EP1332996A1 - Device for receiving multi-format envelopes - Google Patents

Abstract

The receiver and stacker for a mail processing machine has a conveyor (20) located adjacent to the machine's outlet end to receive envelopes and move them transversely towards an inclined transfer surface (24) from which they are directed by guides with lateral slideways (40A, 40B) into a storage box (26A) of standard dimensions. In advance of the transverse conveyor (20) the system has a motorised shutter (36) which occupies two positions: one in which it seconds an envelope to the transverse conveyor, and another in which it stops the envelope and allows it to drop directly into a second storage box (38A) situated immediately after the processing machine.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of treatment of mail and it relates more particularly to a receiving device flat articles for a mail processing machine.

Prior art

Mail processing machines typically include three main elements: a mail item feeder, a post franking of these mail items arranged at the outlet of the feeder (whether or not incorporating a weighing device) and, arranged in exit from the postage meter, a receiving device, or stacker, for postage items prepaid at the postage point. Currently, these machines can frank mail items from any type and any format and the receiving device must therefore be able properly receive and store all of these mail items. Therefore, these devices are mostly made up of a simple receptacle in which mail items of all formats are stored flat and loose in a low capacity stack (about 100 envelopes of average thickness), as and when they postage. Unfortunately, for high rates, for example around 10,000 envelopes per hour (approximately 4 envelopes per second), this configuration requires frequent machine stops, and therefore the franking of the articles of mail, when it comes to withdrawing the mail items freed from the receptacle to put them in post offices each of which has a storage capacity of around 500 envelopes.

Also, it is known from US Patents 3,945,635 and US 5,464,317 automated stackers that implement transporters, belt conveyor belt type, arranged lengthwise or perpendicularly at the exit of the postage meter, and allowing storage by accumulation in vertical position of mail items stamped and unloaded without stopping the machine. These devices however have the disadvantage of being relatively bulky, the storage capacity of these devices being essentially linked to the length of the conveyor. In addition, this solution does not exempt from putting then these envelopes in postal boxes to facilitate their further processing by the postal administration.

Object and definition of the invention

The subject of the present invention is a reception device of mail articles which overcomes these disadvantages. An object of the invention is to propose a receiving device allowing unloading directly in post office boxes ready for dispatch. Another goal of the invention is to allow a reception of articles modulated according to the format of prepaid items. Yet another object of the invention is to make the device as simple, compact and ergonomic as possible while having sufficient storage capacity and in particular far superior to that of a simple receptacle.

These goals are achieved by an envelope receiving device for a mail processing machine with a carpet conveyor arranged at the outlet of the mail processing machine for receive these envelopes and transport them perpendicular to a direction of advance of these envelopes towards an inclined surface of transfer from where these envelopes are then directed by means of guide mounted directly at the outlet of the inclined transfer surface towards a first storage postal box of dimensions standardized under the conveyor belt and guide means associated with the inclined transfer surface are provided to guide the envelopes in their descent to the first post office box storage.

So, with this configuration, it becomes possible to store a larger quantity of envelopes and present them directly in a position exploitable by the postal administration.

The guide means comprise two slides mounted on one side on the other side of the inclined transfer surface and intended to ensure guidance of the sides of the envelopes. A frame is applied to the first storage post office box with two parallel guides on which is suspended a spacer intended to move as and when measurement of envelope reception.

Preferably, another storage post office box is arranged under the first and intended to be substituted for it by an operator when this first storage post office box is full.

According to another embodiment, the device according to the invention includes, upstream of the conveyor belt, a motorized sorting flap switchable according to the format of the stamped envelope and which, in a first position, supports this envelope when it is ejected towards the conveyor belt and, in a second position, forms an obstacle to the envelope which falls in bulk directly into a second case storage post located just out of the machine mail processing.

