Mailing system controlled by the computer software

• US 5,819,666 A
• Filed: 09/15/1997
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prinserter Corporation
• Original Assignee: Prinserter Corporation
• Inventors: Schmitz, Heinz, Ishikawa, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Eickholt, Eugene H.
• Application Number:
  US08/913,419
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 101/483, 101/267, 270/1.03, 270/39.01, 270/39.07, 270/58.06, 53/411, 53/416, 53/55, 53/440, 53/460, 53/117, 364/478.08, 364/478.09, 364/478.1, 364/478.16
• US Class Current: 101/483
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 5/042 for envelopes with only one flap
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/06 Office-type machines, e.g. photocopiers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/27 Devices located downstream of office-type machines
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/66 Envelope filling machines

Abstract

The printing and post-processing system according to the invention provides as a compact integration unit a computer unit (10) for commanding with programs each component of the system for selective and controllable operation, a printer unit (12) selectively operable with program to print the sheet to be mailed, a folding unit (16) for folding the sheet with different folding modes including wrap and Z form foldings, a conveyor unit (18) for conveying the folded sheet with a selectively added enclosure to the enveloping or storing position, an envelope tray unit (20) for stacking a plurality of envelopes and discharging the same by piece, an insertion unit (22) for meeting the envelope with the folded sheet for subsequent insertion thereinto, a sealing unit (24) for sealing a flap of the envelope, a receiver unit (26) for receiving and storing the sealed envelopes therein, an enclosure supplying unit (28) for selectively supplying an enclosure to the conveyor unit.

Claims

1. A mailing system which performs selectively several operations under the control of a computer with software programs by previously inputting commands and parameters to the system, which comprises:

a computer unit for instructing and controlling the system as a whole;

a printer associated through a controller unit with the computer unit for selectively printing a sheet to be mailed;

a transfer unit connected to the printer and a manual tray for transferring the sheet to a folding station by the software instructions and under actuation with a first sensing means;

a folding unit connected in series to the transfer unit for accumulating, folding and feeding the sheet by the programmed instructions and under actuation with a second sensing means;

a conveyor unit arranged in association with the folding unit for conveying the folded sheet with a selectively added enclosure to an insertion station;

an enclosure supplying unit associated with the conveyor unit for selectively supplying an enclosure to the conveyor unit for addition to the sheet by the programmed instructions and under actuation with a third sensing means;

an envelope tray means associated with the conveyor unit for stacking a plurality of empty envelopes and feeding the same by piece with means for engaging with and turning over a flap of the envelope while leaving the tray;

an insertion unit arranged between the conveyer unit and the envelope tray means for inserting the sheet into the envelope and subsequently transferring the enclosed envelope to a sealing station;

a sealing unit associated with the insertion unit for closing and sealing the flap; and

a receiver unit disposed in abutment with the sealing unit and in association with the enclosure feeding unit for receiving and storing the sealed envelopes.

2. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the controller unit comprises a printer controller for controlling the printing operation of the printer, an inserter controller for controlling the sheet folding, the sheet transfer, the sheet insertion into the envelope, the envelope sealing as well as the finished envelope deposit in the receiver unit and a host controller connected to the computer unit, and the printer controller and the inserter controller are interactively communicated with each other for whole control of the system.

3. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the transferring unit includes a mechanism for selectively transferring the sheet to the folding unit.

4. A mailing system according to claim 3, wherein the mechanism for selectively transferring the sheet to the folding unit comprises a manual tray for manually stacking and automatically transferring the sheet to the folding unit, a coupling means connected to an output of the printer for automatically transferring the printed sheet to the folding unit, and a path means with feed rollers for feeding the sheet to the folding unit, one terminal of which is branched into two ways with feed rollers for connecting to the manual tray and the coupling means respectively whereas the opposite terminal thereof is connected to a first stopper means of the folding unit for determining a folding position of the sheet.

5. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the folding unit includes:

an accumulating means associated with the path means of the transfer unit for accumulating one or more sheet for folding;

a first automatic and programmable adjusting means movably connected to the accumulating means; and

a guide roller means operatively associated with the accumulating means for guiding and folding the sheet in cooperation with a second automatic and programmable adjusting means movably connected to the guide means.

6. A mailing system according to claim 5, wherein the folding unit operates in selection two fold modes of a wrap fold and a Z-fold of the sheet by varying positions of the first and second adjusting means, and parameters as such the type of folding including the wrap fold and the Z-fold and a sheet size adjustment are controlled by the inserter controller with software programs.

7. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor unit provides:

a first running belt system with a main driving roller, guide rollers and a belt suspended therearound and connected to the enclosure supplying unit for conveying the enclosure; and

a second running belt system having a driving roller and driven guide rollers and a belt suspended therearound and partially made into contact with the belt of the first running belt system for passing therethrough the folded sheet and the enclosure selectively added.

8. A mailing system according to claim 7, wherein the second running belt system is provided with a hook means for temporarily catching the enclosure for synchronizing the feeding of the folded sheet and a sensor for detecting arrival of the folded sheet to activate the hook member for retraction.

9. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the envelope tray unit includes:

a tray body automatically to be elevated by an elevator means for superimposing therein a plurality of envelopes;

a nail member resiliently supported by a crank arm for engaging with and turning over the flap of the envelope; and

a set of feed rollers for feeding the envelope by piece to the insertion unit including a guide roller which is resiliently in touch with the top envelope superimposed.

10. A mailing system according to claim 9, wherein the envelop tray unit includes means for detecting the sizes of the envelope and the flap thereof superimposed on the tray body.

11. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the insertion unit includes:

two feed rollers disposed symmetrically for feeding and subsequently somewhat moving back an empty envelope to a joining position with the folded sheet to be inserted therein;

a claw means operable to be inserted into an opening of the envelope for guiding the folded sheet and the additional enclosure into the envelope; and

a positioning means for placing the folded sheet in alignment with the envelope for smooth insertion of the sheet thereinto.

12. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the insertion unit includes:

insertion rollers including a driving roller and a guide roller where the folded sheet is inserted into the envelope;

a first envelope discharge chute communicated at its one end with the envelope tray unit and having therein an inclined path with a set of feed rollers for feeding the envelope against the insertion rollers;

a guide segment disposed in abutment with an open end of the first envelope discharge chute and in confronting relation with the driving roller and having a guide surface curved along a partial circle of the driving roller with a specified clearance to provide a guide channel between the driving roller and the guide segment;

a sheet holder disposed in the conveyor unit for suspending further passing of the folded sheet and holding the same in stand by before approaching to the insertion rollers and comprised of a hook member connected at its one end to a crank arm connected in turn to a plunger driven by a solenoid by instructions from the inserter controller;

a second envelope discharge chute disposed in the down stream against the insertion rollers for once receiving the empty envelope passed through the insertion rollers, returning the same envelope against the insertion rollers for a predetermined distance to receive therein the folded sheet guided by the guide rollers and then discharging the envelope inserted with the folded sheet against the sealing unit and providing a tilted path with confronting feed rollers, a sensor for detecting arrival of the empty envelope in the second envelope discharge chute and sending a message of arrival to the inserter controller for instructing the insertion rollers to effect a short reverse rotation by which the envelope once received in the second envelope discharge chute is somewhat returned against the insertion rollers for the predetermined distance to receive therein the folded sheet and a claw arm member provided in an entrance of the second envelope discharge chute and having a tip end adapted to be inserted into an opening of the envelope just when returned for facilitating a smooth insertion of the folded sheet into the envelope; and

an aligner provided in the vicinity of the holder for pushing the folded sheet to the position just in alignment with the opening of the envelope waiting to receive the folded sheet therein.

13. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the sealing unit comprises;

a first chute connected to an outlet of the insertion unit for guiding an impregnated envelope therein and provided at its delivery a flap bending member to turn over the flap of the envelope;

a damping means provided at the entrance of the first chute for wetting the gummed portion of the envelope and including a water tank, a water impregnating segment and a water supply means disposed between the water tank and the water impregnating segment;

swingable rollers arranged in a swingable crank confronted with the flap bending member for receiving a closed end of the envelope and then moving the envelope somewhat outwardly;

sealing rollers disposed in the vicinity of the swingable rollers for pressing and sealing the bent flap of the envelope;

a turnable cam means arranged in contact with the swingable crank for swinging the swingable roller under the function of a spring means; and

a second chute to be formed with an elongated arm member of the swingable crank for feeding the sealed envelope into the receiver unit.

14. A mailing system according to claim 13, wherein the sealing unit provides a detection means for detection of arrival of the envelope, a damping means for applying a water to a gummed portion of the flap of the envelope in response to the detection of arrival of the envelope, and a water level measurement means for measuring a water level in a water tank and issuing a warning of exceed over an admissible low level.

15. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the sealing unit is composed of:

a first guide chute having therein an inclined path and provided at its inlet portion with a movable damping means including a support member for bearing a wet foam piece connected to a water supplier and its outlet portion with a sensor sensible to receipt of the envelope in the inclined path for sending a message to the inserter controller to instruct the damping means a projection of the wet foam piece against the flap of the envelope for wetting;

a set of the guide rollers swingably arranged with a swing crank member having a crank arm for once receiving in the biased position the envelope sent through the path of the first guide chute and then feeding in the vertical position the envelope against the sealing position, sealing rollers for receiving with press the envelope and sealing the wet gummed flap to the envelope body; and

a cam mechanism disposed in engagement with the swing crank member to provide a swing motion thereof and including a cam piece and a solenoid connected thereto and a second guide chute which is formed when the crank arm of the swing crank member is turned to the vertical position to provide a vertical path and provided with a sensor for detecting a passing of the sealed envelope through the vertical path to activate the receiving unit.

16. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver unit includes:

a chamber for receiving the sealed or unsealed envelope fed from the sealing unit;

an upstanding support wall movably arranged in the chamber for supporting the envelope vertically in right order; and

pushing means disposed in juxtaposition to the support wall for pressing the envelopes thereagainst.

17. A mailing system according to claim 16, wherein the rotary pushing means comprises two rotary discs arranged in the confronting relation, each disc providing with spaces four upstanding rod members for progressively pressing the envelope upon rotations of the discs.

18. A mailing system according to claim 16, wherein the receiver unit is provided with an envelope monitor means for monitoring the volume of the envelopes stored therein, and commanding to display an exceed over an admissible volume of the envelopes to be stacked in the receiving unit.

19. A mailing system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver unit and the enclosure supplying unit are slidably accommodated in a common casing for open and close to take the envelopes and/or the folded sheets out of the receiver unit and to fill the enclosure supplying unit with the enclosures to be inserted into the envelope.

20. A mailing system comprising:

a first means for inputting data and commands necessary to control and operate the system;

a second means for receiving the data from the first means for identification and sending the commands to the system for control;

a third means for receiving the data from the second means to control a printing operation of the printer and to output an information including an operation state of the printer;

a fourth means for receiving the data from the second means to control the folding, transferring and inserting operations of the sheet and also the sealing and depositing operations of the envelope and then output an information including operational states in respective steps;

a fifth means contained in the first means for receiving the data from the third and fourth means to monitor the printing operation and output an information including an operational status of the system;

a sixth means contained in the first means for receiving the data from the fifth means to display; and

a seventh means contained in the first means for receiving the data from the sixth means to select an operation mode of the system for a printing mode, an inserting mode or a printing and inserting mode and to send a selection signal to the second means.

21. A mailing system according to claim 20, further comprising means associated with the third means for switching an output of the printer from a face up output to a face down output used for only printing or diverting the sheet and vice versa.

22. A mailing system according to claim 20, further comprising means associated with the fourth means for controlling operations to print or not print the sheet, to insert or not insert the sheet into the envelope, to enclose or not enclose the enclosure and to seal and not seal the flap of the envelope.

23. A mailing system according to claim 20, further comprising means associated with the fourth means for detecting an emptiness of the envelope in the envelope tray unit.

24. A mailing system according to claim 20, further comprising:

means associated with the second means to select a manual supply of the sheet to be mailed;

means associated with the first means for commanding through the sixth means to select the folding modes for a wrap fold mode or a Z-fold mode and to send a selection signal to the second means;

means associated with the fourth means for commanding an accumulation of the sheet fed from the manual sheet supply means by counting the number of pieces accumulated therein and detecting an exceed over permissible number of accumulation for warning;

means associated with the fourth means for commanding the folding means to perform selectively the wrap fold mode or the Z-fold mode;

means associated with the fourth means for commanding feed of the sheet to the receiver unit free of enclosure when the wrap fold mode is selected;

means associated with the fourth means for detection of the presence of enclosures deposited in a box;

means associated with forth means for commanding a conveyance of the enclosure to the insertion means for introduction into the envelope together with the sheet; and

means associated with the fourth means for sealing and transferring the envelope to the receiver unit.

