Systems and methods for maintaining the density of grouped sheet articles

• US 7,607,653 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bell & Howell LLC (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Bowe Bell & Howell Company
• Inventors: Shinn, Frank, Conard, Walter S., Kapturowski, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey; Patrick H
• Assistant Examiner(s): GONZALEZ, LUIS A
• Application Number:
  US11/546,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 271/97, 271/98, 271/260, 271/90, 271/309, 271/105, 271/150, 271/153, 414/795.5, 73/377, 73/15.7
• US Class Current: 271/97
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 1/02 adapted to support articles on edge
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 1/24 with means for relieving or controlling pressure of the pile
• 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 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/11 indicating that the input or output entities exclusively relate to machine elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/22 Distance
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2515/12 Density
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2515/34 Pressure, e.g. fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2553/10 using fluids, e.g. pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1916 Envelopes and articles of mail
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 31/06 the articles being piled on edge

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for maintaining density and positioning of a grouped sheet articles, such as for feeding of sheet articles from or into the group. One or more pneumatic sensing systems can be used to monitor and control pressure of sheet articles within the group. Dynamic adjustment can be made to the density and position of the sheet articles in the group such as by controlling a motorized belt to move at least a portion of the group of sheet articles in response to an indication to do so from a controller in communication with the pneumatic sensor.

Claims

1. A density control system for sheet articles in a group, the density control system comprising:

(a) a support for supporting a plurality of sheet articles in a group;

(b) a pneumatic sensor for monitoring density of the group of sheet articles, the pneumatic sensor being configured to detect a pressure of air reflected back from a portion of a group of sheet articles; and

(c) a control system for changing density of sheet articles in the group in response to measurements from the sensor.

2. The pressure control system according to claim 1 wherein the pneumatic sensor comprises an air nozzle positioned proximate the support for blowing air toward at least a portion of a group of sheet articles on the support.

3. The pressure control system according to claim 1 wherein the control system comprises a belt configured to contact and move the sheet articles in the group along the support and a motor for moving the belt.

4. A density control system for maintaining desired density of sheet articles in a group, the density control system comprising:

(a) a support for supporting a plurality of sheet articles in a group;

(b) an air nozzle positioned proximate the support for blowing air toward the group of sheet articles on the support;

(c) a pneumatic sensor for monitoring density of the group of sheet articles, the pneumatic sensor configured for measuring pressure of the air blown by the air nozzle and reflected back from the group of sheet articles

(d) a movement and control system for moving sheet articles in the group in response to measurements from the pneumatic sensor, the movement and control system comprising a belt for contacting and moving the group of sheet articles along the support and a motor for moving the belt.

5. A method for controlling density of sheet articles in a group, the method comprising:

(a) maintaining a plurality of sheet articles in a group;

(b) monitoring density of the sheet articles in the group with a pneumatic sensor, the monitoring of the density including blowing air against at least a portion of the sheet articles in the group and measuring the blown air that is reflected back by the sheet articles; and

(c) controlling the density of the sheet articles in the group in response to the density monitored by the pneumatic sensor.

6. The method according to claim 5 comprising maintaining the sheet articles in an upright position against one another.

7. The method according to claim 5 wherein monitoring the density of the sheet articles in the group comprises using a pneumatic proximity sensor.

8. The method according to claim 5 wherein controlling the density of the sheet articles in the group in response to the density monitored by the sensor comprises moving the group of sheet article in a forward direction for increasing the density of the sheet articles in the group or moving the group of sheet articles in a reverse direction for decreasing the density of the sheet articles in the group.

9. A method for maintaining density of sheet articles in a group, the method comprising:

(a) maintaining a plurality of sheet articles in an upright position in a group;

(b) monitoring density of the sheet articles in the group using a pneumatic sensor to blow air against a portion of the sheet articles in the group wherein the blown air is reflected back by the sheet articles and measured by the pneumatic sensor; and

(c) controlling the density of the sheet articles in the group in response to the density monitored by the pneumatic sensor by moving at least a portion of the group of sheet articles in a forward direction for increasing the density of the sheet articles in the group or moving the group of sheet articles in a reverse direction for decreasing the density of the sheet articles in the group.

10. An envelope system for feeding envelopes from or to a group of envelopes, the envelope feeding system comprising:

(a) a support for supporting a plurality of envelopes in a group;

(b) an envelope feeder for removing envelopes from the group or adding envelopes to the group;

(c) an envelope density mechanism for maintaining density of envelopes in the group against each other; and

(d) a pneumatic monitor and control system for monitoring density of envelopes against each other in the group and for causing the envelope density mechanism to maintain density of envelopes in the group against each other in response to the monitored density, the monitor and control system comprising;

(i) an air source for blowing air against a portion of the group of envelopes; and

(ii) a sensor for sensing air blown against and reflected back towards the air source by the group of envelopes.

