Patents by Inventor Brant A. Conaway

Brant A. Conaway has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8091885
    Abstract: A mail doubles detection and correction system for a mail processing system with a feeder includes a mail support configured to support at least two mail pieces in a detection space downstream of the feeder, a pair of vacuum belt assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the detection space, and one or more sensors positioned about the detection space to detect a position of one or more mail pieces in the detection space. Each vacuum belt assembly includes a vacuum port facing the detection space and a perforated belt movable across the vacuum port in a mail transport direction. The system detects a mail double when the sensors indicate that more than one mail piece is disposed in the detection space and corrects the situation by moving one of the belts and holding the other belt stationary to advance only one of the mail pieces, and subsequently moving both of the belts to advance the remaining mail piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Brant A. Conaway, Thomas A. Hillerich, Jacob L. Timm
  • Publication number: 20110006470
    Abstract: A mail doubles detection and correction system for a mail processing system with a feeder includes a mail support configured to support at least two mail pieces in a detection space downstream of the feeder, a pair of vacuum belt assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the detection space, and one or more sensors positioned about the detection space to detect a position of one or more mail pieces in the detection space. Each vacuum belt assembly includes a vacuum port facing the detection space and a perforated belt movable across the vacuum port in a mail transport direction. The system detects a mail double when the sensors indicate that more than one mail piece is disposed in the detection space and corrects the situation by moving one of the belts and holding the other belt stationary to advance only one of the mail pieces, and subsequently moving both of the belts to advance the remaining mail piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brant A. Conaway, Thomas A. Hillerich, Jacob L. Timm