25. A mailing system according to claim 20, further comprising:

means associated with the third means for commanding the printer control means to input a desired number of the sheet to be printed;

means associated with the third means for commanding connection of the face up output of the printer to the folding means;

means associated with the first means for commanding through the sixth means to select the folding modes for a wrap fold mode or a Z-fold mode and to send a selection signal to the second means;

means associated with the fourth means for commanding an accumulation of the sheet fed from the printer by counting the number of pieces accumulated therein and detecting an exceed over permissible number of accumulation for warning;

means associated with the fourth means for commanding the folding means to perform selectively the wrap fold mode or the Z-fold mode;

means associated with the fourth means for commanding feed of the sheet to the receiver unit free of enclosure when the wrap fold mode is selected;

means associated with the fourth means for detection of the presence of enclosures deposited in a box;

means associated with forth means for commanding conveyance of the enclosure to the insertion means for introduction into the envelope together with the sheet; and

means associated with the fourth means for sealing and transferring the envelope to the receiver unit.

26. A mailing system according to claim 20, further comprising;

means associated with the third and forth means for commanding detection of the sheet jam and an output of the warning notice for computer display;

means associated with the third means for commanding discontinue of the printing operation and switching the operation into the face down output operation upon detection of the warning notice with subsequent of the sheet to the face down tray; and

means associated with the first means for commanding restart of the printer after removal of the sheet jam.

27. A method of controlling a mailing system comprising the steps of:

selecting one of three operation modes of printing, inserting and printing with inserting, processing in case the printing mode is selected the data in the printer for printing on the sheet with selection to continue or discontinue or divert the printing operations;

manually inserting in case the inserting mode is selected by software the sheet into a manual tray for preparation of transferring the sheet to the folding unit, predetermining a desired number of sheet to be enclosed in an envelope, displaying a warning notice when an admissible volume of the sheet to be enclosed in the envelope is exceeded;

selecting a mode of the folding into a wrap fold mode when an enclosure is desired to be enclosed with the sheet, verifying one piece of the sheet to be folded in the wrap mode, sending a warning notice when more than one piece of the sheet entails and folding the sheet and feeding the same with the enclosure into the receiver unit;

selecting a Z-fold mode by software when an insertion of the sheet into the envelope is desired, transferring the sheet to an accumulation means, taking the sheet out of the accumulation means, folding with rollers and subsequently transferring the folded sheet to the insertion means, inserting the sheet into the envelope, feeding the inserted envelope to the sealing means by wetting a gummed flap of the envelope, closing and sealing the flap of the envelope, and feeding the sealed envelope to the receiver unit;

setting in case the printing with inserting mode is selected a desired number of sheet to be printed and inserted into the envelope, setting the printer to transfer the printed sheet to the accumulator, accumulating the sheets to be folded, folding the sheet with rolls and transferring the folded sheets to the insertion means;

selecting a wrap fold mode when an enclosure is desired to be inserted, verifying presence of a piece of the sheet to be folded in the wrap mode, sending a warning notice to the computer when the sheet in the wrap mode exceeds over one limited piece and folding the sheet and feeding the same with the enclosure to the receiving unit;

selecting a Z-fold mode when an insertion into an envelope is not desired, accumulating the sheet in the accumulator, taking the sheet out of the accumulating means, folding the sheet with rolls, conveying the folded sheet to the insertion means, inserting the sheet into the envelope, feeding the enclosed envelope to the sealing means by wetting a gummed flap of the envelope, closing and sealing the flap of the envelope and feeding the sealed envelope to the receiving unit.

28. A method of controlling a mailing system according to claim 27, wherein the insertion mode further includes a step of detecting the presence of an enclosure in the box and feeding the enclosure to the folded sheet.

29. A method of controlling a mailing system according to claim 27, wherein the inserting mode further includes a step of detecting a volume of the envelopes stored in the receiving unlit to issue a warning notice by displaying on the computer monitor when the envelopes exceed an admissible volume.

30. A method of controlling a mailing system according to claim 27, wherein the printing and inserting mode includes the steps of detecting a volume of the sheet accumulated in the accumulating means, issuing a warning notice when the sheets exceed an admissible volume, instructing the printer to discontinue or divert printing of the sheet remained therein and also the transferring unit to further discontinue feed of the sheet to the accumulating unit.

31. A method of controlling a mailing system according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

checking an operational state of the printing means when the sheet jam occurs;

switching an activation of the printer to a face down output to print the remaining data in the sheet after the printing operation is discontinued and when the printing process is not completed;

holding discontinuing state of the printing operation before receiving the next data for operation when a last piece of the sheet is still remained in the printer for printing; and

instructing the printer to restart after a sheet jam is removed.