Abstract: A method of determining the mass of a mail piece using a load cell. A mail piece whose mass is to be determined is transported across a platform without stopping or slowing the mail piece. A load cell measures the horizontal force applied to the load cell by the transported mail piece. This horizontal force, along with the acceleration of the mail piece, allows a determination of the mass of the mail piece.

Abstract: An over-travel protection device for mounting an occupant classification sensor having a deflecting member, the sensor being mounted between first and second seat mounting portions, is described. The device has a sensor plate positioned adjacent the occupant classification sensor and a spacer having a land. The spacer is positioned adjacent to the occupant classification sensor. A compliant element is located between the sensor plate and the second seat mounting portion. The land is spaced from the first mounting portion until the deflecting member deflects a predetermined amount, causing the land to abut the first seat mounting portion and thereby preventing further displacement of the deflecting member.

Abstract: A composite switch having a configuration in which: on the upper part of movable contacts of a first switch to a fourth switch disposed in a case, two driving bodies made of an inelastic insulating material such as polyamide are mounted in parallel to a swing center shaft; an upper surface of the case is covered with a cover having two long holes from which upper parts of the two driving bodies protrude; and the two driving bodies are pressed by an operation body, made of an inelastic insulating resin, which is swingably supported. With a composite switch having this configuration, an operation stroke is short and the generation of noise can be suppressed.

Abstract: A multifunctional switch device with rotation, tilt and/or press functions, intended for use in electronic equipment such as computers, handheld electronic apparatus and/or devices which are associated with use in means of transport such as vehicles, boats and aircraft, said equipment having or being connected to a display for function control, wherein the switch device contains a tilting device that has a cardan movement for actuating underlying contact points.

Abstract: The invention proposes an electrical switch (20) with multiple switching ways comprising a bottom support (22) in the bottom (32) of which are arranged fixed contacts (30a, 30b, 30c, 30d), a top member (26) that is mounted to be movable relative to the bottom support (22) from a central rest position to four main actuation positions distributed angularly at 90°, and a contact plate (28) that comprises four contact blades (34) each of which is capable of coming into contact with a fixed contact (30b), characterized in that the actuation member (26) is mounted to be movable relative to the support (22) to one or other of four intermediate actuation positions that are offset angularly by 45° relative to the main actuation positions, and in each of which two contact blades (34) are simultaneously in contact with the associated fixed contacts (30b).

Abstract: A switching arrangement capable of preventing water from passing through an opening of a cylinder from outside to enter into a casing is disclosed. A switching arrangement includes a switch, a casing in which the switch is accommodated, a cylinder provided on the casing to be opened up and down to be communicated to an interior of the casing, and an operation knob provided to cover the opening of the cylinder, the operation knob being operated to switch the switch on and off, and wherein a step rising toward the cylinder is provided in a position closer to the cylinder than an outer peripheral surface of the operation knob around the cylinder on the casing.

Abstract: A water pressure switch employs two pivotable plates and springs to control the activation of the pump. The arrangement of the two pivotably plates, the springs and the activation device reduces the space required so that a small box can accommodate all the parts.

Abstract: A dustproof structure for an electronic equipment includes internal switches disposed in a housing forming an external frame of the electronic equipment and an opening for use in operating the internal switches. The dustproof structure further includes a shutter plate for opening or closing the opening; and a cover plate for supporting the shutter plate, the shutter plate being freely slidable between the cover plate and the housing. A slide recess serving as a sliding area of the shutter plate is formed in the housing or the cover plate.

Abstract: A touch panel which is constituted by using an adhesive layer having a thickness which is 70% or more of a thickness of an approximately picture-frame-like spacer which allows respective outer peripheries of an upper substrate and a lower substrate to adhere to each other is provided. Due to such a constitution, when the touch panel is used under high temperature or in an environment where the temperature difference is severely large so that the thermal expansion or shrinkage is generated on upper substrate or lower substrate, these thermal expansion and shrinkage can be absorbed by the thick and soft adhesive layer. As a result, it is possible to suppress the peeling-off of upper and lower substrates thus realizing a surely manipulable touch panel.

