EP0501721A2 - Mécanisme de sélection de valeur pour machine d'affranchissement - Google Patents

Mécanisme de sélection de valeur pour machine d'affranchissement Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0501721A2
EP0501721A2 EP92301524A EP92301524A EP0501721A2 EP 0501721 A2 EP0501721 A2 EP 0501721A2 EP 92301524 A EP92301524 A EP 92301524A EP 92301524 A EP92301524 A EP 92301524A EP 0501721 A2 EP0501721 A2 EP 0501721A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
printing
printing element
franking
positions
further characterised
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP92301524A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0501721A3 (en
Inventor
Raymond John Herbert
Craig Ronald King
Daniel John Lee
Thomas Douglas Williams
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.)
Neopost Ltd
Original Assignee
Neopost Ltd
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 Neopost Ltd filed Critical Neopost Ltd
Publication of EP0501721A2 publication Critical patent/EP0501721A2/fr
Publication of EP0501721A3 publication Critical patent/EP0501721A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G07B2017/00258—Electronic hardware aspects, e.g. type of circuits used
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00516—Details of printing apparatus
    • G07B2017/00524—Printheads
    • G07B2017/00548—Mechanical printhead

Definitions

  • This invention relates to setting of printing elements for the printing of a selected variable postage value in a franking impression and in particular to the control of setting of the printing elements.
  • Known postal franking meters include a print drum which carries fixed print dies for printing the invariable portion of a franking impression and also carries print wheels which are settable to print variable information such as the postage value of the frank and the date of franking.
  • the wheels have type characters disposed around the peripheral edge thereof so that by selective rotation of the print wheels, prior to printing, required type characters can be brought into a position in which these characters are printed to provide the variable information in the franking impression.
  • the print wheels may be set by means of mechanical linkages connecting the wheels to levers or thumb wheels operated by a user of the franking meter.
  • Encoders connected to thee mechanical linkages provide electrical signals representing the value to which each print wheel is set for input to electronic circuits which carry out accounting functions in respect of the value of postage used.
  • electrical keys are provided for operation by a user to select a required postage value to enable direct electrical input of the value to the accounting means and accordingly it is required that the electronic circuits control electric motors to rotate the print wheels so as to set the wheels to print the required postage value.
  • the control of the drive motors requires feedback elements to provide print wheel positional signals to the electronic circuits. Due to the need for precision positional control, the feedback elements need to be within close tolerance limits and would normally need to have high linearity and as a result are costly.
  • a method of setting a printing element in a franking meter to a selected one of a plurality of positions to enable printing of a selected character is characterised by the steps of generating feedback signals representing the current position of the printing element; storing a plurality of signals respectively representing each of the plurality of positions of the printing element; driving the printing element until the generated feedback signal corresponds to that one of the stored signals representing the selected position.
  • print wheels W1, W2, W3, W4 for four decades are rotatable by drive motors M1, M2, M3, M4 to set the print wheels independently to position a selected type character on the periphery of each of the wheels in an operative printing position.
  • the motors M1 - M4 are energised by motor bridge driver circuits D1, D2, D3, D4 respectively which are controlled by drive control signals on lines 101 - 104 output from a micro-controller 11.
  • the motors may be driven in either direction of rotation in dependence upon the drive control signals output from the micro-controller.
  • the motors M1 - M4, and hence the print wheels W1 - W4, are mechanically coupled 121 - 124 to the sliders 131 - 134 of potentiometers P1, P2, P3, P4 so that as the motors rotate the print wheels through a single revolution in which each of the type characters are positioned in turn in the operative printing position the sliders of the potentiometers move from one end of a resistive track 141 - 144 to an opposite end of the track.
  • the resistive tracks are connected at one end to a ground line 15 (0V) and at the other end through switches S1 - S4 to a line 16 maintained at a fixed potential (+V).
  • the switches S1 - S4 are operated by switching signals on lines 171 - 174 from the micro-controller 11.
  • the sliders of the potentiometers are connected through isolating diodes 211 - 214 to a common line 18.
  • the common line 18 is connected to the input of an analogue to digital converter 19.
  • the digital output of the converter 19 is connected by lines 20 a - 20 n to an input of the micro-controller.
  • the micro-controller receives a digital signal which can be utilised to control energisation of the drive circuit D4 such as to bring the print wheel W4 to rest with the required type character, selected for example by an input on a keyboard 24, in its operative printing position Similarly, the other print wheels W1, W2 and W3 are rotated into required angular positions.
  • a single analogue to digital converter 19 may be shared between all the potentiometers in order to reduce cost.
  • the potentiometers are selected by operation of the switches S1 - S4 in sequence.
  • the multiplex rate at which the switches are operated may be sufficiently high as to enable simultaneous energisation of the motors and setting of the print wheels.
  • separate analogue to digital converters may be provided for each potentiometer.
