EP0484177A1 - Procédé et dispositif pour changer la direction du mouvement d'articles plats - Google Patents

Procédé et dispositif pour changer la direction du mouvement d'articles plats Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0484177A1
EP0484177A1 EP91310129A EP91310129A EP0484177A1 EP 0484177 A1 EP0484177 A1 EP 0484177A1 EP 91310129 A EP91310129 A EP 91310129A EP 91310129 A EP91310129 A EP 91310129A EP 0484177 A1 EP0484177 A1 EP 0484177A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
conveying
document
deck
article
articles
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP91310129A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0484177B1 (fr
Inventor
Shahzad H. Malick
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pitney Bowes Inc
Original Assignee
Pitney Bowes Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pitney Bowes Inc filed Critical Pitney Bowes Inc
Publication of EP0484177A1 publication Critical patent/EP0484177A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0484177B1 publication Critical patent/EP0484177B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C1/00—Measures preceding sorting according to destination
    • B07C1/18—Orientating articles other than in a stream, e.g. turning, deflecting or changing direction
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/58—Article switches or diverters
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
    • B65H2301/30—Orientation, displacement, position of the handled material
    • B65H2301/34—Modifying, selecting, changing direction of displacement
    • B65H2301/341—Modifying, selecting, changing direction of displacement without change of plane of displacement
    • B65H2301/3411—Right angle arrangement, i.e. 90 degrees
    • B65H2301/34112—Right angle arrangement, i.e. 90 degrees changing leading edge