Abstract: A food slicer has a housing with a first push-button for actuating an electric switch for operating the cutting blade and a second push-button, i.e., a safety button, locking the first push-button against actuation. The second push-button actuates a mechanical lock which can be engaged and disengaged, blocking the first push-button in an inserted position of the lock, thereby preventing actuation of the electric switch that triggers an electric motor drive used to actuate a circular cutting blade. The first push-button is formed with a stop surface for the lock on which the lock is arranged, when it is in an inserted position, either at or in close vicinity of an axis extending through the center of the push-button surface, pointing in the direction of actuation, and on which the lock engages in an inserted position.

Abstract: A rotary switch is disclosed which has a central handle (12) which is rotatable about a central axis (Z), a ring-shaped shield (16) surrounding the handle (12), a rotary button (18) which is arranged on the shield (16) and is rotatable about an axis (V) offset from and parallel to said central axis (Z), and a potentiometer (28) which is adjustable by means of the rotary button (18). The potentiometer (28) is radially spaced from the offset axis (V), and is coupled with the rotary button (18) by means of a gear (24, 26). The potentiometer (28) is offset radially inwards from the offset axis (V) towards the central axis (Z).

Abstract: An earthing switch for a medium voltage switchgear comprising a plurality of fixed contacts, a plurality of movable contact surfaces which are suitable to contact said plurality of fixed contacts and a support structure suitable to support moving means which allow the movement of said second plurality of contact surfaces. The earthing switch comprises at least one guide which comprises a fixed element and a moving element coaxially coupled therewith, said moving element being operatively connected to said movable contact surfaces so as to allow their movement along a substantially rectilinear direction from a first position, corresponding to an open condition of said switch, to a second position corresponding to a closed condition of said switch.

Abstract: A trigger switch has a stationary contact and a moving contact provided inside a body and able to come close to and away from each other a contact drive member accommodated slidably inside the body to drive the moving contact, and an operating shaft having a first end engaging with the contact drive member and a second end which projects from the body, having a trigger configured to be operated by a user. Clearance is provided between the first end of the operating shaft and the contact drive member upon engagement, which enables inclination of the operating shaft relative to the contact drive member.

Abstract: A controllable heat source, such as a laser or flame torch, can be used to pre-heat a portion of the surface of a workpiece, such as a glass optic or semiconductor wafer. Reactive atom plasma (RAP) processing can be used to modify the pre-heated surface portion, as the pre-heated material will more readily chemically combine with the atomic radicals of the precursor in the plasma. A RAP torch, such as an ICP plasma torch, MIP plasma torch, or flame torch, can be used to shape, polish, etch, planarize, deposit, chemically modify and/or redistribute material on the surface of the workpiece. The material modified by the torch can substantially correspond to the pattern or portion of the surface that was pre-heated by the heat source. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

Abstract: An improved collimator for a plasma arc torch consists of an annular holder member and an insert member. The insert member includes a tubular stem portion ending in an integrally formed, radially extending face plate. When the stem portion is fitted into the central bore of the holder member with a predetermined clearance fit therebetween, a cooling water passage is created. The improved collimator is characterized by the absence of any welds between the holder member and the insert member that would be exposed to conductive gases given off during use of the plasma arc torch and a lesser resistance to cooling water flow than prior art collimator designs.

Abstract: A method of changing the temperature of a substrate during processing of the substrate includes providing the substrate on a substrate holder, the substrate holder including a temperature controlled substrate support for supporting the substrate, a temperature controlled base support for supporting the substrate support and a thermal insulator interposed between the temperature controlled substrate support and the temperature controlled base support. The method further includes setting the temperature of the base support to a first base temperature corresponding to a first processing temperature of the substrate, setting the substrate support to a first support temperature corresponding to the first processing temperature of the substrate, setting the temperature of the base support to a second base temperature corresponding to a second processing temperature of the substrate, and setting the substrate support to a second support temperature corresponding to the second processing temperature of the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing minute particles from a surface of a sample are provided that prevent redeposition of the particles onto the surface. By combining thermophoresis with laser assisted particle removal (LAPR), the methods and apparatus remove minute particles (for example, micrometer and nanometer sizes) and assure that they will not redeposit.

Abstract: Improved systems and methods for laser trimming resistors are provided. An exemplary embodiment measures a resistance value for each resistor and sorts the resistors into one or more bins based on the measured resistance values and target resistance values associated with each resistor. A laser trim file may then be assigned to each bin based on a predictive trim formulation, where each laser trim file defines a set of configuration parameters for a laser drill to conform each resistor with their respective target value. The laser drill uses the laser trim files to trim the resistors within each bin in accordance with the laser trim file assigned to that bin.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for cutting a workpiece. A laser beam is directed at successive points along a workpiece surface to be cut and a sensor emits a sensing beam directed at the same successive points as the cutting beam. A beam combining device receives both the sensor beam and the cutting beam and causes downstream beam segments to be collinear with each other as they impinge the workpiece surface. The cutting is thereby able to be carried out in a single pass, and is precise, repeatable and independent of cutting depth, angle of cutting, scoring patterns, material inconsistency, material color, and surface grain variability.

Abstract: In a laser processing machine for processing workpieces using a laser beam (2), a telescope (1) for widening the laser beam (2) comprises an ellipsoidal mirror (3) and a paraboloidal mirror (4) whose axes of rotation (6) extend parallel, in particular collinear, to each other. This orientation permits precise production of the reflecting surfaces of the two mirrors through one single clamping (e.g. through diamond lathe) such that later adjustment is not required.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a welding-type power source controller that includes a processor configured to control a welding-type power source to produce a variable maximum output that can exceed a rated maximum output based on actual operating conditions, as opposed to standardized maximum rated operating conditions.

Abstract: Methods of arc welding and an arc welding assembly comprise a power source configured to provide a welding current, and a single weld housing. The weld housing comprises a welding torch, which comprises a consumable electrode wire. The welding torch defining an elongated member configured to utilize the welding current to melt at least part of the consumable electrode wire and provide welding current to the work piece. The weld housing further comprises a bypass torch defining an elongated member configured to divert a portion of the welding current away from the work piece while allowing other portions of the current to flow to the work piece.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pre-heater for vehicles comprising: A PTC element module including a positive terminal composed of two sheets, an upper sheet of which has a fastening hole and upward bended ribs formed at opposite edges of the fastening hole; a ring-shaped insert insulator inserted between the ribs; a PTC element inserted into an inside of the insert insulator, a bottom surface of which is in contact with a lower sheet of the positive terminal; one heat fin assembly closely fastened to one surface of the PTC element; another heat fin assembly fastened to the other surface of the PTC element through the medium of a positive terminal and an entire surface insulator; and a fastening insulator for binding together the two heat fin assemblies, the PTC element, the positive terminal and the entire surface insulator, and a heat fin assembly disposed parallel to the PTC element module; a negative terminal disposed parallel to the heat fin assembly; frames and respectively fastened to both ends of a combined body inclu

Abstract: The present invention provides a window assembly having a transparent panel and a conductive heater grid formed integrally with the transparent panel. The conductive heater grid has a first group of grid lines and a second group of grid lines, with opposing ends of each group being connected to first and second busbars. Grid lines of the second group are spaced between adjacent grid lines of the first group, with the height of the grid lines themselves in the second group being less than the height of the grid lines in the first group.

Abstract: A new toaster technology is provided for toasting food items. The toaster includes an inlet for receiving food items, an outlet for discharging the foot items after they are toasted and a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet. In the preferred embodiment, the toasting chamber provides a toasting path for the food item during which the food item will be passed along two conveys—one vertical and one horizontal. Also, along the toasting path, the food item will be toasted by a platen heating surface, an impingement heating element and an infra-red heating element or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A convection oven includes a heat exchanger section and a product receiving section, the product receiving section including a door to provide access thereto. An air flow system includes at least one blower and an air flow path for enabling air to circulate from the heat exchanger section where it is heated, into the product receiving section for transferring heat to food products, and back to the heat exchanger section for further heating. The air flow path includes a passage providing flow communication between the heat exchanger section to the product receiving section, where the passage is located proximate to a wall and configured such that heated air from the heat exchanger section is directed along an internally facing surface of the wall so as to attach to and flow along the internally facing surface of the wall from one side of the product receiving section toward an opposite side of the product receiving section.

Abstract: A cooking device having a cooking compartment, which is divided by a partition. The cooking device includes a partitioning member, installed in a cooking chamber, for partitioning the cooking chamber into a first cooking chamber and a second cooking chamber, a heater for heating food placed in the cooking chamber, and a ventilating device for ventilating air in the first cooking chamber and the second cooking chamber, independently.

