Patents by Inventor Christopher A. Struthers

Christopher A. Struthers 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: 6383321
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for applying labels to mail, including mixed mail. A conveyor conveys individual mail pieces along a predetermined path of travel into a label applying position. The label feed mechanism feeds a web of labels into the label applying position. A label stripper is positioned adjacent the label feed mechanism at the label applying position and adjacent the path of travel to strip labels from the web when an individual mail piece has entered a label applying position. A label roller is positioned adjacent the label stripper. A roller drive mechanism is operatively connected to the label roller for vertically moving the label roller against the label. A connector is operatively connected to the roller drive mechanism for timing the roller drive mechanism to move the label roller against the label as the label is stripped from the web and against an individual mail piece fed under the label stripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Profold, Inc.
    Inventors: Vince Kubert, Christopher A. Struthers
  • Publication number: 20010025688
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for applying labels to mail, including mixed mail. A conveyor conveys individual mail pieces along a predetermined path of travel into a label applying position. The label feed mechanism feeds a web of labels into the label applying position. A label stripper is positioned adjacent the label feed mechanism at the label applying position and adjacent the path of travel to strip labels from the web when an individual mail piece has entered a label applying position. A label roller is positioned adjacent the label stripper. A roller drive mechanism is operatively connected to the label roller for vertically moving the label roller against the label. A connector is operatively connected to the roller drive mechanism for timing the roller drive mechanism to move the label roller against the label as the label is stripped from the web and against an individual mail piece fed under the label stripper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 1999
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventors: VINCE KUBERT, CHRISTOPHER A. STRUTHERS
  • Patent number: 5033729
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a mechanism for the handling of and the singulating of a stack or plurality of aligned and substantially flat materials such as for example, sheets of paper, cards, printed flyers, envelopes, checks, business cards, labels, other printed documents and the like. There is incorporated into the mechanism novel systems and assemblies which control the rate of the advance of the stack of materials, which advance is effected by an amplitude or magnitude of a unidirectional jogging motion. The magnitude is a function of the attitude of the stack or the angle formed with the horizontal of the leading sheet of the stack. There is also provided a pulsing mechanism for pulsing, synchronously with jogger belts of an input conveyor assembly for joggingly advancing the plurality of flat materials, the first singulator assembly which pulsing enhances the action of singulation of the plurality of flat material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Inventor: Christopher A. Struthers