EP1923340B1 - Device for automatic loading of envelopes - Google Patents

Device for automatic loading of envelopes Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP1923340B1
EP1923340B1 EP07120505A EP07120505A EP1923340B1 EP 1923340 B1 EP1923340 B1 EP 1923340B1 EP 07120505 A EP07120505 A EP 07120505A EP 07120505 A EP07120505 A EP 07120505A EP 1923340 B1 EP1923340 B1 EP 1923340B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
mail
stack
mail items
items
feeder
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.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
EP07120505A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1923340A1 (en
Inventor
Romain Pillard
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.)
Quadient Technologies France SA
Original Assignee
Neopost Technologies SA
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 Technologies SA filed Critical Neopost Technologies SA
Publication of EP1923340A1 publication Critical patent/EP1923340A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1923340B1 publication Critical patent/EP1923340B1/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H1/00—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated
    • B65H1/30—Supports or magazines for piles from which articles are to be separated with means for replenishing the pile during continuous separation of articles therefrom
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H3/00—Separating articles from piles
    • B65H3/02—Separating articles from piles using friction forces between articles and separator
    • B65H3/06—Rollers or like rotary separators
    • B65H3/063—Rollers or like rotary separators separating from the bottom of pile
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H7/00—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles
    • B65H7/02—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors
    • B65H7/04—Controlling article feeding, separating, pile-advancing, or associated apparatus, to take account of incorrect feeding, absence of articles, or presence of faulty articles by feelers or detectors responsive to absence of articles, e.g. exhaustion of pile
    • 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
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/42—Piling, depiling, handling piles
    • B65H2301/421—Forming a pile
    • B65H2301/4213—Forming a pile of a limited number of articles, e.g. buffering, forming bundles
    • B65H2301/42134—Feeder loader, i.e. picking up articles from a main stack for maintaining continuously enough articles in a machine feeder
    • 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
    • B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
    • B65H2301/42—Piling, depiling, handling piles
    • B65H2301/422—Handling piles, sets or stacks of articles
    • B65H2301/4226—Delivering, advancing piles
    • B65H2301/42264—Delivering, advancing piles by moving the surface supporting the lowermost article of the pile, e.g. conveyor, carriage
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/10—Size; Dimensions
    • B65H2511/13—Thickness
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/10—Size; Dimensions
    • B65H2511/15—Height, e.g. of stack
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/20—Location in space
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2511/00—Dimensions; Position; Numbers; Identification; Occurrences
    • B65H2511/50—Occurence
    • B65H2511/51—Presence
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2553/00—Sensing or detecting means
    • B65H2553/20—Sensing or detecting means using electric elements
    • B65H2553/22—Magnetic detectors, e.g. Hall detectors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2553/00—Sensing or detecting means
    • B65H2553/40—Sensing or detecting means using optical, e.g. photographic, elements
    • B65H2553/41—Photoelectric detectors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2553/00—Sensing or detecting means
    • B65H2553/60—Details of intermediate means between the sensing means and the element to be sensed
    • B65H2553/61—Mechanical means, e.g. contact arms
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/10—Handled articles or webs
    • B65H2701/19—Specific article or web
    • B65H2701/1916—Envelopes and articles of mail