Abstract: An integrated thermal unit comprises a bake station comprising a bake plate configured to hold and heat a substrate; a chill station comprising a chill plate configured to hold and cool a substrate; and a substrate transfer shuttle configured to transfer substrates from the bake plate to the chill plate along a horizontally linear path within the thermal unit and raise and lower substrates along a vertical path within the integrated thermal unit.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel active insulation device and method for thermally shielding an external body from temperature fluctuations of a contained body. The method comprising providing an active thermal insulation envelope between the contained body and the external body; regulating the heat transfer from the active thermal insulation envelope to the external body; and regulating the heat transfer from the contained body to the active thermal insulation envelope, thus maintaining the temperature of the external body at a constant temperature or within a narrow temperature range.

Abstract: The present invention provides a removing method of a tube. Upon removing a tube 3 increased in diameter and fixed to a tube-sheet 1, an inserted portion 3a which is fixed to a tube-hole 2 of the tube-sheet 1 is heated and then cooled, thereby reducing its diameter. The inserted portion 3a is loosened from the tube-hole 2. Then, a region 3h opposed to a groove 4 formed in an inner circumference of the tube-hole is heated to a red-hot state, and the tube 3 is stretched in its axial direction, the red-heated region 3h is stretched to reduce its diameter and cut the region 3h, thereby pulling out the tube 3 from the tube-sheet 1.

Abstract: Microwave radiation of frequency 0.1 to 20 GHz, is applied to the melt of viscosity in the range 104 to 101 Pa·s. The outside surface of heated space, where an outlet of the waveguide of microwave radiation is located, can be cooled. The microwave radiation in the melt may be reflected by the reflective metallic elements in the melt back to the place of radiation entry into the melt and shielded from the surroundings by a shielding metallic element. An outlet is provided of at least one waveguide from the source of the microwave radiation, in any direction to the outside surface of the melt, into the space with the melt of a given viscosity. At least one waveguide is led, for example, to the outside surface of the bottom of the channel of the forehearth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting focus in an automated microscope. The method may comprise the steps of: providing an optical detector for image acquisition, wherein the optical detector comprises an array of sensor pixels; designating a region of interest in the array of sensor pixels to emulate a confocal aperture; directing a light beam to illuminate an object according to a predefined pattern, thereby forming an image of the illuminated pattern at the optical detector, wherein the image of the illuminated pattern substantially overlaps the designated region of interest; detecting a light intensity from sensor pixels located within the designated region of interest; and adjusting a relative focal position of an objective lens based on the detected light intensity.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam. The illumination system includes a pulsed source of radiation and a controller to control an output of the pulsed source of radiation. The controller includes a dose sensor to measure a dose of a pulse of the source of radiation. The dose sensor includes a dose sensor output to provide a dose signal representative of the measured dose. An integrator unit is connected to the dose sensor output. The integrator unit integrates the dose signal at least twice, an output of the integrator unit provides an integrator output signal including the at least twice integrated dose signal. The output of the integrator unit drives a driving input of the source of radiation with the integrator output signal.

Abstract: A circuit and method are provided for reducing power consumption in an optical navigation system for use in an input device to sense displacement of the device relative to a surface. Generally, the system includes: (i) an optical sensor having at least first and second arrays of photosensitive elements; (ii) imaging optics to map an illuminated portion of the surface to the optical sensor; (iii) a signal processor including a first and second sensor circuits coupled to the respective first and second arrays to generate from each array a set of signals in response to motion of light received thereon; and (iv) a control circuit capable of independently switching power to the sensor circuits. In one embodiment, the control circuit powers down one sensor circuit when the strength of the set of signals from the other is greater than a predetermined minimum thereby maintaining device performance. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: In a compact laser measuring device with a high level of transmission power the problem arises of the laser detector being dazzled by unwanted stray light. To resolve that problem there is provided a module (2) for a laser measuring device (4) which includes a laser source (6, 36), a transmission light guide (8, 38a-d) optically connected to the laser source (6, 36), a laser detector (10), a reception light guide (12) optically connected to the laser detector (10), a transmission reception light guide (16, 42a-d, 54) and a coupling element (14, 40a-d) which optically connects the transmission reception light guide (16, 42a-d, 54) to the laser source (6, 36) and the laser detector (10), wherein the transmission reception light guide (16, 42a-d, 54) is operatively connected to a light amplifier element (22).

