INSERTING POSTAL ITEMS INTO ENVELOPES

Abstract

A method of inserting postal items into envelopes, comprising, for each of said envelopes: holding the envelope in an inserting position with an open end oriented towards a postal item transport path and with an envelope edge perpendicular to the open end against an alignment surface that defines an envelope alignment axis at the inserting position; displacing one or more of the postal items along the postal item transport path into the envelope, an edge of the or each postal item, at least partway along the transport path, being urged against and guided by an alignment surface that defines a postal item alignment axis along the postal item transport path, wherein the envelope alignment axis is offset from the postal item alignment axis by a predetermined distance in a direction away from the postal item transport path.

Description

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the inserting of postal items into envelopes.

Many solutions for inserting documents into envelopes are known in the art. For instance U.S. Pat. No. 7,398,635 discloses to use a linear array of optical sensing elements to determine the position of one edge of the insert material and another linear array of optical sensing elements to determine the position of one edge of the receiving envelope in order to make sure that there is sufficient end clearance between the insert material and the receiving envelope and makes corrections in alignment if necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple solution that avoids the need for last-moment corrections in the alignment of the envelope and the document.

According to a first aspect, the present invention may provide a method of inserting postal items into envelopes, comprising, for each of the envelopes:

holding the envelope in an inserting position with an open end oriented towards a postal item transport path and with a single envelope edge perpendicular to the open end against an envelope alignment surface that defines an envelope alignment axis at the inserting position; and
displacing one or more of the postal items along the postal item transport path into the envelope, a single edge of the or each postal item, at least partway along the transport path, being urged against and guided by a postal item alignment surface that defines a postal item alignment axis along the postal item transport path.

The single envelope edge located against the envelope alignment surface and the single edge of the or each postal item urged against the postal item alignment surface face in a common direction perpendicular to the postal item transport path. The envelope alignment axis is offset from the postal item alignment axis by a predetermined distance in a direction away from the postal item transport path.

By arranging that the envelope is in alignment with the envelope alignment axis and the postal item is in alignment with the postal item alignment axis, the alignment axes being located on sides of the inserting position and the postal item transport path facing in the same direction, the method of the present invention enables, in a simple manner, precise pre-alignment of a postal item and an envelope necessary for reliable insertion to be achieved and avoid the need of adjustment of mutually opposite side guides to the widths of postal items and envelopes.

According to a second aspect, the present invention may provide an apparatus for inserting postal items into envelopes, including:

a postal item transport path comprising a postal item edge guide having a postal item alignment surface for engaging an edge of the postal items in at least a section of the transport path, the postal item alignment surface defining a postal item alignment axis along the postal item transport path and bounding the postal item transport path in a direction transverse to and away from the postal item transport path; and
an envelope holder for holding an envelope in an inserting position with an open end oriented towards the postal item transport path, the envelope holder comprising an envelope edge guide having an envelope alignment surface for engaging an edge of the envelope at an inserting position, the envelope alignment surface defining an envelope alignment axis at the inserting position and bounding the inserting position in the direction transverse to the postal item transport path.

The postal item transport path includes a driving structure for displacing the postal items along the postal item transport path into the envelope.

The apparatus is arranged such that the postal items are urged against the postal item edge guide, the envelopes are urged against the envelope edge guide, and the envelope alignment axis is offset from the postal item alignment axis by a predetermined distance in the direction transverse to the postal item transport path.

By the postal item edge guide and the envelope edge guide defining alignment surfaces for the postal items and the envelopes, respectively, having a predetermined spatial relation and bounding the transport path and the inserting position in a common direction, the apparatus of the present invention is able to achieve, in a simple manner, the precise pre-alignment of a postal item and an envelope necessary for reliable insertion while avoiding the need of adjustment of the distance between mutually opposite side guides to the widths of postal items and envelopes.

As used in the context of the present invention, the term “postal item” is to be construed broadly so as to cover not only printed material such as documents, magazines, books and the like, but also other suitable inserts such as CDs, DVDs and the like, and any combinations thereof. Accordingly, it is also possible that a set of postal items is urged against the postal item edge guide. Then, a single edge of the widest postal item in the set of postal items effectively may be urged against the postal item edge guide or only a single edge of each of a plurality of postal items of a set (not necessarily of all postal items of the set) may be urged against the postal item edge guide.

Particular elaborations and embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

Further features, effects and details of the invention appear from the detailed description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a document processing system;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the part of the inserting apparatus shown inside the region A of FIG. 1 illustrating an inserting operation;

FIG. 3 shows a view from above of a first construction of the part of the inserting apparatus shown inside the region B of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a second construction of the part of the inserting apparatus shown inside the region B of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a view from above of a third construction of the part of the inserting apparatus shown inside the region B of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a fourth construction of the part of the inserting apparatus shown inside the region B of FIG. 1 taken along the axis A-A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A schematic view of a document processing system 1 is shown in FIG. 1.

The system 1 includes an apparatus, generally designated 10, for inserting documents 2 into envelopes 4 in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention.

The apparatus 10 is shown mounted for operation between an envelope dispenser 50 and a document preparation system 60, such as a sheet feeder, a copying system or a printing system, each optionally with a sheet folder. The envelope dispenser 50 stores a stack of envelopes, separates individual envelopes 4 from the stack and feeds them, in a flap-extended condition as shown, onto an envelope transport path 6 for transportation to an inserting position 11. In FIG. 1, two instances of an individual envelope 4 are shown for illustration purposes: a first instance just as it enters the apparatus 10 and a second instance when it has reached the inserting position 11. The document preparation system 60 after having prepared a document delivers it to a document transport path 8 along which it is transported and inserted into the envelope by the apparatus 10. In FIG. 1, three instances of an individual document 2 are shown for illustration purposes: a first instance as it approaches the apparatus 10, a second instance as it travels along a first, alignment section 8b of the transport path 8, and a third instance when it reaches a pre-inserting position in a second, continuation section 8a of the transport path just prior to commencement of the inserting operation.

The apparatus 10 is provided with a guide means 12. The guide means 12 comprises an envelope edge guide 14 having an alignment surface 15. The envelope edge guide 14 laterally bounds the envelope transport path 6 at the inserting position 11 and a section thereof immediately before the inserting position, and its alignment surface 15 defines an intended envelope alignment axis X_e. The guide means 12 further comprises a document edge guide 16 having an alignment surface 17. The document edge guide 16 laterally bounds sections 8a, 8b of the document transport path 8, and its alignment surface 17 defines an intended document alignment axis X_d. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the envelope alignment axis X_e and the document alignment axis X_d are parallel with the envelope alignment axis X_e being outwardly offset by a predetermined distance D.

The apparatus is constructed such that the document 2 produced by the document preparation system 60, as it progresses along the first alignment section 8b of the document transport path 8, is urged or steered such that it travels obliquely in a direction along and towards the document edge guide 16 as indicated by the arrow 9b. Although the component of the motion imparted is small in the cross-transport path or lateral direction as compared with the along-transport path direction, an edge 2a of the document 2 enters into engagement with the alignment surface 17 while still in the alignment section 8b. In being urged to converge with the alignment surface 17 in the manner described, the edge 2a of the document 2 is brought into precise alignment with the intended document alignment axis X_d.