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of mail processing and more particularly relates to an envelope loading device for a mail processing machine.
  • Courier processing machines conventionally comprise three main elements: a mail piece feeder as in the application EP 0 581 392 , a franking post of these mail items disposed at the output of the feeder (incorporating or not a weighing device) and, placed at the outlet of the franking station, a receiving device for receiving the mail items franked at franking post.
  • the present invention relates to a simple charging device, compact (that is to say reduced space) and ergonomic while having a power supply much higher than that of a standard magazine feeder and which is not limited by downstream unstacking functions and selection of envelopes made by the feeder.
  • an envelope loading device having a receiving tray provided with transport rollers for receiving a stack of mail items, jogging means for holding these mail items against a referencing wall, and a drive motor for rotating said transport rollers, characterized in that it comprises control means for actuating said drive motor and causing ejection of a portion of said stack of mail items by function of a mail presence sensor mounted at said receiving tray and whose state depends on the presence or absence of mail items in a downstream feed device.
  • the device of the invention further comprises a mail presence sensor whose state depends on the presence or absence of at least one mail item on said receiving tray.
  • the said mail presence sensors are chosen from mechanical, magnetic or optical type detectors.
  • it further comprises a guillotine wall mounted at the output of said loading device and whose vertical positioning defines the thickness of the stack of ejected mail items.
  • the present invention also relates to the method implemented in this receiving device and wherein by the action on control means acting on said drive motor is caused to eject a portion of said stack of articles of mail based on the presence or absence of mail items in a downstream feed device reported by a mail presence sensor mounted on said receiving tray.
  • the thickness of said stack of ejected mail items is defined by the vertical positioning of a guillotine wall mounted at the output of said loading device and the presence of at least one mail item on said receiving tray. is detected by a mail presence sensor.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 show respectively in exploded perspective and in an operating position a device for loading mail items according to the invention intended to be mounted upstream of a mail processing machine feeder.
  • This mail item feeder 10 conventionally comprises a mailpiece reception tray 10A and means 10B for receiving mail items. unstacking and selecting, one after the other, the unstuffed mail items. To allow proper management of the stack of mail items disposed on the receiving tray, that is to say ensure unstacking without stuffing or double selection of mail items, the storage capacity of this feeder is limited at a height of about 200 mm, which corresponds in practice to a storage capacity of about 200 envelopes of standard European format each filled with a sheet of A4.
  • this capacity is greatly increased by the addition upstream of this feeder of a loading device 12 comprising a receiving plate 14 provided with a referencing wall 16 and lateral jogging moving means 18. to receive and hold in position a first stack of mail items of substantial height.
  • This loading device further comprises a motorized ejection system by a drive motor 20 (illustrated in FIGS.
  • Figures 3 to 5 acting on transport rollers 22 by means of, for example, pinions and toothed belts, in association with a guillotine wall 24 extracting from this first pile of mail items a second stack of mail items of a height adapted to the processing capacity of the receiving tray of the feeder and to which it will be ejected, this height being defined by the vertical positioning of the guillotine wall.
  • the driving motor is actuated by a processing module 26 (also illustrated in FIGS.
  • Figures 3 to 5 according to the state of two mail presence sensors, mechanical, magnetic or preferably optical, arranged at the receiving plate of the loading device, the first 28 at the upper wall of this plate to detect the presence of envelopes in this device and the second 30 advantageously on the side wall of this plate facing the receiving tray of the feeder to detect the presence of envelopes on the latter tray, for example by a measurement of the distance separating this lateral wall of the lateral side of the envelopes.
  • the figure 3 illustrates the initial position of the loading device according to the invention before the putting into service of the mail processing machine (not shown).
  • the receiving platforms of the loading device and the feeder of this mail processing machine have each been previously loaded by the operator by their respective stack of envelopes.
  • about 200 envelopes are disposed on the receiving tray 10A of the feeder and preferably about 600 to 800 envelopes on the receiving tray 14 of the loading device.
  • the drive motor 20 of the loading device is at rest and the envelopes contained in this device are therefore immobile.
  • the mail presence sensors 28, 30 in the loading device and the feeder are in a "high" initial state signifying the presence of mail items both in the loading device and on the receiving tray of the feeder.
  • the commissioning of the mail processing machine will control the operation of the feeder which will then unstack the stack of envelopes and eject one by one the envelopes to the franking station of this machine to achieve less 50 seconds later (for a rate of 15,000 envelopes / hour) to the configuration of the figure 4 in which there remains only about ten envelopes (less than 3 seconds of power supply of the machine) on the receiving tray of the feeder and where the second sensor 30 mail presence passes to a level " bottom "meaning by the same that the feeder will soon be empty and must be replenished (provided that the first 28 mail presence sensor by its" high "level indicates the presence of envelopes in the loading device) .
  • This replenishment step is illustrated in figure 5 . It corresponds to the start of the drive motor 20 which actuates the simultaneous movement of the transport rollers ensuring unstacking of a portion of the stack of mail items of the loading device. (In practice all items that are not stopped by the wall of the guillotine 24). During this move, the feeder continues to eject one by one the remaining mail items remaining on its receiving tray at a rate of one every 240 ms (for a rate of 15,000 envelopes / hour) so that when the stack from the loading device is discharged on the tray of the feeder, it remains on it little more than one or two envelopes to treat.
  • the receiving device is in a position similar to that of the figure 3 (the number of envelopes remaining on the plateau near), the second mail presence sensor returning to a "high" level due to the presence of new mail items and the drive motor is stopped.
  • the envelope feeding capacity is increased.
  • the ease of loading is particularly significant for the operator because of the small original capacity of the receiving tray of the feeder.
  • the movement kinematics envelopes is simplified to the maximum allowing the realization of a loading device with reduced space.
  • the loading device of the invention is of course also applicable to any other type of feeder.

