EP1066155A1 - Carrier inserter with carrier folding apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A card insertion system (38) for automatically producing card packages of cards (32) attached to folded card carrier forms (30) having a top (81), a bottom (83), a leading edge (85), a lagging edge (87), a pair of intermediate leading and lagging fold lines (80A, 80B) dividing the carrier form into a leading end section (82), a middle section (84) and a lagging end section (86), the improvement being a carrier form folding apparatus (64), having a first folding station (98) with a folding wall (90) engageable by the leading edge (85) for folding the leading end section (82) along the leading fold line (80A) and up and over the top (81) of the middle section (84) as the carrier form (30) is moved through the first folding station (98) to form a partially folded carrier form (30). A second folding station (116) with a folding wall (12) engageable by the folded edge (80A) of the partially folded carrier form (30) at the leading fold line (80A) for folding the lagging end section (86) along the lagging fold line (80B) over the bottom of the middle section (84) as the partially folded carrier form (30) is moving through the second folding station (116) to form a fully fold carrier form (30).

Description

CARRIER INSERTER WITH CARRIER FOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application, No 60/047,195, filed May 20, 1997, and entitled Card "Inserter With Carrier Folding Apparatus And Method", the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatically producing card packages composed of embossed cards mounted to matching carrier forms which, m turn, are stuffed into window envelopes for mailing.

Description of the related art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.197 - 1.99

Referring to Figs. 1A and IB, the present invention is adapted to automatically insert cards 10 to corresponding carrier forms 30 for producing card packages.

The card 10 also includes the embossed account number 18, the account name 20 and, optionally, the account address embossed on the card m embossed alphanumeric characters, or integrated circuit chip 12 or the so-called "smart card" having two rows of four input/output electrical terminals 14. Other information, not shown, such as expiration date, year of account opening, etc. is also sometimes embossed on the card

10, all at different locations on the card.

In addition, the card includes the account number encoded m bar code 22, on the front 16, or encoded m bar code 24 on the back of the card 10 or both at different locations on the card spaced from each other and from the other card data locations .

Further, as seen in Fig. IB, the card 10 includes a magnetic strip, or mag stripe, 28 at another data location on which is also encoded account information.

Referring now to Fig. 2A and 2B, the automatic card insertion system of the present invention selective mounts the cards 10 of Figs. 1A and IB into carrier forms, or carriers, 30 to form card packages 32 as seen m Fig. 2B. As best seen m Fig. 2A, the carrier forms include account information including the account number encoded in bar code 34. Preferably, the carrier forms 30 also has the account name and address printed on the carrier at one or more carrier print locations 36 and 38. As seen n Fig. 2B, the carrier form 30 is folded to protectively cover the mounted cards 10 to form a card package suitable for mailing m a standard usage see through envelope.

Card package productions such as shown m Patent No. 5,509,886 of Hill et al . insert, as shown m Figs. 1-3 into the carrier form. This system incorporates a carrier form folding apparatus having a pair of folding stations for folding the carrier forms into card packages. The first station caused the leading end section to fold together with the middle section. The station is then ready for the next carrier form. A second folding station folded the the lagging end section together with the folded leading end and middle section by buckelmg the form against a stop member while a pushing arm flipped the buckled carrier over the stop member and complete the folding of the card package. Prior to the folding of the next carrier form the pushing arm is retracted back to a home position where a sensor signals back to the computer the folding apparatus is ready to fold the neat carrier form. Disadvantageously this system is only capable of inserting and folding approximately four hundred card packages an hour .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the principle object of the invention to provide a card insertion system and for automatically producing card packages of cards attached to folded card carrier forms as described above, that is capable of faster speeds of operation.

The object is also obtained in part by providing a first folding station with a folding wall engageable by the leading edge for folding the leading end section along the leading fold line and up and over the top of the middle section as the carrier is moved through the first folding station to form a partially folded carrier form with a edge at the leading fold line and a second folding station with a folding wall engagable by the fold edge of the partially folded carrier at the leading fold line for folding the lagging end section along the lagging fold line over the bottom of the middle section as the partially folded carrier from is moved through the second folding station to form a fully folded carrier form.