Abstract: The present invention provides a practical design of a megavoltage x-ray detector with both high quantum efficiency (QE) and high resolution. The x-ray detector includes an optical-fiber taper (OFT) made from a large number of optical fibers, each of which is aligned with the incident x-rays from an x-ray source hitting a top surface of the optical fiber taper. The optical-fiber taper is a matrix of optical fibers with the core material made of, e.g., silica and coated with a cladding glass or polymer such that light created within the core of each optical fiber will be guided to the bottom ends of the fiber with the ends of the fibers at the bottom being optically coupled to and optical image read-out device. Each optical fiber in the optical fiber taper is fully aligned with the incident x-ray source so that x-rays entering the top of the fiber travel directly towards the bottom of the same fiber.

Abstract: Imaging arrays typically include thousands or millions of photodetectors that convert sensed light into corresponding electric signals, which are ultimately converted into digital image signals for recording or viewing. One problem with conventional imaging arrays concerns faulty photodetectors, which produce erroneous image signals that ultimately degrade the quality of resulting images. Accordingly, the present inventors devised new imaging arrays including redundant photodetectors to compensate for faulty ones. One exemplary embodiment includes photodetectors that are substantially smaller than conventional photodetectors and that are arranged into two or more groups, with the photodetectors in each group coupled to produce a single group image signal. If the group image signal for a group falls below some threshold level indicative of a defective or malfunctioning photodetector, the group image signal is amplified to compensate for the loss.

Abstract: A sensor die that lowers the lens requirements by the use of a variable thickness distribution over the sensor die. The sensing portion of the sensor die has a different number of layers than the non-sensing portion of the sensor die. By reducing the thickness of each layer and/or eliminating one or more unnecessary layers in the sensing portion, the thickness of the sensing portion is reduced to lower the amount of stray light and allow an increase in chief ray angle as well as a decrease in the F-number of the imaging system coupled to the sensor die without compromising the image quality of the sensor die. Also, the thickness reduction provides the design engineers with extra allowance in handling the chief ray angle and F-number for a given lens requirements.

Abstract: The apparatus and method provide a readout technique and circuit for increasing or maintaining dynamic range of an image sensor. The readout technique and circuit process each pixel individually based on the magnitude of the readout signal. The circuit includes a gain amplifier amplifying the readout analog signal, a level detection circuit for determining the signal's magnitude, a second gain amplifier applying a gain based on the signal magnitude and an analog-to-digital converter digitizing the signal and a circuit for multiplying or dividing the signal. The method and circuit allow for a lower signal-to-noise ratio while increasing the dynamic range of the imager.

Abstract: An image sensor package structure and an image sensing module are proposed. A substrate, a frame and a light transparent layer are used to package an image sensing chip to form the image sensor package structure. The frame is mounted on the substrate and located around the image sensing chip. The top of the frame extends toward the image sensing chip and upwards to form a locking and placing portion with an L-shaped cross section. Bend positions of the locking and placing portion form a placement space formed to accommodate and position the light transparent layer. The structure is simple, the fabrication is easy, and the gluing and packaging operations can be facilitated. Moreover, when the image sensor package structure and a lens set are assembled into an image sensing module, a lens base with a smaller size can be used to shrink the package area.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device 20 according to the present invention includes a plurality of light-receiving sensor portions 2 arrayed in the horizontal and vertical directions and interconnection layers of a plurality of layers formed through interlayer insulators so as to form opening portions 423 at their portions corresponding to the respective light-receiving sensor portions 2, wherein the opening portions 423 of the uppermost layer of the interconnection layer are shifted from the light-receiving sensor portions 2 toward the center of the image pickup area in any one direction of the horizontal direction or the vertical directions. Thus, it is possible to provide a solid-state image pickup device and an image pickup camera including this solid-state image pickup device capable of restraining shading while interconnection and layout of interconnection layers are being facilitated.

