Abstract: The invention generally relates to a facility wide sorting and/or sequencing system for improving product processing operations and, more particularly, to a facility wide system and related functionality for simultaneously sorting and sequencing mixed mail pieces such as, for example, flats and letter mail pieces. The flats and letter mail pieces are placed in frames so that all types of mail pieces can be sorted and/or sequenced simultaneously through merging and diverting a stream of filled trays into and out of different streams at a full or substantially full transport speed.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a facility wide sorting and/or sequencing system for improving product processing operations and, more particularly, to a facility wide system and related functionality for simultaneously sorting and sequencing mixed mail pieces such as, for example, flats and letter mail pieces. The flats and letter mail pieces are placed in frames so that all types of mail pieces can be sorted and/or sequenced simultaneously through merging and diverting a stream of filled trays into and out of different streams at a full or substantially full transport speed.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a facility wide sorting and/or sequencing system for improving product processing operations and, more particularly, to a facility wide system and related functionality for simultaneously sorting and sequencing mixed mail pieces such as, for example, flats and letter mail pieces. The flats and letter mail pieces are placed in frames so that all types of mail pieces can be sorted and/or sequenced simultaneously through merging and diverting a stream of filled trays into and out of different streams at a full or substantially full transport speed.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a facility wide sorting and/or sequencing system for improving product processing operations and, more particularly, to a facility wide system and related functionality for simultaneously sorting and sequencing mixed mail pieces such as, for example, flats and letter mail pieces. The flats and letter mail pieces are placed in frames so that all types of mail pieces can be sorted and/or sequenced simultaneously through merging and diverting a stream of filled trays into and out of different streams at a full or substantially full transport speed.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a facility wide sorting and/or sequencing system for improving product processing operations and, more particularly, to a facility wide system and related functionality for simultaneously sorting and sequencing mixed mail pieces such as, for example, flats and letter mail pieces. The flats and letter mail pieces are placed in frames so that all types of mail pieces can be sorted and/or sequenced simultaneously through merging and diverting a stream of filled trays into and out of different streams at a full or substantially full transport speed.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a facility wide sorting and/or sequencing system for improving product processing operations and, more particularly, to a facility wide system and related functionality for simultaneously sorting and sequencing mixed mail pieces such as, for example, flats and letter mail pieces. The flats and letter mail pieces are placed in frames so that all types of mail pieces can be sorted and/or sequenced simultaneously through merging and diverting a stream of filled trays into and out of different streams at a full or substantially full transport speed.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a facility wide sorting and/or sequencing system for improving product processing operations and, more particularly, to a facility wide system and related functionality for simultaneously sorting and sequencing mixed mail pieces such as, for example, flats and letter mail pieces. The flats and letter mail pieces are placed in frames so that all types of mail pieces can be sorted and/or sequenced simultaneously through merging and diverting a stream of filled trays into and out of different streams at a full or substantially full transport speed.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a facility wide sorting and/or sequencing system for improving product processing operations and, more particularly, to a facility wide system and related functionality for simultaneously sorting and sequencing mixed mail pieces such as, for example, flats and letter mail pieces. The flats and letter mail pieces are placed in frames so that all types of mail pieces can be sorted and/or sequenced simultaneously through merging and diverting a stream of filled trays into and out of different streams at a full or substantially full transport speed.

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 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.

Abstract: A device and system for registering or justifying product such as mail pieces in a vertical position for future processing of such mail pieces. The system includes a mounting block having an angled bore and a driven alignment mechanism mounted within the angled bore. The driven alignment mechanism includes a shaft assembly mounted in the angled bore such that the shaft assembly is at approximately a same angle as the angled bore. At least one surface is mounted to the shaft assembly which, when contacting a product, is driven and provides a downward correction vector to the product for vertically aligning the product.

Abstract: A device and system for registering or justifying product such as mail pieces in a vertical position for future processing of such mail pieces. The system includes a mounting block having an angled bore and a driven alignment mechanism mounted within the angled bore. The driven alignment mechanism includes a shaft assembly mounted in the angled bore such that the shaft assembly is at approximately a same angle as the angled bore. At least one surface is mounted to the shaft assembly which, when contacting a product, is driven and provides a downward correction vector to the product for vertically aligning the product.

