Patents by Inventor Jerry Leitz
Jerry Leitz 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).
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Patent number: 6959923Abstract: A method and device for stacking a plurality of vertically oriented mailpieces into a stack, wherein mailpieces are sequentially received into the back end of the stack. A paddle is used to support the front end of the stack in order to prevent the top mailpieces from falling forward. A conveyor belt is used to move the mailpieces in the stack and relieve the pack pressure so as to allow new mailpieces to join the stack. Information indicative of the mailpiece thickness is provided to a movement control module so that the conveyor belt is moved according to the thickness of the mailpieces received into the stack. As such, the pressure in the stack can be properly adjusted. The thickness information can be obtained from an upstream collator, for example.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2003Date of Patent: November 1, 2005Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Jerry Leitz, Arthur H. DePoi, Gary Comstock
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Patent number: 6893175Abstract: A system and a method to control the motion of envelopes within a postage printing module to accommodate the use of slower print techniques and to achieve continuous high speed throughput in a mail processing system. At least two print heads in series are utilized to ensure continuous printing operation, even when a print head must be taken out of service for maintenance, or fails. Depending on which print head is in used, different sets of transport elements in the print module are used to affectuate the motion profile appropriate for the print head that is in operation. Based on the status of the print heads, a controller selectively groups different individual transport elements together to act in unison for the motion control. Print heads may be geared to operate in synchronism with the motion of the print transport.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2003Date of Patent: May 17, 2005Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: John W. Sussmeier, Richard F. Stengl, Jerry Leitz
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Patent number: 6877739Abstract: An on-edge stacking machine having a mailpiece input device to release mailpieces, one at a time, to a stacking deck for stacking. A speed monitoring device and a sensing device are used to monitor the moving speed and the arrival time of a mailpiece from the input device to a reference point of the stacking machine. Based on the moving speed and the arrival time, a displacement distance of the arriving mailpiece is computed. A segmented roller is then used to move the arriving mailpiece into the bottom of the stack in a two-part motion cycle, based on the displacement of the arriving mailpiece.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2002Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Jerry Leitz, Donald A. Ross, Paul Snopkowski, John W. Sussmeier
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Publication number: 20050069367Abstract: A system and a method to control the motion of envelopes within a postage printing module to accommodate the use of slower print techniques and to achieve continuous high speed throughput in a mail processing system. At least two print heads in series are utilized to ensure continuous printing operation, even when a print head must be taken out of service for maintenance, or fails. Depending on which print head is in used, different sets of transport elements in the print module are used to effectuate the motion profile appropriate for the print head that is in operation. Based on the status of the print heads, a controller selectively groups different individual transport elements together to act in unison for the motion control.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2003Publication date: March 31, 2005Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: John Sussmeier, Richard Stengl, Jerry Leitz
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Publication number: 20040155398Abstract: A method and device for stacking a plurality of vertically oriented mailpieces into a stack, wherein mailpieces are sequentially received into the back end of the stack. A paddle is used to support the front end of the stack in order to prevent the top mailpieces from falling forward. A conveyor belt is used to move the mailpieces in the stack and relieve the pack pressure so as to allow new mailpieces to join the stack. Information indicative of the mailpiece thickness is provided to a movement control module so that the conveyor belt is moved according to the thickness of the mailpieces received into the stack. As such, the pressure in the stack can be properly adjusted. The thickness information can be obtained from an upstream collator, for example.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2003Publication date: August 12, 2004Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Jerry Leitz, Arthur H. DePoi, Gary Comstock
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Publication number: 20040113354Abstract: An on-edge stacking machine having a mailpiece input device to release mailpieces, one at a time, to a stacking deck for stacking. A speed monitoring device and a sensing device are used to monitor the moving speed and the arrival time of a mailpiece from the input device to a reference point of the stacking machine. Based on the moving speed and the arrival time, a displacement distance of the arriving mailpiece is computed. A segmented roller is then used to move the arriving mailpiece into the bottom of the stack in a two-part motion cycle, based on the displacement of the arriving mailpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2002Publication date: June 17, 2004Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Jerry Leitz, Donald A. Ross, Paul Snopkowski, John W. Sussmeier
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Patent number: 6644660Abstract: A system and method for correcting the timing and spacing between envelopes being serially processed in a high speed mail processing inserter system, whereby a pitch correcting module receives sensor input detecting unwanted pitch variation between envelopes and a transport mechanism in the pitch correcting module accelerates or decelerates an envelope according to a pitch correcting profile calculation performed by the pitch correcting module, the pitch correcting module being dimensioned to optimally perform pitch correction without interfering with high speed mail processing.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2001Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: John W. Sussmeier, Jerry Leitz, Arthur H. Depoi, Gregory P. Skinger
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Patent number: 6640417Abstract: A method for correctly connecting the wiring for the hall effect sensors and the motor phase terminals of a three-phase brushless DC motor to the corresponding connections on an amplifier, the method using known waveforms that describe the electrical operational characteristics of the motor and amplifier. The method comprising connecting the hall effect sensors in any order, determining two motor phase terminals that correspond to a back-electro-magnetic-force peak in the middle of a waveform for a first hall effect sensor and a third motor phase terminal that does not, determining an amplifier pin that does not carry current during the middle of a wave form for a first hall sensor input on the amplifier. The correct connection is thus determined to be between the third motor phase terminal and the identified amplifier pin. The remaining connections are determined in the same manner by repeating this process, but in relation to the other hall effect sensor waveforms.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2001Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.Inventors: Jerry Leitz, John W. Sussmeier
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Publication number: 20030110614Abstract: A method for correctly connecting the wiring for the hall effect sensors and the motor phase terminals of a three-phase brushless DC motor to the corresponding connections on an amplifier, the method using known waveforms that describe the electrical operational characteristics of the motor and amplifier. The method comprising connecting the hall effect sensors in any order, determining two motor phase terminals that correspond to a back-electro-magnetic-force peak in the middle of a waveform for a first hall effect sensor and a third motor phase terminal that does not, determining an amplifier pin that does not carry current during the middle of a wave form for a first hall sensor input on the amplifier. The correct connection is thus determined to be between the third motor phase terminal and the identified amplifier pin. The remaining connections are determined in the same manner by repeating this process, but in relation to the other hall effect sensor waveforms.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2001Publication date: June 19, 2003Applicant: Pitney Bowes IncorporatedInventors: Jerry Leitz, John W. Sussmeier
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Publication number: 20030083779Abstract: A system and method for correcting the timing and spacing between envelopes being serially processed in a high speed mail processing inserter system, whereby a pitch correcting module receives sensor input detecting unwanted pitch variation between envelopes and a transport mechanism in the pitch correcting module accelerates or decelerates an envelope according to a pitch correcting profile calculation performed by the pitch correcting module, the pitch correcting module being dimensioned to optimally perform pitch correction without interfering with high speed mail processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2001Publication date: May 1, 2003Inventors: John W. Sussmeier, Jerry Leitz, Arthur H. Depoi, Gregory P. Skinger