EP1467911B1 - Method and device for collecting objects comprising an address for subsequent forwarding - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for collecting an object (P), such as mail or a postal package, comprising an address (Ad) for subsequent forwarding to said address. It consists in introducing said object (P) in a collecting chamber (2) through an insertion opening (2b) provided in a wall of the collecting chamber. Inside the collecting chamber (2), and at the output of the inserting opening (2b), in hermetically and automatically packaging said object (P), when it is introduced in the chamber (2) such that the address (Ad) remains visible. Preferably, when the object (P) is being packaged, it is urged into contact exclusively with the inner surface (30a, 31a) of the package.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and an object collection device comprising an address for subsequent routing to said address, said method and devices for securing the subsequent routing of objects by limiting the risk of contamination. It mainly finds its application in the centralized and secure collection of couriers or postal parcels.

Currently the collection of mails or parcels by the company responsible for ensuring the subsequent distribution is carried out, in a first variant, by means of mail boxes geographically disseminated and accessible to the public, each post office box being provided with an opening or introductory slot. In a second variant, this collection is carried out directly in the premises of said distribution company, each premises having in front an opening of introduction accessible to the public, an open container being provided in the premises for the receipt of mails or parcels. In a third variant, the couriers or parcels are previously collected centrally by the issuing company, and are routed, for example by being stored in bulk in bags, to the company responsible for the distribution.

Whatever the collection variant, the mails and / or parcels collected are at one time stored in bulk in contact with each other, prior to distribution. However, recent events have shown that a simple mail or package contaminated by a harmful chemical or bacteriological agent, or even deadly, could by simple contact contaminate not only the recipient of the mail when the latter manipulates it, but also and above all could by simple contact or by air contaminate all other couriers or parcels collected by the same route. Also, any contaminated mail or parcel can prejudicially contaminate anyone manipulated said contaminated mail or parcel during the collection and / or distribution to the final recipient.

US Pat. No. 3,453,169 discloses solutions relating to the packaging of documents such as cards or photographs. However, apart from the fact that this type of solution does not strictly concern a method of collecting objects of the mail or parcel type comprising an address with a view to its subsequent routing to this address, the presence of two elements of the parallel plate type of slip used to introduce the object to be packaged (card or photograph) is problematic. Indeed, these plates are contact elements that are likely to lead to contamination of objects introduced into the enclosure by the slot.

Furthermore, document FR 1 384 850 discloses a solution concerning the packaging and collection of sheet products, in which the products to be packaged are stacked and then transported one by one between two plates to be hermetically packaged. Again, this solution is not satisfactory because it does not limit the risk of contamination by contact or by air with the object to be packaged.

The aim of the present invention is to propose a simple solution that makes it possible to collect an object comprising an address for subsequent delivery to said address, and which limits the risks of bacteriological and / or chemical contamination by contact or by air with this object, compared with the aforementioned solutions of the prior art.

This object is achieved by means of a method of collecting an object comprising an address (mail, parcel, ...), which is known in that said object is introduced into a collecting chamber (post office box, local , ...) by an insertion opening formed in a wall of the collection chamber. Characteristically according to the invention, inside the collection chamber and at the outlet of the introduction opening, the presence of the object is detected and packaged, after detection of the presence of the object, hermetically and automatically said object as soon as it is introduced into the enclosure, and in such a way that the address remains legible.

Packing the object individually as soon as it is introduced into the collection chamber makes it possible to limit the risks of contamination by contact with the other objects collected, as well as of all persons who have to handle the packaged object when it is being transported. 'to the final recipient.

According to a further preferential feature, during its packaging the object comes into contact exclusively with the inner face of the package.

Another object of the invention is a device for collecting objects each comprising an address with a view to their subsequent routing to said address. This collection device comprises in the usual manner a collection chamber comprising an opening for the successive introduction of each object inside the collection chamber. Characteristically according to the invention, the collection device further comprises, inside the enclosure, a presence detector of the object, and a packaging system which is designed to pack hermetically and automatically each object introduced into the enclosure, after detection of the presence of the object.

Preferably, the packaging system is mounted at the outlet of the introduction opening so as to allow the packaging of an object from its introduction into the collection chamber, and is designed to position each new packaging relative at the introduction opening so that an object introduced by said opening comes exclusively in contact with the inner face of said package.

• deux rouleaux rotatifs espacés, qui permettent le déroulement de deux films l'un au dessus de l'autre, l'espace entre les rouleaux étant prévu au droit de l'ouverture d'introduction ;
• des moyens presseurs montés en aval des deux rouleaux précités, lesquels moyens presseurs permettent de solidariser les deux films sur le pourtour d'un objet positionné entre les deux films.