Still another object of the invention is achieved by providing a method of folding the above mentioned carrier forms by moving the leading edge of the carrier form into a first folding wall engagable by the leading edge at a first folding station for folding the leading end section along the leading fold line and up and over the top of the middle section as the carrier is moved through the first folding station to form a partially folded carrier from with a folded edge at the leading fold line and then Moving the folded edge at the leading fold line of the partially folded carrier along a second folding wall engagable by the folded edge at a second folding station for folding the lagging end section along the lagging fold line over the bottom of the middle section as the partially folded carrier is moved through the second folding station to from a fully folded carrier with the lagging section folded over the middle section, in turn, is folded over the leading end section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing objects and advantageous features of the invention will be explained in greater detail and others will be made apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention which is given with reference to the several figures of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1A is a front view of a prior art card;

Fig. IB is a back view of a prior art card;

Fig. 2A is a front side view of a carrier with an inserted, or mounted card prior to folding;

Fig. 2B is a perspective view of a the folded carrier form of Fig.2 after being folded to form a card package with a portion broken away to view one of the cards mounted therein;

Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the preferred embodiment of the card insertion system in the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the drive controller circuit of the card carrier insertion system of Fig.3; Fig. 5A is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the card inserter mechanism of the card insertion system of Fig. 3 to fold the carrier form of Figs. 2 and 3 during an initial step m the folding sequence m the first folding station;

Fig. 5B is a side view of the folding mechanism of Fig. 5A during a later step m the folding sequence m which the leading edge of the carrier form has engaged a stationary folding wall and the lead fold line is aligned with a folding gap;

Fig. 5C is a side view of the folding mechanism of Fig. 5B during a still later step in the folding sequence m which the carrier form has been folded at the lead fold line and pushed through the folding gap for engagement between a first pair of pinch rollers;

Fig. 5D is a side view of the folding mechanism of Fig. 5C m which the carrier engages at the folded edge between the leading end section and middle section have been pushed against a second pivotal folding wall in a second folding station;

Fig. 5E is a side view of the folding mechanism of Fig. 5D in which the second fold line buckles to begin to fold together the lagging and middle sections together;

Fig. 5F is a side view of the folding mechanism of Fig. 5E during a later step m the folding sequence m which the pushing movement of the first pinch rollers on the lagging end section has pushed the carrier form pivotally away from the folding path along the lagging fold line and moving toward the second pair of pinch rollers; and

Fig. 5G is a side view of the folding mechanism of Fig. 5F during a later step m the folding sequence m which the second pair of pinch rollers move the folded carrier form out of the second folding station. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to Fig 3 showing a block diagram of the card insertion system 38 which is controlled by a microprocessor based computer for controlling the insertion, rejection, folding and stuffing of pre-encoded cards 10 into carrier forms 30 to form card packages. The pre-encoded cards 10 are placed in a card source or hopper 40 a card picker mechanism 42 selects individual cards 10 from card source 40. The cards are then transported through a card reader mechanism 44 where all of the corresponding card information as described in Figs. 1A and IB is read and compared to verify that all of the card information matches. When the mag stripe 28 is read, the account information is accessed from the microprocessor based computer. If any of the corresponding card information does not match, or if the corresponding card information does not match the account information the cards will the be rejected at the card reject station 45 before reaching the card inserter mechanism 46 into a card reject bin 47. If all the pre-encoded card information matches and the corresponding card information matches the pre-stored account information the cards are moved to the card inserter 60 for insertion into corresponding carriers 30.

