Abstract: Feeder systems are mechanical systems that feed individual sheets of paper to other mechanical devices. Feeder systems need to be able to handle a variety of types of paper with different weights and finishes. Glossy paper has proven difficult to feed because of anti-offset agents used in the printing process. The agents contaminate the rollers in the feeder system causing misfeeds and jams. The present invention is a cleaning apparatus that can be used in conjunction with the feeder system to keep the feeder system free from malfunctions during the processing of glossy paper. The cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head mounted on a supporting arm. Various types of abrasive cleaning heads can be employed in the cleaning apparatus such as metal blades, meshes and brushes. The cleaning heads keep the rollers operational while minimizing deterioration of the roller.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aligner apparatus which bottom edge aligns documents and separates documents and provides adequate gap between documents for subsequent processing. The an aligner apparatus includes first and second guide walls, forming an alley along the document feed path in which the documents are relieved of interdocument forces allowing bottom edge alignment of the documents with the document feed path. A trap assembly including first and second trap levers is lever mounted along the document feed path on a side of the guide wall and when actuated, cause opposing forces on one-another in order to grab the documents as they move along the feed path in the aligner apparatus so as to control the gap between the documents. It apparatus further provides an adequate gap between documents while reducing noise. Each trap lever has a head portion, which is fitted with a resilient pad, which is attached to the trap arm in a manner that forms a gap between the head and the pad.

Abstract: Feeder systems are mechanical systems that feed individual sheets of paper to other mechanical devices. Feeder systems need to be able to handle a variety of types of paper with different weights and finishes. Glossy paper has proven difficult to feed because of anti-offset agents used in the printing process. The agents contaminate the rollers in the feeder system causing misfeeds and jams. The present invention is a cleaning apparatus that can be used in conjunction with the feeder system to keep the feeder system free from malfunctions during the processing of glossy paper. The cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning head mounted on a supporting arm. Various types of abrasive cleaning heads can be employed in the cleaning apparatus such as metal blades, meshes and brushes. The cleaning heads keep the rollers operational while minimizing deterioration of the roller.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aligner apparatus which bottom edge aligns documents and separates documents and provides adequate gap between documents for subsequent processing. The an aligner apparatus includes first and second guide walls, forming an alley along the document feed path in which the documents are relieved of interdocument forces allowing bottom edge alignment of the documents with the document feed path. A trap assembly including first and second trap levers is lever mounted along the document feed path on a side of the guide wall and when actuated, cause opposing forces on one-another in order to grab the documents as they move along the feed path in the aligner apparatus so as to control the gap between the documents. It apparatus further provides an adequate gap between documents while reducing noise. Each trap lever has a head portion which is fitted with a resilient pad which is attached to the trap arm in a manner that forms a gap between the head and the pad.

Abstract: The present invention describes a double belt transport system for moving a mailpiece into a printing area of a digital printer. The transport system includes an upper belt and a lower belt. The upper belt has a straight section to form a nip with the lower belt to ingest the mailpiece. The straight section also defines a registration plane to register the upper surface of the mailpiece with respect to the print head of the printer. In order to make sure the registration is consistent regardless of the thickness of the mailpiece, an up-lifting mechanism is used to push the bottom of the mailpiece in an upward direction against a shield plate, which is positioned substantially on the registration plane. A velocity measurement device, such as an optical encoder, is used to measure the moving speed of the belts so that the printing speed of the digital printer matches the moving speed of the mailpiece in the print area.

Abstract: In a device for processing documents being transported therethrough along a document feed path, an aligner apparatus comprising: first and second guide walls, each guide wall positioned parallel to the document feed path and facing the other guide wall forming an alley along the document feed path in which the documents are relieved of interdocument forces allowing bottom edge alignment of the documents with the document feed path, the guide walls forming a plurality of openings, each opening in the first guide wall being in alignment with an opening in the second guide wall; and a trap assembly comprising first and second trap levers, each trap lever mounted along the document feed path on a side of the guide wall opposite the document feed path, each trap lever received by one of the plurality of openings in the guide walls and each trap lever opposing the other trap lever and positioned to, when actuated, cause opposing forces on one-another in order to grab the documents as they move along the feed path i