The edge guides 14, 16 and the alignment surfaces 15, 17 thereof are located on sides of the document transport path 6 and of the inserting position 11 that face in the same direction, so that the document transport path 6 and the inserting position 11 are bounded by the edge guides 14, 16 in the same direction and documents or other postal items and envelopes urged against the respective guides in the same direction are positioned with the edges facing in the same direction with a predetermined mutual offset in a direction away from the document transport path and substantially perpendicular to the direction of the document transport path, which distance corresponds to a mutual clearance that is sufficient for ensuring reliable insertion of the document or other postal item into the envelope. This distance may be fixed or adjustable. If the distance is adjustable, it may for instance be determined by the system automatically, based upon measured widths of postal items and envelopes, and may be adjusted depending on the thickness of the postal items to be inserted. It may also be adjusted by an operator or a technician, by hand or by a drive mechanism following instructions from the operator or technician via a connected user interface.

A number of preferred constructions for imparting the required sidewards or lateral motion to the document 2 in the alignment section 8b are described in more detail below.

The apparatus 10 is further constructed such that the document 2 is then conveyed along the continuation section 8a of the transport path 8. In this section, the document 2 travels in the direction of the transport path 8, as indicated by the arrow 9a, with its edge 2a remaining flush with the alignment surface 17. In other embodiments (not shown), the document edge guide 16 need not extend into the Continuation section 8a of the transport path 8.

FIG. 2 shows an inserting operation in progress. As is visible in FIG. 2, the continuation section 8a of the document transport path 8 comprises a continuation section drive structure including a pair of endless belts 20, each having a pushing finger 21. The document 2 is supported by the surface of the belts and is pushed by the pushing fingers 21 as the belts 20 are circulated, thereby conveying the document 2 along the continuation section 8a of the document transport path 8.

In FIG. 2, an envelope 4 is shown already held at the inserting position 11 by a holder 28 with an edge 4a in precise alignment with the alignment surface 15 of the envelope edge guide 14. In addition to the envelope edge guide 14, the holder 28 comprises an envelope opening device 30 comprising opening assemblies 30a, 30b. Each opening assembly 30a, 30b comprises a suction assembly 31a, 31b and an associated opening finger 32a, 32b that are mechanically coupled to the respective suction assembly. The opening assemblies 30a, 30b are mounted for movement along an axis perpendicular to the envelope alignment axis X_e. To open the envelope 4, the suction assembly 31a is pushed against an outer surface 4b of the lower face of the envelope and activated creating suction which pulls the lower face of the envelope into engagement with the suction assembly 31a opening up the gap for the opening finger 32 to enter the throat of the envelope 4. It is observed that in another embodiment, the envelope holder may also be arranged for holding the envelope in the inserting position only instantaneously as the envelope is moved through the inserting position.

A similar procedure is repeated with the opening assembly 30b. With both opening fingers 32a, 32b lodged in the throat of the envelope 4, it may be kept open to the necessary degree to allow inserting to be performed. In a preferred mode of operation, the opening finger 32b is maintained at a fixed distance from the envelope alignment axis X_e independent of the width of the documents or envelopes, and the opening finger 32a is inserted at a fixed distance from the envelope alignment axis X_e and then subsequently urged away from the envelope alignment axis X_e until it abuts the edge of the envelope opposite to the edge 4a.

Thus, in use, the envelope 4 is held at the inserting position 11 by the holder 28 with its throat opened to the continuation section 8a of the transport path 8 while the document 2 is conveyed along the continuation section 8a of the transport path 8. Since the edge 4a of the envelope 4 is in precise alignment with the envelope alignment axis X_e, and the edge 2a of the document, having already been brought into the document alignment axis X_d in the alignment section 8a, remains in alignment with document alignment axis X_d, the envelope 4 and the document 2 have a predetermined spatial relation and orientation which substantially guarantees the document 2 may pass into the envelope 4 without catching any edges at the throat of the envelope 4, thereby allowing insertion to be reliably achieved. Since alignment is accomplished with respect to a single edge of the document and a single edge of the envelope, successful inserting of successively different widths of documents and envelopes may be performed using the same guide means 12 or with the guides 14, 16 in exactly the same relative alignment.

FIG. 3 shows a view from above of a first construction of the alignment section 8b of the transport path 8. The alignment section 8b comprises a support floor 35 having a line of transport rollers 37 recessed within it such that only a small portion of their upper circumference protrudes above the floor surface. Each of the rollers 37 is obliquely oriented in the same direction along and towards the document edge guide 16. As a document 2 enters the alignment section 8b the rollers 37 are driven so as to transport the document 2 along the alignment section 8b. Because of the orientation of the rollers 37, the document 2 is carried in the direction indicated by the arrow R, whereby the edge 2a of the document 2 is driven into engagement with the alignment surface 17 thereby bringing the edge 2a of the document 2 into precise alignment with the document alignment axis X_d. It will be appreciated that, according to this first construction, the rollers 37 both impart the motive drive to the document 2 and cause the sidewards displacement necessary for alignment.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a second construction of the alignment section 8b of the transport path 8. The alignment section 8b comprises a transport member in the form of driven belt 40 which is oriented obliquely along and towards the document edge guide 16 i.e. in the direction of arrow 9b in FIG. 1. (The orientation of the driven belt is not apparent from the FIG. 4 view.) The document 2 is held in contact with the surface of the driven belt 40 by a pressing member 42 comprising an array of freely rotating balls 42. The balls 42 press against the document 2 ensuring that it remains in firm contact with the surface of the belt 40 while allowing the document 2 to follow the path of the belt 40. Following the path of the belt 40, the document 2 is brought into engagement with the alignment surface 17 and the edge 2a of the document 2 thereby into precise alignment with the document alignment axis X_d. It will be appreciated that, according to this second construction, it is the path of the transport member itself that produces the sidewards displacement necessary for alignment. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the pressing member 42 may comprise a set of freely steering caster rollers. In a still further alternative embodiment (not shown), the pressing member may be omitted.

FIG. 5 shows a view from above of a third construction of the alignment section 8b of the transport path 8. The alignment section 8b comprises a support floor 35 having a line of rollers 37 mounted for free rotation within recesses formed in the floor 35 such that only a small portion of their upper circumference protrudes above the floor surface. Each of the rollers 37 is obliquely oriented in the same direction along and towards the document edge guide 16. The alignment section 8b further comprises transport members in the form of a pair of endless belts 42 arranged in parallel and positioned on opposite sides of the support floor 35. Each belt 42 includes a pushing finger 43. The document 2 is supported by the surface of the belts and pushed by the pushing fingers 43. As the document 2 is driven over the rollers 37, the engagement of the document 2 with the exposed upper circumference of the rollers 37 causes their rotation. The rotation of the rollers 37 carries the document 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow R, whereby the edge 2a of the document 2 is brought into engagement with the alignment surface 17 and into precise alignment with the document alignment axis X_d. It will be appreciated that, according to this third construction, the transport members 42 impart the motive drive to the document 3, while it is the freely-rotating rollers 37 that produce the sidewards displacement necessary for alignment. This third construction is advantageous in that the endless belts 42 may be arranged to drive the document 2 not only in the alignment section 8b but also the continuation section 8a of the transport path 8, i.e. the endless belts 42 and 20 may be embodied as a single pair of endless belts.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a fourth construction of the alignment section 8b of the transport path 8. The alignment section 8b comprises a split floor structure 35 made up of a pair of support members 35a, 35b defining an inclined support plane that has the document edge guide 16 extending along and bounding the lower end of the support plane. A transport member in the form of an endless belt 45 having a pushing finger 46 is arranged to circulate in the gap between the support members 35a, 35b and push the document 2 along the alignment section 8b. As the document 2 is driven by the endless belt 45 onto the split floor structure 35, gravity acts on the document 2 and it slides down the support plane, as illustrated by arrow Y, until its edge 2a comes into engagement with the alignment surface 17 and is thereby brought into alignment with the document alignment axis X_d. It will be appreciated that, according to this fourth construction, the transport member 45 imparts the motive drive to the document, while it is the inclination of the alignment section 8b of the transport path that produces the sidewards displacement necessary for alignment.

