Hazardous material detector for detecting hazardous material in a mailstream

• US 20040074321A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Beck, Christian A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,188,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/865.8
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00

Abstract

The invention disclosed herein relates generally to mailpieces and more particularly, a hazardous material detector for detecting hazardous material in a mail stream. The present invention is directed, in general to detector for collecting sample (s) of hazardous materials from a mail processing device. The mailpiece generally comprises an envelope comprising a front side and a back side; holes formed in at least one of the front side or the back side of the envelope; a hazardous material test strip for detecting the presence of hazardous material in contact with the test strip; whereby when hazardous materials are detected by the hazardous material test strip a physical change occurs to the hazardous material test strip and the physical change can be viewed through at least one hole formed in the at least one of the front side or the back side of the envelope. The detector helps to quickly determine whether hazardous materials are present in the mail stream.

Claims

1. The hazardous material detector comprising:

an envelope comprising a front side and a back side;

holes formed in at least one of the front side or the back side of the envelope;

a hazardous material test strip for detecting the presence of hazardous material in contact with the test strip;

whereby when hazardous materials are detected by the hazardous material test strip a physical change occurs to the hazardous material test strip and the physical change can be viewed through at least one hole formed in the at least one of the front side or the back side of the envelope.

2. The hazardous material detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hazardous material test strip is mounted on a holder.

3. The hazardous material detector as claimed in claim 2 wherein the holder and hazardous material test strip mounted thereon are smaller than the envelope and whereby the holder move while positioned inside the envelope.

4. The hazardous material detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hazardous material test strip is mounted on a holder and contained in a carrier.

5. The hazardous material detector as claimed in claim 4 wherein holes are formed in the carrier.

6. The hazardous material detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hazardous material test strip is positioned adjacent to the front side of the envelope.

7. The hazardous material detector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hazardous material test strip is positioned adjacent to the back side of the envelope.