System and methods for detecting harmful agents within contents of mail
First Claim
1. A system for detecting harmful agents within the contents of mail, the system comprising:
- a plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment each adapted to be positioned within a mail processing facility to individually separate and contact a plurality of different sized pieces of mail at a relatively high speed, the plurality of different sized pieces of mail including a plurality of letters, at least one of the plurality of pieces of processing equipment being positioned to individually separate and contactingly capture each of the plurality of letters between a plurality of belts as the plurality of pieces of mail pass through the at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment;
a plurality of harmful agent sensors each positioned adjacent one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment to sense the presence of a harmful agent in each individual piece of mail as the mail is processed by each of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment;
at least one system processor in communication with each of the plurality of harmful agent sensors to process data received from the plurality of harmful agent sensors; and
at least one alarm indicator responsive to the at least one system processor to indicate that at least one of the plurality of harmful agent sensors has sensed the presence of a harmful agent.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and methods of the present invention advantageously provide efficient mail processing and handling that, as compared to existing procedures, enhances detection within the mail being processed or handled of biological, germ, chemical, or other harmful agents. A system and methods provide additionally a higher level of quality and consistency for processing and handling mail so that concerns over contamination of postal workers and potential mail recipients are reduced. A system and methods further provide enhanced disabling of contaminated mail contents, mail, mail equipment, mail containers, and mail personnel due to exposure or contact with harmful agents associated with mail.
-
Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A system for detecting harmful agents within the contents of mail, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment each adapted to be positioned within a mail processing facility to individually separate and contact a plurality of different sized pieces of mail at a relatively high speed, the plurality of different sized pieces of mail including a plurality of letters, at least one of the plurality of pieces of processing equipment being positioned to individually separate and contactingly capture each of the plurality of letters between a plurality of belts as the plurality of pieces of mail pass through the at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment;
a plurality of harmful agent sensors each positioned adjacent one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment to sense the presence of a harmful agent in each individual piece of mail as the mail is processed by each of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment;
at least one system processor in communication with each of the plurality of harmful agent sensors to process data received from the plurality of harmful agent sensors; and
at least one alarm indicator responsive to the at least one system processor to indicate that at least one of the plurality of harmful agent sensors has sensed the presence of a harmful agent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A system for detecting harmful agents within the contents of mail, the system comprising:
-
at least one piece of mail processing equipment adapted to be positioned within a mail processing facility to individually separate and contactingly capture each of a plurality of pieces of mail between a plurality of belts as the plurality of pieces of mail pass through the at least one piece of mail processing equipment at a relatively high rate of speed;
at least one olfactory device adapted to be positioned adjacent the at least one piece of mail processing equipment to sense the presence of a harmful agent in each individual piece of mail as the mail is processed by the at least one piece of mail processing equipment;
at least one system processor in communication with the at least one olfactory device to process data received therefrom; and
at least one alarm indicator responsive to the at least one system processor to indicate that the at least one olfactory device has sensed the presence of a harmful agent. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method of detecting the presence of a harmful agent associated with mail, the method comprising:
-
contactingly capturing each of a plurality of separate pieces of mail between a plurality of belts as the plurality of separate pieces of mail travel at a relatively high rate of speed;
smell sensing the presence of one of a plurality of harmful agents possibly associated with the contents of mail by the use of an olfactory device after the mail has been contactingly captured between a plurality of belts; and
indicating an alarm condition responsive to the sensed presence of one of a plurality of harmful agents. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. A method of detecting harmful agents associated with a piece of mail, the method comprising:
-
positioning at least one harmful agent sensor to be associated with at least one niece of mail processing equipment positioned to process a plurality of separate pieces of mail;
contactingly capturing each of the plurality of separate nieces of mail between a plurality of belts as the plurality of separate nieces of mail travel at a relatively high rate of speed;
sensing the presence of a harmful agent associated with at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail; and
indicating an alarm condition responsive to the sensed presence of a harmful agent in at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
-
21. A system for detecting harmful agents within the cements of mail, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment positioned within a mail processing facility;
a plurality of harmful agent sensors each positioned adjacent one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment to sense the presence of a harmful agent in each individual piece of mail as the mail is processed by each of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment;
at least one system processor in communication with each of the plurality of harmful agent sensors to process data received from the plurality of harmful agent sensors;
at least one alarm indicator responsive to the at least one system processor to indicate that at least one of the plurality of harmful agent sensors has sensed the presence of a harmful agent; and
a harmful agent disabling fluid applicator positioned to apply a harmful agent disabling fluid to a plurality of pieces of mail being processed to thereby disable harmful agents within the plurality of pieces of mail during one of the following conditions;
when all of the plurality of mail pieces pass through at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment, when the presence of a harmful agent is detected in a mail piece being processed, or when the absence of a harmful agent is detected in a mail piece being processed.- View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A system for detecting harmful agents within the contents of mail, the system comprising:
-
at least one piece of mail processing equipment positioned within a mail processing facility;
at least one harmful agent sensor positioned adjacent the at least one piece of mail processing equipment to sense the presence of a harmful agent in each individual piece of mail as the mail is processed by the at least one piece of mail processing equipment;
at least one system processor in communication with the at least one harmful agent sensor to process data received therefrom;
at least one alarm indicator responsive to the at least one system processor to indicate that the at least one harmful agent sensor has sensed the presence of a harmful agent; and
a harmful agent disabling fluid applicator positioned to apply a harmful agent disabling fluid to a plurality of pieces of mail being processed to thereby disable harmful agents within the plurality of pieces of mail during one of the following conditions;
when all of the plurality of mail pieces pass trough at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment, when the presence of a harmful agent is detected in a mail piece being processed, or when the absence of a harmful agent is detected in a mail piece being processed.- View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A system for detecting harmful agents within the contents of mail, the system comprising:
-
at least one piece of mail processing equipment positioned within a mail processing facility to individually separate and contact a plurality of pieces of mail as the plurality of pieces of mail pass through the at least one piece of mail processing equipment at a relatively high rate of speed;
at least one olfactory device positioned adjacent the at least one piece of mail processing equipment to sense the presence of a harmful agent in each individual piece of mail as the mail is processed by the at least one piece of mail processing equipment;
at least one system processor in communication with the at least one olfactory device to process data received therefrom; and
at least one alarm indicator responsive to the at least one system processor to indicate that the at least one harmful agent sensor has sensed the presence of a harmful agent. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
-
Specification