be based on the first envelope in a job. To do so, a job is placed in thehopper32, and themail processor20 advances the lead envelope in the job through the cuttingassembly40,justification station50 andtransport assembly60 to theextractor70. The operator then removes the contents from the envelope, and the thickness sensor measures the thickness of the envelope after the contents are extracted. The thickness standard is then calculated based on the thickness of the empty envelope and a predetermined variation tolerance. To advance the first envelope to theverifier80, the operator presses the override button.
• Alternatively, and preferably, the thickness standard is calculated based on the average thickness of the envelopes processed in a job. To determine the thickness standard, a job is placed into thehopper32, and themail processor20 advances the first envelope in the job to theextractor70. The operator then removes the contents from the envelope. After the operator ensures that the contents have been removed, the operator presses the override button and the sensor checks the thickness of the empty envelope. The thickness value is stored and the thickness standard is calculated based on the stored thickness and a predetermined tolerance. The empty envelope is then conveyed to theverifier80 and the second envelope in the job is conveyed to theextractor70. The operator then removes the contents of the second envelope. If the thickness of the second empty envelope is less than the standard based on the first envelope, then the second envelope is assumed to be empty. The thickness of the second envelope is stored and the thicknesses of the first two envelopes are averaged to establish a new thickness standard. The second envelope is conveyed to theverifier80, and a third envelope in the job is conveyed to theextractor70. If, on the other hand, the thickness of the empty second envelope is greater than the standard based on the first envelope, then the operator must advance the second envelope by pressing the override button after checking to ensure the contents were removed.
• As envelopes in the job are processed, each successive envelope is compared against a thickness standard based on the average thickness of the previous empty envelopes in the job. To reduce the amount of stored information, a maximum of sixteen empty envelopes are used to determine the average thickness. For example, if the 100th envelope enters theextractor70 and its contents are removed, the thickness of the empty 100th envelope is compared against a standard based on the average of the thicknesses ofenvelopes84 through99.
• Theverifier80 is located at the end of theextractor belts71. Theverifier80 checks the thickness of each envelope to ensure that all of the contents have been removed from the envelope before the envelope is discarded into thewaste container27. Theverifier80 can use an optical sensor to check the thickness of the envelope, similar to the optical sensor or sensors used by theextractor70. However, the verifier preferably checks the thickness of the envelope by measuring the distance between the outer surfaces of the envelope faces. To measure this distance, theverifier80 includes aHall effects sensor82, as shown inFIG. 9.
• TheHall effects sensor82 includes asensor board83 disposed adjacent amagnet84 that is mounted on a linkage that biases the magnet toward the sensor. The magnetic field created by themagnet84 is measured by thesensor board83 as a function of the distance between the magnet and sensor. The magnet and sensor are linked to a pair ofrollers87 between which envelopes are pinched when the envelopes enter theverifier80. When an envelope enters theverifier80, the arms are forced apart, thereby separating themagnet84 and thesensor board83 accordingly, changing the magnetic field intensity. To determine a zero thickness reference value, an empty envelope is fed to the verifier, and thesensor82 takes a magnetic field measurement corresponding to the thickness of the empty envelope. The status of subsequent envelopes are determined based on the zero thickness reference value.
• Alternatively, the reference value used by theverifier80 to check the envelopes is calculated based on the average thickness of the previous sixteen envelopes and a variation tolerance, similar to the method described above for determining a thickness standard for the extraction step in the content activation mode. However, in the present instance, the calculation of the reference value differs from the calculation of the standard used in the extraction step. When calculating the reference value for theverifier80, if the measured thickness of an empty envelope is greater than the current reference value, the thickness measurement for the envelope is not factored into the running average. For example, when calculating the thickness reference for the 100th envelope in a job, if the thickness of the 90th empty envelope was thicker than the reference value based on the previous sixteen envelopes, the thickness of the 90th envelope would not be included in the average used to calculate the reference value for the 100th envelope. Therefore, the reference value for the 100th envelope would be based on the average thickness ofenvelopes83 through89 and91 through99, assuming that the thicknesses of those envelopes were less than the reference value at the time they were measured.
• If theverifier80 measures a thickness that is greater than the reference value, then a signal is sent to thecontroller120 indicating that the envelope in theverifier80 is not empty. An indicator light (not shown) is lit indicating to the operator that the envelope at the verifier should be removed and checked to ensure that all of the contents were removed. Averifier sensor95 adjacent theHall effects sensor82 detects the presence of the envelope in theverifier80. Until the operator removes the envelope from the verifier, theextractor belt71 will not advance any envelopes, regardless of whether the envelope in theextractor area70 is empty. Further, as long as an envelope is staged in theverifier80, theextractor belt71 will not advance any envelopes past theextractor70 when the override button is pressed.
• If theverifier80 detects a thickness that is less than the reference value, a signal is sent to thecontroller120 indicating that the envelope at the verifier is empty. Thecontroller120 then activates theextractor belt71 to advance the envelope out of the extractor and into a trash chute that discards the envelope into thewaste container27 beneath theverifier80. If an envelope is staged in theextractor70, theextractor belt71 conveys that envelope to theverifier80, assuming that the sensors in the extractor area detect an empty envelope.
• Thecontroller120 controls the operation of theextraction transport belt71 to ensure that the trailing edge of each envelope stops in the same position in theverifier80 relative to theHall effect sensor82. By monitoring the trailing edge, themail processor20 ensures that an envelope is not accidentally fed past theverifier80 and directly into thewaste container27 when a job of variable length envelopes is processed.
• The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation. There is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof. It is recognized, therefore, that various modifications are possible within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention incorporates variations that fall within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (30)