Description

Domaine de l'inventionField of the invention

La présente invention se rapporte au domaine du traitement de courrier et elle concerne plus particulièrement un dispositif de chargement d'enveloppes pour une machine de traitement de courrier.The present invention relates to the field of mail processing and more particularly relates to an envelope loading device for a mail processing machine.

Art antérieurPrior art

Les machines de traitement de courrier comportent classiquement trois principaux éléments : un alimenteur en articles de courrier comme dans la demande EP 0 581 392 , un poste d'affranchissement de ces articles de courrier disposé en sortie de l'alimenteur (incorporant ou non un dispositif de pesée) et, disposé en sortie du poste d'affranchissement, un dispositif de réception pour recevoir les articles de courrier affranchis au poste d'affranchissement.Courier processing machines conventionally comprise three main elements: a mail piece feeder as in the application EP 0 581 392 , a franking post of these mail items disposed at the output of the feeder (incorporating or not a weighing device) and, placed at the outlet of the franking station, a receiving device for receiving the mail items franked at franking post.

Les machines actuelles peuvent affranchir des articles de courrier en vrac (mixed mail), c'est-à-dire de tout poids et de tout format, ces articles de courrier étant stockés à plat dans le magasin de l'alimenteur en une pile de faible capacité (environ 200 enveloppes d'épaisseur moyenne) pour être affranchis au fur et à mesure de leur extraction individuelle par les moyens de dépilage et sélection de l'alimenteur. Cette faible capacité imposée par ces moyens de dépilage et sélection limitent la productivité réelle de la machine car elle nécessite de fréquentes interventions de l'opérateur dues au chargement des articles de courrier dans l'alimenteur. A titre d'exemple, pour obtenir une cadence d'affranchissement de 15 000 enveloppes/heure, il serait nécessaire de recharger 75 fois/heure le magasin de l'alimenteur, ce qui en pratique laissera peu de temps à cet opérateur pour effectuer les autres interventions (déchargement des enveloppes, rangement par format dans les caisses postales, etc.) également nécessaires au suivi de la machine de traitement de courrier.Current machines can clear mixed mail items, that is, of any weight and any size, these mail items being stored flat in the feeder's magazine in a pile of paper. low capacity (about 200 envelopes of average thickness) to be franked as and when their individual extraction by unstacking means and selection of the feeder. This low capacity imposed by these means of unstacking and selection limit the actual productivity of the machine because it requires frequent intervention by the operator due to the loading of mail items in the feeder. For example, to obtain a franking rate of 15,000 envelopes / hour, it would be necessary to recharge 75 times / hour the magazine of the feeder, which in practice will leave little time for this operator to perform the other interventions (unloading of envelopes, sorting by format in the post office boxes, etc.) also necessary for tracking the mail processing machine.

Il existe donc aujourd'hui un besoin non satisfait pour une solution d'alimentation d'une machine de traitement de courrier qui permette une capacité de chargement beaucoup plus importante que celle offerte par le seul magasin de l'alimenteur et, en dégageant ainsi du temps d'intervention pour l'opérateur de la machine, garantisse une cadence réelle d'affranchissement de 15 000 et plus enveloppes par heure.There is, therefore, today an unmet need for a power supply solution for a mail processing machine that allows a much greater loading capacity than that offered by the the only magazine of the feeder and, thus freeing up the intervention time for the operator of the machine, guarantees a real franking rate of 15,000 and more envelopes per hour.

Objet et définition de l'inventionObject and definition of the invention

La présente invention a pour objet un dispositif de chargement simple, compact (c'est à dire à encombrement réduit) et ergonomique tout en ayant une capacité d'alimentation bien supérieure à celle d'un magasin standard d'alimenteur et qui ne soit pas limité par les fonctions aval de dépilage et sélection d'enveloppes réalisées par l'alimenteur.The present invention relates to a simple charging device, compact (that is to say reduced space) and ergonomic while having a power supply much higher than that of a standard magazine feeder and which is not limited by downstream unstacking functions and selection of envelopes made by the feeder.