Abstract: A first amplification unit amplifies at a predetermined amplification rate an output signal from a photodetection unit for detecting an optical signal from a specimen and detecting it. An offset unit assigns offset to an output signal from the photodetection unit. A second amplification unit amplifies at an amplification rate smaller than the amplification rate of the first amplification unit an output signal from the photodetection unit assigned the offset by the offset unit. A rectification unit rectifies an output signal from the second amplification unit. An addition unit adds an output signal from the first amplification unit to an output signal from the rectification unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for optical receiver circuit protection includes a bias source, a bias monitor, and a comparator. The bias source is to provide a bias voltage to an optical receiver. The bias monitor is coupled to measure a current through the optical receiver, where the current changes responsive to received optical energy. A comparator is coupled to the bias monitor, where the comparator has a first state if the current is less than a threshold current level and where the comparator has a second state if the current is greater than the threshold current level. The bias source is coupled to be enabled responsive to the comparator switching to the first state and disabled responsive to the comparator switching to the second state.

Abstract: An optronic observation device including a detector having a photocathode and a sensor arranged to receive an incident light beam. The device also including a switch to position an optical element opposite the detector in the pathway of the incident beam or to retract the optical element and a focusing element to focus an incident ray on the photocathode when the optical element is in a retracted position. When the optical element is positioned opposite the detector, it is able to focus the beam on the sensor and to filter the beam spectrally to block all or part of the wavelengths for which the responsiveness of the photocathode is greater than a given threshold.

Abstract: To provide a photoelectric conversion device with low noise at low cost. The photoelectric conversion device includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion circuits whose output potentials change according to an amount of incident light; a plurality of reset circuits each connected to an output of each of the photoelectric conversion circuits; a plurality of amplification circuits for amplifying the output potentials of the photoelectric conversion circuits, the amplification circuits each being connected to the output of each of the photoelectric conversion circuits; a plurality of signal read circuits for reading the outputs from the amplification circuits; and a plurality of holding circuits for temporarily holding the read outputs from the amplification circuits.

Abstract: A flexible image sensor having an array of lenses disposed on one surface of a substrate flexible optical polymeric substrate, and an array of organic integrated circuit photodetectors on a second surface of the substrate, each lens in the lens array being in optical correspondence with a photodetector in the second array. The lens array and the photodetector array are manufactured using similar, low-temperature methods, preferably utilizing the same toolset.

Abstract: Ultra-low leakage current backside-illuminated semiconductor photodiode arrays are fabricated using a method of formation of a transparent, conducting bias electrode layer that avoids high-temperature processing of the substrate after the wafer has been gettered. As a consequence, the component of the reverse-bias leakage current associated with strain, crystallographic defects or impurities introduced during elevated temperature processing subsequent to gettering can be kept extremely low. An optically transparent, conductive bias electrode layer, serving as both an optical window and an ohmic backside equipotential contact surface for the photodiodes, is fabricated by etching through the polysilicon gettering layer and a portion of the thickness of heavily-doped crystalline silicon layer formed within, and near the back of, the substrate during the gettering process.

Abstract: An indicating instrument for a vehicle has a display board, a light modulation member disposed to cover a surface of the display board. An illumination intensity of the display board is detected by a light detecting member and a control unit applies to a dc pulse voltage to the light modulation member, to thereby control a light transmissivity of the light modulation member according to the illumination intensity. When the illumination intensity is higher than a predetermined level, the voltage is applied in one direction so that the light modulation member changes from a colorless condition to a colored condition to restrict an external light from reflecting on the display board. When the illumination intensity is lower than a predetermined level, the voltage is applied in a reverse direction so that the light modulation member is transferred from the colored condition to the colorless condition to maintain the visibility of the display board.

Abstract: A sensor includes a light detector for dividing light in an environment into optical zones and detecting light from the optical zones. The sensor also includes a processor coupled to the light detector; and a memory coupled to the processor for storing the detected light as historic light readings.

Abstract: A device for measuring the width L of a mail item on the fly in a mail handling machine in which mail items are caused to move parallel to a reference wall, the device comprising: a detector device rendered active when the presence of a mail item passing over a plurality of levers is detected, said levers being disposed at a determined set pitch perpendicularly to said reference wall; an emitter device for emitting a light ray, which emitter device is disposed facing a first lever of said plurality; a receiver device for receiving said light ray; a measurement device for measuring the light intensity of the light ray received at said receiver device; and a processor device for computing a determined number y of levers activated by said mail item going past, on the basis of a comparison between said measurement of the received light intensity and an initial measurement of the light intensity of the light ray received at said receiver device when no mail items pass over said plurality of levers, the width L of