Definitions

  • This present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for changing the direction of motion of flat articles, and in particular to method and apparatus for changing the direction of motion of mailpieces in an inserter machine.
  • turn flat articles such as letter envelopes
  • These devices are required where envelopes are discharged from an inserter and are not properly oriented to be fed to a downstream device such as a franking machine.
  • An inserter is a machine that places selected items in an envelope for further processing.
  • the filled and sealed envelope is then conveyed to a franking machine to have postage imprinted thereon.
  • turner devices have the disadvantage of not only having to turn the envelope to have it properly oriented but are also an integral part of the inserting machine.
  • the Burkhardt apparatus requires a side-justified line of travel along the first direction of travel so that the deflection rollers can engage the article at the right moment to achieve an accurate change in direction.
  • the center line of travel of the mailpiece is fixed with the side guides being adjustable for handling various sized mailpieces.
  • the apparatus comprises a deck mounted on a frame.
  • the deck has a first side for receiving an article from a first direction and a second side for conveying the article in a second direction which forms an acute angle equal to or less than forty-five degrees (45°) with the first direction.
  • the conveying structure engages a leading edge of the article only after the article has been disengaged by a conveying structure in the first direction.
  • There is a registration wall positioned downstream from the second direction conveying structure adjacent a third side of the deck.
  • the registration wall extends a third direction whereby the registration wall is at a right angle to the first direction, wherein the leading edge of the article is driven against the registration wall after the article has been disengaged by the second direction conveying structure.
  • the method comprising the steps of feeding a stream of articles along the first path by a first drive means; engaging the leading edge of each of the articles by at least two of a plurality of roller pairs which are configured in at least two parallel rows, each of the roller pairs being angled in a second direction which is equal to or less than forty-five degrees (45°) from the first direction; driving the leading edge of the articles against a registration wall after each of the articles leaves the bite of the roller pairs in the second direction, the registration wall being positioned at a right angle to the first direction and downstream of the roller pairs; and taking each of the articles away by a takeaway roller.
  • Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a right angle transfer device in accordance with the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is side elevational view of the transfer device seen in Fig. 1 along lines 2-2.
  • a flat article direction changing device 5 which includes a plate 10 secured to a deck 12 which is mounted on three leg members 13.
  • Deck 12 has an input side 14 and an exit side 16.
  • the deck is provided with eight rectangular slots 18, each of which has projected in part a continuously driven roller 20.
  • driven rollers 20 have a rubber surface, for example, a urethane surface.
  • Pulley 34 is operatively connected to drive shafts 40 by a staggered pulley/belt arrangement, generally designated 42, for driving rollers 20.
  • the interior drive shafts 40 each drive two driven rollers 20 and the exterior drive shafts 40 each drive one roller 20.
  • device 5 can include more than two rollers per shaft depending on the size of the article and the amount of control needed to achieve the right angle change in direction.
  • the orientation of the roller device 5 is not limited to 45 degrees (45°). Any angle less than 45 degrees (45°) can be used to deflect the envelope. When an alternate angle of deflection is employed, the length of the deck and the number of rollers may increase in achieving the right angle change in direction.
  • Each idler roller assembly 48 includes a supporting shaft 52 fixably mounted at one end to the plate 10 and at the other end to plate 11 for supporting idler roller assembly 48. This ensures fixed distance among shafts 52. Plate 11 is supported by shafts 52 and is suspended above deck 12.
  • Each assembly 48 includes an idler roller 50 which is rotatably mounted on a pivotable lever arm 54.
  • a torsion spring 56 is mounted on the shaft 52 and is attached at one end to arm 54 and at the other end to a retaining collar 58 also fixably secured to shaft 52.
  • Another retaining collar 59 is used to secure arm 54 to shaft 52.
  • a resultant counter clockwise movement, as viewed in Fig. 2 is therefore applied to each roller 50 and a normal force is applied to corresponding lower, driven roller 20 by the roller 50. In this manner, device 5 can handle envelopes of various thicknesses.
  • the lower, driven rollers 20 are fixably mounted on drive shafts 40 which are suitably journaled to two plates under deck 12, one of which plates is designated 41, the other is not shown. Although the lower rollers 20 are the driven rollers, the top rollers 50 could be driven and the bottom rollers 20 could be the idler rollers.
  • the right angle transfer device 5 takes a stuffed envelope conveyed from the insert station 70 of an inserter machine and changes the direction of travel by ninety degrees (90°) without changing the orientation of the envelope.
  • the speed of the rollers 20 is such that the linear speed of the envelope through the transfer device 5 is slightly less than the exit speed of the envelope from the upstream insert station 70. It has been found that when the envelope is engaged by the first two roller pairs at 72, there is an abrupt jarring which encourages the enclosures to settle to the bottom edge of the envelope.
  • the exit speed of the envelope from the upstream insert station may vary from job to job and from inserter to inserter. It has been found that using variable speed motor 30, the speed of the rollers 20 on transfer unit 5 can be adjusted accordingly based on any exit speed of the envelope at the insert station 70.
  • the envelope travels at a forty-five degree (45°) angle across transfer device 5 until the envelope is released by the last two rollers pairs at 74.
  • the envelope hits the registration wall 80 and becomes engaged by takeaway roller assembly 82 at the same linear speed. As seen in Fig. 1, the orientation of the envelope is maintained as the envelope travels through the transfer device 5.
  • the position of registration wall 80 is adjustable for handling different sized envelopes.
  • Wall 80 is positioned such that envelope 15 does not make contact with wall 80 until the envelope leaves the control of the last pair of rollers at 74.
  • Roller assembly 82 is adjustably positioned along registration wall 80 to ensure that the envelope is not engaged until it leaves the control of the last pair of rollers at 74.
  • the present invention can be used at new inserter speeds, for example, 9600 cycles. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the rollers provide a constant positive drive of the envelope, and eliminate the abrupt mechanical rotation typically associated with turners in this area of the inserter machine.
  • envelope 15 is not engaged by the rollers in transfer device 5 until the envelope has been released by the drive means exiting insert station 70.
  • envelope 15 is not engaged by takeaway roller assembly 82 until envelope 15 has been released by the rollers in transfer device 5.
  • Fig. 2 shows the downstream idler roller 50 in a raised position in phantom to show that the idler rollers 50 can be raised to provide an alternative method for accommodating different sized envelopes.
  • the idler roller 50 of roller assembly 48a may be raised to ensure that the envelope 15 is not engaged by any roller assembly when envelope 15 hits wall 80.
  • the transfer device 5 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 performs a change in direction to the right. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a transfer device configured in the mirror image of device 5 will perform a change in direction to the left.
  • the center line 76 of envelope 15 is fixed leaving the insert station 70. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, regardless of size of envelopes, the center line of any envelope conveyed from the insert station 70 will always be engaged at the same point 72 in transfer device 5.
  • transfer device 5 is independently driven and controlled and is not an integral part of the inserter machine.
  • Transfer device 5 includes its own drive motor 30. Once transfer device 5 is turned on, driven rollers 20 can be continuously driven independent of the starting, stopping and interruption in the operation of the inserter machine.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Registering Or Overturning Sheets (AREA)
  • Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)
EP19910310129 1990-11-02 1991-11-01 Procédé et dispositif pour changer la direction du mouvement d'articles plats Expired - Lifetime EP0484177B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US60851290A 1990-11-02 1990-11-02
US608512 1990-11-02

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0484177A1 true EP0484177A1 (fr) 1992-05-06
EP0484177B1 EP0484177B1 (fr) 1995-08-09

Family

ID=24436826

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19910310129 Expired - Lifetime EP0484177B1 (fr) 1990-11-02 1991-11-01 Procédé et dispositif pour changer la direction du mouvement d'articles plats