11. An envelope feeding system for feeding envelopes from or to a group of envelopes, the envelope feeding system comprising:

(a) a support for supporting a plurality of envelopes in a group where the envelopes are in a vertical orientation;

(b) an envelope feeder for removing envelopes from or adding envelopes to the group;

(c) an envelope density mechanism for maintaining density of envelopes in the group against each other; and

(d) a pneumatic monitor and control system for monitoring density of envelopes against each other in the group and for causing the envelope density mechanism to maintain density of envelopes in the group against each other in response to the monitored density, the monitor and control system comprising;

(i) an air source for blowing air against a portion of the group of envelopes; and

(ii) a sensor for sensing air blown against and reflected back by the group of envelopes.

12. A method for maintaining pressure of envelopes against each other in a group for feeding of the envelopes from or to the group, the method comprising:

(a) providing an envelope feeding system comprising;

(i) a support for supporting a plurality of envelopes in a group;

(ii) an envelope feeder for removing envelopes from the group or adding envelopes to the group;

(iii) an envelope pressure mechanism for maintaining pressure of envelopes in the group against each other; and

(iv) a pneumatic monitor and control system for monitoring pressure of envelopes against each other in the group and for causing the envelope pressure mechanism to maintain pressure of envelopes in the group against each other in response to the monitored density;

(b) monitoring pressure of envelopes against each other in the group by blowing air against a portion of the group of envelopes and sensing air reflected back by the group of envelopes; and

(c) controlling the pressure of the envelopes against each other in the group in response to the monitored density of the envelopes in the group.

13. A method for maintaining pressure of envelopes against each other in a group for feeding of the envelopes from or to the group, the method comprising:

(a) providing an envelope feeding system comprising;

(i) a support supporting a plurality of envelopes in a group in a vertical orientation;

(ii) an envelope feeder for removing envelopes from the group or adding envelopes to the group;

(iii) a pressure mechanism for maintaining density of envelopes in the group against each other; and

(iv) a pneumatic monitor and control system for monitoring density of envelopes against each another in the group and for causing the envelope pressure mechanism to maintain density of envelopes in the group against each other in response to the monitored density;

(b) feeding envelopes from or to the group of envelopes;

(c) monitoring pressure of envelopes against each other in the group by blowing air against a portion of the group of envelopes and sensing air reflected back by the group of envelopes; and

(d) controlling the density of the envelopes against each other in the group in response to monitoring the density of the envelopes in the group by controlling the envelope pressure mechanism to increase or decrease density of the envelopes against each other in the group.

14. A method for maintaining density of envelopes against each other in a group of envelopes, the method comprising:

(a) pneumatically monitoring density of envelopes against each other in a group of envelopes, the density being monitored by blowing air against at least a portion of the group of envelopes and sensing air reflected back by the group of envelopes;

(b) feeding envelopes from or to the group of envelopes; and

(c) controlling the density of the envelopes against each other in the group of envelopes in response to pneumatically monitoring the density of the envelopes in the group.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the envelopes are maintained in the group in a vertical orientation, the density of the envelopes is controlled by moving at least a portion of the group of envelopes to increase or decrease density of the envelopes against each other in the group.

16. A density control system for sheet articles in a group, the density control system comprising:

(a) a support for supporting a plurality of sheet articles in a group;

(b) a pneumatic sensor for monitoring density of the group of sheet articles, the pneumatic sensor configured to detect a pressure of air reflected back from a portion of the group of sheet articles; and

(c) a control system for changing density of sheet articles in the group in response to measurements from the sensor, the control system including a belt and a motor for moving the belt, the belt configured to contact and move the sheet articles in the group along the support.

17. The density control system according to claim 16 wherein the pneumatic sensor comprises an air nozzle positioned proximate the support for blowing air toward at least a portion of a group of sheet articles on the support.

18. The density control system according to claim 16 wherein the belt is configured to move the sheet articles along the support in at least one of a first direction or a second direction.

19. A method for controlling density of sheet articles in a group, the method comprising:

(a) maintaining a plurality of sheet articles in a group;

(b) monitoring density of the sheet articles in the group with a pneumatic sensor by blowing air against at least a portion of the sheet articles in the group wherein the blown air is reflected back by the sheet articles and the pressure of the reflected air is measured; and

(c) controlling the density of the sheet articles in the group in response to the density monitored by the pneumatic sensor by rotating a belt in contact with sheet articles in at least one of a first direction or a second direction to move the sheet articles along a support in the direction of rotation of the belt.

20. The method according to claim 19 comprising maintaining the sheet articles in an upright position against one another.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein monitoring the density of the sheet articles in the group comprises using a pneumatic proximity sensor.

22. The method according to claim 19 wherein controlling the density of the sheet articles in the group in response to the density monitored by the sensor comprises moving the group of sheet article in a forward direction for increasing the density of the sheet articles in the group or moving the group of sheet articles in a reverse direction for decreasing the density of the sheet articles in the group.