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).

  • Patent number: 6959923
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry Leitz, Arthur H. DePoi, Gary Comstock
  • Patent number: 6893175
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Sussmeier, Richard F. Stengl, Jerry Leitz
  • Patent number: 6877739
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry Leitz, Donald A. Ross, Paul Snopkowski, John W. Sussmeier
  • Publication number: 20050069367
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2003
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Incorporated
    Inventors: John Sussmeier, Richard Stengl, Jerry Leitz
  • Publication number: 20040155398
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Incorporated
    Inventors: Jerry Leitz, Arthur H. DePoi, Gary Comstock
  • Publication number: 20040113354
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Incorporated
    Inventors: Jerry Leitz, Donald A. Ross, Paul Snopkowski, John W. Sussmeier
  • Patent number: 6644660
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Sussmeier, Jerry Leitz, Arthur H. Depoi, Gregory P. Skinger
  • Patent number: 6640417
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry Leitz, John W. Sussmeier
  • Publication number: 20030110614
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Incorporated
    Inventors: Jerry Leitz, John W. Sussmeier
  • Publication number: 20030083779
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: John W. Sussmeier, Jerry Leitz, Arthur H. Depoi, Gregory P. Skinger