The card insertion system 38 has a carrier source 50 of either preprinted or blank interconnected fan of bifold carrier forms. The preprinted forms are fed to a bursting module to separate the fan into individual carrier forms. Blank forms are fed into the burster and through the printer where the carrier information, such as carrier bar code 32 and carrier print locations 36, Fιg.2A, are printed on the carrier form. Alternatively individual blank carrier forms can also be feed into the printer from a paper bin connected to the printer. When the mag stripe on 28 on the card 10 is read and the microprocessor based computer has accessed the pre-stored account information, the printer prints the account information m a bar code form 34 and other information such as a mailing address at carrier print locations 36 as seen m

Fιg.2A onto the carrier forms 30. As the carrier forms exit either the burster or printer, a carrier reader 52, or bar code reader, reads the printed carrier bar code 34. If the printed carrier bar code information does not match the corresponding account information or the corresponding card information the carrier form is rejected at the carrier reject station 5 .

If the carrier information matches the corresponding card and the corresponding account information the printed carriers 30 move to the card inserter 60 for receipt of corresponding cards. The card inserter mechanism 54 inserts the cards 10 into the carrier forms and the "stuffed" carrier forms 30 exit the card inserter 60 through the card inserter outlet section and enter the carrier form folding apparatus 6 . As the carrier moves through the form folding apparatus 64, the carrier form folder 66, described m Figs. 5A-5F, folds the "stuffed" carriers, as seen m Fιg.2B, which are inserted into envelopes for mailing.

A drive controller 68, controlled by the microprocessor based computer, monitors and controls the carriers through the carrier form folder 66. As the "stuffed" carriers exit card inserter 60 an entry sensor 70 detects the entry of carriers into the carrier form folder. When the entry sensor 70 detects a carrier form control circuit activates drive motor 74 which drives a series of pinch rollers to feed the carriers through the carrier form folding apparatus 64. An exit sensor 76 detects the folded carriers as they exit the carrier form folding apparatus. As seen m Figs. 2, and 3 the card insertion apparatus produces card packages from carriers 30. The folding of carriers 30 in Fig. 3 is performed by the carrier form folding apparatus 64 as shown m Figs. 5A through 5F. As seen in Figs.

2A and 2B the body 78 of the bifold carriers have a front side

81 and back side 83, first and second parallel, spaced, preweakened fold lines 80A and 80B dividing the body into a leading end 82, middle 84, and lagging end 86 sections. First fold line 80A divides the leading end 82 and middle 84 while fold line 80B divides the middle 84 and lagging end section

86. A pair of fold pockets 87A and 87B, each having a pair of preweakened slits 89A and 89B protectively enclose the smart cards 10 within the carrier form 30.

Referring to Figs. 5A-5F, the carrier form folding apparatus 64 of the present invention is shown to fold the carrier form 30 of Figs. 2A and 2B with inserted card 10. In Fig. 5A, the carrier 30 is moved in a substantially horizontal direction from a carrier support member 88 until the carrier contacts with a stationary folding wall 90 by the leading edge 85. Electric motor 92 drives drive roller 94 which turns feed roller 96 to move the carrier through the first fold station 98. Idle roller 100 is used to open the flaps 87A and 87B, Fig. 3B, of carrier 30 to aid in the insertion of cards 10.

The carrier support member 88 has a support surface 102 for slidable support of the carrier form 30 being moved by drive roller 94 m the first direction toward stationary folding wall 90. The carrier support member 88 extends in a diagonal direction to direct and guide the leading end 86 of the carrier form 30 to the stationary folding wall 90. The leading end 82 moves m a second, substantially vertical direction along the surface of the stationary folding wall m response to the leading end section 82 coming into contact with the stationary folding wall. As the leading end section comes into contact with the stationary folding wall 90 the entry sensor 70 detects the leading end section 82 of the carrier which signals the control circuit 72 of the drive controller 68 to activate drive motor 74 which drives pinch rollers 114A and 114B, and 116A and 116B. Drive roller 94 continues to move the leading end section 86 vertically along the surface of the stationary folding wall until the leading end abuts with stop member 104.

