Postal tray label apparatus and method

• US 5,292,008 A
• Filed: 10/28/1992
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Kemper, Robert P., Sansone, Ronald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skaggs, H. Grant
• Assistant Examiner(s): DRUZBICK, CAROL L
• Application Number:
  US07/967,333
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 209/546, 209/547, 209/551, 209/552, 209/584, 209/900, 198/358, 198/958, 364/478, 364/479
• US Class Current: 209/584
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/02 Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/18 Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks applying data to information carriers G06K1/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing labels that are to be inserted into mail trays. A label printer is integrated into a mail sorting machine. Upon a specific bin of the mail sorting machine having sufficient mail pieces to fill a mail tray, the label printer prints a tray label for the mail in such bin. This tray label has printed thereon the zip code to which the mail is to be sent and the bin number in which the mail pieces are located. Upon the printing of such tray label, it is be conveyed by the mail sorter to the appropriate bin and is immediately available to the clerk for insertion into a mail tray.

Claims

1. Apparatus for sorting mail and providing mail tray label forms, comprising:

a processor,

a plurality of bins,

a conveyor for conveying mail pieces and mail tray label forms past said plurality of bins,

deflecting members in communication with said processor for deflecting selected mail pieces and mail tray label forms into said plurality of bins,

a sensor in communication with said processor for determining the presence of a defined quantity of mail pieces in a bin of said plurality of bins,

a label printer adjacent said conveyor and in communication with said processor for placing a mail tray label form of said mail tray label forms on said conveyor, whereby upon said sensor sensing said defined quantity of mail pieces in a bin, said printer prints a label for said bin and places the mail tray label form said conveyor to be conveyed to said bin.

2. Apparatus for sorting mail and providing mail tray label form, comprising:

a processor,

a plurality of bins,

a conveyor for conveying mail pieces and mail tray label forms past said plurality of bins,

deflecting members line for each of said plurality of bins, for deflecting mail pieces and mail tag forms from said conveyor into said plurality of bins,

a reader in communication with said deflecting members for reading a code on the mail pieces and mail tray label forms,

a sensor in communication with said processor for determining the presence of a defined quantity of mail pieces in a bin of said plurality of bins,

a label printer adjacent said conveyor and in communication with said sensor for placing a mail tray label form of said mail tray label forms on said conveyor whereby upon said sensor sensing said defined quantity of mail pieces in a bin, said printer prints a code on a mail tray label from corresponding to the code, on mail in said bin, and places said mail tray label form on said conveyor an said reader reads the code on the mail tray label form and activates the deflection member of a said bin whereby the said label form deflected into said bin.

3. A method of sorting mail and providing a mail tray label, the steps comprising:

conveying mail pieces on a conveyor past a plurality of bins,

deflecting mail pieces into said bins, in accordance with codes printed on said mail pieces,

sensing a defined quantity of mail pieces in a bin of said plurality of bins,

printing a code and destination information on a mail tray label for said bin, and

conveying the mail label tray on said conveyor to said bin and deflecting the mail tray label into said bin

4. A method of sorting mail and providing a mail tray label, the steps comprising:

a) conveying code bearing mail pieces past a plurality of bins,

b) reading the codes on the mail pieces,

c) deflecting the mail pieces into said bins in response to the read codes,

d) determining the presences of a defined quantity of mail pieces in a bin of said plurality of bins,

e) printing a label form for said bin,

f) conveying the label form to said bin,

g) placing the defined quantity of mail pieces in a mail tray, and

h) attaching at least a portion of the label form to the mail tray.