Advantageously, the first position allows the passage of envelopes in C6 / 5 format to the first post office box, the second position directing the envelopes of all other formats to the second storage post office box. switching the shutter sorting is ensured by a control engine based on the information format delivered by means of detecting the length of the envelopes available at the mail processing machine.

According to yet another embodiment, the second box storage box for receiving unsorted envelopes is replaced by a conveyor belt allowing accumulation on the slice of these envelopes.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une machine de traitement de courrier comportant un premier exemple de réalisation d'un dispositif de réception selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'une machine de traitement de courrier comportant un deuxième exemple de réalisation d'un dispositif de réception selon l'invention, et
• la figure 3 est une vue en perspective d'une machine de traitement de courrier comportant un troisième exemple de réalisation d'un dispositif de réception selon l'invention.

The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the following description, given by way of non-limiting illustration, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mail processing machine comprising a first embodiment of a reception device according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mail processing machine comprising a second embodiment of a reception device according to the invention, and
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a mail processing machine comprising a third embodiment of a receiving device according to the invention.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

A first embodiment of a reception device mail items from a mail processing machine is shown in Figure 1.

This mail processing machine conventionally comprises, from upstream to downstream in relation to the direction of advance of these articles: a mail item feeder 10, a dynamic weighing module 12, a postage meter 14 and, disposed at the outlet of this post, a receiving device, or stacker 16, for mail items freedmen. All of these elements are placed on a work table 18 or placed on one of its sides to be easily available to a operator in charge of postage operations and posted in general in front of this table.

Such a machine can frank mail items from different formats, from the American format N ° 5 (76.2mm * 127mm) up to European format b4 (250mm * 353mm) through the format European standard C6 / 5 (114mm * 229mm) and this up to a thickness determined, for example 16 mm, corresponding to the height of the slot introduction of mail items from the machine.

According to the invention, the reception device comprises a first module (or column 16A) comprising a conveyor belt 20 for receiving successively the mail items ejected by the post franking machine 14 and transport them to the back of the work table (to free the front of the work table for operator) perpendicular to their ejection direction (which is also the direction of advance of these articles) towards an opening 22 in which they will fall one by one to be directed along a surface inclined 24 which ensures a transfer of these articles to a first box storage post 26A with standardized dimensions, for example 300 * 492 * 194, arranged in the column under the conveyor belt on a shelf, or shelf 23, of the module. This inclination of the surface of transfer allows you to straighten mail items that were initially in a horizontal position and therefore to store them vertically (on the edge) in the post office box (this position vertical is required by the postal administration to facilitate operations sorting done by this administration). To allow a easy storage and guide the envelopes in their descent to the box postal 26A, the receiving device includes a guide gutter 28, mounted directly at the outlet of the inclined surface and whose width corresponds to the largest format of stamped envelopes. This gutter is associated with a frame 30 intended to be applied on the edge upper device of the cash register and comprising two guides parallel 32A, 32B on which is suspended an insert 34 intended to be move as you receive the envelopes and therefore filling the box. Note that to limit the time of interruption of the franking process, the receiving device preferably comprises two superimposed postal boxes 26A, 26B. Once full, the operator can remove the corresponding box from the module (this removal can be facilitated by replacing shelf 23 with a drawer on slides), remove the frame which surmounts it (a system of springs ribbon can then allow for example a return of the interlayer in its initial position) and place it on the second empty box which can be put in place of the first box for the continuation of the process postage. Note that it is possible to provide a sensor visual or audible (not shown) on the frame and / or the spacer for warn the operator of the presence of a full crate.

So, with this configuration, the subsequent work of the administration is greatly facilitated because, on the one hand, the mail items are sent in postal boxes of standard dimensions and others apart these mail items are in an upright position facilitating their insertion into automated sorting machines. However, it should be noted that this configuration does not allow sorting according to the formats of items of mail coming out in bulk from the franking station 14.