  • Potentiometers constructed with sufficient precision to provide linear change of potential on the slider for equal increments of angular rotation of the slider are costly Potentiometers of reasonable cost may have a tolerance of 5% as between different devices of the same construction and same nominal resistance value. Also the linearity of resistance along the length of the track of such potentiometers may vary by as much as 2%. As a result the resistance measured from one terminal to a point on the track will fall within a 7% band but any specific potentiometer device will resolve with a repeatability only affected by the stability of the device. The stability of any specific device is substantially better than the band within which different devices may lie.
  • the digital signals input on lines 20 a - 20 n to the micro-controller 11 in respect of each of the angular positions of the print wheel in which a type character is in the printing position is stored in a table in a non-volatile memory 22 connected to the micro-controller 11.
  • the table contains a digital value for each decimal value and for each print wheel.
  • a set up routine is employed in which the print wheels W1 - W4 are set to each of their ten positions in turn for example by means of a jig.
  • the potentiometers For each operational printing position of each wheel the potentiometers provide analogue voltage signals which are converted to digital signals input to the micro-controller and stored in the table in the memory 22. Accordingly, the table contains digital values corresponding respectively to each operational printing position of each wheel.
  • the printing wheels may be used to print the value of franking applied to a mail item or to print the date on which the franking is applied.
  • the digital values corresponding to the printing position to which the wheels may be set are maintained secure from unauthorised tampering.
  • the digital value contents of the table must be maintained secure to prevent any unauthorised change to the digital values which could have the effect of setting the print wheels to print a value which differs from that to which the microcontroller is controlled to set the wheels.
  • the set up routine for writing the digital values to the table as the printing wheels are set to their printing positions may be co-resident in the microcontroller 11 and may be initiated by secure means, such as a switch 23, to which access is protected by known methods used in the postal meter art.
  • secure means such as a switch 23, to which access is protected by known methods used in the postal meter art.
  • the set up routine can be initiated in manufacture of the postage meter to enable initial setting up of the table and can be initiated in the field by an authorised service representative should re-writing of the table be required but unauthorised initiation of the set up routine and unauthorised access to the contents of the table is prevented or inhibits further use of the meter for franking purposes.
  • Such means may be operated to carry out the integrity check periodically, for example, each time the franking meter is switched on.
  • print wheels are set by a fore and aft rotational drive motion limited by end stops corresponding to the decimal values zero and nine respectively.
  • the franking meter may carry out a switch on routine in which each wheel is driven to its end zero value position and then stepped through each decimal position in ascending value to the other end nine value position to ensure that each wheel correctly completes the sequence of setting positions. Failure of this switch on routine to verify that each printing wheel has been stepped through all its decimal value positions may be used to inhibit operation of the meter for franking mail items.
  • the flow chart illustrates a program routine for setting all of the print wheels to desired angular positions.
  • the digital value corresponding to a first decade of the postage value is read from the look up table.
  • the digital value input from the converter 19 is compared with the value read from the table and if the comparison indicates that the print wheel for that decade is not at the required position the motor drive circuit drives the motor to move the print wheel toward the required position.
  • the motor drive circuit drives the motor at a slower speed.
  • the comparison indicates that the values are equal the motor is stopped.
  • the routine proceeds to repeat the above steps in respect of the next decade. If the decade being sensed is the last of the four decades and all the four motors are stopped at the required positions the program routine terminates. Otherwise, the program routine is repeated starting with the first decade. Thus each decade is sensed in turn while the motors are driven to move the print wheels toward their required positions. When the sensing indicates that the digital value derived from a potentiometer of a decade is equal to the digital value read from the table for that decade, energisation of the corresponding motor is terminated. The program routine for sensing the angular positions of the print wheels continues until all four of the print wheels are in the required respective angular positions.
  • the controlling software incorporates a dead band to prevent hunting of the drive motors when the print wheels are within a predetermined positional tolerance of the required position. Accordingly the system does not respond to very small difference signals which could cause hunting oscillation of the drive motors. As described hereinbefore, when the print wheels are approaching the required positions, the speed of rotation of the print wheels is reduced to prevent overshoot of the required position.
  • control system described hereinbefore enables relatively low cost potentiometers to be used and these, apart from cost advantages over high cost precision potentiometers, may be of miniature construction instead of the relatively large size of precision potentiometers. Accordingly a more compact construction of franking meter may be obtained.
  • the long term stability of the potentiometers is sufficiently good that the digital values stored in the look up table will remain valid for a long period. However re-calibration of the setting system and storing new values in the look up table may be carried out whenever necessary.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
EP19920301524 1991-02-27 1992-02-24 Franking meter value selection mechanism Withdrawn EP0501721A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9104083 1991-02-27
GB9104083A GB2253593A (en) 1991-02-27 1991-02-27 Electronic print-wheel setting arrangements for postage meters.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0501721A2 true EP0501721A2 (fr) 1992-09-02
EP0501721A3 EP0501721A3 (en) 1993-04-28

Family

ID=10690645

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19920301524 Withdrawn EP0501721A3 (en) 1991-02-27 1992-02-24 Franking meter value selection mechanism

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0501721A3 (fr)
GB (1) GB2253593A (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1892099A1 (fr) * 2006-08-22 2008-02-27 Kba-Giori S.A. Méthode pour contrôler la position des roues d'impression d'une machine à numéroter

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2354592A1 (fr) * 1976-06-09 1978-01-06 Secap Dispositif pour le reperage de la position d'un organe mobile, notamment d'un organe de mise en valeur dans une machine d'affranchissement
US4345193A (en) * 1980-02-27 1982-08-17 Bell & Howell Company Driver for postage meters
US4398458A (en) * 1981-03-23 1983-08-16 Francotyp Gesellschaft Mbh Adjustment device for postage metering and value stamping machines
US4519048A (en) * 1982-12-08 1985-05-21 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postage meter system for communicating platen movement to a microprocessor to signal completion of printing
EP0161415A2 (fr) * 1984-04-19 1985-11-21 Ferag AG Dispositif de formation d'une pile en hélice à partir d'un courant d'articles plans se chevauchant
GB2166389A (en) * 1984-10-04 1986-05-08 Pitney Bowes Inc Electronic postage meter print wheel setting optimization system
GB2194842A (en) * 1986-09-04 1988-03-16 Roneo Alcatel Ltd Position encoder
FR2624966A1 (fr) * 1987-12-21 1989-06-23 Pitney Bowes Inc Dispositif de codage a effet hall, et procede de codage l'utilisant

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1554152A (en) * 1976-05-11 1979-10-17 Lethaby & Co Ltd Number printing apparatus
GB2018684B (en) * 1978-01-20 1982-03-31 Mccorquodale Machine Systens L Printing apparatus
DE2812333C2 (de) * 1978-03-21 1982-10-28 Pitney Bowes Deutschland Gmbh, 6148 Heppenheim Antriebs- und Bremssystem für eine elektronische Prägemaschine
IT1119622B (it) * 1979-12-21 1986-03-10 Olivetti & Co Spa Macchina per scrivere elettronica
DE3231937C2 (de) * 1982-08-27 1985-10-17 Atlas Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH, 5980 Werdohl Elektronisch gesteuerte Brennstoffdosiervorrichtung für einen Gleichdruckvergaser

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2354592A1 (fr) * 1976-06-09 1978-01-06 Secap Dispositif pour le reperage de la position d'un organe mobile, notamment d'un organe de mise en valeur dans une machine d'affranchissement
US4345193A (en) * 1980-02-27 1982-08-17 Bell & Howell Company Driver for postage meters
US4398458A (en) * 1981-03-23 1983-08-16 Francotyp Gesellschaft Mbh Adjustment device for postage metering and value stamping machines
US4519048A (en) * 1982-12-08 1985-05-21 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postage meter system for communicating platen movement to a microprocessor to signal completion of printing
EP0161415A2 (fr) * 1984-04-19 1985-11-21 Ferag AG Dispositif de formation d'une pile en hélice à partir d'un courant d'articles plans se chevauchant
GB2166389A (en) * 1984-10-04 1986-05-08 Pitney Bowes Inc Electronic postage meter print wheel setting optimization system
GB2194842A (en) * 1986-09-04 1988-03-16 Roneo Alcatel Ltd Position encoder
FR2624966A1 (fr) * 1987-12-21 1989-06-23 Pitney Bowes Inc Dispositif de codage a effet hall, et procede de codage l'utilisant

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1892099A1 (fr) * 2006-08-22 2008-02-27 Kba-Giori S.A. Méthode pour contrôler la position des roues d'impression d'une machine à numéroter
WO2008023308A2 (fr) * 2006-08-22 2008-02-28 Kba-Giori S.A. Procédé et dispositif de commande de la position de molettes de numérotage d'un dispositif de numérotage
WO2008023308A3 (fr) * 2006-08-22 2008-05-02 Kba Giori Sa Procédé et dispositif de commande de la position de molettes de numérotage d'un dispositif de numérotage
CN101505964B (zh) * 2006-08-22 2010-12-15 卡巴-乔利有限公司 用于控制编号设备的编号轮的位置的方法和设备
RU2448842C2 (ru) * 2006-08-22 2012-04-27 КБА-НотаСис СА Способ и устройство для управления положением цифровых дисков нумерационного устройства

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2253593A (en) 1992-09-16
EP0501721A3 (en) 1993-04-28
GB9104083D0 (en) 1991-04-17

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