WO1998008766A1

WO1998008766A1 - Insert feed mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO1998008766A1
Application number: PCT/US1997/003236
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrew G. Bakoledis
Original assignee: Gbr Systems Corporation
Priority date: 1996-08-28
Filing date: 1997-02-27
Publication date: 1998-03-05
Also published as: CA2258599A1; CN1078562C; JP2001501558A; CN1237142A; US5702097A; EP0922002A1; EP0922002A4

Abstract

An insert feed mechanism includes a feeder for feeding an insert (I), folding assembly (F), a conveyor for transporting the insert from the feeder to the folding assembly, a sheet feeder (S) for supplying the folding assembly with an envelope sheet at a predetermined place on the envelope sheet where the first fold is to occur. The folding mechanism folds the envelope sheet around the insert to form a mailing envelope.

Description

INSERT FEED MF.CH ANTSM

Background

The present invention relates to insert feed mechanisms and more particularly to high

speed inserter systems for inserting one or more inserts into a sheet of paper before the sheet of

paper is folded into a mailing envelope.

In collating and preparing .an envelope for mailing it is common for the envelope to be

formed from a cut envelope sheet of paper (which may have a message printed thereon) which is

then folded into the envelope ready for mailing. Such envelopes usually have inserts (such as

promotional materials, bills, a return envelope, etc.) placed within the envelope. It is customary

to add these inserts to the envelope sheet before the sheet is folded into a mailing envelope so

that the inserts are automatically packaged within the mailing envelope when the sheet is folded

around the inserts.

In present high speed inserting mechanisms and paper feeding, it has been difficult to

organize, feed and transport either single or multiple inserts efficiently and accurately so that

they are properly positioned on the envelope sheet before the envelope sheet is folded around the

inserts to form the mailing envelope. Another problem in such high speed paper feeding and

folding mechanisms is the fact that it is difficult for current inserters to pick-up inserts from

single or multiple intermittent feeding stations. With some current feeders it has been difficult to

control each insert as it is transported through the system so that there is no assurance that the insert is presented straight and accurately to the envelope sheet to be folded around it. Current

feeders also fail to insure that when multiple inserts are fed the forward or leading edges of the

inserts are in alignment with each other so that they strike the sheet of paper at the same time and

are folded together at the same place on the envelope sheet. Another problem v/ith current

feeders is the fact that the inserts sometimes do not strike the envelope sheet at the place where it

is desired that the sheet be folded so that the inserts are not always folded correctly or the inserts

sometimes interfere with the folding operation.

Qbjeςts

The present invention overcomes these drawbacks and has for one of its objects the

provision of an improved insert feed mechanism which is more efficient and accurate than

presently existing ones.

Another of object of the present invention is the provision of {in improved insert feed

mechanism for feeding single sheets or a plurality of sheets onto a cut envelope sheet.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved insert feed

mechanism for feeding sheets which will positively control each insert .as it is transported

through the feeding system.

mechanism for feeding sheets which assures that the insert is presented straight and accurately to the envelope sheet to be folded around the insert.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of .an improved insert feed

mechanism in which the leading edges of a plurality of inserts .are in alignment with each other

when they strike the envelope sheet.

mechanism for feeding sheets in which the leading edge of the insert will strike the envelope

sheet at the particular place where the first fold will occur in the envelope sheet.

mechanism for feeding sheets in which the insert is not released until the leading edge of the

insert is captured by the folding assembly.

mechanism for feeding sheets which will permit more and thicker inserts to be folded within an

envelope sheet.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon the undcrsv i ng of the illustrative

embodiment about to be described, or which will be indicat^e me appended claims, and

various advantages not referred to herein, will occur ^• on lied in the ait upon employment of

the invention in practice. Pra ines

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and

description and is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification,

wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an inserter mechanism made in accordance with the

present invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of an inserter mechanism showing a modification of

the present invention.

DESCRIPTION

The improved inserter system shown in the drawings comprises a feeder assembly (not

shown) for feeding inserts I from a source such as a feeder bin (not shown). The inserts 1 are fed

by the feeder .assembly to a feed roller Δ which receives the inserts 1 .and directs the inserts 1 to

the inserter system of the present invention. While the drawings show a pair of spaced feed

rollers Δ which receive inserts from a plurality of feeder assemblies, it is possible that a single

feed roller Δ may be used with the present invention. Moreover, even when a pair of feed rollers

Δ are present in the inserter mechanism of the present invention, a single feed roller Δ only may

be activated so that a single insert I is fed rather than a plurality ot in.

The inserter system of the present invention compr ^; a separator guide assembly 100 „,_ΛO-.^ _ PCT/US97/03236

WO 98/08766 5

for guiding the inserts I which are received from the feed rollers Δ- The guide assembly 100 is

shown in the drawing as being v-shaped with downwardly converging legs 101 meeting at the

apex 102. The guide assembly 100 has a separator blade 103 extending downwardly from the

apex 102 and leading towards the folding assembly generally designated as E.

A belt assembly 104 is provided on each side of the separator assembly 100 which is

adapted to receive the inserts I form the feed rollers A and direct them to the folding assembly E

A spring-pressed idler roller 1 16 adjacent each leg 101 and extending through openings in leg

101 makes contact with roller 1 and moves the insert I to the belt assembly 104. Each belt

assembly 104 comprises a continuously moving endless feed belt 105 which is moved and

controlled by a pinch roller 1, pinch rollers 2 and 5, exit roller 3 and idler roller 4. The feed belt

105 moves along the outer surfaces of the legs 101 and the separator blade 103 of the separator

assembly 100. The feed belt 105 moves toward the folding assembly E and is in alignment with

the place on the envelope sheet S where the first fold is to occur. The folding assembly E is

substantially conventional and comprises the usual folding rollers 6, 7, 8, .and 9 which will fold a

sheet of paper, in this instance the envelope sheet S» into a mailing envelope and deliver the

folded envelope to a discharge conveyor (not shown). A buckle plate assembly β (also in

substantially the usual form) is provided to feed the envelope sheet £ to the folding assembly E.

With this construction, each insert! is fed by the feed roller Δ to the belt assembly 104 O 98/08766 6

and roller 1,2, 5 and 3 so that each insert I is moved between feed belt 105 and the legs 101 and

the separator blade 103 of the separator assembly 100. The inserts 1 are directed by the feed belt

105 to the folding assembly E. The folding assembly E already has had an envelope sheet £ fed

to it by the buckle plate B and is in place ready to receive the inserts I. The leading edges of the

insertsj are in alignment with each other and simultaneously strike the foldable envelope sheet £

at the place where the first fold in the envelope sheet £ is to be made and the leading edge E. of

inserts 1 initiates and directs the envelope sheet £ to the first fold place in the folding mech-uαism

E (i.e. between rollers 6-7 in the drawings.) Sensors X and Z (in substantially the usual form)

between rollers 2 .and 5 detect whether inserts I have reached that particular position within a

specified time limit. If not, the sensors signal the mechanism to shut down. It will be noted that

the distance between the exit rollers 3 of the belt assembly 104 is less than the length of an insert

1 so that belt assembly 104 and pinch roll 3 retains positive control of the inserts 1 until the

folding assembly E grasps the inserts L Thereafter the folding assembly E operates in a normal

manner to fold the envelope sheet £ around the inserts 1 to form a mailing envelope M and

deliver the folded mailing envelope M to a discharge conveyor.

Fig. 2 shows a modification of the present invention. The structure in Fig.2 is similar to

the staicture shown in Fig. 1 and like parts will be identified by like reference characters.

However, in this embodiment, a pivotable stop or door 110 is substituted for the pinch rollers 5 of the belt assembly 104 described in connection with Fig. 1. The door 1 10 is shown as being

pivotally moveable around pivot 1 1 1 from a closed position in the path of the inserts 1 which are

moving along feed belts 105 to an open position away from the path of the inserts 1. A sensor

112 (which may be in substantially the usual form) may be provided to sense whether inserts 1

have been released by the door 1 10 and sensors £ and Q (in substantially the usual foim)

between rollers 2 and door 1 10 defece whether inserts I are in place so as to signal door 1 10 to

open, as will be explained in greater detail below.