Ces buts sont atteints par un dispositif de chargement d'enveloppes comportant un plateau de réception muni de rouleaux de transport pour recevoir une pile d'articles de courrier, des moyens de taquage pour maintenir ces articles de courrier contre une paroi de mise en référence et un moteur d'entraînement pour entraîner en rotation lesdits rouleaux de transport , caractérisé en ce qu'il comporte des moyens de commande pour actionner ledit moteur d'entraînement et provoquer l'éjection d'une partie de ladite pile d'articles de courrier en fonction d'un capteur de présence courrier monté au niveau dudit plateau de réception et dont l'état dépend de la présence ou non d'articles de courrier dans un dispositif aval d'alimentation..These objects are achieved by an envelope loading device having a receiving tray provided with transport rollers for receiving a stack of mail items, jogging means for holding these mail items against a referencing wall, and a drive motor for rotating said transport rollers, characterized in that it comprises control means for actuating said drive motor and causing ejection of a portion of said stack of mail items by function of a mail presence sensor mounted at said receiving tray and whose state depends on the presence or absence of mail items in a downstream feed device.

Ainsi, avec cette configuration, il devient possible de dépiler une petite pile d'enveloppes à partir d'une pile d'enveloppes beaucoup plus importante et d'alimenter automatiquement l'alimenteur avec cette petite pile.Thus, with this configuration, it becomes possible to unstack a small stack of envelopes from a much larger pile of envelopes and automatically feed the feeder with this small battery.

De préférence, le dispositif de l'invention comporte en outre un capteur de présence courrier dont l'état dépend de la présence ou non d'au moins un article de courrier sur ledit plateau de réception. Lesdits capteurs de présence courrier sont choisis parmi des détecteurs de type mécanique, magnétique ou optique.Preferably, the device of the invention further comprises a mail presence sensor whose state depends on the presence or absence of at least one mail item on said receiving tray. The said mail presence sensors are chosen from mechanical, magnetic or optical type detectors.

Avantageusement, il comporte en outre une paroi guillotine montée en sortie dudit dispositif de chargement et dont le positionnement vertical définit l'épaisseur de la partie de pile d'articles de courrier éjectée.Advantageously, it further comprises a guillotine wall mounted at the output of said loading device and whose vertical positioning defines the thickness of the stack of ejected mail items.

La présente invention concerne également le procédé mis en oeuvre dans ce dispositif de réception et dans lequel par l'action sur des moyens de commande agissant sur ledit moteur d'entraînement on provoque l'éjection d'une partie de ladite pile d'articles de courrier en fonction de la présence ou non d'articles de courrier dans un dispositif aval d'alimentation signalés par un capteur de présence courrier monté sur ledit plateau de réception. Avantageusement, l'épaisseur de ladite partie de pile d'articles de courrier éjectée est définie par le positionnement vertical d'une paroi guillotine montée en sortie dudit dispositif de chargement et la présence d'au moins un article de courrier sur ledit plateau de réception est détectée par un capteur de présence courrier.The present invention also relates to the method implemented in this receiving device and wherein by the action on control means acting on said drive motor is caused to eject a portion of said stack of articles of mail based on the presence or absence of mail items in a downstream feed device reported by a mail presence sensor mounted on said receiving tray. Advantageously, the thickness of said stack of ejected mail items is defined by the vertical positioning of a guillotine wall mounted at the output of said loading device and the presence of at least one mail item on said receiving tray. is detected by a mail presence sensor.

Brève description des dessinsBrief description of the drawings

Les caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention ressortiront mieux de la description suivante, faite à titre indicatif et non limitatif, en regard des dessins annexés sur lesquels :

  • les figures 1 et 2 sont deux vues en perspective d'un alimenteur pour machine de traitement de courrier associé à un dispositif de chargement d'enveloppes selon l'invention, et
  • les figures 3 à 5 illustrent différentes positions de fonctionnement du dispositif de chargement de l'invention.
The features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the following description, given by way of non-limiting indication, with reference to the appended drawings in which:
  • the Figures 1 and 2 are two perspective views of a mail processing machine feeder associated with an envelope loading device according to the invention, and
  • the Figures 3 to 5 illustrate different operating positions of the loading device of the invention.

Description détaillée d'un mode de réalisation préférentielDetailed description of a preferred embodiment

Les figures 1 et 2 montrent respectivement en perspective éclatée et dans une position de fonctionnement un dispositif de chargement d'articles de courrier selon l'invention destiné à être monté en amont d'un alimenteur de machine de traitement de courrier.The Figures 1 and 2 show respectively in exploded perspective and in an operating position a device for loading mail items according to the invention intended to be mounted upstream of a mail processing machine feeder.

