Apparatus and method for checking the contents of envelopes and sorting documents by thickness

• US 4,576,287 A
• Filed: 05/11/1983
• Issued: 03/18/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Opex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omation Corporation
• Inventors: Bingham, George H., Krupotich, Edward A., Rosensweig, Burton J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Application Number:
  US06/493,638
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 209/546, 209/552, 209/559, 209/600, 209/601, 209/603, 209/604, 209/625, 209/900, 209/586, 209/605, 271/262, 271/265, 271/263, 200/61.41, 200/61.42, 33/147 L, 33/147 N, 33/143 L, 33/174 L
• US Class Current: 209/601
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 1/16 Sorting according to thickness or stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/06 measured mechanically sorting of cartridges F42B35/02
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 7/02 Devices for both opening envelopes and removing contents
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2553/41 Photoelectric detectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

Apparatus and method for checking the contents of envelopes and sorting envelopes and other documents according to thickness. The envelopes or other documents are fed along a predetermined path, the thickness of each envelope or document is checked as it travels along the path, and any envelope or document having a thickness greater than a predetermined thickness is diverted from the path.

Claims

1. In apparatus for determining whether an object is thicker than a predetermined thickness:

means for feeding the object along a path, a gauging element positioned for deflection by the object as it travels along the path, the amount of deflection corresponding to the thickness of the object, a pivot arm, means connecting the gauging element to the arm so that the arm is displaced from a rest position by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the object, a feeler positioned out of engagement with the arm when the arm is in its rest position, means for urging the feeler into engagement with one end of the arm when the arm is displaced from its rest position by an amount corresponding to at least the predetermined thickness, the feeler being in a first position when the arm is in a position corresponding to the predetermined thickness and a second position when the arm is in a position corresponding to a greater thickness, and means for providing an output signal when the feeler is in the second position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a first sensor for providing a signal when a pivot arm is displaced by an amount corresponding to the predetermined thickness, means responsive to the sensor signal for urging the feeler toward the end of the arm, and a second sensor responsive to the position of the feeler for providing the output signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second sensors are electro-optical devices.

4. In apparatus for determining whether an object is thicker than a predetermined thickness:

means for feeding the object along a path, a gauging element positioned for deflection by the object as it travels along the path, the amount of deflection corresponding to the thickness of the object, a pivot arm, means connecting the gauging element to the arm so that the arm is displaced from a rest position by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the object, a feeler which bears against one end of the arm for movement between a first position when the arm is in a position corresponding to the predetermined thickness and a second position when the arm is in a position corresponding to a greater thickness, said feeler having a surface which bears against the end of the arm when the position of the arm corresponds to the predetermined thickness and clears the end of the arm when the position of the arm corresponds to the greater thickness, and means for providing an output signal when the feeler is in the second position.

5. In apparatus for determining whether an object is thicker than a predetermined thickness:

means for feeding the object along a path, a gauging element positioned for deflection by the object as it travels along the path, the amount of deflection corresponding to the thickness of the object, a pivot arm, means connecting the gauging element to the arm so that the arm is displaced from a rest position by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the object, a first sensor for providing a first signal when the arm is displaced by an amount corresponding to the predetermined thickness, a feeler, means responsive to the first signal for urging the feeler toward the arm, means responsive to the position of the feeler for providing a second signal when the arm is displaced by an amount corresponding to a thickness greater than the predetermined thickness, and means responsive to the second signal for diverting the object from the path.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first sensor and the means for providing the second signal comprise electro-optical sensors.