Inserting systems and methods
First Claim
1. An inserting system comprising:
- (a) a sheet processor having at least a first location and a second location along a conveying path for respectively advancing at least a first document set and a second document set separately along the conveying path toward an insertion station;
(b) at least one first input for advancing sheet articles to the first location, and at least one second input for advancing sheet articles to the second location; and
(c) a collating area for combining the separately advanced first and second document sets into a stack of insert material;
(d) wherein the stack of insert material can be inserted into an envelope at the inserting station.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Inserting systems and methods are provided for use in sheet processing. The inserting systems and methods provide improved handling of sheet articles during processing. Sheet articles can be advantageously and efficiently advanced in separate stacks and later combined for insertion into an envelope. For insertion into an envelope, the mouth of the envelope can be selectively variably opened depending upon the amount of insertion material to go into the envelope where the amount an envelope is to be opened can be based upon processing or job information. Sheet articles can be registered and aligned to facilitate processing efficiencies. Sheet articles with creases, such as envelopes with mouth flaps, can be processed through a roller system to bend the crease so that the flap of the envelope assumes a desired position for subsequent processing. Additionally, sheet articles can be processed through a staging station with increased capacity for sheet processing.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An inserting system comprising:
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(a) a sheet processor having at least a first location and a second location along a conveying path for respectively advancing at least a first document set and a second document set separately along the conveying path toward an insertion station;
(b) at least one first input for advancing sheet articles to the first location, and at least one second input for advancing sheet articles to the second location; and
(c) a collating area for combining the separately advanced first and second document sets into a stack of insert material;
(d) wherein the stack of insert material can be inserted into an envelope at the inserting station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An inserting method comprising:
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(a) advancing a first document set having one or more sheet articles to a first location along a conveying path;
(b) advancing a second document set having one or more sheet articles to a second location along the conveying path;
(c) separately advancing along the conveying path the first document set and the second document set toward an inserting station; and
(d) combining the separately advanced first document set and second document set into a stack of insert material for insertion into an envelope at the inserting station. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An inserting system comprising:
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(a) a sheet processor for advancing one or more sheet articles along a conveying path toward an inserting station; and
(b) an adjustable envelope opener for selectively and variably opening an envelope in the inserting station;
(c) wherein the one or more sheet articles and the one or more inserts can be inserted into an envelope at the inserting station. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An inserting method comprising:
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(a) advancing with a sheet processor one or more sheet articles along a conveying path toward an envelope in an inserting station;
(b) selectively and variably opening the envelope in the inserting station based upon the sheet articles; and
(c) inserting the sheet articles into the opened envelope at the inserting station. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An inserting system comprising:
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(a) an inserting station for holding one or more envelopes;
(b) a sheet processor for advancing one or more sheet articles along a conveying path toward the inserting station for insertion of the sheet articles into an envelope at the inserting station;
(c) the inserting station having a first envelope holding location for a first envelope for insertion of sheet articles into the first envelope, the first envelope holding location providing an insertion position for opening the envelope for insertion of the one or more sheet articles; and
(d) the inserting station further having a second envelope holding location for a second envelope where the second envelope holding location is in a vertical orientation proximate to the first envelope holding location, the second envelope holding location providing a staging position for orienting and registering the second envelope and for providing flap orientation for the second envelope.
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33. An inserting method comprising:
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(a) holding a first envelope in an insertion position of a first envelope holding location in an inserting station, where the first envelope is opened for insertion of one or more sheet articles;
(b) holding a second envelope in a staging position of a second envelope holding location and in a vertical orientation proximate to the first envelope in the inserting station, where the second envelope is oriented and registered and a flap of the second envelope is oriented for insertion of one or more sheet articles;
(c) advancing one or more sheet articles along a conveying path and into the first envelope;
(d) moving the first envelope from the first envelope holding location; and
(e) moving the second envelope from the second envelope holding location to the first envelope holding location for insertion of one or more sheet articles into the second envelope.
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34. An inserting method comprising:
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(a) providing at least a first and a second location along a conveying path for advancing sheet articles to an insertion station;
(b) selectively advancing sheet articles to the first and second locations to form first and second document sets at the first and second locations, respectively, where at least one of the sheet articles includes an address that is selectively determined to be either face down or face up in the first or second document set;
(c) advancing the first and second document sets toward the inserting station; and
(d) combining the first and second document sets to form a stack of insert material for insertion into the envelope and where the address is selectively either on a bottom or on a top of the stack of insert material.
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Specification