This is the object of the configuration illustrated in Figure 2, whose identical elements have the same references, and which presents the advantage compared to the previous configuration to allow a first sorting of mail items with a predetermined format, preferably the most commonly used format, for example the format C6 / 5 in Europe.

To this end, the receiving device comprises a second module (or column 16B) arranged upstream of the first and comprising a shutter motorized sorting 36 switchable according to the format of the mail item stamped and which, in a first position, serves as a support for the article of mail when it is ejected to the conveyor belt 20 and, in a second position, forms an obstacle to the mail item which then falls in bulk directly in a second cash box 38A arranged just at the exit of the franking station 14. The first position is chosen advantageously to allow the single passage of mail items in C6 / 5 format to the first post office box 26A with dimensions adapted to these mail items, the second position being used for items of all other formats (unsorted mail items) which fall directly into the second postal box 38A with dimensions standard 298 * 280 * 492. Due to the perfect fit between the articles of mail and the post office box before receiving them, the gutter 28 can be replaced by two simple slides 40A, 40B mounted on both sides and on the other side of the inclined transfer surface 24 and guiding the sides of the envelopes. The switching of the sorting flap 36 is ensured by a control engine (not shown) based on information format delivered by means of detecting the length of the envelopes (not shown) available at station level postage processing machine.

As in the previous configuration, it is intended for the processing unsorted mail items, i.e. other formats than the C6 / 5 format, preferably having two superimposed postal boxes 38A, 38B so as to facilitate the operations of unloading by the operator. The frequency of filling this case relating to the other non-current formats being relatively small, its removal and its replacement by the empty box placed below can be done manually during the processing of articles C6 / 5 format mail and therefore without stopping the machine.

Figure 3 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a device for receiving mail items according to the invention in which the second post office box 38A intended for receiving mail items unsorted is replaced by a conveyor belt 42 mounted under the table work 18 on a lower plate 44 thereof. This conveyor whose direction of transport is opposite to that of advance of the articles of mail on the table is of a known type, for example by patent US 5,464,317, allowing an accumulation on the edge of the articles of mail, that is to say in a vertical position facilitating their processing later by postal automated processing machines. As in the previous configuration, the separation plane 46 between the two modules 16A, 16B form a stop for articles whose format exceeds that processed by the module for receiving sorted articles 16A.

Claims (8)

Device for receiving envelopes for a machine for mail processing comprising a conveyor belt (20) arranged in exit from the mail processing machine to receive these envelopes and transport them perpendicular to a direction advancing these envelopes to an inclined transfer surface (24) whence these envelopes are then directed by guide means (28; 40A, 40B) mounted directly at the outlet of the inclined transfer surface towards a first storage postal box (26A) of dimensions standardized under the conveyor belt. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said guide means comprise two slides (40A, 40B) mounted on either side of the inclined transfer surface (24) and intended to guide the sides of the envelopes. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a frame (30) applied to the first post office cash box and comprising two parallel guides (32A, 32B) on which is suspended an interlayer (34) intended to be move as soon as you receive the envelopes. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises another postal storage box (26B) disposed under the first (26A) and intended to be substituted for this by an operator when this first postal storage box is full. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises, upstream of the conveyor belt (20), a motorized sorting flap (36) switchable according to the format of the franked envelope and which, in a first position, serves as a support for this envelope when it is ejected towards the conveyor belt and, in a second position, forms an obstacle to the envelope which falls loose directly in a second storage post office box (38A) disposed just at the outlet of the machine mail processing. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the first position allows the passage of the envelopes in C6 / 5 format towards the first storage post office box (26A), the second position directing the envelopes of all other formats towards the second post office box storage (38A). Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the switching of the sorting flap is ensured by a control motor as a function of format information delivered by means of detecting the length of the envelopes available at the level of the processing machine of mail. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the second postal storage box (38A) intended for the reception of unsorted envelopes is replaced by a conveyor belt (42) allowing an accumulation on the edge of these envelopes.

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