Referring to Fig. 5B, the stationary folding wall 90 is shown to guide the carrier form 30 vertically to the stop member 104. An L-shaped stop member 104 is mounted to and extends transversely to the stationary folding wall 90. A fold gap 106 exists between a free end 108 of the stationary folding wall 90 and a channel plate 110. The leading end section 82 of the carrier 30 moved vertically until the first fold line 80A between the leading section 82 and middle section 84 of carrier 30 is aligned with the folding gap 106. The stop member 104 stops the vertical movement of the leading section 82 when the fold line 80A is aligned with the folding gap 106. Drive roller 94 continues to push the carrier form 30 through the folding gap 106 along channel plate 110.

Referring to Fig. 5C, the middle section 84 and the leading end section 82 adjacent the first fold line 80A are fed through fold gap 106. As the fold line 80A passes through fold gap 106 the leading section 82 moves downward away from the free end 108 of stationary folding wall 90 and begins to fold together with the middle section 80 along the first fold line 80A. The fold line 80A moves through first pinch rollers 112A and 112B to fold the front of the leading section 82 back against the front side of the middle section 84. Electric motor 72 drives the first set of pinch rollers 112A and 112B and second set of pinch rollers 114A and 114B interconnected through belt linkage 118. The pinch rollers 112A and 112B are cantered or slightly offset to move the partial folded carrier 30 into engagement at the first fold line 80A with a second pivotal folding wall 120.

Referring to Fig. 5D, the first pinch rollers continue to move the partially folded carrier form 30 m cooperation with a substantially horizontal blocking plate 115 which pivots on shaft 117 m a substantially diagona] direction down the surface 122 of pivotal fold wall 120 until the first fold line contacts a V-shaped pocket 124 which prevents the first fold line from disengaging the pivotal fold wall 120 as the first pinch rollers continue to move the lagging end section into the second fold station 126. The pivotal fold wall pivots on a tensionless pivot member 128 which allows the pivotal fold wall to pivot freely within the second folding station. The pivotal fold wall is m a substantially vertical home position as the partially folded carrier enters the second fold station. As the first fold line contacts the surface of the pivotal folding wall the pivotal folding wall rotates slightly counter clockwise R to a release position until the first fold line enters the V-shaped pocket.

Referring now to Fιg.5E when the first fold line 80A contacts the V-shaped pocket 124 the second fold line 80B begins to buckle and fold the bottom side of lagging end section 86 against bottom side of the middle section 84. As the first set of pinch rollers 114A and 114B continue to move the lagging end section 86 into the second folding section 126 causing the pivotal fold wall to pivot clockwise into a substantially diagonal blocking member. The substantially horizontal blocking member prevents the lagging end section 115.

As seen if Fιg.5F the first fold line disengages from the V-shaped pocket 124 and contacts the face 128 of a substantially diagonal blocking member 126 which prevents the folded leading and middle sections from contacting the first set of pinch rollers 112A and 112B. The substantially horizontal blocking plate 115 guides the second fold line 80B and lagging end end section 86 into the second set of pinch rollers 114A and 114B. As the lagging end section exits the first set of pinch rollers 112A and 112B the folded carrier contacts the second set of pinch rollers 114A and 114B which move the folded carrier from the second folding station as seen in Fιg.5G. Exit sensor 76 detects the folded carrier form, and signals through the control circuit 72, the carrier has been processed.

The completed card package is then moved to a folded carrier outlet station where the card packages are inserted into mailing envelopes. The folding apparatus of the present invention is capable of producing approximately two thousand card packages an hour.

It should be appreciated that the carrier form folding apparatus is capable of functioning with other types of card inserters which properly feed unfolded carriers m the manner indicated and that the details of the inserter form no part of the present application. Likewise, other types of bifold carrier forms other than illustrated herein will function properly with the carrier form folding apparatus. Moreover, m card package productions systems m which the invention is capable of being employed, card package forming apparatus and envelope stuffing apparatus which remove the card package from the carrier form folding apparatus and stuff them into envelopes .

