Chemical/biological hazard trigger with automatic mail piece tagging system and method

• US 20050274788A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Craig, William C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,232,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 1/00 Measures preceding sorting according to destination
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00508 Printing or attaching on mailpieces printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode

Abstract

Apparatus and method for detecting and identifying hazardous material in a mail stream in which hazardous particulates or material in or on mail pieces in a mail stream are detected and the mail piece bearing the hazardous material is identified. A bar code applicator applies a unique bar code to the wrapper of each mail piece identified as potentially containing hazardous material. The bar code applicator is an ink jet which applies the bar code on-the-fly. The bar code applied is encoded with specific information about the detection parameters at the time of the event in addition to specific information about the date, time of day, machine identification, temperature and humidity conditions, etc. present at the time of the event.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting and identifying hazardous particulates in a mail stream, comprising:

A. means for detecting hazardous materials in or on mail pieces in a mail stream and for identifying the mail piece or pieces bearing the hazardous materials;

B. a bar code applicator for applying a unique bar code to the wrapper of each mail piece identified as containing hazardous particulates;

C. said unique bar code providing specific information about the detection data collected at the time of the detection event.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the bar code applicator is an ink jet which applies the bar code on-the-fly.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the unique bar code includes a parameter which is indicative of the amount of particles or material detected over a predetermined time period exceeding a pre-defined hazard based threshold parameter.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the unique bar code provides at least one type of specific information about the date, time of day, machine identification, temperature and humidity conditions.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a diverter diverts each mail piece marked with a unique code to separate it from other mail pieces which do not have such a unique code.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the unique bar code also provides the names of the workers who were working on the particular line at the time the mail was marked with the unique code.

7. A method for detecting and identifying hazardous particulates in a mail stream, comprising the steps of:

A. detecting hazardous materials present in or on mail in a mail stream;

B. identifying the mail piece bearing the hazardous particulates;

C. applying a unique bar code to the wrapper of each mail piece identified as containing hazardous particulates.

D. encoding in the unique bar code specific information about the detection data collected at the time of the detection event.

8. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein the unique bar code specific information includes the date, time of day, machine identification.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 wherein the unique bar code specific information includes the temperature and humidity conditions.

10. A method as defined in claim 8 wherein the unique bar code specific information includes a parameter indicative of the amount of particles detected over a predetermined time period which meet pre-defined hazard based threshold parameter.

11. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein the bar code applicator is an ink jet which applies the bar code on-the-fly.

12. A method as defined in claim 10 wherein the further specific information includes the names of the workers who were working on the particular line at the time the mail was marked with the unique code.

13. A mail article containing a unique code indicating that the article may bear hazardous material.

14. A mail article as defined in claim 13 wherein the unique code further contains information about the detection data at the time of the detection including specific information about the date, time of day, machine identification, temperature and humidity conditions.

15. A mail article as defined in claim 14 wherein the unique code further contains information about the amount of particles or material detected over a predetermined time interval meeting pre-defined hazard based threshold parameters.

16. A mail article as defined in claim 15 wherein the unique code further contains information about the names of the workers who were working on the particular line at the time the mail was marked with the unique code.