Initially the door 1 10 is its closed position and the inserts I being fed by the feed belts

105 will strike the door 1 10 and are stopped there. This blocks the forward movement of the

inserts I and at the same time the forward or leading edges E of the inserts 1 will align with each

other. Sensors P and Q detect whether inserts I are in place. If so, sensors E and signal the

door 1 10 to open and release inserts to folding assembly E- If inserts are not in place, sensors P

and Q signal total shut down of the mechanism. The sensor 112 detects whether inserts I have

been released by the door 110. If not, it signals total shutdown of the machine. It will again be

noted that the distance between exit rollers 3 of the belt .assembly 104 .and the folding assembly E

is less than that of the length of an insert I so that the feed belts 105 .and pinch roller 3 retain

positive control of the inserts I until ihe leading edge E of the inserts I are grasped by the folding

assembly E a - nd the envelope sheet £ starts folding arour ^' e inse is I. In the meantime the door 110 is moved back into its closed position in the path of the inserts I and has blocked another set

of inserts I from moving forward toward the folding assembly E- The first inserts 1 have by now

been moved to the folding assembly E so that their trailing edges I are no longer sensed by the

sensor 112. As in the embodiment shown In Fig. 1, the leading edges E of inserts 1 strike the

envelope sheet £ at the place where the first fold is to occur and the leading edges E of the inserts

I initiate and direct the folding of the envelope sheet S so that its first fold is at that place only.

The envelope sheet £ is then folded around the inserts 1 to form a mailing envelope M which is

then delivered to a discharge conveyor.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides an insert feed mechanism which is

more efficient a . nd accurate than presently existing ones for feeding single sheets or a plurality of

sheets onto a cut envelope sheet, which will positively control each insert as it is transported

through the feeding system and which assures that the insert is presented straight and accurately

to the envelope sheet to be folded around the insert. The present invention also provides an

improved feed mechanism in which the leading edges of a plurality of inserts are in alignment

with each other when they strike the envelope sheet, in which the leading edge of the insert will

strike the envelope sheet at the actual place where the first fold will occur in the envelope sheet,

in which the insert is not rele∑ised until the leading edge of the insert is captured by the folding

mechanism and which will permit more and thicker inserts to be folde-^{1 ■•}, und an envelope sheet.

As many varied modifications of the subject matter of this invention will become

apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description given hereinabove, it will be

understood that the present invention is limited only as provided in the claims appended hereto.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An insert feed mechanism comprising means for feeding an insert, a folding

assembly, conveying means for transporting the insert from the feeding means to the folding

assembly, means for supplying the folding assembly with an envelope sheet, said conveying

means adapted to direct the insert to strike the envelope sheet at a predetermined place on the

envelope sheet where the first fold is to occur, said folding mechanism being adapted to fold the

envelope sheet around the insert to form a mailing envelope.

2. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the insert initiates the first fold in

the envelope sheet at said predetermined place.

3. A mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein the movement of the insert is

controlled by said conveying means until the folding assembly start folding the envelope sheet

around the insert.

4. A mechanism as set forth claim 3 wherein said conveying means does not release

the insert until the folding assembly starts folding the envelope sheet around the insert.

5. A mechanism as set forth in claim 4, wherein the lance between the end of said

conveying means and said envelope sheet in the folding as: -m ^{! •} less than the length of an

insert being fed thereto by the conveying means.

6. A mechanism as set forth in claim 5, wher i pair of feeding means are provided for feeding a plurality of inserts and wherein separator means are provided between said feeding

means.

7. A mechanism as set forth in claim 6, wherein conveying means are provided on

each side of said separator means and adapted to move a plurality of inserts from the feeding

means to the folding assembly along each side of said separator means.

8. A mechanism as set forth in claim 7, wherein said conveyor means comprises a

plurality of rollers around which an endless belt is moved and wherein the endless belt and the

rollers move the inserts along the surface of the separator means.

9. A mechanism as set forth in claim 8, wherein said separator means comprises a

pair of legs converging to an apex in the direction of the folding assembly and wherein a

separator blade extends from the said apex toward the folding assembly.

10. A mechanism as set forth in claim 9, wherein door means .are provided which are

movable from a position in the path of the inserts to prevent the movement of the inserts to the

folding .assembly to a position away from the path of the inserts to permit movement of the

inserts toward the folding assembly.

11. A mechanism as set forth in claim 10, wherein said door means stop the

movement of the inserts and aligns the leading edges of the inserts.

12. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1 1, wherein means are provided to control the movement of the door means.

13. A mechanism as set forth in claim 12, wherein said control means are sensing

means to sense the presence of an insert.

14. A mechanism as set forth in claim 11 , wherein sensory means are provided to

sense whether the door means has opened.

15. A mechanism as set forth in claim 8, wherein sensingmeans are provided to sense

the presence of an insert.