Cet alimenteur en articles de courrier 10 comporte classiquement un plateau 10A de réception des articles de courrier et des moyens 10B de dépilage et sélection l'un après l'autre des articles de courrier dépilés. Pour permettre une gestion correcte de la pile d'articles de courrier disposée sur le plateau de réception, c'est-à-dire garantir un dépilage sans bourrage ou double sélection d'articles de courrier, la capacité de stockage de cet alimenteur est limitée à une hauteur d'environ 200 mm, ce qui correspond en pratique à une capacité de stockage de l'ordre de 200 enveloppes de format européen standard remplies chacune d'une feuille au format A4.This mail item feeder 10 conventionally comprises a mailpiece reception tray 10A and means 10B for receiving mail items. unstacking and selecting, one after the other, the unstuffed mail items. To allow proper management of the stack of mail items disposed on the receiving tray, that is to say ensure unstacking without stuffing or double selection of mail items, the storage capacity of this feeder is limited at a height of about 200 mm, which corresponds in practice to a storage capacity of about 200 envelopes of standard European format each filled with a sheet of A4.

Selon l'invention, cette capacité est grandement augmentée par l'adjonction en amont de cet alimenteur d'un dispositif de chargement 12 comportant un plateau de réception 14 munie d'une paroi de mise en référence 16 et de moyens mobiles de taquage latéral 18 pour recevoir et maintenir en position une première pile d'articles de courrier de hauteur conséquente. Ce dispositif de chargement comporte en outre un système d'éjection motorisé par un moteur d'entraînement 20 (illustré aux figures 3 à 5) agissant sur des rouleaux de transport 22 par l'intermédiaire, par exemple de pignons et courroies dentées, pour en association avec une paroi guillotine 24 extraire de cette première pile d'articles de courrier une seconde pile d'articles de courrier d'une hauteur adaptée à la capacité de traitement du plateau de réception de l'alimenteur et vers lequel elle sera éjectée, cette hauteur étant définie par le positionnement vertical de la paroi guillotine. Le moteur d'entraînement est actionné par un module de traitement 26 (illustré aussi aux figures 3 à 5) selon l'état de deux capteurs de présence courrier, de type mécanique, magnétique ou de préférence optique, disposés au niveau du plateau de réception du dispositif de chargement, le premier 28 au niveau de la paroi supérieure de ce plateau pour détecter la présence d'enveloppes dans ce dispositif et le second 30 avantageusement sur la paroi latérale de ce plateau faisant face au plateau de réception de l'alimenteur pour détecter la présence d'enveloppes sur ce dernier plateau, par exemple par une mesure de la distance séparant cette paroi latérale du coté latéral des enveloppes.According to the invention, this capacity is greatly increased by the addition upstream of this feeder of a loading device 12 comprising a receiving plate 14 provided with a referencing wall 16 and lateral jogging moving means 18. to receive and hold in position a first stack of mail items of substantial height. This loading device further comprises a motorized ejection system by a drive motor 20 (illustrated in FIGS. Figures 3 to 5 ) acting on transport rollers 22 by means of, for example, pinions and toothed belts, in association with a guillotine wall 24 extracting from this first pile of mail items a second stack of mail items of a height adapted to the processing capacity of the receiving tray of the feeder and to which it will be ejected, this height being defined by the vertical positioning of the guillotine wall. The driving motor is actuated by a processing module 26 (also illustrated in FIGS. Figures 3 to 5 ) according to the state of two mail presence sensors, mechanical, magnetic or preferably optical, arranged at the receiving plate of the loading device, the first 28 at the upper wall of this plate to detect the presence of envelopes in this device and the second 30 advantageously on the side wall of this plate facing the receiving tray of the feeder to detect the presence of envelopes on the latter tray, for example by a measurement of the distance separating this lateral wall of the lateral side of the envelopes.

Le fonctionnement du dispositif de chargement selon l'invention est maintenant explicité en regard des figures 3 à 5.The operation of the loading device according to the invention is now explained with regard to Figures 3 to 5 .

