EP2085340B1 - Device for selecting mail articles with adjustable die - Google Patents

Description

Field of the art

The present invention relates to the field of mail processing and more particularly relates to a mail item selection device implemented in an automatic feeder module, or feeder, a postage meter franking machine.

Prior art

Conventionally, a franking machine must be adapted to receive different types of mail items such as documents, folds or envelopes having greater or lesser thicknesses, typically from 0.1 mm to 16 mm. For this, it often has upstream of an automatic power supply module, in particular for conveying these mail items at different speeds and usually comprising means for receiving / stacking, selecting, transporting and possibly closing these items. mail items. The receiving / stacking means conventionally comprise jogging means for pressing the mailpieces against a reference wall. These jogging means can be of different kinds.

The patent US 5,112,037 discloses a double inclination of the receiving tray towards the rear and towards the referencing wall in order to properly reference the mail items whose flaps are then spaced apart in a slot.

The patent US 4,930,764 discloses an inclination of the drive rollers to drive the mail piece downstream while jogging it transversely toward the referencing wall.

These solutions give overall satisfaction. However, when the stack of mail items is reduced and it remains to select only a few mail items still properly tacked against the referencing wall, they go one after the other lose this jogging and put bias in contact with the sector of the device for selecting mail items. Indeed, the thickness of a mail piece is never constant over its entire width, especially because of the extra thickness of its flap, these last mail items will have tendency, when in contact with the die, to pivot around the locking point formed by the part of the die where the thickness is the strongest. In fact, the mailpiece will tend to detach its back portion of the referencing wall as its front part, more precisely its lower, thinner corner will go first under the die.

The document EP-A-0 195 348 discloses a mail item selection device having at least one die cooperating with a plurality of opposed pick rollers traversing a receiving tray of a stack of mail items to select one by one said mail items and transport downstream.

Object and definition of the invention

The present invention aims to overcome this biasing of the mail item resulting from the extra thickness of the flap by proposing a mailpiece selection device whose die is specially adapted to allow a recovery of the article of mail mail.

This object is achieved by a mail item selection device comprising at least one die cooperating with a plurality of opposed selection rollers passing through a receiving tray of a stack of mail items, to select one by one said items. of mail and transport them downstream, characterized in that said die has a predetermined inclination of an angle θ with respect to a horizontal plane defined by said receiving plate with a distance between a low end portion of said die and said larger receiving tray at the portion of said die closest to a referencing wall than that furthest from said referencing wall.

By this inclination of an angle θ of the die, it performs a recovery of mail items that without this inclination would tend to go awry and thus keep a perfect jogging thereof against the reference wall.

Preferably, said die comprises a body articulated about an axis of rotation and pivotable against an elastic return means during the passage of mail items on said plurality of selection rollers and a front portion forming a comb attached to said body and the end of the teeth which is fixed a selection finger coated with a wear-resistant material, preferably a ceramic or a carbide.

Preferably, said die body is of plastics material.

According to an advantageous embodiment, said inclination according to said angle θ is obtained by asymmetrical adjustment means acting by deformation of said die body. Said asymmetric adjustment means may comprise two screw / nut assemblies each acting against a fixed stop fixed to a frame of the device, each of said two sets screw / nut being mounted in two parts arranged on either side of said body.

Advantageously, said body portion receives a fixed nut in which is screwed a set screw held without play in this body portion by an elastic member.

The invention also relates to a mailing machine feeder for mailing machines comprising a device for selecting said mail items.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe longitudinale d'un dispositif de sélection d'articles de courrier selon l'invention, et
• les figures 2 et 2A sont deux vues de face avec une partie arrachée de la filière dans une position neutre et une position de fonctionnement du dispositif de sélection de la figure 1.

Other characteristics 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 figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device for selecting mailpieces according to the invention, and
• the figures 2 and 2A are two front views with a cutaway portion of the die in a neutral position and an operating position of the selection device of the figure 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

An automatic mail supply module conventionally comprises a feed zone essentially formed of a receiving tray defining a horizontal plane and intended to receive a stack of mail items and comprising first transport rollers for driving these items. mail items downstream (and against a referencing wall) at a separation zone having a separation device in which these mail items are extracted one by one from the stack of articles. Second transport rollers are generally provided at the exit of this separation zone for conveying the mail articles thus extracted downstream. Such automatic feeder is for example illustrated in the European patent cited in the preamble of the present application.

The Figures 1 and 2 show more specifically a device according to the invention of separating mail items which essentially comprises a die 10 cooperating with several opposite selection rollers (not shown) passing through the receiving tray (also not shown) to select a mail piece and one and carry it downstream. Of course, according to the requested selection accuracy, measured by the number of double passes allowed for a given quantity of mail items, this first die may or may not be followed by a second disengageable die, as is known, by means of a manual operating lever.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the single die is formed in two parts with on the one hand a body 12, made of plastic, articulated about an axis of rotation 14 and pivotable against a means of rotation. resilient return, for example a compression spring 16A, 16B, during the passage of the mail items on the selection rollers and secondly a metal front portion, forming a comb 18 fixed to the body of the die by fixing means , for example screws 20, and at the end of the teeth of which is fixed a selection finger 18A, 18B coated with a wear-resistant material such as a ceramic or a carbide. As is known, in its active part, the die is not arranged perpendicularly to the transport path of mail items but inclined downstream (along the X axis), in a plane perpendicular to the placing wall. reference, an angle φ of about 45 ° with respect to this transport path. In addition, the elastic return means is also supported on a frame portion 22 of the selection device.

