Multi-mailer combining pre-personalized items with items not pre-personalized to produce zip code bundles

• US 6,167,326 A
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quad Graphics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quad Graphics, Inc.
• Inventors: Graushar, William T., Quadracci, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/178,132
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 700/219, 700/220, 700/221, 700/223, 700/224, 700/226, 700/227, 270/1.02, 270/1.03, 270/52.03, 270/52.16, 270/58.29
• US Class Current: 700/223
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2301/4311 Making personalised books or mail packets according to personal, geographic or demographic data
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/415 of job
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 39/02 Associating,collating or gathering articles from several sources
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00483 Batch processing of mailpieces

Abstract

A method for combining in zip code order pre-personalized printed items with items that are not pre-personalized. The method includes the step of producing a grouping of the pre-personalized items in zip code order according to a first mailing list. The first mailing list is merged with a second mailing list associated with the items that are not pre-personalized to produce a master mailing list of a desired zip code order. The pre-personalized items and the items that are not pre-personalized are selectively fed to a conveyor in the desired zip code order. The items that are not pre-addressed are addressed and the zip code bundles are prepared according to the master mailing list.

Claims

1. A method for combining, in zip code order, pre-personalized printed items with printed items that are not pre-personalized, the method comprising the steps of:

producing a grouping of pre-personalized printed items in a first prearranged order according to a first mailing list;

combining the first mailing list with a second mailing list associated with the printed items that are not pre-personalized to produce a master mailing list of a desired zip code order;

selectively feeding the pre-personalized printed items from the grouping of pre-personalized printed items and the printed items that are not pre-personalized in the desired zip code order;

addressing the printed items that are not pre-personalized; and

,

preparing zip code bundles according to the master mailing list.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pre-personalized printed items include third class publications.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pre-personalized printed items are pre-addressed.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the printed items that are not pre-personalized include second class publications.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pre-personalized items include a plurality of pages and include personalization on an outside page.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the personalized items include a plurality of pages and include personalization on an inside page.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of verifying the first prearranged order of the grouping.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, further including the step of verifying the desired zip code order of the combined printed items.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the pre-personalized printed items include third class publications and the printed items that are not pre-personalized include second class publications.

10. A method for combining, in zip code order, pre-addressed printed items with printed items that are not pre-addressed, the method comprising the steps of:

producing a grouping of pre-addressed printed items in a first prearranged order according to a first mailing list;

combining the first mailing list with a second mailing list associated with the printed items that are not pre-addressed to produce a master mailing list of a desired zip code order;

selectively feeding the pre-addressed printed items from the grouping of pre-addressed printed items and the printed items that are not pre-addressed in the desired zip code order;

addressing the printed items that are not pre-addressed; and

,

preparing zip code bundles according to the master mailing list.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the pre-addressed printed items include personalization on an inside page.

12. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the pre-addressed printed items include personalization on an outside page.

13. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the pre-addressed printed items are demographically produced.

14. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the pre-addressed printed items include third class publications.

15. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the printed items that are not pre-addressed include second class publications.

16. A method as set forth in claim 10, further including the step of verifying the first zip code order of the grouping.

17. A method as set forth in claim 10, further including the step of verifying the desired zip code order of the combined printed items.

18. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the pre-addressed printed items include third class publications and the printed items that are not pre-addressed include second class publications.