The magnitude of D1, the offset between the envelope alignment axis X_e and the document alignment axis X_d necessary to ensure reliable inserting, may depend on a variety of practical factors related to the construction of the apparatus 10 and the nature of the documents and envelopes. To this end, in one embodiment, the apparatus 10 may include means for calibrating the distance D by adjustment of the relative lateral position one or both of the guides 14, 16. In an alternative embodiment, the guide means 12 may comprise a single member having a kink partway therealong which determines a fixed spatial relation between an envelope edge guide portion and a postal edge guide portion. In such an embodiment, an inserting apparatus can be re-calibrated by substituting one guide member with another defining a different distance D.

Claims

1. A method of inserting postal items into envelopes, comprising, for each of said envelopes:

holding the envelope in an inserting position with an open end oriented towards a postal item transport path and with a single envelope edge perpendicular to the open end against an envelope alignment surface that defines an envelope alignment axis at the inserting position; and

displacing one or more of the postal items along the postal item transport path into the envelope, a single edge of the or each postal item, at least partway along the transport path, being urged against and guided by a postal item alignment surface that defines a postal item alignment axis along the postal item transport path,

wherein the single envelope edge located against the envelope alignment surface and the single edge of the or each postal item urged against the postal item alignment surface face in a common direction perpendicular to the postal item transport path, and

wherein the envelope alignment axis is offset from the postal item alignment axis by a predetermined distance in a direction away from the postal item transport path.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least successive ones of the envelopes include envelopes of different widths or successive ones of the postal items include postal items of different widths, wherein the postal items are inserted into the envelopes with said edge guides in continuously stationary positions.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein envelope opening fingers are inserted into each of the envelopes and open a throat of the envelope for facilitating insertion of the postal item or items therein and wherein a fixed distance transverse to the envelope alignment axis between a finger most closely to the envelope alignment axis is maintained at least during and between insertion of successive ones of the postal items of different widths or during and between insertion of successive ones of the postal items into the envelopes of different widths.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein at least one finger is inserted into each envelope at a fixed distance from the envelope alignment axis and subsequently urged away from the envelope alignment axis until abutting an edge of the envelope remote from the envelope alignment axis.

5. An apparatus for inserting postal items into envelopes, comprising:

a postal item transport path comprising a postal item edge guide having a postal item alignment surface for engaging an edge of the postal items in at least a section of the transport path, the postal item alignment surface defining a postal item alignment axis along the postal item transport path and bounding the postal item transport path in a direction transverse to and away from the postal item transport path; and

an envelope holder for holding an envelope in an inserting position with an open end oriented towards the postal item transport path, the envelope holder comprising an envelope edge guide having an envelope alignment surface for engaging an edge of the envelope at an inserting position, the envelope alignment surface defining an envelope alignment axis at the inserting position and bounding the inserting position in said direction transverse to the postal item transport path;

wherein the postal item transport path further comprises a driving structure for displacing the postal items along the postal item transport path into the envelope; and

wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the postal items are urged in said direction against the postal item edge guide, the envelopes are urged in said direction against the envelope edge guide, and the envelope alignment axis is offset from the postal item alignment axis by a predetermined distance in said direction.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the drive structure includes circulatable postal item transport members of which an outer circumference is circulatable along a path having a section oriented obliquely in a direction along and towards said postal item edge guide.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the postal item transport path comprises support members defining an inclined support plane, the postal item edge guide extending along and bounding a lower end of the support plane.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the envelope holder includes circulatable envelope transport members of which an outer circumference is circulatable along a path having a section oriented obliquely in a direction along and towards the envelope edge guide.

9. An apparatus according to any one of claim 5, wherein the envelope edge guide and the postal item edge guide are fixedly connected relative to each other.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the envelope edge guide and the postal item edge guide are integrally formed.