It should be appreciated that to the extent the details of the various apparatus referred to or shown herein are not described or shown herein, they form no part of the present invention. If such details are desired, reference should be made to one or more of U.S. Patent No. 5,388, 815 issued February 14, 1995 to Hill et al . entitled "Embossed Card Package Production System With Modular Inserters For Multiple Forms"; U.S. Patent No. 5,433,364 issued July 18, 1995 entitled "Card Package Production System With Burster and

Carrier Verification Apparatus"; U.S. Patent No. 5,494,544 issued on February 27, 1996 to Hill et al . entitled "Automatic

Verified Embossed Card Package Production Methods"; U.S.

Patent No. 5,509,886 issued April 23, 1996 to Hill et al . entitled "Card Package Production System With Modular Carrier

Folding Apparatus For Multiple Forms"; and U.S. Patent No.

5,541,395 issued July 30, 1996 to Hill et al . entitled "Card

Package Production System With Burster and Code Reader.

Reference should also be made to U.S. patent application

Serial No. 08/313,548 filed September 23, 1994 (which is a continuation of filewrapper of Serial No. 08/036,436 filed

March 24, 1993) of Hill et al . entitled "Card Carrier Forms

For Automated Embossed Card Package Production System"; U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/047,190 (DYN-12) of Hill et al . entitled "Automatic Card Insertion System With

Card Multireader and Method" filed contemporaneously herewith;

U.S. patent application Serial No. 08/859,685 (DYN-13) of Hill et al . entitled "Inserter Module Adaptable For Use With Both

Preprinted and In-Lme Printed Carriers and Method" filed contemporaneously herewith; U.S. patent application Serial No.

08/859,295 (DYN-14) of Hill et al . entitled "Printer With

Discrete Sheet Load Enhancement Apparatus and Method" filed contemporaneously herewith; and U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/047,189 (DYN-15) of Hill et al . entitled "Card Package Production System With A Multireader

Card Track and Method" filed contemporaneously herewith. All these patents and patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. In a card insertion system for automatically producing card packages of cards attached to folded card carrier forms having a top, a bottom, a leading edge, a lagging edge, a pair of intermediate leading and lagging fold lines dividing the carrier form into a leading end section, a middle section and a lagging end section, the improvement being a carrier form folding apparatus, comprising: a first folding station with a folding wall engageable by the leading edge for folding the leading end section along the leading fold line and up and over the top of the middle section as the carrier is moved through the first folding station to form a partially folded carrier form with a folded edge at the leading fold line; and a second folding station with a folding wall engageable by the folded edge of the partially folded carrier at the leading fold line for folding the lagging end section along the lagging fold line over the bottom of the middle section as the partially folded carrier form is moved through the second folding station to form a fully folded carrier with the lagging end section folded over the middle section which, in turn, is folded over the leading end section.

2. The card inserter of claim 1 in which said second folding station includes a first pair of pinch rollers for moving the partially folded carrier form into the second folding wall.

3. The card inserter of claim 2 in which said second folding station includes a second pair of pinch rollers for receiving the carrier adjacent the lagging fold of the carrier form to complete the fold of the lagging end section over the middle section while moving the carrier form past the second folding wal l .

4. The card inserter of claim 3 in which said second folding station includes a member for blocking pivotal movement of the bottom of the middle section adjacent the leading fold line into the first pair of pinch rollers while the carrier adjacent the lagging fold is received by the second pair of rollers to complete a folded carrier.

5. The card inserter of claim 3 in which the carrier form folding apparatus includes a folded carrier form outlet station with a pair of outlet pinch rollers, and said second pair of pinch rollers is positioned relative to the pair of outlet pinch rollers to pass the carrier forms from the second folding station to the pair of outlet pinch rollers .

6. The card inserter of claim 5 in which the carrier form folding apparatus includes an outlet stacker, and means for transporting the folder carrier from the outlet pinch rollers to the outlet stacker.