La figure 3 illustre la position initiale du dispositif de chargement selon l'invention avant la mise en service de la machine de traitement de courrier (non représentée). Dans cette position, les plateaux de réception du dispositif de chargement et de l'alimenteur de cette machine de traitement de courrier ont été chacun chargés préalablement par l'opérateur par leur pile d'enveloppes respective. Typiquement, environ 200 enveloppes sont disposées sur le plateau de réception 10A de l'alimenteur et avantageusement environ 600 à 800 enveloppes sur le plateau de réception 14 du dispositif de chargement. Dans cette position initiale, le moteur d'entraînement 20 du dispositif de chargement est au repos et les enveloppes contenues dans ce dispositif sont donc immobiles. Les capteurs 28, 30 de présence courrier dans le dispositif de chargement et l'alimenteur sont dans un état initial « haut » signifiant la présence d'articles de courrier tant dans le dispositif de chargement que sur le plateau de réception de l'alimenteur.The figure 3 illustrates the initial position of the loading device according to the invention before the putting into service of the mail processing machine (not shown). In this position, the receiving platforms of the loading device and the feeder of this mail processing machine have each been previously loaded by the operator by their respective stack of envelopes. Typically, about 200 envelopes are disposed on the receiving tray 10A of the feeder and preferably about 600 to 800 envelopes on the receiving tray 14 of the loading device. In this initial position, the drive motor 20 of the loading device is at rest and the envelopes contained in this device are therefore immobile. The mail presence sensors 28, 30 in the loading device and the feeder are in a "high" initial state signifying the presence of mail items both in the loading device and on the receiving tray of the feeder.

La mise en service de la machine de traitement de courrier va commander le fonctionnement de l'alimenteur qui va alors procéder au dépilage de sa pile d'enveloppes et éjecter une à une les enveloppes vers le poste d'affranchissement de cette machine pour aboutir moins de 50 secondes plus tard (pour une cadence de 15 000 enveloppes/heure) à la configuration de la figure 4 dans laquelle il ne reste plus qu'environ une dizaine d'enveloppes (soit moins de 3 secondes d'alimentation de la machine) sur le plateau de réception de l'alimenteur et où le second capteur 30 de présence courrier passe à un niveau « bas » signifiant par la même que l'alimenteur va être bientôt vide et qu'il doit être réapprovisionné (sous réserve que le premier capteur 28 de présence courrier par son niveau « haut » signale la présence d'enveloppes dans le dispositif de chargement).The commissioning of the mail processing machine will control the operation of the feeder which will then unstack the stack of envelopes and eject one by one the envelopes to the franking station of this machine to achieve less 50 seconds later (for a rate of 15,000 envelopes / hour) to the configuration of the figure 4 in which there remains only about ten envelopes (less than 3 seconds of power supply of the machine) on the receiving tray of the feeder and where the second sensor 30 mail presence passes to a level " bottom "meaning by the same that the feeder will soon be empty and must be replenished (provided that the first 28 mail presence sensor by its" high "level indicates the presence of envelopes in the loading device) .

Cette étape de réapprovisionnement est illustrée à la figure 5. Elle correspond à la mise en route du moteur d'entraînement 20 qui actionne le déplacement simultané des rouleaux de transport assurant un dépilage d'une partie de la pile des articles de courrier du dispositif de chargement (en pratique l'ensemble des articles qui ne sont pas arrêtés par la paroi de la guillotine 24). Pendant ce déplacement, l'alimenteur continu d'éjecter un à un les derniers articles de courrier restant sur son plateau de réception au rythme d'un tous les 240 ms (pour une cadence de 15 000 enveloppes/heure) de sorte que lorsque la pile issue du dispositif de chargement est déchargée sur le plateau de l'alimenteur, il ne reste sur celui-ci guère plus qu'une ou deux enveloppes à traiter.This replenishment step is illustrated in figure 5 . It corresponds to the start of the drive motor 20 which actuates the simultaneous movement of the transport rollers ensuring unstacking of a portion of the stack of mail items of the loading device. (In practice all items that are not stopped by the wall of the guillotine 24). During this move, the feeder continues to eject one by one the remaining mail items remaining on its receiving tray at a rate of one every 240 ms (for a rate of 15,000 envelopes / hour) so that when the stack from the loading device is discharged on the tray of the feeder, it remains on it little more than one or two envelopes to treat.

Une fois la pile d'enveloppes réceptionnée par l'alimenteur, le dispositif de réception se retrouve dans une position semblable à celle de la figure 3 (au nombre d'enveloppes restant sur le plateau près), le second capteur de présence courrier repassant à un niveau « haut » du fait de la présence des nouveaux articles de courrier et le moteur d'entraînement est arrêté.Once the stack of envelopes received by the feeder, the receiving device is in a position similar to that of the figure 3 (the number of envelopes remaining on the plateau near), the second mail presence sensor returning to a "high" level due to the presence of new mail items and the drive motor is stopped.

