Inserting systems and methods
First Claim
1. An inserting system comprising:
- (a) a sheet processor having at least a first location and a second location along a conveying path for respectively advancing at least a first document set and a second document set separately along the conveying path toward an insertion station;
(b) at least one first input for advancing sheet articles to the first location, and at least one second input for advancing sheet articles to the second location;
(c) a plurality of pusher members for advancing sheet articles along the conveying path, the pusher members including at least one pusher member configured to be extended and maintained in a fixed position during movement along the conveying path which the plurality of pusher members travel and at least one pusher member being movable from the conveying path at one or more areas along the conveying path; and
(d) a collating area for combining the separately advanced first and second document sets into a stack of insert material;
(e) the stack of insert material being insertable into an envelope at the inserting station.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Inserting systems and methods are provided for use in sheet processing. The inserting systems and methods provide improved handling of sheet articles during processing. Sheet articles can be advantageously and efficiently advanced in separate stacks and later combined for insertion into an envelope. For insertion into an envelope, the mouth of the envelope can be selectively variably opened depending upon the amount of insertion material to go into the envelope where the amount an envelope is to be opened can be based upon processing or job information. Sheet articles can be registered and aligned to facilitate processing efficiencies. Sheet articles with creases, such as envelopes with mouth flaps, can be processed through a roller system to bend the crease so that the flap of the envelope assumes a desired position for subsequent processing. Additionally, sheet articles can be processed through a staging station with increased capacity for sheet processing.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An inserting system comprising:
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(a) a sheet processor having at least a first location and a second location along a conveying path for respectively advancing at least a first document set and a second document set separately along the conveying path toward an insertion station; (b) at least one first input for advancing sheet articles to the first location, and at least one second input for advancing sheet articles to the second location; (c) a plurality of pusher members for advancing sheet articles along the conveying path, the pusher members including at least one pusher member configured to be extended and maintained in a fixed position during movement along the conveying path which the plurality of pusher members travel and at least one pusher member being movable from the conveying path at one or more areas along the conveying path; and (d) a collating area for combining the separately advanced first and second document sets into a stack of insert material; (e) the stack of insert material being insertable into an envelope at the inserting station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An inserting method comprising:
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(a) advancing a first document set having one or more sheet articles from a first input to a first location along a conveying path; (b) advancing a second document set having one or more sheet articles from a second input to a second location along the conveying path; (c) separately advancing along the conveying path the first document set with a fixed position pusher member and the second document set with a pivotable pusher member toward a collating area of an inserting station wherein the fixed position pusher member is configured to be extended and maintained in a fixed position through the first location, the second location and the collating area along the conveying path, and the pivotable pusher member is movable from the conveying path at the first location and the collating area along the conveying path; and (d) combining the separately advanced first document set and second document set into a stack of insert material at the collating area for insertion into an envelope at the inserting station. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification