Abstract: An imaging and illumination system for use with a mail processing apparatus may include illumination and imaging assemblies located in a housing that has first and second windows to transmit imaging illumination for the illumination assembly and/or the imaging assembly. The first and second windows may be arranged to interact with mailpieces that are moved along a path relative to the first and second windows. The direction of travel for the mailpieces may be parallel to the first plane and transverse to the second plane, and the second window may be arranged downstream of the first window. Thus, the first and second windows may be arranged at an angle with respect to each other, and the second window may be arranged at an angle with respect to the direction of travel of mailpieces past the second window.

Abstract: A UV illumination source interrupt may prevents emission of UV illumination from the UV illumination source in a mail processing system based on a detected presence of a mailpiece near a window at which the mailpiece may be illuminated with UV light. The UV source may also be controlled based on detected movement associated with a UV shield which may indicate potential exposure of an operator to UV light.

Abstract: A mail processing system with a low resolution UV imaging subsystem. The subsystem comprises a detector array made with discrete phototransistors, each of which includes a lens. The phototransistors are mounted on a relatively wide pitch to provide a low resolution camera that can image an entire surface of a mailpiece. The camera can be constructed and maintained inexpensively, but can quickly provide information that facilitates rapid and accurate processing of mailpieces.

Abstract: A mail processing system with a UV imaging subsystem that uses radiation filtering for improved reliability in processing mail. The UV imaging subsystem has one or more filters, such as a short pass filter between a UV radiation source and a mailpiece under examination or long pass filter between the mailpiece and a detector array. The UV subsystem can quickly and reliably form UV images. Though the images are of low resolution, the image quality is adequate to allow the system to identify features—such as barcodes, IBI and stamps—on mailpieces. The image quality is also sufficient to allow the mail processing system to make mail processing decisions—such as whether to invert the mailpiece or where to spray a cancellation mark—as mailpieces are passing through the mail processing system.

Abstract: A mail processing system with a camera assembly including both a UV imaging camera and a grayscale imaging camera integrated in a single assembly. Integration provides lower costs as well as desirable performance characteristics. However, for the cameras to operate in a compact housing, it is necessary to include mechanisms to prevent interference between the optical paths for the cameras. Interference is avoided by positioning the apertures for the cameras in a convex face of the assembly. Each aperture is mounted in a portion of the surface with a different tangent. Additionally, the a support structure for a UV source and detector array acts as a baffle, further preventing interference.