Ainsi, avec l'invention, la capacité d'alimentation en enveloppes est augmentée. La facilité de chargement est particulièrement appréciable pour l'opérateur du fait de la capacité d'origine peu importante du plateau de réception de l'alimenteur. En outre, la cinématique de déplacement des enveloppes est simplifiée au maximum permettant la réalisation d'un dispositif de chargement à l'encombrement réduit.Thus, with the invention, the envelope feeding capacity is increased. The ease of loading is particularly significant for the operator because of the small original capacity of the receiving tray of the feeder. In addition, the movement kinematics envelopes is simplified to the maximum allowing the realization of a loading device with reduced space.

On notera que pour en faciliter le dessin et la compréhension, la différence de niveau entre le plateau de l'alimenteur et le dispositif de chargement a été accentuée par rapport à la réalité. On notera également que si la description précitée a été effectuée essentiellement en regard d'un alimenteur de machine de traitement de courrier, le dispositif de chargement de l'invention est bien entendu aussi applicable à tout autre type d'alimenteur.Note that to facilitate the drawing and understanding, the difference in level between the tray of the feeder and the loading device has been accentuated with respect to reality. Note also that if the above description has been made essentially opposite a mail processing machine feeder, the loading device of the invention is of course also applicable to any other type of feeder.

Claims (7)

  1. An envelope loader device comprising a mail-receiving bed (14) provided with conveyor rollers (22) and serving to receive a stack of mail items, jogger means (18) for holding the mail items against a referencing wall (16), and a drive motor (20) for driving said conveyor rollers in rotation, characterized in that it comprises control means (26) for actuating said drive motor and for causing a fraction of said stack of mail items to be ejected as a function of a mail presence sensor (30) mounted at said mail-receiving bed and whose state depends on whether or not mail items are present in a downstream feeder device (10).
  2. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a mail presence sensor (28) whose state depends on whether or not at least one mail item is present on said mail-receiving bed.
  3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said mail presence sensors are chosen from among detectors of the mechanical type, detectors of the magnetic type, and detectors of the optical type.
  4. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a guillotine door (24) mounted at the outlet of said loader device and whose vertical positioning defines the thickness of the fraction of the stack of mail items that is ejected.
  5. A method of loading envelopes for a feeder of a mail handling machine from an envelope loader device comprising a mail-receiving bed (14) provided with conveyor rollers (22) and serving to receive a stack of mail items, jogger means (18) for holding the mail items against a referencing wall (16), and a drive motor (20) for driving said conveyor rollers in rotation, method wherein, by acting on control means (26) that act on said drive motor, it is possible to cause a fraction of said stack of mail items to be ejected as a function of whether or not mail items are present in a downstream feeder device, as indicated by a mail presence sensor mounted on said mail-receiving bed.
  6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the thickness of said ejected fraction of the stack of mail items is defined by the vertical positioning of a guillotine door (24) mounted at the outlet of said loader device.
  7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the presence of at least one mail item on said mail-receiving bed is detected by a mail presence sensor (28).
EP07120505A 2006-11-16 2007-11-12 Device for automatic loading of envelopes Expired - Fee Related EP1923340B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0654934A FR2908756B1 (en) 2006-11-16 2006-11-16 DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC LOADING OF ENVELOPES.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1923340A1 EP1923340A1 (en) 2008-05-21
EP1923340B1 true EP1923340B1 (en) 2010-01-06

Family

ID=38088067

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP07120505A Expired - Fee Related EP1923340B1 (en) 2006-11-16 2007-11-12 Device for automatic loading of envelopes

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US7758037B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1923340B1 (en)
DE (1) DE602007004165D1 (en)
FR (1) FR2908756B1 (en)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2941443A1 (en) 2009-01-29 2010-07-30 Neopost Technologies MAIL STORAGE STORAGE BOX
FR2947537A1 (en) 2009-07-03 2011-01-07 Neopost Technologies HIGH CAPACITY AUTOMATIC LOADING DEVICE
EP3050831B1 (en) * 2015-01-28 2017-09-20 Neopost Technologies Improved mix mail feeder
WO2017137406A1 (en) 2016-02-12 2017-08-17 Philips Lighting Holding B.V. Dc/dc resonant converters and power factor correction using resonant converters, and corresponding control methods.