7. The card inserter of claim 1 m which said second folding station includes at least one pair of pinch rollers for moving the carrier form through the second folding station, said at least one pair of pinch rollers being the only means for moving the carrier forms through the second folding station.

8. The card inserter of claim 1 in which said second folding station includes a pair of pinch rollers for receiving the carrier adjacent the lagging fold of the carrier form to fold the middle section underneath the lagging end section while moving the carrier form past the second folding wall.

9. The card inserter of claim 1 including means for feeding unfolded carrier forms with attached cards into the carrier form folding apparatus.

10. The card inserter of claim 9 in which said first wall includes a first stop member at one end and a first free end at an opposite end, and said feeding means includes means for moving the leading edge of the carrier into and along the first wall until the leading edge engages the stop member and then moving the middle section of the carrier adjacent the leading fold line past the free end to force with the free end the leading end section to fold over the middle section and move toward the second folding station.

11. The card inserter of claim 10 in which said second wall includes a second stop member at one end and a second free end opposite end, and the second station includes means for moving a folded edge of the partially folded carrier at the leading fold line along the second wall until engagement with the stop member and then moving the lagging section of the carrier adjacent the lagging fold line past the second as the free end of the second wall to force with the free end the folded middle section and leading end section to fold toward the lagging end section.

12. The card inserter of claim 11 m which said first wall extends from the first free end to the first stop member in one direction, and said second wall extends from the second free end to the second step member m another direction substantially opposed to the first direction.

13. The card inserter of claim 9 in which said second wall includes a second member at one end and a second free end at an opposite end, and the second station includes means for moving a folded edge of the partially folded carrier at the leading fold line along the second wall until engagement with the stop member and then moving the lagging section of the carrier adjacent the lagging fold line past the free end of the second wall to force with the free end the folded middle section and leading end section to fold toward the lagging end section.

14. The card inserter of claim 1 including means for moving the carrier generally along a preselected linear path of carrier travel, and in which said first wall and said second wall are located on opposite sides of the path of carrier travel.

15. The card inserter of claim 14 m which said second station includes a first pair of pinch rollers canted relative to the linear path of carrier travel to move a folded edge of the partially folded carrier form at the leading fold line from the linear path of carrier travel to engage with the second wall .

16. The card inserter of claim 14 m which the first folding wall is substantially perpendicular to the linear path of carrier travel, and the second wall extends away from the first well at an angle which is nonperpendicular to the linear path of carrier travel.

17. In a card insertion system of carrier forms having a top, a bottom, a leading edge, a lagging edge and a pair of intermediate leading and lagging fold lines dividing the carrier into a leading section, a middle section and a lagging section, a method of folding the carrier forms, comprising the steps of: moving the leading edge of a carrier form into a first folding wall engageable by the leading edge at a first folding station for folding the leading end section along the leading fold line and up and over the top of the middle section as the carrier is moved through the first folding station to form a partially folded carrier form with a folded edge at the leading fold line; moving the folded edge at the leading fold line of the partially folded carrier along a second folding wall engageable by the folded edge at a second folding station for folding the lagging end section along the lagging fold line over the bottom of the middle section as the partially folded carrier form is moved through the second folding station to form a fully folded carrier with the lagging end section folded over the middle section which, in turn, is folded over the leading end section.

18. The method of claim 17 in which both of said steps of moving are achieved solely with pinch rollers.

19. The method of claim 17 including the step of pivoting the second folding wall to release the partially folded carrier as the partially folded carrier is moved through the second folding station.

20. The method of claim 19 including the step of pivoting the second folding wall from a home position and a release position.

21. The method of claim 17 including the step of the partially folded carrier moving the releasably mounted second folding wall to the release position.

22. The method of claim 17 in which said step of moving the folded edge of a carrier form into a second folding wall includes the step of sliding the folded edge of the carrier form along the wall in a second direction until a stop member blocks further movement and including the step of moving the partially folded carrier form past a free end of the second folding wall to forced with the second free end the lagging end section to fold over the middle and leading end sections.