Patent ID: 6530192
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: B43M

Abstract:
An envelope stripping apparatus, comprising:an envelope transport mechanism including a support frame; a vacuum plenum having a plenum cover including a series of plenum apertures, the vacuum plenum and plenum cover being positioned and secured to the support frame so as to engage an envelope flap of an envelope moving along the transport mechanism, the series of plenum apertures including a parallel series of slotted openings laterally spaced apart so as to engage any associated envelope flap of a spectrum of varying sized envelopes, the slotted openings each being substantially parallel to a registration wall of the envelope transport mechanism, the slotted openings being elongated such that a first group of slots located adjacent to the registration wall is longer than a second group of slots located at an outboard side of the plenum cover, and; an envelope stripping blade mounted to the support frame in a downstream position relative to the parallel series of plenum apertures so that the stripping blade lies substantially parallel and spaced apart from the plenum cover in order to intercept and strip the envelope flap.