Abstract:
A postage meter is mounted to a mailing machine at a location along the feed deck of the mailing machine such that a portion of the postage meter is in spaced relation to the feed deck to define a printing station. An inserter or other type of mailpiece inserter delivers a plurality of mailpieces to the feed deck of the mailing machine in a seriatim manner for the printing of an indicia on each of the mailpieces as it traverses the print station by the postage meter. The mailing machine is provided with a transport system comprising means for capturing each of the mailpieces as it is received from the inserter and controllably transporting the mailpiece along the feed deck and maintaining control during indicia printing by the postage meter and thereafter ejecting the mailpiece from the mailing machine. Also, a control means is provided for controlling the transport speed such that the initial velocity of the transport is generally equal to or greater than the velocity of the fed mailpiece. Subsequent to establishing control of the mailpiece and prior to indicia printing, the control means adjust the speed of the transport to a predetermined velocity if the initial velocity of the mailpiece is not equal to the predetermined velocity.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to mailpiece transport means and, more particular, to mean of transporting a mailpiece along a postage meter mailing machine feed deck for the printing of a postage indicia on the mailpiece. 
     It is a known practice to associate an inserter with a postage meter mailing machine. The inserter&#39;s function is to collate and insert a set of fill materials into a respective envelope of an envelope stream and moisten the envelope for sealing. The inserter then delivers the envelopes seriately to the feed deck of a mailing machine. A postage meter is mounted to the mailing machine and operated in concert therewith for the printing of a postage indicia on each of the traversing envelopes fed to the mailing machine by the inserter. 
     The conventional postage meter includes a print drum which is intended to experience a single revolution per print cycle. The print drum is generally driven by a prime mover located within the mailing machine and mechanically coupled to the postage meter print drum. The prime mover is actuated to commence a print cycle upon the encounter of a trigger mounted to the mailing machine feed deck by a traversing envelope thereby causing a control system to actuate the prime mover. Under the influence of the control system the prime mover drives the print drum such that a given peripheral velocity for indicia printing is obtained to which the linear velocity of the traversing enevelope is matched by a transport system. It is necessary to match the linear velocity of the traversing envelope with the peripheral velocity of the print drum in order for the print drum to print a quality indicia, i.e., an indicia which is not smeared or otherwise degraded. Hence, it is the function of the transport system not only to transport an envelope to the postage meter for indicia printing but also to alter the envelope speed to be matching to the given peripheral speed of the print drum. It is noted that the conventional postage meter mailing machine requires the postage meter print drum to be operated at a given speed which represents the maximum print speed. It would therefore be beneficial from a wear and noise standpoint, under appropriate circumstances, e.g., should the inserter deliver envelopes at a slow speed, if the peripheral speed of the print drum could be reduced to be matching to the slower delivery of the inserter. In order to facilitate the operation of the postage meter at a slower speed, it would be advantageous for the transport system to be able to recognize the slower envelope speed and adjust the transport speed and cause the control system to adjust the drive characteristic of the postage meter print drum prime mover accordingly. 
     Under certain conditions, it is preferable or desirable to further establish a base or minimum operation speed at which envelopes are delivered for indicia printing. Therefore, under such conditions, it would be of further benefit that the transport system have the capability to recognize when an envelope is received from the inserter at a relative speed below the base operation speed and increase the speed of the received envelope to the base speed. It is noted that the afore considerations has been recited as relating to postage meter indicia printing by a print drum, however, the consideration is equally applicable to other forms of printing, for example, ink jet, thermal, etc. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an objective of the present invention to present a transport system particularly suited for employment in a mailing machine whereby the transport system receives a item such as a envelope at a given speed and speed adjust the item prior to delivery of the item to a workstation such as postage meter for indicia printing. 
     The mailing machine includes a feed deck which is aligned at one end to receive envelopes separately from an inserter or other envelope delivery means. A postage meter is mounted to the mailing machine feed deck at a point there-along such that a portion of the postage meter overhangs a portion of the feed deck to define a printing station. The portion of the postage meter overhanging the feed deck has supported therein a print drum or other suitable indicia printing means. 
     The mailing machine transport assembly includes a first set of lower rollers mounted ahead or upstream of the printing station on a transverse shaft within the mailing machine such that a portion of the first lower rollers extends through respectively aligned slots in the feed deck. A second set of lower rollers are, in like manner, mounted to a second shaft within the mailing machine and have a portion extending through respectively aligned slots in the deck. The first and second lower rollers are longitudinally aligned in transversely staggered orientation. Each shaft includes a sprocket at a corresponding end. A mailing machine support structure overhangs the deck for rotatably supporting a plurality of upper rollers biased into tangential peripheral contact with a respective one of the lower rollers. The upper rollers are bias mounted in such a manner that the upper rollers can be vertically displaced in response to the thickness of a traversing envelope. Ejection rollers are drivingly mounted on a shaft rearward or downstream of the print station in the mailing machine such that a portion to the rollers extend through respective aligned slots in the feed deck and are in cooperative alignment with upper ejection rollers rotatably mounted to the postage meter in a conventional manner. The ejection shaft also includes a gear mounted there-along. 
