EP3623327B1 - Method for franking mail items fed on a conveying route of a franking machine, and corresponding machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for franking mail items such as envelopes, mailing bags, envelopes, cards, labels, printed products or the like that are individually fed in from a stack on a conveyor line of a franking machine fed to the franking machine and removed from the franking machine after the mail pieces have been printed.
The covers include, inter alia, closable bags made of (half) cardboard for flat, in particular thin products such as printed products, CDs or other format-like articles.

The mail pieces can of course be individually fed in manually via a feeder device.

Devices of the type described above are in the European patent applications EP 17 405 029 , EP 17 405 030 and EP 17 405 031 described, with the EP 17 405 029 to a device for franking individual or flat peeled off at the bottom of a stack in a transport direction on a side edge is guided mail items that are transported on a processing line between an investor and a separating device cyclically or. be transported further.
In the EP 17 405 030 mail pieces are separated in a facility and transported in cycles for franking.
The EP 17 405 031 provides a device for printing mail items which are individually fed in from a printing unit of a franking machine and which are driven through the printing unit of the franking machine in a friction-locked manner on at least one flat side.

The U.S. 4,893,249 mediates a franking machine that detects mail pieces lined up vertically by means of a transport device and feeds them to a weighing station. The weighed mail pieces are then deflected laterally and transported upwards to a franking station, where they are franked and conveyed on according to their weight.

In the pre-published US 2014/0145396 A1 it is a device for reversing the conveying direction of cards drawn from a stack on the underside, which are deposited one above the other in a collecting device after passing through a reproduction section in the opposite direction.

Knowing the state of the art, the task was to develop a method and a device manufactured according to this for processing mail pieces to create that works reliably by a simple method and simple construction means and can be produced under favorable conditions.

According to the invention, the object was achieved in that the mail items on a conveyor section of the conveyor line are fed to the franking machine via a switch and, after printing, are returned from the printing unit of the postage meter machine opposite to the feed direction via the switched switch to a storage device provided below this for the printed mail items.

In the print processing industry, a filing device is also referred to as a display.

With this procedure, a simplified processing and largely trouble-free transfer of the mail pieces to the postage meter machine and an opposite one can be achieved When the switch is changed, return to a storage device, also referred to as a display, can be achieved.
This method allows a simpler and more compact design of the device than before.

Intermittent processing of the mail items promotes control and reliability in the result.

The switch is advantageously operated, respectively. Setting the course for the delivery of the mail pieces in the cycle of the printing sequence of the printing unit of the franking machine, so that a trouble-free production process can result.

An automatic switch tongue is preferably provided for switching the switch, which controls the feeding of the mail pieces to the postage meter machine and the return of the printed mail pieces to the depositing device.

Alternatively, the switch tongue can be controlled by a device for switching.

A device for franking / imaging mail pieces according to the above method, with a feeder that receives the mail pieces for processing, in which the mail pieces are superimposed / lined up, preferably on one side and each separated from the stack by a separating device and one behind the other in the conveying direction F. are supplied to the conveying line, proves to be particularly suitable for processing mail pieces if the conveying line of the conveying device connected to the franking machine for effective conveyance has a conveying section with a switchable, for Guiding the mail pieces on the conveyor line into and opposite from the franking machine, the printing unit of which has the switch tongue that determines the conveying direction of the mail pieces, so that a compact unit of conveyor and franking machine can be operated as a separate franking machine by manually placing the mail pieces .

The device proves to be particularly reliable if the switch tongue for guiding the mail pieces on the conveyor section of the conveyor line extends transversely to the conveying direction, can be lowered and raised to load the storage device (display), so that trouble-free transport of the mail pieces to the franking machine and into the Storage device arises.

A switch tongue proves to be a simple design, which is designed to be pivotable about a horizontal axis arranged transversely to the conveying direction F, especially since little space is available for a mechanically and precisely functioning device due to the desired compact design of the device.

It proves to be effective and simple if the switch tongue is automatically adjustable due to an irregular weight distribution on the axis (imbalance) for guiding the mail items on the conveyor line, respectively. is formed on the conveyor section and provides / brings the necessary stability towards the conveyor section / conveyor line.

It works efficiently if the switch tongue is controlled to the cycle of the mail items fed on the conveyor line of the franking machine or to the cycle of the printing franking machine, so that regular processing results.