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0484177B1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2054515C (fr)
DE (1) DE69111976T2 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2258458A (en) * 1991-07-19 1993-02-10 Pitney Bowes Inc Method and apparatus for aligning while changing direction of flat articles
WO1996014259A2 (fr) * 1994-11-03 1996-05-17 Masterflo Technology, Inc. Systeme modulaire de transport de feuilles pliees
US6406014B1 (en) 1999-05-31 2002-06-18 Ferag Ag Method and apparatus for transporting objects arriving in an overlapping formation
CN111545469A (zh) * 2020-05-25 2020-08-18 莆田学院 一种智慧物流包裹分拣调整系统

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3215428A (en) * 1962-07-11 1965-11-02 Telefunken Patent Guiding device
GB1474595A (en) * 1974-05-08 1977-05-25 Dean Res Corp Routing and conveying apparatus
GB2000748A (en) * 1977-07-05 1979-01-17 Pitney Bowes Inc Document turning station
US4527792A (en) * 1981-08-29 1985-07-09 Licentia-Patent-Verwaltungs Gmbh Apparatus for changing the direction of motion of letters and similar rectangular pieces of mail
US4909374A (en) * 1986-01-13 1990-03-20 Pitney Bowes Inc. Flat article direction changing device

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3215428A (en) * 1962-07-11 1965-11-02 Telefunken Patent Guiding device
GB1474595A (en) * 1974-05-08 1977-05-25 Dean Res Corp Routing and conveying apparatus
GB2000748A (en) * 1977-07-05 1979-01-17 Pitney Bowes Inc Document turning station
US4527792A (en) * 1981-08-29 1985-07-09 Licentia-Patent-Verwaltungs Gmbh Apparatus for changing the direction of motion of letters and similar rectangular pieces of mail
US4909374A (en) * 1986-01-13 1990-03-20 Pitney Bowes Inc. Flat article direction changing device

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
* abstract * *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 10, no. 134 (M-479)(2191) 17 May 1986 & JP-A-60 258 041 ( FUJI XEROX K.K. ) 19 December 1985 *

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2258458A (en) * 1991-07-19 1993-02-10 Pitney Bowes Inc Method and apparatus for aligning while changing direction of flat articles
WO1996014259A2 (fr) * 1994-11-03 1996-05-17 Masterflo Technology, Inc. Systeme modulaire de transport de feuilles pliees
WO1996014259A3 (fr) * 1994-11-03 1996-06-20 Masterflo Tech Inc Systeme modulaire de transport de feuilles pliees
US6406014B1 (en) 1999-05-31 2002-06-18 Ferag Ag Method and apparatus for transporting objects arriving in an overlapping formation
CN111545469A (zh) * 2020-05-25 2020-08-18 莆田学院 一种智慧物流包裹分拣调整系统

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0484177B1 (fr) 1995-08-09
CA2054515A1 (fr) 1992-05-03
CA2054515C (fr) 2002-03-19
DE69111976T2 (de) 1996-04-11
DE69111976D1 (de) 1995-09-14

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5180154A (en) Method and apparatus for changing the direction of motion of flat articles
US5178379A (en) Sheet collator with alignment apparatus
US5180159A (en) Adjustable right angle transfer device for conveying flat articles in one of two directions
US5723825A (en) Transport apparatus for a weighing module
US5413326A (en) Apparatus for changing the direction of motion of documents
GB2283731A (en) Feeding and changing the orientation of flat articles
US8540227B2 (en) Accumulating apparatus for discrete paper or film objects and related methods
US6102391A (en) Right angle transfer apparatus
US6817608B2 (en) Method and apparatus for stacking mailpieces in consecutive order
GB2283732A (en) Feeding and changing the orientation of flat articles
GB2261872A (en) Buckle chute folder.
US4813209A (en) Single cycle envelope flap opener
EP3239083B1 (fr) Procédé et appareil pour ajuster des écarts entre les rouleaux de pliage
EP0039398B1 (fr) Dispositif pour empiler des feuilles comportant un élément d'alignement
US5094554A (en) Addressing machine
US7971865B2 (en) Inserting apparatus for discrete objects into envelopes and related methods
EP0484177B1 (fr) Procédé et dispositif pour changer la direction du mouvement d'articles plats
US5560595A (en) Envelope ejection speed control system and method
US6367793B1 (en) System and method for document input control
CA2292061C (fr) Distributeur pneumatique de feuilles a haute vitesse
GB2258458A (en) Method and apparatus for aligning while changing direction of flat articles
EP0916605B1 (fr) Transporteur de courrier avec contrôle de face
JP3746144B2 (ja) 紙葉類の仕分け装置
AU2009288645B2 (en) Transporting apparatus for web products and related methods
EP2671828B1 (fr) Alignement/enregistrement et appareil de transport

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19921022

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19921217

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 69111976

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19950914

ET Fr: translation filed
PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: IF02

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20071221

Year of fee payment: 17

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 20081117

Year of fee payment: 18

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20090603

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 20091125

Year of fee payment: 19

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

Effective date: 20100730

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20091130

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20101101

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20101101