Abstract: An article or postal mail conveyor or transportation system which has an in-line mechanism integrally incorporated therein that has been specifically constructed and assembled so as to enable mail tray and mail tub receptacles, which may initially be disposed upon the conveyor or transportation mechanism in improperly oriented states or dispositions, to be automatically moved to properly oriented dispositions or states such that the mail tray and mail tub receptacles can in fact be processed further by automated apparatus or equipment without encountering or causing operational difficulties. The mechanism for re-orienting the mail trays or mail tubs comprises a four-sided tubular housing within which conveyor rollers are disposed upon the four walls of the tubular housing such that any one of the walls of the tubular housing can effectively serve as the floor member of the housing along which the mail trays or mail tubs can be conveyed.

Abstract: A system and method for loading product onto a conveyor. The system includes a conveyor movable in at least a first direction and a metering section located proximate to at an end of the conveyor. The metering section includes a plate mechanism movable between a first position and a second position and a door adapted to be opened to a feeder. The door is at least partially supporting a predetermined amount of product and is positioned between a movable distance of the plate.

Abstract: An improved singulation mechanism is provided for flat articles having significant variations in size, thickness and weight, which mechanism utilizes at least two vacuum chambers positioned behind a moving perforated to feed the articles and selectively controls at least one of pressure and flow for at least one of the chambers to facilitate the feeding of heavier articles, while inhibiting bleed through doubles for lighter articles. A mechanism may be provided which provides a puff of air to at least one of the chambers at the end of the operation thereof to reduce the feeding of doubles and a bent fence may be suitably positioned to both facilitate feeding of shorter articles and to facilitate proper initial alignment of the articles.

Abstract: A singulation mechanism is provided for use in a handling system for mail or other substantially flat articles, the mechanism having a singulation head with a drive mechanism which, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, initially moves an article pressed thereagainst with high acceleration, interrupts the drive to the article for a brief instant and then moves the article again at high acceleration, a take-away mechanism removing the article exiting the head. In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, movement at a high acceleration is imparted to the article pressed against the singulation head only when the head is energized and substantially no movement in imparted when the head is not energized.

Abstract: An improved singulation mechanism is provided for flat articles having significant variations in size, thickness and weight, which mechanism utilizes at least two vacuum chambers positioned behind a moving perforated to feed the articles and selectively controls at least one of pressure and flow for at least one of the chambers to facilitate the feeding of heavier articles, while inhibiting bleed through doubles for lighter articles. A mechanism may be provided which provides a puff of air to at least one of the chambers at the end of the operation thereof to reduce the feeding of doubles and a bent fence may be suitably positioned to both facilitate feeding of shorter articles and to facilitate proper initial alignment of the articles.

Abstract: A take-away mechanism is provided from a singulation mechanism in a system for handling substantially flat articles of varying size, weight and thickness, and in particular for handling mixed mail. The take-away mechanism includes at least one and preferably more belts which are preferably driven at a rate higher than the rate at which articles are fed to the take-away mechanism, which belt(s) preferably have surfaces in contact with the article of material having a high coefficient of friction. At least two components are provided for applying pressure to articles as they are passed over the belt, the components preferably being spaced along the belt by a distance less than the shortest length of an article to be handled. One of the components may be two or more independently biased rollers and one of the components may be two or more independently biased fingers, the rear component being the rollers and the forward component being fingers for the preferred embodiment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resolving doubles on singulated flat articles being passed in a downstream direction to a takeaway mechanism by use of a doubles resolver mechanism ahead of the takeaway mechanism. The doubles resolver mechanism includes a doubles resolver head through which negative pressure may be applied to articles passing thereunder, and a mount for the head which positions the head against such articles with a substantially constant force regardless of the thickness of the article. Negative pressure is applied to the head except when the head is detected as having resolved a double, at which time such pressure is momentarily removed to permit the double to be cleared.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved RF converting system. The RF converting system is comprised of a plurality of RF converter modules which are configured for redundant system operation using distributed protection switching in an active "daisy chain" configuration. The "daisy chain" configuration distributes the converter protection switching functions to each individual RF converter module through a switching module coupled to each of the RF converter modules. The "daisy chain" terminates in a backup RF converter which assumes the frequency and attenuation of a faulted RF converter module. A high speed bus provides communication interface between each of the online RF converter modules and the backup RF converter module so that the backup RF converter module can detect faults and reconfigure the system to replace a failed RF converter module.