Chemical/biological hazard trigger with automatic mail piece tagging system and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting and identifying hazardous particulates in a mail stream, comprising:
- A. means for detecting hazardous particulates in or on mail pieces in a mail stream and for identifying the mail piece or pieces bearing the hazardous particulates;
B. a bar code applicator for applying a unique bar code to the wrapper of each mail piece identified as containing hazardous particulates;
C. said unique bar code being encoded with specific information about the detection data collected at the time of the detection event, includes a parameter which is indicative of the amount of particles detected over a predetermined time period exceeding a pre-defined hazard based threshold parameter, and provides at least one type of specific information about the date, time of day, machine identification, temperature and humidity conditions.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for detecting and identifying hazardous material in a mail stream in which hazardous particulates or material in or on mail pieces in a mail stream are detected and the mail piece bearing the hazardous material is identified. A bar code applicator applies a unique bar code to the wrapper of each mail piece identified as potentially containing hazardous material. The bar code applicator is an ink jet which applies the bar code on-the-fly. The bar code applied is encoded with specific information about the detection parameters at the time of the event in addition to specific information about the date, time of day, machine identification, temperature and humidity conditions, etc. present at the time of the event.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting and identifying hazardous particulates in a mail stream, comprising:
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A. means for detecting hazardous particulates in or on mail pieces in a mail stream and for identifying the mail piece or pieces bearing the hazardous particulates; B. a bar code applicator for applying a unique bar code to the wrapper of each mail piece identified as containing hazardous particulates; C. said unique bar code being encoded with specific information about the detection data collected at the time of the detection event, includes a parameter which is indicative of the amount of particles detected over a predetermined time period exceeding a pre-defined hazard based threshold parameter, and provides at least one type of specific information about the date, time of day, machine identification, temperature and humidity conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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- 9. A mail article containing a unique code indicating that the article bears hazardous particulates, and encoding in the unique code specific information about the detection data collected at the time of the detection event, the unique code further containing information about the detection data at the time of the detection including specific information about the date, time of day, machine identification, temperature and humidity conditions.
Specification