Note that if reference has been made by way of example to a compression spring, it is understood that a tension spring could also be suitable subject to a configuration of attachment of the spring to the different frame.

Due to its material, the selection finger is durable while limiting the risk of scratching of mail items. An example of ceramic material forming each finger 18A of the comb 18 of the die 10 is given by a titanium oxide, such as Ti-Cord from the French company Saint-Gobain, deposited by thermal transfer. This results in a very high hardness of the selection finger that can be held in place during the entire life of the feeder and the roughness of the material is sufficient to hang mail items while preventing a possible tearing during their passage.

According to the invention, in order to ensure the recovery of mail items passing under the sector, it is proposed, as illustrated by Figure 2A , to release the upper corner before mail items by a slight inclination of the die (along the Y axis) relative to the horizontal plane of the receiving tray, the distance between the low end portion of this die and the tray the receiving part being larger at the part of this die closest to the referencing wall than the one farthest away, this die remaining in its plane perpendicular to the reference wall.

The inclination of the die, an angle θ is obtained by an asymmetrical adjustment of the plateau-die distance and more particularly, in the example illustrated, by asymmetrical adjustment means consisting of two screw / nut assemblies 24A, 24B each acting against a fixed stop 26A, 26B secured to the frame 22 of the device. Each of the two sets screw / nut is mounted in a portion 12A, 12B extending for example above and on either side of the body of the die, that is to say respectively referenced wall side and opposite side in practice the side of the operator of the franking machine. This body portion receives a fixed nut 28A, 28B in which will be screwed an adjusting screw 30A, 30B further maintained without play in this body portion by an elastic member such as a spring 32A, 32B.

The operation of the selection device according to the invention is as follows. The mail items to be processed being arranged on the receiving tray of the feeder, they will be introduced into the selection device and extracted one by one by the die. When mail items are only a few, because of the inclination of this die angle θ according to the invention, the first contact of the mail item at the finger closest to the The operator will tend to press the rear portion of the mailpiece against the referencing wall 34, which will keep a good referencing especially if the receiving tray 36 is equipped with drive rollers 38A, 38B inclined by report to the transport directorate. The inclination of the die of the angle θ is obtained for example by acting on the first adjusting screw 30B, preferably that arranged on the operator side, to adjust the distance plate-die at a first predetermined height and thus ensure the horizontal positioning of the die with respect to the receiving plate, then by acting on the second adjustment screw 30A disposed side referencing wall, for adjusting the plateau-die distance at a second predetermined height deform the plastic body of the die and thus provide an inclination of the die with respect to this receiving plate 36. This deformation is possible due to the relative flexibility of this body due to the constituent material but especially since, as in the example illustrated, the comb has only two central teeth, the average height difference between the selection fingers they comprise is about 0.3 mm for a 100 mm wide die .

Thus, with the present invention, the skewing end stack mail items resulting from the extra thickness of the flap is avoided because allowing these mail items to engage under the die where the height is the most important , it can be produced a jogging effect or compensation of this through.

Claims (8)

1. A mailpiece selector device comprising at least a guide (10) co-operating with a plurality of opposite selector rollers passing through a deck (36) for receiving a stack of mailpieces in order to select said mailpieces one-by-one and to transport them downstream, characterized in that said guide presents a predetermined inclination at an angle θ relative to a horizontal plane defined by said deck, with a distance between said deck and a low end portion of said guide that is larger at the portion of said guide that is closer to a referencing wall (34) than at the portion of said guide that is further away from said referencing wall.
2. A mailpiece selector device according to claim 1, characterized in that said guide has a body (12) that is hinged about a pivot axis (14) and that can pivot in opposition to resilient return means (16A, 16B) as the mailpieces pass over said plurality of selector rollers, and a front portion forming a comb (18) that is fastened to said body, a selector finger (18A, 18B) coated with a wear-resistant material being fastened to the end of each of the teeth of said comb.
3. A mailpiece selector device according to claim 2, characterized in that said material of said selector finger is a ceramic or a carbide.
4. A mailpiece selector device according to claim 2, characterized in that said body of the guide is made of a plastics material.
5. A mailpiece selector device according to claim 4, characterized in that said inclination at said angle θ is obtained by asymmetric adjustment means (24A, 24B; 26A, 26B; 28A, 28B; 30A, 30B; 32A, 32B) acting by deforming said body of the guide.
6. A mailpiece selector device according to claim 5, characterized in that said asymmetric adjustment means comprise two screw-and-nut sets (24A, 24B), each of which acts in opposition to an abutment (26A, 26B) that is stationary relative to a framework (22) of the device, each of said two screw-and-nut sets being mounted in two portions (12A, 12B) disposed on either side of the body.
7. A mailpiece selector device according to claim 6, characterized in that said portion of the body receives a stationary nut (28A, 28B) into which an adjustment screw (30A, 30B) is screwed, which screw is held snugly in said portion of the body by a resilient element (32A, 32B).
8. A mailpiece feeder for a franking machine, which feeder includes a mailpiece selector device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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