Patent ID: 6036185
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: B43M,Y10S

Abstract:
A device for unstacking and opening envelopes from a pile of envelopes with the flap down, comprising:a frame (1, 1', 2),means (3, 4) for stacking a pile of envelopes (5) with folded-down flaps;means (6, 6') for extracting an envelope from the bottom of said pile;first drive means (17, 19) for moving said extracted envelope downstream from said first drive means;characterized in that said system further includes:a fixed wedge-shaped deflector (31) arranged at an angle to the feed direction downstream from said first drive means (17, 19);second drive means (17, 19) for moving the extracted envelope downstream, located upstream from said fixed wedge-shaped deflector (31);detection means (39, 40) for detecting the position of the extracted envelope (5) with respect to said deflector;control means for controlling the extraction means (6, 6') and the first and second drive means (17, 19) responsive to a signal from said detection means in order to control:firstly, the extraction of said envelope and its forward feeding, flap folded and oriented upwardly and forwardly, at the front and on the side of said deflector relative to the path until said flap has been deflected and travelled beyond said deflector;secondly, the feeding of said envelope backwards so that said flap and said envelope position themselves over said deflector as they move backwards, whereby the flap is folded out during backward movement until it is coplanar with the body of the envelope; andthirdly, the final feeding of the envelope forwardly in the downstream direction of the device.