1. A device for processing envelopes containing contents, comprising:

a feeder for receiving a stack of envelopes and serially feeding the envelopes, wherein the feeder comprises an input bin angled downwardly so that the envelopes in the stack are angled downwardly;

a cutting area disposed forwardly of the feeder, having a substantially planar horizontal base for receiving an envelope from the feeder in a generally horizontal orientation, the cutting area comprising three cutters separated from one another, each of the cutters being operable to sever an edge of the envelope so that the envelope can be opened along three edges, wherein the cutters are positioned around the cutting area so that the envelope follows a u-shaped path in a substantially horizontal orientation over the base as the envelope is conveyed past each of the three cutters in the cutting area;

a justifier disposed adjacent the cutting area, having a base that is substantially co-planar with the base of the cutting area, wherein the justifier is operable to receive the envelope from the cutting area in a substantially horizontal orientation and justify an edge of the envelope;

an extractor operable to pull open the edge-severed envelopes, to present the contents to an operator while the contents are in the envelope, so that the operator can manually remove the contents;

a document transport operable to receive the envelope from the justifier and convey the envelope to the extractor, wherein the transport is operable to twist the envelope so that the envelope forms an angle relative to horizontal.

2. The device ofclaim 1 comprising a gate associated with each of the cutters in the cutting area, wherein the gates selectively impede movement of the envelope in the cutting area.

3. The device ofclaim 2 wherein each gate is pivotable between a raised position in which the gate impede movement of the envelope in the cutting area, and a lowered position in which the envelope can be moved forward through the cutting area.

4. The device ofclaim 3 wherein each gate is selectively controlled to dampen the noise made when each gate is pivoted between the raised position and the lowered position.

5. The device ofclaim 1 wherein each gate operates to justify an edge of the envelope.

6. The device ofclaim 1 wherein the input bin is configured to receive a vertical stack of envelopes.

7. The device ofclaim 1 comprising a work area positioned in front of the extractor, wherein the work area is configured for the operator to be stationed in front of the extractor to remove documents from envelopes, and the cutting area is positioned adjacent the work area so that an operator can grasp an envelope at any of the three cutters while remaining at the work area.

8. The device ofclaim 7 wherein envelopes in the cutting area, justifier and transport remain readily accessible to the operator, so that the operator can readily remove envelopes in the event of a jam.

9. A device for processing a stack of envelopes containing contents, comprising:

a feeder operable to feed an envelope from a stack of envelopes, wherein the feeder comprises:

a feed belt having an engagement portion having at least one hole through the belt, and a smooth section extending substantially the entire length of the belt wherein the smooth section has a lower coefficient of friction than the engagement portion;

a manifold having at least on hole to cooperate with the hole in the engagement portion of the feed belt;

a vacuum source for providing negative pressure to the manifold, so that when the feed belt rotates to align the belt hole with the manifold hole, negative pressure is provided through the aligned holes to pull the envelope from the stack, wherein the vacuum source provides a constant negative pressure to the manifold;

a cutter configured to receive the envelope from the feeder and sever the envelope along one or more edges;

an extractor operable to open the envelope along one or more severed edges to present contents of the envelope to an operator so that the contents can be manually removed.

10. The device ofclaim 9 wherein the feeder comprises a retard element to impede the feeding of two envelopes simultaneously.

11. The device ofclaim 10 wherein the retard is pivotable upwardly away from the belt.

12. The device ofclaim 9 wherein the engagement portion of the belt comprises a plurality of spaced apart holes and the manifold comprises a plurality of holes spaced apart to align with the holes in the engagement portion of the belt.