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3776544A (en) * 1968-09-23 1973-12-04 Xerox Inc Automatic loading apparatus
US3612511A (en) * 1969-06-05 1971-10-12 Edward S Godlewski Feeding mechanism
DE2203626C2 (en) * 1972-01-26 1983-03-03 Kleindienst Gmbh & Co Kg, 8900 Augsburg Device for removing sheets from a main pile
JPS58140889A (en) * 1982-02-15 1983-08-20 オムロン株式会社 Currency discharger
US4930764A (en) * 1988-12-28 1990-06-05 Pitney Bowes Inc. Front end feeder for mail handling machine
DE19606832C2 (en) * 1996-02-23 1999-04-22 Boewe Systec Ag Device for generating a shingled stream with adjustable shingled stream thickness
DE19606833A1 (en) * 1996-02-23 1997-09-04 Boewe Systec Ag Sheet pile feeder
FR2886005B1 (en) * 2005-05-20 2007-08-10 Neopost Ind Sa LIGHT MITIGATION DIFFERENCE MEASURING DEVICE

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2908756B1 (en) 2009-02-13
US7758037B2 (en) 2010-07-20
DE602007004165D1 (en) 2010-02-25
US20080122159A1 (en) 2008-05-29
EP1923340A1 (en) 2008-05-21
FR2908756A1 (en) 2008-05-23

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP1647940B1 (en) Feeding device with integrated differential weighing module
EP2222586B1 (en) Device for unstacking multimodal postal items
FR2604254A1 (en) WEIGHING MODULE, IN PARTICULAR FOR POSTAL SHIPMENT MACHINES
FR2604106A1 (en) POSTAL EXPEDITION SYSTEM FOR LETTERS HAVING DIFFERENT WEIGHTS
EP1902989B1 (en) Apparatus for destacking postal deliveries with optimized management of the destacking conditions.
EP1811462A2 (en) Franking machine with vertical transportpath
EP1923340B1 (en) Device for automatic loading of envelopes
FR2604105A1 (en) POWER MODULE, IN PARTICULAR FOR A POSTAL EXPEDITION MACHINE
EP2239219B1 (en) High-capacity device for receiving mail articles
EP0856484A1 (en) Feeding device for postal items of different sizes
EP3828107B1 (en) An installation for sorting articles such as parcels or packets with a system for monitoring the positioning of the articles by outline detection
EP2794131B1 (en) Device and method for stacking and loading flat objects on edge into a tray comprising multiple compartments, mail-sorting machine, and mail-sorting method
EP2794132B1 (en) Automatic loading/unloading device for flat objects piled on edge, sorting machine for flat objects, method for automatic unloading and method for postal sorting
EP2080721B1 (en) Device for automatically jogging mail articles
EP0653729A1 (en) Envelop feeding device including a scale
EP1533755B1 (en) Printing method for a compact franking machine and associated franking machine
FR2544668A1 (en) MACHINE FOR FOLDING AND INSERTING LETTERS IN ENVELOPES
EP2269929B1 (en) High-capacity automatic loading device
EP1923343A1 (en) Device for stacking mail articles
EP1332996A1 (en) Device for receiving multi-format envelopes
EP2199237B1 (en) Improved mail feeding device
FR2835244A1 (en) Envelope receiving device for use with a post processing machine has a tray assembly and operating motor that is controlled in conjunction with a franking machine so that post processing is stopped when trays are being exchanged
EP2305584A1 (en) Supply device with controlled envelope separation
FR2701588A1 (en) Automatic feeding device, especially for cassettes or stackable cartridges with interlocking and loading / unloading assembly comprising such a device.

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): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Extension state: AL BA HR MK RS

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: PILLARD, ROMAIN

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20081015

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20081205

AKX Designation fees paid

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

GRAP Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1

GRAS Grant fee paid

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3

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

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: FG4D

Free format text: NOT ENGLISH

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 602007004165

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 20100225

Kind code of ref document: P

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

Effective date: 20101007

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: PLFP

Year of fee payment: 9

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: PLFP

Year of fee payment: 10

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: PLFP

Year of fee payment: 11

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

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 20211122

Year of fee payment: 15

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 20211119

Year of fee payment: 15

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20211118

Year of fee payment: 15

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R082

Ref document number: 602007004165

Country of ref document: DE

Representative=s name: CBDL PATENTANWAELTE GBR, DE

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R119

Ref document number: 602007004165

Country of ref document: DE

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

Effective date: 20221112

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: 20221112

Ref country code: DE

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

Effective date: 20230601

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: 20221130