     A single stepper motor, under the control of a microcomputer, is mounted within the mailing machine. The output shaft of the stepper motor has mounted therearound a sprocket which sprocket is in driving communication with the sprockets associated with each of the aforementioned shafts. In response to the input of two sensors mounted to the feed deck in fixed longitudinal distance ahead of the transport sensing system, the sensors being sequentially actuated by the introduction of a traversing envelope, the microcomputer calculates the incoming velocity of the approaching envelope. Upon receiving the envelope between the upper and lower rollers of the transport system and actuation of a third sensor by the traversing envelope, the microcomputer decelerates the stepper motor to impart to the envelope a linear velocity matching to the print velocity specified for the postage meter. The microcomputer then accelerates the stepper motor to a angular velocity predicted upon the arrival velocity of the envelope. Optionally, should the envelope have a linear velocity less than the specified printing speed, the microcomputer can cause the transport system to assume a match velocity to the envelope&#39;s incoming velocity and incrementally decreases the print cycle speed of the postage meter. 
     Other benefits and objectives of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention&#39;s preferred embodiment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a postage meter mailing machine in cooperative operation with a inserter. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the envelope travel path through the envelope inserter and mailing machine. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the mailing machine showing in part a transport assembly in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a side sectional elevational view of a mailing machine having a transport assembly in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the transport assembly taken along line 5--5. 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the transport assembly taken alone line 6--6. 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a microcomputer for suitable controlling the transport assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a mailing machine, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, mounted atop a support table 12 by any suitable means. The mailing machine 10 is positioned at a right angle to a generally conventional inserter 14. Conventionally, a stack of envelopes 16 are deposited in the receiving trays 18 of the inserter 14. The inserter 14 performs in a conventional manner to deposit in each envelope a particular set of fill materials. The envelopes are then delivered to the mailing machine 10 in a seriatim manner from the inserter deck 20. The inserter deck 20 includes a moistening station 22 which includes a conventional envelope flap folding means (not shown) as part of a rotation plate 24. The plate 24 rotates the envelope into proper alignment to the mailing machine 10 such that the envelope can be ejected therefrom onto the mailing machine feed deck 26 by an appropriate and conventional mechanism (not shown) constituent to the inserter. The mailing machine 10 receives the envelope and transports the envelope to a postage meter 25 for the printing of an indicia thereon. 
     Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, an envelope 16 is received on the mailing machine deck 26. The deck 26 is abutting at the left-hand end (as viewed in the figures) to the ejection end of the inserter 14 for receive envelopes therefrom. The mailing machine 10 includes a transport assembly 28, more fully described subsequently, suitably accommodated by the mailing machine feed deck 26. The envelope 16 is placed under the positive control of the transport assembly 28 subsequent to its introduction to the feed deck 26 which control is maintained throughout the envelopes&#39; journey across the mailing machine 10. 
     Referring to FIG.&#39;s 3, 4 and 5, generally the transport assembly 28 includes a plurality of lower rollers 30 and 32. For drivingly supporting the lower rollers 30, a shaft 34 is rotatably mounted by any conventional means between forward support wall 36 and rear support wall 38 of the mailing machine just below the feed deck 26. The shaft 34 drivingly supports the rollers 30 in fixed axially spaced apart relationship. Drivingly mounted to the foward end of the shaft 34 by any convention mean is a sprocket gear 40. A second shaft 42 is rotatably mounted between support wall 36 and 38 and, in like manner to shaft 34, shaft 42 drivingly supports rollers 32 and has a second sprocket gear 44 fixable mounted to the forward end thereof. The rollers 30 and 32 are mounted on their respective shaft 34 and 42 in a longitudinally staggered orientation. To accommodate a portion of roller 30 and 32 above the feed deck 26 surface, a plurality of slots 46 are located in the feed deck 26 vertically aligned respectively to the placement of roller 30 and 32. 
     Referring additionally to FIG. 6, the transport assembly 28 further includes a support strut 48 fixable mounted by any conventional means to the base plate 50 of the mailing machine. The support strut 48 has a generally vertical extension and is positioned laterally relative to the feed deck 26. Fixably mounted to a vertical portion of the support strut 48 in transversing space apart relationship is a plurality of flanges 52 and 54. One end of a shaft 56 is fixable mounted mounted by any conventional means to flange 52 and extends through an aligned aperture 58 in flange 54. The shaft 56 extends forwardly of the strut 48 above the feed deck 26 and has pivotally mounted thereon by any conventional means in fixed axial location a plurality of arms 57, 60, 62 and 64. The arms 57 and 60 are pivotally mounted on the shaft 56 at one end in spaced apart relationship and extend leftwardly therefrom. The arms 62 and 64 are pivotally mounted on the shaft 56 at one end in space apart relationship and extend rightwardly therefrom. The arms 57, 60, 62 and 64 are arranged such that the shaft mounting end of arms 60 and 62 are located endwise adjacent and extend in longitudinally opposite directions. The shaft mounting end of arms 57 and 64 are place in spaced apart relationship locating arms 60 and 62 therebetween and, in like manner, extend in opposite longitudinal direction. Further, shaft mounting ends of arms 60 and 62 include respective tabs 66 and 68 which form oppositely facing pinch surfaces. The shaft mounting end of arms 57 and 64 include respective tabs 70 and 72 which, in like manner, form pinch surfaces. 
