Patents by Inventor Martin Sting

Martin Sting 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: 8702089
    Abstract: The present application relates to techniques and equipment to manufacture mailpieces containing inserts. The equipment can be an inserter or an envelope wrapper that collects documents and inserts on a collating track before the material is inserted into an envelope by inserting equipment or wrapped with paper or film to make an envelope by wrapping equipment. More specifically, the present application relates to a rotary insert feeder that feeds inserts to a collating track on inserting or wrapping type equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Bell and Howell, LLC.
    Inventors: Edward J. Kapturowski, Robin L. Heilman, Joseph Zuech, Aaron A. Kracht, Todd Murdock, Martin Sting, Rainer Oberheim
  • Publication number: 20130020752
    Abstract: The present application relates to techniques and equipment to manufacture mailpieces containing inserts. The equipment can be an inserter or an envelope wrapper that collects documents and inserts on a collating track before the material is inserted into an envelope by inserting equipment or wrapped with paper or film to make an envelope by wrapping equipment. More specifically, the present application relates to a rotary insert feeder that feeds inserts to a collating track on inserting or wrapping type equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Edward J. Kapturowski, Robin L. Heilman, Joseph Zuech, Aaron A. Kracht, Todd Murdock, Martin Sting, Rainer Oberheim
  • Patent number: 8016281
    Abstract: In the case of a mail-processing machine having a conveying path (1) which contains a circulating conveying chain and conveys onto a handling station (5), easy changeover to a variety of processing tasks and good adaptability to constricted space conditions are achieved in that, by a switchable actuating arrangement, manipulator fingers (19) articulated on a manipulator hand (13), in the handling station (5), can be switched both into the operating position both for the forward stroke of the manipulator hand and for the return stroke of the manipulator hand and into the return position both for the return stroke of the manipulator hand and for the forward stroke of the manipulator hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Sting, Axel Brauneis
  • Patent number: 7690644
    Abstract: A supply station for positioning enclosures on an enclosure-collating path of a mail-processing installation allows a simple conversion from operation for processing a stack of comparatively flexible, thin enclosures to operation for processing a stack of comparatively thick, essentially inflexible enclosures. The conversion is achieved using a magazine housing inside a supply station housing mounted so that it can be secured in two different pivot positions, whereby in one pivot position the lowermost enclosure of a stack of enclosures is bent using a vacuum arrangement in which the front end of the enclosure in the withdrawal direction can be gripped by a gripper, while in a second pivot position of the magazine housing, the front end in the withdrawal direction of a lowermost, comparatively thick and essentially inflexible enclosure is pushed by means of a pusher arrangement directly into the open claws of the gripper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Sting, Christian Botschek, Rainer Oberheim
  • Patent number: 7478810
    Abstract: In a rotary feeder for conveying enclosures, in particular into conveying compartments of an enclosure-collating path, during operation, shocks within the gear mechanism of the drive unit of the feeder drum on account of gear mechanism play are avoided and the level of noise during operation is reduced in that a cam-actuated pair of claws (10, 11) is provided in each case at two diametrically opposite locations of the feeder drum (2) of the rotary feeder, and the cam (16) for actuating the pairs of claws is configured in sections (O) with an increasing in the radial spacing of its profile in accordance with a claw-opening movement counter to the prestressing force of prestressing means (19, 20) and, in sections (C) with a decrease in the radial spacing of its profile in accordance with a claw-closing movement under the prestressing force of the prestressing means, such that a braking moment on account of the claw opening counter to the prestressing force of the prestressing means, this braking moment being tr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Sting, Christian Botschek, Rainer Oberheim
  • Patent number: 7213808
    Abstract: In an enclosure-collating device, in particular for mail-processing installations, a shorter dimensioning of the enclosure-conveying compartments on a collating path in the direction of the enclosure conveying on said collating path is achieved in that enclosures are fed into the enclosure-conveying compartments obliquely with a movement component in the conveying direction of the enclosure-conveying arrangement by an oblique conveying device of a transfer device serving to feed the enclosures into the enclosure-conveying compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Botschek, Martin Sting
  • Patent number: 6996959
    Abstract: An envelope-filling station for mail-processing systems. The station includes an enclosure feeder for transporting enclosures to an inserting arrangement pushing enclosures into envelopes in the same direction as the enclosure feeder. An envelope supply is positioned parallel to the enclosure feeding device. Envelopes are diagonally transported from the envelope supply to the inserting arrangement by an intermediate transport. A movable stop, in an active state, holds an envelope received in position for insertion of enclosures. When the movable stop is changed to an inactive state the filled envelope can be conveyed away from the envelope-filing station. The movable stop has a further intermediate stop position in which the stop is moved back, by a comparatively small distance in relation to the push-in movement, such that, under the driving frictional action of the intermediate envelope-conveying device, the filled envelope comes free of the push-in arrangement in the push-in direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Sting
