Patent ID: 6230076
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: B43M

Abstract:
In an envelope opening station for opening an envelope, wherein the envelope has a width, a throat section with a throat profile, and the opening station has a plurality of suction cups to be placed over the throat section of the envelope in order to lift the throat section, an apparatus for automatic adjustment of the location of the suction cups comprising:1) an electronic imaging device that acquires an image of the envelope;2) an electronic processor for receiving and processing the image acquired by the imaging device in order to determine the width and the throat profile of the envelope, wherein the electronic processor computes preferred locations for placing each of the plurality of suction cups on the envelope in accordance with the width and the throat profile of the envelope; and3) a positioning device for moving the plurality of suction cups to the preferred locations on the envelope based upon data indicative of the preferred locations received from the electronic processor.