According to one embodiment, not limiting of the invention, the packaging system comprises:

• two spaced rotatable rollers, which allow the unfolding of two films one above the other, the space between the rollers being provided in line with the introduction opening;
• pressing means mounted downstream of the two aforementioned rollers, which pressure means are used to secure the two films on the periphery of an object positioned between the two films.

• la figure 1 représente une vue en perspective d'une première variante de réalisation d'un dispositif de collecte de l'invention ;
• la figure 2 représente une vue en coupe transversale du dispositif de la figure 1;
• et la figure 3 est une vue en coupe transversale d'une deuxième variante de réalisation d'un dispositif de collecte de l'invention.

The present invention, its characteristics and the various advantages that it provides, will appear better on reading the following description of several variants of a collection device of the invention, which description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. on which ones :

• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of a collection device of the invention;
• Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the device of Figure 1;
• and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a second alternative embodiment of a collection device of the invention.

In the alternative embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2, the device 1 is adapted to perform the collection of postal plies of small thickness, type letter or the like, having a destination address (Ad). This collection device 1 comprises a collection chamber 2, formed in this case by a box of small size, of the box type accessible to the public. This enclosure 2 comprises a front wall 2a provided with an opening 2b for the successive introduction of each fold P, a shutter rotating shutter 2c being mounted at the opening 2b.

Inside the collection chamber 2 is mounted a packaging system 3, which automatically allows to pack hermetically and individually, between two translucent or transparent plastic films 30, 31, each fold P successively introduced into the enclosure 2.

This packaging system 3 comprises two axes 32, 33 substantially horizontal, and mounted near the introduction opening 2b. These two axes 32 and 33 are mounted free to rotate. On each axis 32 and 33 are wound respectively the plastic films 30, 31. The axis 32 and the film 30 wound on this axis 32 form a first roll R1 of plastic film (lower roll in Figure 1); the axis 33 and the film 31 wound on this axis 33 form a second roll R2 of plastic film (upper roll in FIG. 1). The two rollers R1 and R2 are spaced apart from one another in a substantially vertical plane, l height space (E) between these two rolls being provided for in the opening right of introduction 2b. When the pins 32 and 33 are rotatably mounted on fixed bearings, the height of the space E between the rollers R1 and R2 increases as and when the films 30 and 31 are unwound, the roll radius R1 and R2 decreasing .

In an improved embodiment, to ensure better grip of each fold P between the two films 30 and 31, the rotation bearings of the axes 32 and 33 will be adjustable in height so that the distance between these axes are adjustable , and the packaging system will comprise means automatically adjusting the distance between the axes 32 and 33, designed so as to maintain in time a space between the rollers R1 and R2 of height (E) substantially constant, taking into account the the reduction of the radii of the rollers R1 and R2 related to the unwinding of the films 30 and 31. The consideration by these automatic adjustment means of the reduction of the radii of the rollers R1 and R2 can be carried out in a simple manner by means of sensors allowing count the number of rotations made by axes 32 and 33.

Downstream of the two rollers R1 and R2, are mounted two pressure rollers 34 and 35, which are designed, in operation of the packaging system 3, to be rotated positively at substantially the same speed and in opposite directions of rotation ( arrows F and F '/ Figures 1 and 2). For this purpose, one of the rollers (for example the roller 34), said motor roller, is rotated directly by a motor (not shown), the other roller 35 being coupled for its rotation drive to the motor roller by a system of sprockets (not shown). In another variant, the two rollers 34 and 35 may each be individually rotated by a motor.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the two plastic films 30 and 31 are unwound from each axis 32 33 and are clamped between the two pressure rollers 34, 35. The rotational drive of these pressure rollers 34 and 35 and allows to unwind simultaneously the two films 30 and 31.

In the remainder of the description, the term "internal" faces will refer to plastic films 30 and 31, the two faces 30a and 31a of these films 30 and 31 which are intended to be oriented toward each other in the region which extends between the rollers R1, R2 and the pressure rollers 34 and 35. This is ultimately the faces that will constitute the inner faces of the package of each fold P.

In a first embodiment, the films 30 and 31 are two heat-sealable plastic films, and the two pressure rollers 34 and 35 are heating rollers. In a second variant, the inner faces 30a and 31a of the films 30 and 31 are coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. This adhesive does not prevent the unwinding of the films 30 and 31 from the axes 32 and 33. This adhesive is activated by the pressure exerted between the two pressure rollers 34,35. In another variant, the inner faces 30a and 31a of the films 30 and 31 are coated with a heat-activatable adhesive, and the two pressure rollers 34 and 35 are heating rollers. In another variant, the two films 30 and 31 are secured by the single pressure of the two films against each other by pressing means 34, 35, the two films adhering to each other in their contact areas only by electrostatic effect or the like.

The operation of the collection device 1 will now be described with reference to FIG.

A fold P is manually introduced into the chamber 2 through the opening 2b. This fold P is inserted directly between the two rollers R1 and R2, and comes directly and exclusively in contact with the inner faces 30a and 31a of the films 30 and 31. Thus, in the case where this fold P is contaminated, the risks are strongly limited. contamination of the enclosure and the bodies of the packaging system 3, only the inner faces of the films (that is to say inside the package) being contaminated. A sensor (not shown) makes it possible to detect the presence of the fold P in the opening 2b; a non-contact sensor of the photoelectric cell type is preferably used; it may also be a sensor detecting the opening of the shutter 2c. This sensor triggers a control sequence of the motor (s) rotating the pressure rollers 34,35. In a first embodiment, this sequence may be a timed sequence, the pressure rollers being rotated at a constant speed for a predetermined time controlled by a time delay. In another embodiment, the packaging system comprises an additional sensor, which is positioned immediately downstream of the rollers R1 and R2, and which enables the passage of the trailing edge of the fold P to be detected beyond the rolls R1 and R2. This sensor controls the stopping of the pressure rollers 34 and 35.

The rotation of the pressure rollers 34 and 35 rotates the rollers R1 and R2, whose axes 32 and 33 are mounted freely in rotation. In another variant, these axes 32, 33 could be motorized for their rotational drive. In these cases, these motorized axes 32 and 33 are controlled at the same time and in synchronism with the pressure rollers 34 and 35, so as to obtain a reeling of the films, such that the films 30 and 31 remain substantially stretched in the region which extends between on the one hand the rollers R1, R and on the other hand the pressure rollers 34 and 35.

The fold P introduced manually into the opening 2b is automatically driven at least by the lower roll R1 inside the collection chamber, being positioned between the two films 30 and 31. This fold P is conveyed between the two films 30 and 31 to the pressure rollers 34, 35, which seal together the inner faces 30a and 31a of the films 30 and 31, on the one hand along their edges in the presence of a fold, and other part over their entire surface between two successive folds P. Also, when the inner faces 30a and 31a of the films 30 and 31 are coated with an adhesive substance, these pressure rollers 34, 35 make it possible to apply and adhere the inner faces 30a and 31a of the films 30 and 31 respectively against the two faces of the fold P, which advantageously subsequently facilitates the circulation of the fold packaged in existing automatic sorting machines.

Each fold P is therefore perfectly packaged and isolated from other folds in a sealed envelope, sealed around the entire edge of the fold. At the exit of press rollers 34, 35, a ribbon 36 of packaged folds is obtained. The films 30 and 31 being transparent or translucent, the destination address carried by each fold P is not hidden by the packaging, and therefore remains perfectly legible. This tape 36 is then periodically collected by an operator, by an access hatch (not shown) provided in a wall of the collection chamber 2. For this purpose, the operator cuts the ribbon 36 downstream of the pressure rollers 34 The wrapped pleated ribbon is then conveyed to a dispensing site, where it is automatically or manually cut to individualize each wrapped fold, in order to separate it from the wraps. its distribution to the address carried by the fold. In another variant, the individualization of plies packaged by cutting the ribbon 36 could be performed automatically in the collecting chamber 2.

It is understood in light of the operation of the collection device 1 which has just been described that on the one hand the packaging of each fold P between the two films is made immediately at the outlet of the opening 2b, as soon as the fold P in the enclosure 2; on the other hand, each fold P is packaged individually, that is to say is not found during collection in contact with other folds, and moreover comes into contact directly and exclusively with the inner faces 30a and 31a of the films 30 and 31, and does not come into contact with particular 32,33 axes or 34,35 pressure rollers. This advantageously limits the risk of contamination of the interior of the enclosure 2, the bodies of the packaging system 3, and other P folds collected in the enclosure 1. Thus, even if a P-fold contaminated would have been introduced into the collection chamber 2, the operator who collects the tape 36 can handle it safely; also other packaged folds can also be handled safely.

Preferably, the films 30 and 31 are chosen so as to allow ionization treatment of the packaged fold, in order to be able to decontaminate it before opening the package. This decontamination can be carried out systematically on all packaged folds collected, or only on suspicious folds. Also, to further reduce the risk of contamination of the collection chamber 2, it is preferable that the collection chamber is regularly decontaminated, said enclosure being able to integrate its own decontamination system.

In the context of the invention, the size or the type of the collection chamber is of no importance, the invention being not limited to a small enclosure of the type of box 2 of FIGS. 1 to 3. another variant, the collection chamber may be a room, one of whose walls is provided with a slot or introduction opening, a packaging system being mounted inside the room at the level of the slot or introductory opening.

In another improved embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the packaging system comprises two additional rollers 37 and 38. These rollers 37 and 38 are positioned near the introduction opening 2b, so that the height space (E) between these two rollers 37,38 is provided to the right of the introduction opening 2b. Preferably, the height (E) is adjustable. The roll 37 is interposed between the roll R1 and the rollers 34,35, and allows to deflect the film 30 which is unwound from the roll R1; the roller 38 is interposed between the roller R2 and the rollers 34,35, and allows to deflect the film 31 which is unwound from the roller R2. The rollers 37 and 38 can be rotatably mounted; in this case, during operation, the films 30 and 31 drive them in rotation. In another variant, the rollers 37 and 38 may be motorized. Advantageously, in the variant of Figure 3, the height (E) of the space between the rollers 37 and 38 is not changed by the unwinding of the films 30 and 31.

The invention is not limited to the particular packaging systems of Figures 1 to 3, but can also be achieved by means of other packaging systems. In particular, and in a non-exhaustive manner, it is conceivable, in the context of the invention, to replace the packaging system 3, with a packaging system for automatically packaging larger products of the package type. Such a packaging system uses, for example, a film constituted by a plurality of successive open pockets, means that make it possible to position automatically and successively each pocket open at the base of an opening for introducing the collection chamber, so that a package or the like introduced into the chamber falls by gravity into the open pocket positioned in line with the introduction opening, and means for hermetically sealing each pocket containing a package or the like. Also in another variant, the packages or the like could be automatically wrapped in a flexible plastic sleeve unrollable, being isolated from each other by heat-sealed portions of the sheath.

Claims (13)

1. Method for collecting an object (P) having an address (Ad) for its subsequent forwarding to said address, wherein said object (P) is inserted in a collection enclosure (2) via an insertion opening (2b) arranged in a wall of the collection enclosure, characterized in that inside the collection enclosure (2) and at the outlet of the insertion opening (2b) the presence of said object (P) is detected and after detection of said presence said object (P) is hermetically and automatically packaged as soon as it is inserted into the enclosure (2) so that the address (Ad) remains legible.
2. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that when it is packaged the object (P) exclusively comes into contact with the inner surface (30a,31a) of the packaging.
3. Method as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the collection enclosure (2) is a box.
4. Method as in claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the collection enclosure consists of premises.
5. Method as in any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the packaging of the object is made by means of two plastic films (30,31).
6. Device for collecting objects (P) each having an address (Ad) for their subsequent forwarding, said device (1) has a collection enclosure (2) comprising an opening (2b) for the successive insertion of each object (P) inside the collection enclosure, characterized in that it also comprises, said object (P) and a packaging system (3) designed to hermetically and automatically package each object (P) inserted into the enclosure (2) after detection of said presence.
7. Device as in claim 6, characterized in that the packaging system (3) is mounted at outlet of the insertion opening (2b) so as to enable the packaging of an object (P) as soon as it is inserted in the collection enclosure.
8. Device as in claim 7, characterized in that the packaging system (3) is designed to position each new packaging with respect to the insertion opening (2b) so that an object (P) inserted via said opening (2b) exclusively comes into contact with the inner surface (30a,31a) of said packaging.
9. Device as in claim 8, characterized in that the packaging system (3) comprises two rotating rollers (R1, R2 /37, 38) spaced apart, enabling the unwinding of two films (30, 31) one over the other, the space (E) between the rollers (R1,R2/37,38) being arranged in line with the insertion opening (2b).
10. Device as in claim 9, characterized in that the packaging system (3) comprises pressing means which are mounted downstream of the two rollers (R1, R2) enabling joining of the two films (30,31) around the periphery of the object (P) positioned between the two films (30,31).
11. Device as in claim 10, characterized in that the pressing means comprise two, optionally heating, rotating rollers (34,35) .
12. Device as in any of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the collection enclosure (2) is a box.
13. Device as in any of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the collection enclosure (2) consists of premises.

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