Card affixing and form folding system
First Claim
1. A system for mailing a form with a personalized card attached thereto, the system comprising:
- a) a printer module for printing text on the form;
b) a card affixing module for receiving the form from the printer module, the card affixing module being constructed and arranged to provide relative movement between the card and the form in at least two dimensions such that the card can be affixed at any location on the form;
c) a sticker module for supplying the card affixing module with the card, the card having an affixing means attached thereto; and
d) a folding module for receiving the form from the affixing module, the folding module being constructed and arranged to fold the form with the card remaining attached, the folding module including;
a form guide structure having at least one edge;
a form transfer mechanism for feeding the form past the edge;
a first roller unit having a first roller aligned adjacent to a second roller, the first and second rollers being aligned substantially parallel to the edge, the first and second rollers defining a folding nip located between the first and second rollers;
a roller translating mechanism for translating the first roller unit between a first position in which the roller unit is distally located from the edge and a second position in which the folding nip of the roller unit is substantially aligned with the edge, the first roller passing in close proximity to the edge as the roller unit is moved between the first and second positions such that the form is pinched between the first roller and the edge to generate a pre-fold line on the form; and
a roller rotating mechanism for rotating the first and second rollers when the roller unit is in the second position, wherein a fold is created at the pre-fold line by feeding the pre-fold line into the folding nip of the rotating first and second rollers.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for affixing cards to a form and folding the form with the cards attached. The system includes a card affixer for affixing cards to any location on a form having a form transporting mechanism for moving the form, a carriage for receiving and holding a card, a carriage translating mechanism for moving the carriage across the width of the form transporting mechanism and a pressing mechanism for pressing the card against the form. The system also includes a form folder for precisely folding forms with the cards already attached. The form folder includes a form guide structure having at least one scoring edge, a form transfer mechanism, a roller unit, a roller translating mechanism and a roller rotating mechanism.
43 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for mailing a form with a personalized card attached thereto, the system comprising:
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a) a printer module for printing text on the form; b) a card affixing module for receiving the form from the printer module, the card affixing module being constructed and arranged to provide relative movement between the card and the form in at least two dimensions such that the card can be affixed at any location on the form; c) a sticker module for supplying the card affixing module with the card, the card having an affixing means attached thereto; and d) a folding module for receiving the form from the affixing module, the folding module being constructed and arranged to fold the form with the card remaining attached, the folding module including; a form guide structure having at least one edge; a form transfer mechanism for feeding the form past the edge; a first roller unit having a first roller aligned adjacent to a second roller, the first and second rollers being aligned substantially parallel to the edge, the first and second rollers defining a folding nip located between the first and second rollers; a roller translating mechanism for translating the first roller unit between a first position in which the roller unit is distally located from the edge and a second position in which the folding nip of the roller unit is substantially aligned with the edge, the first roller passing in close proximity to the edge as the roller unit is moved between the first and second positions such that the form is pinched between the first roller and the edge to generate a pre-fold line on the form; and a roller rotating mechanism for rotating the first and second rollers when the roller unit is in the second position, wherein a fold is created at the pre-fold line by feeding the pre-fold line into the folding nip of the rotating first and second rollers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for mailing a form with a personalized card attached thereto, the system comprising:
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a) a printer module for printing text on the form; b) a sticker module for supplying the card with an affixing means attached thereto; c) a card affixing module for receiving the form from the printer module and the card from the sticker module, the card affixing module being constructed and arranged to provide relative movement between the card and the form in at least two dimensions such that the card can be affixed at any location on the form, the card affixing module including; a form transporting mechanism having a length, a width, an upstream end, and a downstream end, wherein the form transporting mechanism receives the form from the printer module at the upstream end and moves the form along the length of the form transport mechanism toward the downstream end; a carriage operatively connected to the form transporting mechanism, the carriage being constructed and arranged to receive the card from the sticker module and hold the card; a carriage translating mechanism for translating the carriage across the width of the form transporting mechanism; and a card pressing mechanism constructed and arranged for pressing the card held by the carriage against the form to cause the card affixing means to affix the card to the form; and d) a folding module for receiving the form from the affixing module, the folding module being constructed and arranged to fold the form with the card remaining attached. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification