Adapter for mailpiece preparation assembly

• US 6,709,178 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neopost Industrie (Quadient SA)
• Original Assignee: Neopost Industrie (Quadient SA)
• Inventors: Trescazes, Frédéric
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anthony H.
• Application Number:
  US09/842,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20020159814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 400/691, 400/693, 312/208.1, 312/334.31, 312/334.4, 312/349, 312/350, 248/917, 248/916, 248/346.01, 101/228, 101/226, 101/219
• US Class Current: 400/691
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/04 Means for attaching machines to baseboards

Abstract

This invention relates to an adapter device comprising a platform intended to receive a digital printer and capable of receiving a folder/inserter, and an adapter assembly cooperating with the platform to support the digital printer and to position it in space (in height, length and width) with respect to the folder/inserter, by causing the inlet of the folder/inserter to correspond to the or each outlet of the digital printer.

Claims

1. Adapter device comprising:

a platform intended to receive a digital printer and capable of receiving a folder/inserter, and

an adapter assembly cooperating with the platform to support the digital printer, said adapter assembly being moveable in at least a vertical direction to position the digital printer with respect to the folder/inserter such that the inlet of the folder/inserter is aligned with the outlet of the digital printer.

2. The adapter device of claim 1, wherein said adapter assembly comprises:

a chassis slidable along said platform in a longitudinal direction,

a deck intended to receive the digital printer, said deck being vertically moveable with respect to the platform between a plurality of predetermined levels of adjustment within the chassis, and

a plurality of fastening devices serving to position and immobilize the digital printer on the deck both in a transverse direction and the longitudinal direction.

3. The adapter device of claim 2, wherein said chassis includes opposing vertical rules and support tabs disposed regularly along the vertical rules for supporting said deck, and wherein said chassis further includes fixing means, traversing both the deck and the uprights, for immobilizing the deck.

4. The adapter device of claim 2, wherein said fastening means include brackets fixed in orifices at pre-established positions of the deck.

5. The adapter device of claim 1, wherein said adapter assembly slides over slideways in the longitudinal direction of the platform and is adapted to be immobilized in a plurality of positions of blockage predetermined by locking means.

6. The adapter device of claim 5, wherein said slideways are telescopic with a first rail fast with the chassis which slides in a second rail fast with the platform via a third mobile intermediate rail.

7. The adapter device of claim 1, wherein said platform comprises recesses in which are received feet of the folder/inserter.

8. An adapter assembly, comprising the adapter device of claim 1, and

a unit disposed between the folder/inserter and the digital printer to facilitate transfer of the documents and/or empty envelopes from the printer to the folder/inserter irrespective of orientation.

9. The adapter assembly of claim 8, wherein said unit comprises a base removably mounted on the platform and including a housing for receiving a bin of documents of recto-verso type from the printer and, a transfer unit disposed above the base for transporting the documents and/or empty envelopes from the printer to the folder/inserter.

10. The adapter assembly of claim 9, wherein said transfer unit comprises at least one horizontal type inlet in the form of a funnel, a vertical type inlet in the form of a funnel, and a common outlet.