  • Publication number: 20050285333
    Abstract: In a rotary feeder for conveying enclosures, in particular into conveying compartments of an enclosure-collating path, during operation, shocks within the gear mechanism of the drive unit of the feeder drum on account of gear mechanism play are avoided and the level of noise during operation is reduced in that a cam-actuated pair of claws (10, 11) is provided in each case at two diametrically opposite locations of the feeder drum (2) of the rotary feeder, and the cam (16) for actuating the pairs of claws is configured in sections (O) with an increasing in the radial spacing of its profile in accordance with a claw-opening movement counter to the prestressing force of prestressing means (19, 20) and, in sections (C) with a decrease in the radial spacing of its profile in accordance with a claw-closing movement under the prestressing force of the prestressing means, such that a braking moment on account of the claw opening counter to the prestressing force of the prestressing means, this braking moment being tr
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Applicant: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Sting, Christian Botschek, Rainer Oberheim
  • Patent number: 6959526
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inserter station for mail processing systems, consisting of a feeder device (2) for transporting inserts, an envelope separation device for separating envelopes from a stack of envelopes, also comprising a mail transport device (6) which is located parallel to the transport track of the feeder device extending close thereto in order to take up the individual envelopes, further comprising orienting means (30,32) for positioning an envelope to be filled in a precise position in front of an insertion device (35).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Sting
  • Patent number: 6957521
    Abstract: In an envelope-filling station for mail processing systems having an envelope-feeding arrangement for single, open envelopes, an intermediate envelope-conveying arrangement extending at an angle thereto in the direction of an angle stop arrangement provided for the purpose of aligning the envelope, and an envelope-advancing arrangement from which the envelopes are accepted from the angle stop arrangement, a simplification of the design, and effort needed to control the component parts is achieved when the angle stop arrangement, with the exception of a stopping straightedge that is to be provided to achieve extremely precise alignment of an envelope that is supplied at an angle, contains as a further part of the angle stop arrangement a conveying nip between the upper strand of an intermittently driven conveying belt of the envelope-advancing arrangement and a pressure-exerting roller that is pre-tensioned near the beginning of the upper strand of this conveying belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Botschek, Martin Sting
  • Publication number: 20050217210
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inserter station for mail processing systems, consisting of a feeder device (2) for transporting inserts, an envelope separation device for separating envelopes from a stack of envelopes, also comprising a mail transport device (6) which is located parallel to the transport track of the feeder device extending close thereto in order to take up the individual envelopes, further comprising orienting means (30,32) for positioning an envelope to be filled in a precise position in front of an insertion device (35).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventor: Martin Sting
  • Publication number: 20050189697
    Abstract: In a supply station for positioning enclosures on an enclosure-collating path of a mail-processing installation, a simple changing over of this supply station from operation for processing a stack of comparatively flexible, thin enclosures to operation for processing a stack of comparatively thick, essentially inflexible enclosures is achieved in that a magazine housing inside a supply station housing is mounted so that it can be secured in two different pivot positions, whereby in one pivot position for processing thin, flexible enclosures, the lowermost enclosure of a stack of enclosures is bent by means of a vacuum sucker arrangement in a direction in which the front end of the enclosure in the withdrawal direction can be gripped by a gripper of a supply arrangement, while in a second pivot position of the magazine housing, the front end in the enclosure-withdrawal direction of a lowermost, comparatively thick and essentially inflexible enclosure is lowered and pulled back relative to an open gripper and c
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Martin Sting, Christian Bostchek, Rainer Oberheim
  • Publication number: 20050072126
    Abstract: In an enclosure-collating device, in particular for mail-processing installations, a shorter dimensioning of the enclosure-conveying compartments on a collating path in the direction of the enclosure conveying on said collating path is achieved in that enclosures are fed into the enclosure-conveying compartments obliquely with a movement component in the conveying direction of the enclosure-conveying arrangement by an oblique conveying device of a transfer device serving to feed the enclosures into the enclosure-conveying compartments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Inventors: Christian Botschek, Martin Sting
  • Publication number: 20050072127
    Abstract: In an envelope-filling station for mail processing systems having an envelope-feeding arrangement for single, open envelopes, an intermediate envelope-conveying arrangement extending at an angle thereto in the direction of an angle stop arrangement provided for the purpose of aligning the envelope, and an envelope-advancing arrangement from which the envelopes are accepted from the angle stop arrangement, a simplification of the design, and effort needed to control the component parts is achieved when the angle stop arrangement, with the exception of a stopping straightedge that is to be provided to achieve extremely precise alignment of an envelope that is supplied at an angle, contains as a further part of the angle stop arrangement a conveying nip between the upper strand of an intermittently driven conveying belt of the envelope-advancing arrangement and a pressure-exerting roller that is pre-tensioned near the beginning of the upper strand of this conveying belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2004