The deflection and adjustment of the switch tongue can advantageously be changed by an adjusting and adjusting screw arranged in a counterweight of the switch tongue and standing on a (stationary) stop, which enables the switch to be optimally adapted to the sometimes different thicknesses of the mail items on the conveyor section / allowed.

The conveying end of the conveying path in front of the franking machine is preferably formed by two vertically one above the other, forming a conveying gap and supplying a printing unit with mail items, and removing the printed mail items from the guide shaft of the printing unit of the franking machine in the opposite direction and reversibly controllable about axes arranged transversely to the conveying direction is formed, of which the lower is driven and controlled by a motor and the upper is drive-connected to the lower by friction.

It is provided that a free-standing cantilever-like guide tongue of the switch tongue and a guide plate arranged above the switch form the conveying section, so that a conveying cross-section is created that is adapted to the thickness of the mail items passing through for optimal guidance of the latter.

The height of the conveyor section can be determined by the stationary stop for the counterweight of the switch tongue.

To promote the conveying efficiency on the conveying line, the conveying end of the separating device can be formed by a pair of conveying rollers arranged on the conveying line, one above the other, which form a variable conveying gap extending transversely to the conveying direction F, the is effectively connected to the conveyor section formed by the switch and supports the reliability of the transport of the mail items.
The design of the device is suitable so that the franking machine can do without an upstream conveyor by manually placing the individual mailings on, in that the separate housings of the separable conveyor and franking machine, the conveyor section of the former with the guide shaft / pressure shaft of the franking machine have housing openings that connect with the conveyor gap of the conveyor roller pair are effectively connected so that manual creation of the individual mail items is possible.

Fig. 1

eine Einrichtung zum Frankieren von einer Förderstrecke, zur weiteren Verarbeitung eines an einem Stapel erfassten, zuzuführenden Versandstückes,

Fig. 2

die Einrichtung nach Fig. 1, bei einem aus dem Stapel abgezogenen Versandstück,

Fig. 3

die Einrichtung nach den Fig. 1 und 2, mit dem gemäss Fig. 2 Abgezogenen Versandstück in dem Druckwerk der Frankiermaschine in der Druckposition und

Fig. 4

die Einrichtung nach den Fig. 1 bis 3, bei der das bedruckte Versandstück die Frankiermaschine verlassen hat und bei der das Druckwerk nach dem Druck in die Ruhestellung zurückversetzt ist.

The invention with reference to the cited resp. the citing prior art and the drawing, to which reference is made with regard to all details not mentioned in more detail in the description, explained on the basis of an exemplary embodiment. In the drawing show:

Fig. 1

a device for franking a conveyor line, for further processing of a mail item to be fed, detected on a stack,

Fig. 2

the establishment according to Fig. 1 , in the case of a package pulled from the stack,

Fig. 3

the establishment according to the Fig. 1 and 2 , with the according to Fig. 2 Removed mailing item in the printing unit of the franking machine in the printing position and

Fig. 4

the establishment according to the Figs. 1 to 3 , in which the printed mail piece has left the franking machine and in which the printing unit is returned to the rest position after printing.

The Figs. 1 to 4 show a device 1 in four process processing steps for franking and / or imaging mail pieces 2 which are stacked one above the other in a feeder 3 of a separating device 4 before they leave the feeder 3.
Fig. 1 illustrates the device 1 when the lowermost mailing item 2 of the four mailing items 2 stacked inclined in the conveying direction F in the feeder 3, the remaining three of which 2 are guided on a front edge on a stop surface 5. Feeder 3 and separating device 4 form a separating station at the device in which the mail items 2 are drawn off / removed from the underside of the stack 7 and transported on in the conveying direction F on a subsequent conveyor line 8, the individual mail items 2 of a stack 7 having different thicknesses and / or can have format sizes. At least in the area of the separating station 6, the conveyor line 8 has two transport rollers 9, 10 which form a flat / slightly inclined conveyor plane in the conveying direction F and which carry the separated mail items 2, which are arranged one behind the other transversely to the conveying direction F and are driven in the same direction. The transport rollers 9, 10 advantageously have the same diameter and the same peripheral speed. The transport rollers 9, 10 are mounted at their lateral ends in a housing 11 or frame of the device 1 and are driven by a motor.
The conveying plane formed by the transport rollers 9, 10 and the lower edge of the stop surface 5 ending at a distance above it result in an outlet opening 12, which can be changed by adjusting the height of the stop surface 5.

