Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
  • B43M—BUREAU ACCESSORIES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B43M5/00—Devices for closing envelopes
  • B43M5/04—Devices for closing envelopes automatic
  • B43M5/042—Devices for closing envelopes automatic for envelopes with only one flap

Definitions

• the present invention relates to mail processing machines. It relates more precisely a flap closing device used on a casing enveloping machine.
• Mail processing services use automatic machines for enveloping documents.
• Man f art imagined early on to create autonomous machine for performing the enveloping documents.
• These enveloping machines have mechanisms for closing and pressing the flap of the envelope after it has been moistened beforehand.
• the current mechanisms used to achieve closing and gluing the envelope the following two methods:
• the present invention proposes to create a unique mechanism responsible for both carrying out the bypass and closing the flap. This makes it possible to reduce the volume, the costs linked to the assembly and the cost price of the mechanism.
• the invention achieves its object by means of an envelope closure device for a mail processing machine, comprising first drive means for driving an envelope, with its flap open, towards the front (that is to say say upstream downstream of the machine) to an envelope closing station, means for closing the envelope flap located at the closing station, and second drive means for driving an envelope, with its flap closed, from the closing station outside the device, the drive means and the closing means being controlled by control means, characterized in that the closing means comprise a retractable pressing member arranged transversely on the way to the envelope in the closing station, the control means being arranged to: a) bring said pressing member onto the path and push the flap when the envelope is still in the closing station and is grasped by the second drive means, b) inverting said second drive means for an interval of time sufficient to cause the envelope and its flap to turn over towards and into the
• the invention can be applied to the closure of self-adhesive envelopes. but also advantageously when closing conventional envelopes and the closing station then comprises humidifier means for the envelope flap, for example of the humidifier felt type, these humidifier means being synchronized with the other mechanisms by the control means.
• the first and / or second drive means are constituted by pairs of drive rollers, which can moreover be driven by a single motor controlled by the control means.
• the pressing member is constituted by a pivoting gluing table associated with a pressing and deflecting shoe, the table and the roller being connected to drive mechanisms.
• the pressure shoe is constituted by a sheet with a rolled edge playing the role of deflector during the movement behind the envelope.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pressing member with its bonding table and its pressing shoe according to the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a simplified front view showing the first operating phase of the bonding mechanism.
• FIG. 3 is a simplified front view showing the second operating phase of the bonding mechanism.
• FIG. 4 is a simplified front view showing the third operating phase of the bonding mechanism.
• FIG. 5 is a simplified front view showing the fourth operating phase of the bonding mechanism.
• the pressing member 1, shown in FIG. 1. comprises a planar bonding table 2 provided with a front part 2 'and a rear part 2 "inclined, and vertical lateral returns in the form of tabs 4 and 4 " .
• the presser deflector shoe 3 is in the form of a rolled metal sheet comprising a flat portion 3 'adapted to cooperate with the bonding table 2 and parallel thereto, a front edge rolled 3 "and an inclined rear portion 3" .
• Said shoe 3 has two pins 5 which project laterally from the flat part 3 'and which guide it in two notches 6 belonging to the lateral returns 4 and 4' of the table 2.
• the casing 12 arrives by means not shown of the station insertion also not shown, with its flap 14 back lower position and is ready to pass to a detection cell 18, drive rollers 21, 22 and a retractable humidification system 15-17 comprising a reservoir 16 in which a fixed lower felt 15 is quenched, on which a movable upper felt 17 can come into contact thanks to an electromagnet 19 and appropriate mechanical connections.
• the humidification system is in the watering state, that is to say that the upper felt 17 is in contact with the lower felt 15, the latter being embedded in the reservoir 16. There is therefore transfer by contact of the water from the felt 15 on the felt 17.
• FIG. 3 shows the next step.
• the control means that is to say the central unit managing the mechanism, trigger the rise of the upper felt 17 by the electromagnet 19 according to the arrow 20.
• the casing 12 is supported by the roller train 21, 22 moved by the motor 23 according to arrows 24, 25, and into the position of closure shell, passing above of the rolled sheet of the pressing member 3 which is in the retracted position, just adjacent to the path of the envelope.
• the pressing member can therefore serve here as a guide for the envelope to support it and direct it towards the second drive means constituted by the rollers 26, 27.
• FIG. 4 shows the next step.
• the envelope 12 which is still in the closing station is supported by the roller train 26, 27 set in motion by the motor 23 according to the arrows 28, 29.
• the central unit triggers the electromagnet 19 to pressurize the felt 17 against said flap according to the arrow 30.
• the body of the envelope 12 is still pressing on the upper edge of the presser 3.
• Figure 5 shows the next step.
• the central unit triggers the stopping of the motor 23, therefore the stopping of the drive means of the envelope, then the rise according to arrow 31 of the pressing member 1 .
• This movement carried out via the electromagnet 32 and suitable kinematic connections allows contacting the flap 14 with the rolled edge 3 'of the presser deflector 3 and thus to obtain deriving said flap relative to the body 12 of the envelope
• the electromagnet 32 controls only the movement of the pivoting table 2. but the pressure shoe 3 follows the same movement thanks to its connection by the returns 4, 4 ′.
• Figure 6 shows the final step. then triggers, via the motor 23, the rotation of the rollers 26-27 according to the arrows 33, 34, that is to say in the opposite direction.
• the envelope 12 then moves back, its flap 14 slides along the rolled edge 3 ".
• the flap 14 is folded against the body of the envelope 12.
• the central unit stops the rotation of the rollers 26. 27 and triggers the descent of the fingers 34 for controlling the presser 3 via the electromagnet 35.
• the control fingers 34 then bear on the inclined part 3 '"of the shoe and trigger the descent of the presser 3 in contact with the casing 12.
• the central unit will trigger the ascent of the control fingers 34 and then rotate the rollers 26-27 according to the arrows 28. 29.
• the envelope 12 having left the gluing table 1, the latter will be given in the low position by the action of the electromagnet 32 to allow the arrival of the next envelope.

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• Packaging Of Special Articles (AREA)
• Making Paper Articles (AREA)
• Folding Of Thin Sheet-Like Materials, Special Discharging Devices, And Others (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8847524

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (4)

• 2000
  • 2000-02-29 FR FR0002535A patent/FR2805489B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2001
  • 2001-01-18 DE DE60101315T patent/DE60101315T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-01-18 WO PCT/FR2001/000162 patent/WO2001064454A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 2001-01-18 CA CA002390711A patent/CA2390711A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-01-18 EP EP01907627A patent/EP1261496B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (4)

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