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Inventors: Christian Botschek, Martin Sting
  • Publication number: 20050062211
    Abstract: In an enclosure-collating path on which enclosure compartments are defined by conveying fingers, a displacement of enclosures during deceleration phases of the driven conveying fingers and thus incorrect positioning of enclosures at ejecting stations or an inserter station is prevented in that the enclosure compartments are limited on the side of the leading enclosure edges by auxiliary fingers, and through coupling of the drives for the conveying fingers and the auxiliary fingers the enclosure compartments are limited to essentially the maximum dimension of the enclosures in the conveying direction at least during the deceleration phase of the conveying fingers and are reopened thereafter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Christian Botschek, Martin Sting
  • Patent number: 6810646
    Abstract: In a processing station for a mail processing machine, a housing is formed by parallel housing side parts, standing opposite each other at a distance corresponding to the width of the conveying track of the mail processing machine, a housing part connecting these across the conveying track and a supporting partition fixed to the connecting housing part, situated in a vertical median plane relative, to the distance between the housing side parts and parallel to the housing side parts, and restricted to a prismatic or cylindrical space above a level at a distance from the surface of the conveying track. The supporting partition serves to support bearings for axles and shafts of an actuating apparatus arranged in the processing station in question, in such a manner that the space immediately above the conveying track surface is kept free of drive members and control members for the actuating apparatus in order to enable large-format inserts or sets of inserts to be passed through the processing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Sting, Christian Botschek
  • Publication number: 20040201158
    Abstract: An envelope-filling station for mail-processing systems. The station includes an enclosure feeder for transporting enclosures to an inserting arrangement pushing enclosures into envelopes in the same direction as the enclosure feeder. An envelope supply is positioned parallel to the enclosure feeding device. Envelopes are diagonally transported from the envelope supply to the inserting arrangement by an intermediate transport. A movable stop, in an active state, holds an envelope received in position for insertion of enclosures. When the movable stop is changed to an inactive state the filled envelope can be conveyed away from the envelope-filing station. The movable stop has a further intermediate stop position in which the stop is moved back, by a comparatively small distance in relation to the push-in movement, such that, under the driving frictional action of the intermediate envelope-conveying device, the filled envelope comes free of the push-in arrangement in the push-in direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventor: Martin Sting
  • Patent number: 6789377
    Abstract: An envelope filling station at which enclosures are pushed into envelopes. Envelopes are provide to the filling station via an envelope conveyor transverse to the push-in direction. A roller bar positioned above the conveyor is lowered while transporting envelopes and raised while documents are pushed into the stopped envelopes, A stop means, stops the envelopes on the conveyor at an appropriated filling location. Upstream of the conveyor an auxiliary conveying arrangement provides envelopes to the conveyor from a direction perpendicular to the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Sting, Christian Botschek
  • Patent number: 6763649
    Abstract: In an apparatus for handling sheet-like articles, in particular an envelope-filling station, an overload-prevention means is incorporated in the connection between a drive mechanism and an actuating arrangement for push-in fingers, which are guided over a base plate, in that the drive mechanism has a crankshaft, a crank and a connecting rod, which is routed from said crank to an auxiliary drive lever, in that the auxiliary drive lever is mounted on the same shaft as a drive lever of the actuating arrangement, coaxially with respect to said drive lever and such that it can be pivoted relative to the same, and in that spring means clamp the auxiliary drive lever and the drive lever together on a pivot stop, which is provided between said levers, such that the levers cannot separate during the operating stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Sting, Christian Botschek
  • Patent number: 6763648
    Abstract: A drive and actuating system for an envelope-filling station in which enclosures or sets of enclosures are fed, by a driven conveyor, to a push-in station in which a push-in arrangement, which has a pivot drive, receives the enclosures or sets of enclosures and pushes them into envelopes, which are held ready in an open state. The envelopes are then delivered into a position opposite the push-in station, from oriented transversely to the push-in direction, by an envelope-conveying arrangement. Further, a multiplicity of functions of the individual parts of the envelope-filling station can be forcibly synchronized in an adjustable manner and a comparatively straightforward and clear construction of the overall drive and actuating system is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Pitney Bowes Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Sting, Christian Botschek