The mail pieces 2 placed in feeder 3 are picked up on the conveyor roller 10 by an adjusting member 13 of the separating device 4, and the mail pieces 2 occurring above the lowest mail piece 2 are held back in the feeder 3 so that multiple withdrawals are prevented.
As soon as the lowermost mail item 2 is gripped between the conveyor roller 10 and the adjusting element 13, it is transported on by the conveyor roller 9, 10 in the conveying plane in the conveying direction F and guided between the conveyor roller pair 14 following on the conveying plane, from which at least the lower conveyor roller 15 is driven is, the upper conveyor roller 16 is freely rotating and resiliently seated on the lower 15 and forms a friction-locking conveyor gap with the latter.
The shipping items 2 reach the separating device 4 with the front edge 17 in the transport direction F in each case precisely or evenly aligned with the support of the rearwardly inclined stop surface 5 of the feeder 3, which extends approximately over the width of the conveyor plane.
The lower edge 18 of the stop surface 5, which forms the outlet opening 12 with the conveying plane 19, is designed to be bent in the conveying direction F so that the outlet opening 12 remains trouble-free during the transport of the mail items 2.
Incidentally, a docking station of the present embodiment is of the type mentioned at the beginning EP 17 405 030 described.

Fig. 1 also represents the conveying level 19 in the length of the conveying path 8, which ends in a franking machine 20. Between the separation station 6, respectively. the end of which and the franking machine 20 is located below the conveying path 8 / conveying level 19, a space which serves as a storage device 21 for the printed mail pieces 2 returned by the franking machine 20. The filing device 21 extends beyond the conveying level 19 and is formed by an upper guide plate 22, which is at the end of the separation station 6, respectively. Isolation device 4 along which extends approximately parallel to the conveying path 8 and at least approximately as far as the franking machine 20.
The opening of the conveying path 8 into the franking machine 20 is formed by a pair of conveying rollers 24 which are arranged one above the other to form a conveying gap running approximately horizontally and transversely to the conveying direction F, the lower conveying roller 25 being driven and the upper conveying roller 26 supported on it by means of spring pressure ( Tension spring 27) is supported so that it can be raised. The depositing device 21 located below the guide plate 22 has a depositing base 28 for the printed mail pieces 2 arriving from the franking machine 20, which are / are deposited one above the other.
At a distance above the shelf 28 and below the guide plate 22, a switch 29 acting on the mail items 2 is arranged, which ensures that on the one hand the mail items 2 intended for franking reach the franking machine 20 without interference on the conveying path between the separating device 4 or station 6 and on the other hand, keep the return path of the mail items 2 printed in the franking machine 20 to the depositing device 21 below the switch 29 free.
The ones in the Figs. 1 to 4 The switch 29 shown (rotating device) consists of a switch tongue 30 which is pivotable about an approximately horizontal axis 47 running transversely to the conveying direction F and which, due to an uneven weight distribution on the axis 47, can be automatically pivoted upwards, preferably on the guide plate 22, so that it can be adjusted against a on the supplied mail pieces 2 painting guide tongue 31 and the heavier counter-element 32 on the opposite side of the axis 47 an upward deflection effect arises, which counteract the mail pieces 2 passing through and so a Use guidance.
Of course, the switch tongue 30 could also be motor-driven (cyclically) controlled, in particular for processing very thin mail items which may have insufficient rigidity for the lateral movement of the guide tongue 31 of the switch tongue 30 away from the guide plate 22 to form a conveyor gap.
On the other hand, the upwardly deflecting switch tongue 30 is used for the mail items 2, respectively, fed to the storage device 21 from the franking machine 20. keeps its conveying path in the storage device 21 free. That is, the supplied mail items 2 slide along / respectively. between the guide plate 22 and the guide tongue 31 or the conveyor path 8 between the conveyor rollers 25, 26 and are transported by these through a rear housing opening 33 into the franking machine 20, for which purpose a housing opening 34 connected to be effective for conveying is provided in the latter.
This creates the possibility of connecting a separating station 6 / separating device 4 upstream of a franking machine 20, or of operating the franking machine 20 in a known manner by manually placing individual mail pieces 2.