13. The device ofclaim 12 wherein the surface of the belt adjacent the engagement portion comprises a low friction surface so that after the engagement portion of the belt engages the envelope, the low friction portion of the belt engages the next envelope in the stack to impede the feeding of two envelopes simultaneously.

14. The device ofclaim 9 wherein the belt has a single engagement portion, such that a complete rotation of the belt feeds a single envelope.

15. A device for processing envelopes containing contents, comprising:

a feeder operable to feed an envelope from a stack of envelopes;

a cutter for cutting the envelope along an edge;

a pivotable gate adjacent the cutter operable to selectively impede forward movement of the envelope past the cutter, wherein the gate is operable between an opened position in which the envelope can be readily displaced past the gate, and a closed position in which the gate impedes forward movement of the envelope;

a controller operable to control operation of the gate to decelerate the gate as the gate is displaced between the opened and closed positions to dampen the noise made by the gate as the gate is displaced between the opened and closed positions.

16. The device ofclaim 15 wherein the controller controls the gate by providing a driving force to drive the gate between the opened and closed positions, and then temporarily discontinuing the driving force while the gate is being displaced between the opened and closed positions.

17. The device ofclaim 16 wherein the controller is operable to reapply the driving force after the gate has been displaced between the opened and closed positions to maintain the gate in either the opened or closed position.

18. The device ofclaim 15 comprising a cushion positioned adjacent the gate to cushion the gate when it is displaced into the opened or closed position.

19. The device ofclaim 15 comprising a biasing element biasing the gate toward either the opened or closed position.

20. A method for processing envelopes containing contents, comprising the steps of:

providing a stack of envelopes;

feeding an envelope from the stack of envelopes;

cutting the envelope along an edge;

selectively impeding forward movement of the envelope past the cutter with a gate, wherein the gate is operable between an opened position in which the envelope can be readily displaced past the gate, and a closed position in which the gate impedes forward movement of the envelope;

controlling the operation of the gate to decelerate the gate as the gate is displaced between the opened and closed positions to dampen the noise made by the gate as the gate is displaced between the opened and closed positions.

21. The method ofclaim 20 comprising the step of providing a driving force to drive the gate between the opened and closed positions, and then temporarily discontinuing the driving force while the gate is being displaced between the opened and closed positions.

22. The method ofclaim 21 comprising the step of reapplying the driving force after the gate has been displaced between the opened and closed positions to maintain the gate in either the opened or closed position.

22. The method ofclaim 20 comprising the step of cushioning the gate when the gate is displaced into the opened or closed position.

23. A device for processing envelopes containing contents, comprising:

a feeder operable to feed an envelope from a stack of envelopes;

a cutter for cutting the envelope along an edge;

an extractor comprising:

a pair of arms pivotable between a first position in which the arms are pivoted away from one another and a second position in which the arms are pivoted toward one another so that an end of each arm contacts the envelope;

a vacuum source for selectively providing negative pressure to the end of each arm;

a controller operable to control the displacement of the arms and the vacuum source, wherein the controller is operable to decelerate the arms as the arms are displaced toward the second position, and the controller operates to control the vacuum source to provide negative pressure while the arms decelerate toward the envelope; and

a transport for conveying the envelope from the cutter to the extractor;

24. The device ofclaim 23 comprising a drive element connected with the arms for driving the arms from the first position to the second position, wherein the controller is operable to control the drive element to provide a drive force to drive the arms toward the second position, and wherein the controller is operable to control the driving element to temporarily discontinue the driving force before the arms are displaced into the second position.

25. The device ofclaim 24 herein the controller is operable to control the driving element to provide a further driving force after the driving force is discontinued and before the second arm is disposed in the second position.

26. The device ofclaim 23 comprising a collapsible bellows attached to the end of each arm, wherein the negative pressure from the vacuum source is provided through the bellows.

27. A method for processing envelopes containing contents, comprising the steps of:

feeding an envelope from a stack of envelopes;

cutting the envelope along an edge;

conveying the cut envelope to an extractor comprising a pair of arms pivotable between a first position in which the arms are pivoted away from one another and a second position in which the arms are pivoted toward one another so that an end of each arm contacts the envelope;

pivoting the arms from the first position to the second position while the envelope is positioned between the arms;

decelerating the arms as the arms are pivoted toward the second position; and

providing negative pressure to the arms while the arms decelerate toward the envelope.

28. The method ofclaim 27 comprising the step of providing a drive force to pivot the arms toward the second position, and temporarily discontinuing the driving force before the arms are pivoted into the second position.

29. The method ofclaim 28 comprising the step of providing a further driving force after the driving force is discontinued and before the second arm is disposed in the second position.

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