Articulating sealer roller mechanism for a mailing machine

• US 20040172922A1
• Filed: 03/06/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Joyce, Steven H., Surprise, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 6,804,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 53/460
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 5/042 for envelopes with only one flap

Abstract

The present invention includes apparatus and methods for sealing an envelope. A sealing nip is formed by an upper roller and a lower roller. The upper roller is mounted on an upper shaft and the lower roller is mounted on a lower shaft. A mechanism associated with the lower shaft adjusts the orientation of the lower shaft to match the orientation of the upper shaft.

Claims

1. An envelope sealing device, comprising;

an upper roller;

a lower roller positioned relative to the upper roller such that the upper and lower rollers form an envelope sealing nip;

an upper shaft on which the upper roller is mounted;

a lower shaft on which the lower roller is mounted; and

means associated with the lower shaft for adjusting an orientation of the lower shaft to match an orientation of the upper shaft.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the means for adjusting includes a ski having a pair of ski arms for mounting the lower shaft.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein each of the ski arms has a slot therein, each of the slots having a respective end of the lower shaft received therein.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the slots are straight slots.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the slots are curved slots.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein the means for adjusting includes a pair of biasing means, each of the biasing means for biasing a respective end of the lower shaft in an upward direction.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein each of the biasing means includes a respective torsion spring.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising a support shaft on which the ski is pivotally mounted.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein each of the torsion springs includes a cylindrical body within which the support shaft is received.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the upper roller has an outer diameter that varies along a longitudinal axis of the upper roller to form radial rings and radial grooves; and

the lower roller has an outer diameter that varies along a longitudinal axis of the lower roller to form radial rings and radial grooves;

a portion of the radial rings of the lower roller coinciding in an axial direction with respective grooves of the upper roller.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein:

the upper roller has a maximum outer radius;

the lower roller has a maximum outer radius; and

a sum of the two maximum radii exceeds a center-to-center distance between the upper and lower rollers.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the upper roller has a stop region adapted to interact with one of the radial rings of the lower roller to limit movement of the lower roller in an axial direction relative to the upper roller to prevent some of the radial rings of the lower roller from contacting some of the radial rings of the upper roller.

13. A device for processing envelopes, comprising:

a base;

feed means mounted on the base for feeding envelopes along a feed path, the feed means including;

an endless belt having a lower belt run that is adapted to contact and propel the envelopes along the feed path;

a plurality of pressure rollers biased to contact a lower surface of the lower belt run; and

a plurality of backup rollers in contact with an upper surface of the lower belt run;

an upper sealer roller mounted on a common shaft with one of the backup rollers for rotation with the one of the backup rollers;

a lower sealer roller positioned relative to the upper sealer roller such that the upper and lower sealer rollers form an envelope sealing nip;

a lower shaft on which the lower sealer roller is mounted; and

means associated with the lower shaft for adjusting an orientation of the lower shaft to match an orientation of the common shaft.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the means for adjusting includes a ski having a pair of ski arms for mounting the lower shaft.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein each of the ski arms has a slot therein, each of the slots having a respective end of the lower shaft received therein.

16. A device for processing envelopes, comprising:

a base;

feed means mounted on the base for feeding envelopes along a feed path adjacent a registration wall, the feed means including;

an endless belt having a lower belt run that is adapted to contact and propel the envelopes along the feed path;

a plurality of pressure rollers biased to contact a lower surface of the lower belt run; and

a plurality of backup rollers in contact with an upper surface of the lower belt run;

an upper sealer roller mounted on a common shaft with one of the backup rollers for rotation with the one of the backup rollers;

a support shaft extending substantially horizontally from the registration wall toward the feed means;

a ski pivotally mounted on the support shaft and having two arms extending upwardly substantially in parallel to each other, each of the arms having a respective slot formed therein, each of the slots having a generally vertical course;

an idler shaft having a first end received in one of the slots and a second end received in the other of the slots;

a lower sealer roller mounted on the idler shaft and in contact with the upper sealer roller;

a first torsion spring installed on the support shaft adjacent one of the arms and in contact with the first end of the idler shaft to bias the first end in an upward direction; and

a second torsion spring installed on the support shaft adjacent the other of the arms and in contact with the second end of the idler shaft to bias the second end in an upward direction.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the courses of the slots are substantially straight.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the courses of the slots are curved.

19. The device according to claim 16, wherein:

the upper sealer roller has an outer diameter that varies along a longitudinal axis of the upper sealer roller to form radial rings and radial grooves; and

the lower sealer roller has an outer diameter that varies along a longitudinal axis of the lower sealer roller to form radial rings and radial grooves;

a portion of the radial rings of the lower sealer roller coinciding in an axial direction with respective grooves of the upper sealer roller.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein:

the upper sealer roller has a maximum outer radius;

the lower sealer roller has a maximum outer radius; and

a sum of the two maximum radii exceeds a center-to-center distance between the upper and lower sealer rollers.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein the upper sealer roller has a stop region adapted to interact with one of the radial rings of the lower sealer roller to limit movement of the lower sealer roller in an axial direction relative to the upper sealer roller to prevent some of the radial rings of the lower sealer roller from contacting some-of the radial rings of the upper sealer roller.

22. A method of sealing an envelope, comprising:

forming a nip constituted by an upper roller mounted on an upper shaft and a lower roller mounted on a lower shaft;

allowing an orientation of the lower shaft to be adjusted according to at least one of;

(a) an orientation of the upper shaft; and

(b) a cross-sectional profile of an envelope fed through the nip; and

transporting the envelope through the nip.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the allowing step includes allowing an end of the lower shaft to travel in a slot in which the end is received.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

biasing the end of the lower shaft in an upward direction.