The conveying speed of the mail pieces 2 into the franking machine 20 corresponds at least approximately to the speed on the conveying path covered.
Fig. 1 shows two printed mail items 2 located on the storage shelf 28 of the storage device 21.
The conveying end of the conveying path 8 forms the printing position of a mailing item 2 in the franking machine 20.

The Figs. 1 to 4 mediate however mainly one with a separation station 6 and a storage device 21 assembled / assemblable franking machine 20 for the processing of mail pieces 2 that can be stacked in a feeder 3.
In Fig. 1 the postage meter machine 20 is shown in a largely inoperative state (without mail item). An approximately horizontal shaft 35 can be seen, to which the mail items 2 are each fed individually in the conveying direction F up to an end stop 36.
In this situation, the print head 41 of a printing unit 37, which is guided on horizontal guide rails 38, is in a rest or starting position of the printing unit 37, away from the printing / franking position.

Fig. 2 illustrates the device 1 in a processing situation in which the separated mailing item 2 on the conveyor line 8 has reached the transfer area 39 between the separation device 4 / separation station 6 and the franking machine 20. In this area, the mailing item 2 is supported on the guide tongue 31 of the switch tongue 30, as can be seen, so that it then reaches the conveyor gap formed by the conveyor rollers 25, 26 and is transported into the guide shaft 35 intended for franking and imaging (see also Fig. 3 ).

Fig. 2 shows the lower position of the switch tongue 30, respectively, caused by the mail item 2 passing through. the tip or the free end of the guide tongue 31. The lower position of the guide tongue 31 is determined / limited by the counterweight 40 that is pending / striking a stationary stop 42, the stop 42 being attached to the housing 11 of the separating device 4 or another available part is. The position of the switch tongue 30 indicates that the printed mailpieces 2 are to be ejected from the franking machine 20 into the depositing device 21 is not promising, the print head still being in the rest position of the franking machine 20.

To adjust or adjust the guide tongue 31, respectively. the switch tongue 30 could be mounted in the counterweight 40 or in the stop 42, an adjusting and adjusting screw 43, which is adjustable with the free end on the stop 42 or on the counterweight 40, so that the position of the guide tongue 31, respectively. the switch tongue 30 can be changed.

One process or processing step further has according to Fig. 3 that was previously in Fig. 1 detected shipping item 2 first target, the guide slot 35 in the franking machine 20, the printing position, and the print head 41 of the printing unit 37 is in the working position above the guide slot 35, respectively. Above the delivered package 2.
The print head is triggered from the rest position to the operating position, preferably before the mail item 2 arrives at the end stop 36.

During printing, the mailer 2 remains held between the conveyor rollers 25, 26, which are rotatable in both directions, the lower conveyor roller 25 being rotatable in both directions, around the mailpiece 2, which has arrived in the conveyor gap with the leading edge, into the guide shaft 35 of the printing unit 37 to be transported and printed to be removed from the shaft 35 or to be placed in the storage device 21. The preferably spring-loaded, resting upper conveyor roller 26 serves as a friction-locked connection for the application of the transport movement in the conveyor shaft 35.

The drive of the print head 41 in the franking machine 20 takes place via a traction mechanism 44 with an endless toothed belt 45 revolving around two deflecting rollers 46 spaced apart from one another, with one strand of which the print head 41 is drive-connected.

Fig. 4 provides the transport of the originally according to Fig. 1 The mail item 2 withdrawn in the feeder 3 represents on the transport from the printing unit 37 of the franking machine 20. The print head 41 has moved back into the rest position. The printed mail item 2 moves into the storage device 21, in which two printed copies are already stored one above the other. For this purpose, the guide tongue 31 of the switch tongue 30 has been lifted upwards by the counterweight 40 and is in contact with the guide plate 22 without disturbing the trajectory of a printed mail item 2. On the one hand, the switch tongue 30 is aligned with the conveyor gap of the conveyor roller pair 23 during the clocked feed by the mail items 2 (see FIG Fig. 2 ) and after cyclical suspension of the separation in feeder 3 to release the transport space in the storage device 21 set back upwards.

