Patent ID: 6612572
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: B07C,B65H

Abstract:
A method for correcting gaps between mail items of a mail stream which is supplied to a mail processing unit, where the average actual gap b of the mail stream is smaller than the average minimum gap c which is required for processing in the mail processing unit for the selected mail stream speed, comprising the steps of:ejecting at least every xth mail item, where x=(a+b)/(câˆ’b) for an average mail item length a; diverting the mail stream by alternately supplying the mail items to two gap-correcting units and, after they have passed through the gap-correcting units, combining the separated partial mail streams into one mail stream; and shifting the mail items located before the gaps produced by the ejecting step back against the direction of transport in the gap-correcting units, beginning with the (xâˆ’1)th mail item before the ejected mail item, in such a way that between the successive mail items of the recombined mail stream the gaps are greater than or equal to the minimum gap c.