Abstract: In a device for processing documents being transported therethrough along a document feed path, an aligner apparatus comprising: first and second guide walls, each guide wall positioned parallel to the document feed path and facing the other guide wall forming an alley along the document feed path in which the documents are relieved of interdocument forces allowing bottom edge alignment of the documents with the document feed path, the guide walls forming a plurality of openings, each opening in the first guide wall being in alignment with an opening in the second guide wall; and a trap assembly comprising first and second trap levers, each trap lever mounted along the document feed path on a side of the guide wall opposite the document feed path, each trap lever received by one of the plurality of openings in the guide walls and each trap lever opposing the other trap lever and positioned to, when actuated, cause opposing forces on one-another in order to grab the documents as they move along the feed path i

Abstract: This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a non-contact apparatus for moistening envelope flaps that projects moistening fluid without pumping fluid. The present invention is directed to, in a general aspect, a non-contact envelope flap moistening apparatus which can be installed in a mailing machine apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aligner apparatus which bottom edge aligns documents and separates documents and provides adequate gap between documents for subsequent processing. The an aligner apparatus includes first and second guide walls, forming an alley along the document feed path in which the documents are relieved of interdocument forces allowing bottom edge alignment of the documents with the document feed path. A trap assembly including first and second trap levers is lever mounted along the document feed path on a side of the guide wall and when actuated, cause opposing forces on one-another in order to grab the documents as they move along the feed path in the aligner apparatus so as to control the gap between the documents. It apparatus further provides an adequate gap between documents while reducing noise. Each trap lever has a head portion which is fitted with a resilient pad which is attached to the trap arm in a manner that forms a gap between the head and the pad.

Abstract: A jogger system to be mounted on a vertical stack mixed mail feeder to provide a vibration, intermittently pushing a mail stack preferably on the outboard side of the mail stack in order to cause the bottom edges of the mail stack to rest on an outboard slider bed and a timing belt on the feeder, and to align the lead-edges of the mail stack against a registration wall. Preferably, the jogger system is integrated to the outboard slider bed of the feeder and comprises at least one imbalance weight rotatably mounted on a shaft which is substantially parallel to the length of the slider bed, and a motor to rotate the imbalance weight so as to cause the vibration. The jogger system further comprises compliance means to be placed between the jogger system and the feeder for mounting.

Abstract: A retard module in a mail separator having a floating, middle idler to change the ingestion angle of the mail separator. The retard module further has a downstream idler, an upstream pulley driven by a motor, and an endless belt forming a loop around the idlers and the pulley to provide a retarding force against a feed module. The downstream portion of the retard belt and the belt of the feed module form a nip to ingest incoming mail. The floating idler and the downstream idler are mounted on a bracket which, in turn, is pivotally mounted on a frame of the retard module. Initially, the ingestion angle at the nip is acute and thereby reduces damage to the incoming mailpieces. But when a thick mailpiece enters the separator, it causes the floating idler to move away further from the feed module and thereby increases the ingestion angle. A large ingestion angle allows thicker mailpieces to pass through the nip without substantially increasing the nipping forces.

Abstract: The present invention is directed, in a general aspect, to a nudger for a mixed mail feeder and in particular to an apparatus and method for detecting high stack forces in a stack of mixed mail. The apparatus generally comprises an anti-lean sensor for detecting whether the mailpiece is positioned without improper lean and a stack force sensor for detecting high stack forces at the nudger wall. The method generally comprises the steps of sensing whether the mailpiece is positioned without improper lean and whether the stack of mailpieces is leaning on the nudger wall causing a high stack force which is detrimental to feeding the mailpieces. If high stack forces are present, the apparatus will work to straighten the stack. If the stack does not straighten, the operator is signaled to reorient the stack of mailpieces.

Abstract: An ink supply system for a plurality of ink jet printheads offset from each other at different elevations includes an ink reservoir having a single outer casing and a plurality of individual ink wells inside of the casing, the plurality of individual ink wells arranged in a stepped relationship from each other and extending from a first ink well at a highest elevation to a last ink well at a lowest elevation, each of the plurality of individual ink wells supplying ink to and being lower in elevation than a corresponding one of the plurality of ink jet printheads for the purpose of controlling the negative pressure applied to the printheads to properly control the meniscus position at the nozzles for proper operation of the printheads; an ink supply having ink stored therein; and structure for supplying ink to the first ink well.

Abstract: A two-stage document singulating apparatus includes first and second singulators disposed along a document feed path. The first singulator acts to separate individual documents from a stack which are subject to a stack advance mechanism force. The second singulator separates multifeeds that pass through the first singulator and which are no longer subject to the stack advance mechanism force.

Abstract: A singulator apparatus includes a forwardly driving device and a reverse driving mechanism which operate together to separate individual articles from a stack of articles being transported thereto from an upstream feeding device. The singulator further includes a sensor which detects the presence of articles at the articles ingestion nip defined between the forwardly driving device and the reverse driving mechanism. A controller stops operation of the feeding device upon detection of the presence of articles by the sensor and initiate feeding by the feeding device if no articles are sensed by the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for canceling postage on individual mailpieces of a stack of mixed mail includes an apparatus for separating individual mailpieces from the stack of mixed mail; structure for feeding the separated individual mailpieces along a feed path; a mechanism, positioned along the feed path, for detecting the presence of stamps on individual mailpieces; a printing mechanism having a plurality of digital printheads; a control, in communication with the detecting mechanism, for operating the printing mechanism to print a cancellation mark over stamps on individual mailpieces in response to detection by the detecting mechanism of the presence of stamps on individual mailpieces; and apparatus for determining the number of rows of stamps on individual mailpieces and for selectively energizing only the individual ones of the plurality of digital printheads needed to ensure that the cancellation mark is printed over each of the sensed number of rows of stamps on individual mailpieces.

Abstract: A nudger including apparatus for applying a feed force to a lead mailpiece of the stack of mixed mail to feed the lead mailpiece of the stack along a mailpiece feed path, the applying apparatus being moveable between first and second positions; structure for biasing the applying apparatus against a face of the lead mailpiece thereby generating a stack force against a stack of mixed mail; and a stack advance mechanism for moving the stack of mixed mail so that the face of the lead mailpiece contacts the applying apparatus; wherein at times when the applying apparatus is in the first position the stack advance mechanism moves the stack of mixed mail in the direction of the applying apparatus causing the applying apparatus to move from the first position to the second position against the biasing structure such that the stack force increases causing a corresponding increase in the feed force; and further wherein at times when the applying apparatus is in the second position the stack advance mechanism stops movi

Abstract: An ink jet transfer printer including an ink jet print head and a print drum, the ink jet print head for printing ink onto the print drum which transfers the ink to a print medium during a print cycle. The ink jet transfer printer comprising: a print surface defining a print plane located on the print drum, the print surface raised above the peripheral surface of the print drum; and wherein the ink jet print head prints onto the print surface and the ink on the print surface forms a contact angle substantially in a range of 20 to 60 degrees. The ink jet transfer printer further comprising: a wiper blade in engagement with the print surface during the print cycle for wiping waste ink from the print surface; and a cleaning device in engagement with the print surface during the print cycle for absorbing waste ink from the print surface; and wherein, following transfer of the ink from the print surface to the print medium, the cleaning device absorbs waste ink prior to the wiper blade wiping waste ink.

Abstract: A mailing machine is disclosed in which a digital printing device, preferably of the ink jet type, is mounted for movement between one of two printing positions, in one of which the printing device will print a postage indicia direction on envelopes being fed through the mailing machine, and in the other of which the printing device prints the postage indicia on a strip of tape which is extracted from the mailing machine and affixed to an envelope which is incapable of being fed through the mailing machine. There is also a third position for the printing device which is a maintenance position to which the printing device is moved after each or some other predetermined number of printing cycles for the purpose of cleaning the ink ejecting portion of the printing device and/or maintaining a suitable high ink solvent vapor atmosphere adjacent to the ink ejecting portion of the printing device.

Abstract: An postage printer including a print drum for printing a postage indicia having a fixed portion and a variable portion, the print drum including a first print surface and a second print surface, the postage printer comprising: an ink jet print head for printing the variable portion of the postage indicia on the second print surface; a print head cap; mechanism for bringing the ink jet print head and the print head cap into a capped relationship and a spaced apart relationship; wherein the ink jet print head prints while the ink jet print head and the print head cap are in the spaced apart relationship and the print drum passes between the print head and the print head cap.