Automatic envelope handling device

• US 20070241034A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MAG Systemes SAS
• Original Assignee: MAG Systemes SAS
• Inventors: Moreaux, Michel, Faissolle, Gerard
• Granted Patent: US 7,926,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/2
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/008 Means for collecting objects, e.g. containers for sorted mail items pile receivers in general B65H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/422548 filling or loading process
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/424 in sorter
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/34 Holder with cylindrical section
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2553/43 Bar code reader
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1916 Envelopes and articles of mail
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/00 Pile receivers carriers used for associating, collating or gathering articles B65H39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/22 removable or interchangeable

Abstract

A container of generally elongate shape for receiving a plurality of envelopes is described wherein the container includes an internal housing having a substantially parallelepiped shape which is open at one of its longitudinal ends to accomodate the plurality of envelopes and closed at its opposite longitudinal end and includes a portion around the internal housing having an external surface of at least partially cylindrical shape.

Claims

1. A container of generally elongate shape for receiving a plurality of envelopes comprising:

an internal housing having a substantially parallelepiped shape which is open at one of its longitudinal ends to accomodate the plurality of envelopes and closed at its opposite longitudinal end, and

a portion around the internal housing having an external surface of at least partially cylindrical shape.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the internal housing is formed by a square or rectangular section tube.

3. The container according to claim 1, wherein the portion having an at least partially cylindrical external surface comprises one or more rings around the internal housing.

4. The container according to claim 1, wherein it includes a base such that the center of gravity of the container is at the level of the base to maintain its generally elongate shape in a stable vertical position with the opening of the housing facing upwards.

5. The container according to claim 1, wherein it includes data identifying said container.

6. The container according to claim 1, wherein it includes means for angularly orienting the container.

7. The container according to claim 4, wherein the base includes a cut-out for imparting a given angular orientation to the container.

15. The container according to claim 6, wherein the base includes a cut-out for imparting a given angular orientation to the container.

8. A device for loading envelopes into a container comprising:

means for identifying a plurality of envelopes coming from an enveloping machine by recognizing envelope identification data,

means for identifying the container by recognizing identification data carried by said container,

means for associating envelope identification data with the container identification data, and

mechanical means for bringing the empty container, loading envelopes into said empty container and evacuating the container loaded with envelopes.

17. The device according to claim 8, wherein the containers are of generally elongate shape for receiving a plurality of envelopes and each container comprises:

an internal housing having a substantially parallelepiped shape which is open at one of its longitudinal ends to accomodate the plurality of envelopes and closed at its opposite longitudinal end, and

a portion around the internal housing having an external surface of at least partially cylindrical shape.

9. A system for grouping and temporarily storing containers comprising:

a conveyor for moving the containers,

the conveyor having lateral guides on each of its respective opposite longitudinal sides to guide the containers,

the lateral guides coming closer together at one end of the conveyor to form a bottleneck allowing only one container to pass at a time.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the containers are placed on the conveyor with their generally elongate shape vertical and the opening of the housing facing upwards.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein it includes a station for introducing onto the conveyor containers loaded with envelopes by an envelope loading device.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein it includes a station for introducing onto the conveyor containers loaded with envelopes by an envelope loading device.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the envelope loading device comprises:

means for identifying a plurality of envelopes coming from an enveloping machine by recognizing envelope identification data,

means for identifying the container by recognizing identification data carried by said container,

means for associating envelope identification data with the container identification data, and

mechanical means for bringing the empty container, loading envelopes into said empty container and evacuating the container loaded with envelopes.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the envelope loading device comprises:

means for identifying a plurality of envelopes coming from an enveloping machine by recognizing envelope identification data,

means for identifying the container by recognizing identification data carried by said container,

means for associating envelope identification data with the container identification data, and

mechanical means for bringing the empty container, loading envelopes into said empty container and evacuating the container loaded with envelopes.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein the containers are of generally elongate shape for receiving a plurality of envelopes and each container comprises:

an internal housing having a substantially parallelepiped shape which is open at one of its longitudinal ends to accomodate the plurality of envelopes and closed at its opposite longitudinal end, and

a portion around the internal housing having an external surface of at least partially cylindrical shape.