Continuous forms integrated system

• US 5,754,434 A
• Filed: 07/05/1995
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DST Output West LLC
• Original Assignee: International Billing Services
• Inventors: Clupper, Charles B., Delfer, Frank W., Mulkey, Steven L., Emigh, Jonathan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elmore, Reba I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland, Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US08/498,547
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 364/478.07-478.12, 364/464.02, 364/464.03, 364/478.13-478.15, 270/1.02, 270/58.01, 270/58.06, 270/1.01, 270/58.23, 53/493, 53/266.1, 53/284.3, 53/154
• US Class Current: 700/223
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 1/00 Measures preceding sorting according to destination

Abstract

A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes containing selected combinations of documents and inserts comprises a programmable computer controller, a plurality of printers, a controller interfaced collator for merging document pages from the printers, a document folder, and a controller interfaced inserter for filling the mailing envelopes with the selected combinations of document pages and inserts. Associated with the inserter are devices for marking the edges of envelopes with desired information indicia and for wetting and sealing the flaps of selected envelopes. Further, the controller verifies that the correct document forms, inserts, and mailing envelopes are matched and inserted into the mailing envelopes. Additionally, the controller selects and includes any desired combination of enclosures and inserts in the mailing envelopes.

Claims

1. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes with each mailing envelope containing enclosures selected from combinations of inserts and a document having one or more pages, comprising:

a) a controller;

b) at least one document page supplying device;

c) a collator for merging supplied document pages if document pages are supplied by more than one said document page supplying device or for passing on document pages if supplied from one said document page supplying device, wherein the collator is in communication with said controller;

d) collator input control means for supervising collation of the document by said collator and indicating when the document is ready to be sent on to an inserter; and

e) said inserter for filling the mailing envelopes with the enclosures, wherein said inserter is in communication with said controller.

2. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes with each mailing envelope containing enclosures selected from combinations of inserts and a document having one or more pages, comprising:

a) a controller;

b) a plurality of document page supplying devices;

c) a collator for merging document pages from said document page supplying devices into the document, wherein said collator is interfaced with said controller;

d) collator input control means for supervising collation of the document by said collator and indicating when the document is ready to be sent on to an inserter; and

e) said inserter for filling the mailing envelopes with the enclosures, wherein said inserter is in communication with said controller.

3. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 2, wherein said controller is a programmable computer.

4. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of document supplying devices comprises a plurality of printers.

5. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of document supplying devices comprises a first printer and a second printer.

6. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 2, further comprising means selecting the enclosures in the mailing envelopes.

7. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 2, further comprising controller interfaced means associated with said inserter for marking edges of envelopes with desired information indicia.

8. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 2, further comprising controller interfaced means associated with said inserter for wetting and sealing flaps of selected envelopes wherein said wetting and sealing means comprises for said sealing means a reciprocating pressure foot that presses a wetted envelope flap against a body of each of the mailing envelopes and raises to release a sealed mailing envelope.

9. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 2, further comprising controller interfaced means for coordinating an operational speed of said inserter with an interval of time required to receive each document.

10. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 9, wherein said coordinating means is a controller with programming comprised of the steps:

a) determining for an incoming document the number of document pages within said document;

b) initiating operation of said inserter based on said page number determination; and

c) adjusting the operational speed of said inserter based on said page number determination.

11. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes with each mailing envelope containing enclosures constituting selected combinations of inserts and a document having one or more pages, comprising:

a) a programmable computer controller;

b) a plurality of printers with each printer generating printed document pages;

c) a collator having a plurality of collator trays for merging document pages from said printers, wherein said collator is interfaced with said controller;

d) collator input control means for supervising collation of the document by said collator and indicating when the document is ready to be sent on to an inserter; and

e) said inserter for filling the mailing envelopes with the enclosures, wherein said inserter is in communication with said controller.

12. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of printers comprises first and second printers.

13. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 11, further comprising means for selecting the enclosures in the mailing envelopes.

14. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 11, further comprising controller interfaced means associated with said inserter for marking edges of envelopes with desired information indicia.

15. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 11, further comprising controller interfaced means associated with said inserter for wetting and sealing flaps of selected envelopes wherein said wetting and sealing means comprises for said sealing means a reciprocating pressure foot that presses a wetted envelope flap against a body of each of the mailing envelopes and raises to release a sealed mailing envelope.

16. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 11, further comprising controller interfaced means for coordinating an operational speed of said inserter with an interval of time required to receive each document.

17. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 16, wherein said coordinating means is a controller with programming comprised of the steps:

a) determining for an incoming document the number of document pages within said document;

b) initiating operation of said inserter based on said page number determination; and

c) adjusting the operational speed of said inserter based on said page number determination.

18. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes with each mailing envelope containing enclosures constituting a combination of inserts and a billing document, wherein the billing document has at least a summary billing page and, if selected, one or more detailed billing pages, comprising:

a) a programmable computer controller;

b) a first printer for printing summary billing information on the summary billing page;

c) a second printer for printing detailed billing information on selected detail billing pages;

d) a collator for merging into the billing document the summary billing page with any selected detailed billing pages, wherein said collator is interfaced with said controller;

e) collator input control means for supervising collation of the document by said collator and indicating when the document is ready to be sent on to an inserter; and

f) said inserter for filling each of the mailing envelopes with the selected combination of the inserts and the billing document, wherein said inserter is in communication with said controller.

19. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 18, further comprising means for selecting the enclosures in the mailing envelopes.

20. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 18, further comprising controller interfaced means associated with said inserter for marking edges of envelopes with desired information indicia.

21. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 18, further comprising controller interfaced means associated with said inserter for wetting and sealing flaps of selected envelopes wherein said wetting and sealing means comprises for said sealing means a reciprocating pressure foot that presses a wetted envelope flap against a body of each of the mailing envelopes and raises to release a sealed mailing envelope.

22. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 18, further comprising controller interfaced means for coordinating an operational speed of said inserter with an interval of time required to receive each document.

23. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 22, wherein said coordinating means is a controller with programming comprised of the steps:

a) determining for an incoming document the number of document pages within said document;

b) initiating operation of said inserter based on said page number determination; and

c) adjusting the operational speed of said inserter based on said page number determination.

24. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes with each mailing envelope containing enclosures constituting a combination of inserts and a billing document, wherein the billing document has at least a summary billing page and, if selected, one or more detailed billing pages, comprising:

a) a programmable computer controller;

b) a first printer for printing summary billing information on the summary billing page;

c) a second printer for printing detailed billing information on selected detail billing pages;

d) a collator for merging into the billing document the summary billing page with any selected detailed billing pages, wherein said collator is interfaced with said controller;

e) a folder after said collator for folding said billing document;

f) an inserter after said folder for filling each of the mailing envelopes with the selected combination of the inserts and the billing document, wherein said inserter is in communication with said controller;

g) means associated with said inserter and communicating with said controller for wetting and sealing flaps of selected mailing envelopes wherein said wetting and sealing means comprises for said sealing means a reciprocating pressure foot that presses a wetted envelope flap against a body of each of the mailing envelopes and raises to release a sealed mailing envelope; and

h) means associated with said inserter and communicating with said controller for marking edges of the mailing envelopes with desired information indicia.

25. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 24, further comprising means for verifying that correct document forms, inserts, and mailing envelopes are inserted into the mailing envelopes.

26. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 24, further comprising means for selecting the combination of enclosures in the mailing envelopes.

27. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 24, further comprising controller interfaced means for coordinating an operational speed of said inserter with an interval of time required to receive each document.

28. A bulk mailing system for controlling and processing mailing envelopes according to claim 27, wherein said coordinating means is a controller with programming comprised of the steps:

a) determining for an incoming document the number of document pages within said document;

b) initiating operation of said inserter based on said page number determination; and

c) adjusting the operational speed of said inserter based on said page number determination.