Inserting systems and methods

• US 20070164496A1
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bell & Howell LLC (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Bowe Bell & Howell Company
• Inventors: Peterson, Chris, Johnson, Richard, Zuech, Joseph, Kapturowski, Edward, Snyder, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,637,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 270/52.10
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 3/04 automatic
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4213 of a limited number of articles, e.g. buffering, forming bundles
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4352 with pushers, e.g. the articles being substantially horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/63 Oscillating, pivoting around an axis parallel to face of material, e.g. diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/722 movable in operation
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2404/73 Means for sliding the handled material on a surface, e.g. pushers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/78 Mailing systems
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/10 Associating articles from a single source, to form, e.g. a writing-pad laminating B32B37/00, B32B38/00

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.

Claims

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.

2. The inserting system of claim 1 wherein the second sheet input comprises an enclosure feeder.

3. The inserting system of claim 1 comprising an envelope path for advancing one or more envelopes to the inserting station.

4. The inserting system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of enclosure feeders for advancing additional document sets to the conveying path.

5. The inserting system of claim 1 comprising a plurality of pusher members for advancing sheet articles along the conveying path.

6. The inserting system of claim 5 comprising fixed and pivotable pusher members.

7. The inserting system of claim 1 wherein the collating area comprises a movable ramp.

8. The inserting system of claim 7 wherein the ramp is selectively movable for stacking the insert material such that the first document set is on top of the second document set.

9. The inserting system of claim 7 wherein the ramp is selectively movable for stacking the insert material such that the second document set is on top of the first document set.

10. An inserting method comprising:

(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.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising advancing one or more envelopes to the inserting station.

12. The method of claim 10 comprising inserting the stack of insert material into an envelope at the inserting station.

13. The method of claim 10 comprising advancing the first document set from a sheet input source to the conveying path.

14. The method of claim 10 comprising advancing the second document set from an enclosure feeder to the conveying path.

15. The method of claim 10 comprising advancing one or more additional document sets to the conveying path.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more additional document sets are advanced to the conveying path on top of the second document set.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more additional document sets are advanced to the conveying path downstream from the second document set.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the one or more additional document sets are advanced to the conveying path upstream from the second document set.

19. An inserting system comprising:

(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.

20. The inserting system of claim 19 comprising an enclosure feeder for advancing one or more inserts to the conveying path.

21. The inserting system of claim 19 comprising a sheet input source for advancing one or more sheet articles to the insertion flow path.

22. The inserting system of claim 19 comprising an envelope path for advancing one or more envelopes to the inserting station.

23. The inserting system of claim 19 comprising a controller for receiving processing information regarding insert material and wherein the controller is adapted to move the envelope opener based upon the processing information.

24. The inserting system of claim 19 wherein the envelope opener comprises a pivotably movable deck.

25. The inserting system of claim 24 wherein the envelope opener comprises a movable feeding guide attached to the deck.

26. An inserting method comprising:

(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.

27. The method of claim 26 comprising advancing one or more sheet articles from a sheet input source to the sheet processor.

28. The method of claim 26 comprising advancing one or more inserts from one or more enclosure feeders to the sheet processor.

29. The method of claim 26 comprising receiving processing information regarding insert material to be inserted into the envelope and moving the envelope opener based upon the processing information.

30. The method of claim 26 comprising pivotably moving a deck to open the envelope.

31. The method of claim 30 comprising moving a feeder guide attached to the deck to open the envelope.

32. An inserting system comprising:

(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.

33. An inserting method comprising:

(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.

34. An inserting method comprising:

(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.