Systems and methods for residue collection with improved letter handling capability
First Claim
1. A method for collecting residues from the mail, the method comprising:
- providing a residue collection system including;
an aerosol chamber having an internal area maintained at a negative pressure; and
at least two arrays of pinch rollers located in said internal area, each of said arrays comprising two sets of pinch rollers, each array of pinch rollers being capable of compressing a mail piece located within said internal area;
compressing said mail piece in a first array of pinch rollers a sufficient amount to expel a first volume of air from within said mail piece into said internal area and an insufficient amount to fracture an outer surface of said mail piece;
compressing said mail piece in a second array of pinch rollers a sufficient amount to expel a second volume of air from within said mail piece into said internal area and an insufficient amount to fracture said outer surface of said mail piece;
collecting a sample of air from within said internal area; and
providing said sample of air to a detection system capable of detecting if a residue is present in said sample.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for the detection of substances (particularly particulate substances) within mail pieces, specifically letters and other “flats” of mail. In particular, the systems and methods are for the detection of residues of Chemical or Biological Warfare Agents (CBWAs) which may be present within the mail pieces. The system is principally designed to be included as part of Dual Pass Rough Cull System (DPRCS) for the collection and detection of the residue when the contaminated mail piece first enters a mail facility and before it is intermingled with other mail pieces. The system also utilizes aerosol chambers using at least two arrays of pinch rollers to provide for decreased incremental changes on mail pieces and decrease the likelihood of mail piece damage.
36 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method for collecting residues from the mail, the method comprising:
-
providing a residue collection system including; an aerosol chamber having an internal area maintained at a negative pressure; and at least two arrays of pinch rollers located in said internal area, each of said arrays comprising two sets of pinch rollers, each array of pinch rollers being capable of compressing a mail piece located within said internal area; compressing said mail piece in a first array of pinch rollers a sufficient amount to expel a first volume of air from within said mail piece into said internal area and an insufficient amount to fracture an outer surface of said mail piece; compressing said mail piece in a second array of pinch rollers a sufficient amount to expel a second volume of air from within said mail piece into said internal area and an insufficient amount to fracture said outer surface of said mail piece; collecting a sample of air from within said internal area; and providing said sample of air to a detection system capable of detecting if a residue is present in said sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for collecting residues from the mail, the method comprising:
-
sorting mail so as to separate out mail pieces which are under a predetermined thickness; arranging said mail pieces which are under said predetermined thickness into a stream of generally single item thickness; providing said stream to an aerosol chamber, said aerosol chamber being maintained at a negative pressure and including at least two arrays of pinch rollers inside said chamber, each of said arrays comprising two sets of pinch rollers, each array of pinch rollers being capable of compressing a mail piece located within said aerosol chamber; compressing the mail pieces forming said stream in a first array of pinch rollers a sufficient amount to expel a first volume of air from within said mail pieces into said aerosol chamber and an insufficient amount to fracture an outer surface of said mail piece; compressing the mail pieces forming said stream in a second array of pinch rollers a sufficient amount to expel a second volume of air from within said mail pieces into said aerosol chamber and an insufficient amount to fracture an outer surface of said mail piece; collecting a sample of air from within said aerosol chamber; providing said sample of air to a detection system capable of detecting if a residue is present in said sample; and interpreting the presence of said residue in said sample to indicate that a Chemical or Biological Warfare Agent (CBWA) is present in at least one mail piece in said stream. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for monitoring mail, the method comprising:
-
providing a collection system including at least two pinching means enclosed in an internal area maintained at a negative pressure; a first of said pinching means compressing a piece of mail in said internal area a sufficient amount to expel a first volume of air from within said piece of mail into said internal area and an insufficient amount to fracture an outer surface of said mail piece; a second of said pinching means compressing said piece of mail a sufficient amount to expel a second volume of air from within said piece of mail into said internal area and an insufficient amount to fracture an outer surface of said mail piece; and collecting a sample of air from within said internal area. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
Specification