Claims (15)

1. Method for franking packages (2) individually supplied, preferably from a stack (7), on a conveyor line (8) to a franking machine (20), such as envelopes, mailing bags, sleeves, cards, labels, printed products, or the like, which are removed at the lower side of the stack (7) for separation and which are supplied on the upstream conveyor line (8) to a printing mechanism (37) of the franking machine (20) and after printing are discharged from the franking machine (20), characterized in that the separated packages (2) are supplied on a conveying portion (48) of the conveyor line (8) via a switch (29) to the franking machine (20) and after printing are returned counter to the supply direction from the printing mechanism (37) of the franking machine (20) via the transposed switch (29) to a depositing device (21) which is arranged therebelow for the printed packages (2).
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the processing of the packages (2) is carried out in a cyclical manner.
3. Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the actuation of the switch (29) or the supply of the packages (2) is carried out with the timing of the printing sequence of the printing mechanism (37) of the franking machine (20).
4. Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that the actuation of the switch (29) or the printing sequence of the packages (2) is carried out with the timing of the separation of the packages (2).
5. Device (1) for franking/printing images on packages (2) which are individually removed at the lower side/front side of a stack (7), and which are supplied on a conveyor line (8) to a franking machine (20) and which, after printing of the packages (2), are discharged from the franking machine (20), comprising a feeder (3) which receives the packages (2) and in which the packages (2) are placed one on top of the other/next to each other, preferably guided on one side, and are each separated from the stack (7) by a separation device (4) and supplied to the conveyor line (8) one behind the other in the conveying direction (F), for carrying out the method according to Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the conveyor line (8) which is connected to the franking machine (20) in an actively conveying manner has a conveying portion (48) having a switchable switch tongue (30) of a switch (29), which switch tongue is constructed for guiding the packages (2) on the conveyor line (8) into the franking machine (20) and in the opposite direction out of the franking machine (20) into a depositing device (21) and determines the conveying direction (F) of the packages (2).
6. Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the switch tongue (30) is constructed so as to be able to be lowered in order to guide the packages (2) on the conveyor line (8) transversely relative to the conveying direction (F) and so as to be able to be raised in order to supply the depositing device (21).
7. Device according to Claim 5, characterized in that the switch tongue (30) is constructed so as to be able to be pivoted about an axle (47) which is arranged transversely relative to the conveying direction (F).
8. Device according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the switch tongue (30) is constructed so as to be able to be independently adjusted by means of an irregular weight distribution on the axle (47) in order to guide the packages (2) on the conveyor line (8).
9. Device according to one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the switch tongue (30) is controlled in a motor-driven manner.
10. Device according to one of Claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the switch tongue (30) is controlled with the timing of the packages (2) which are supplied on the conveyor line (8) of the franking machine (20) or with the timing of the printing franking machine (20).
11. Device according to one of Claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the redirection of the switch tongue (30) can be changed by means of a setting and adjustment screw (43) which is arranged in a counterweight (32, 40) of the switch tongue (30) and which rises on a stop (42).
12. Device according to one of Claims 5 to 11, characterized in that the conveying end of the conveyor line (8) is formed by means of two conveyor rollers (25, 26) which are substantially perpendicular one above the other and which form a conveying gap and which supply a printing mechanism (37) of the franking machine (20) with packages (2) and which remove printed packages (2) from a guiding shaft (35) of the printing mechanism (37) of the franking machine (20) in an opposing direction, and which can be controlled so as to rotate in a reversible manner about axes which are arranged transversely relative to the conveying direction.
13. Device according to one of Claims 7 to 12, characterized in that a guiding tongue (31) of the switch tongue (30) and a guiding plate (22) which is arranged above the switch (29) form the conveying portion (48).
14. Device according to one of Claims 5 to 13, characterized in that the conveying end of the separation device (4) is formed by means of a conveyor roller pair (14) which is arranged on the conveyor line (8) and which comprises conveyor rollers (15, 16) which are arranged one above the other and which form a changeable conveying gap which extends transversely to the conveying direction (F) and which is connected to the conveying portion (48) formed by the switch (29) in an actively conveying manner.
15. Device according to one of Claims 5 to 14, characterized in that the housings of the conveying device and franking machine (20), which are constructed so as to be able to be separated from each other, have housing openings (33, 34) which connect the conveyor line (8) to the guiding shaft (35) and which are connected to the conveying gap of the conveyor roller pair (23) in an actively conveying manner.

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