     Arms 57 includes a stub shaft 74 extending forwardly therefrom. A roller 78 is rotatably mounted to the stub shaft 74 in vertical alignment to a respective roller 30. In like manner, arm 60 has formed thereto a stub shaft 75 rotatably supporting a roller 80 in vertical alignment to a respective roller 30. In similar manner, arm 62 includes a stub shaft 77 extending rearward therefrom. A roller 82 is rotatably mounted to stub shaft 77 in vertical alignment to a respective roller 32. In like manner to roller 82, a roller 84 is rotatably supported on a stub shaft 76 forming part of arm 64 in vertical alignment to respective roller 32. 
     A torsional coil spring 85 is located around a portion of shaft 56 between arms 57 and 62. The spring 86 ends are anchored at a point along the respective arms 57 and 62 by any conventional means such that the arms 57 and 62 are biased in a downward direction bring roller 78 and 82 in forced communication with a respective rollers 30 and 32. In like manner, a torsional coil spring 88 is located around a portion of shaft 56 between and anchored at the ends to respective arms 60 and 64 to bias arms 60 and 64 downwardly bring rollers 80 and 84 into forced communication with a respective roller 30 and 32. It is here noted that the longitudinal alignment of cooperating rollers is chosen to provide additional sealing force to a traversing envelope. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a motor mounting plate 90 is fixably mounted to the base plate 50 of the mailing machine. In the preferred embodiment, a stepper motor 92 is fixably mounted by any conventional means to the motor mounting plate 90. The output shaft 94 of the stepper motor 92 has fixably mounted therearound a sprocket gear 96. An endless chain 98 provides driving communication between sprocket gear 96 and sprocket gears 36 and 44. The endless chain 98 also communicates with a tension idler sprocket gear 100, mounted to the mailing machine by any conventional means. The tension idler sprocket gear 100 is mounted in a conventional manner so as to provide constant chain tension. The chain 98 also communicates with an additional sprocket gear 102. The sprocket gear 102 is fixably mounted by any conventional means to one end of a shaft 104 which is rotatably supported by any conventional means between support wall 36 and 38. 
     The aforedescribed portion of the transport assembly 28 receives incoming envelopes seriately discharged from the inserter 14 and assumes control over the envelope 16 to preform velocity and pitch adjustment on the envelope as needed, in a manner to be described subsequently, prior to the arrival of the envelope at the print station, generally indicated as 104, of the mailing machine 10. The transport assembly 28 further include means to maintain control of the envelope during the time the envelope is traversing the print station 104 and the indicia is applied. For providing the additional control, the transport assembly further includes a bracket assembly 108 pivotally mounted by any conventional means around the shaft 104 in fixed axial location. Also pivotally mounted around the shaft 106 and fixably mounted axially to sprocket gear 102 by any conventional means is a sprocket gear 110 such that driven sprocket gear 102 drives sprocket gear 110. 
     A shaft 112 is pivotally mounted between the rightwardly extending bracket arms 114 and 116 of bracket 108 by any conventional means. Fixably mounted by any conventional means to one end of the shaft 112 is a sprocket 118. An endless chain 120 is placed around sprockets 110 and 118 such that driven sprocket 110 drives sprocket 118. Also fixably mounted to shaft 112 at points along its length, in outward order, are an impression roller 121, a gear 122 and a preposition roller 124. A second gear 126 is rotatably mounted to bracket arm 118 in constant mesh with gear 122 and with a gear 128 which is fixably mounted by any conventional means to a shaft 130. The shaft 130 is rotatably mounted between the rightward-most portion of bracket arms 114 and 116. Also fixably mounted to the shaft 130 are a plurality of rollers 132. 
     It is noted that the feed deck 26 of the mailing machine contains slots 134, 136 and 138. Slot 134 accommodates a portion of impression roller 121 and a respective roller 132 for protruding therethrough. In like manner, slot 136 accommodates preposition roller 124 and slot 138 accommodates a respective roller 132. It is also noted that a suitable postage meter 26 of generally conventional design, for example, a Pitney Bowes Postage Meter Model Series 5300, includes a print drum (not shown) located opposite the impression roller 121 and idle rollers 142 located opposite respective rollers 132. The mailing machine 10 further includes a bracket 144 mounted to a vertical portion of support strut 48. The bracket 144 rotatably supports by any conventional means a roller 146 in vertical peripheral communication with roller 124. Also included in the mailing machine is a compression spring 148 and damper 150, each having one end fixably mounted by any conventional means to the base 50 and the other end fixably mounted by conventional means to the bracket assembly 108. The pivotal mounting of the bracket 108 permits the bracket 108 to deflect downwardly in response to the thickness of a traversing envelope. 
     The stepper motor 92 is under the control of a microcomputer 200 schematically shown in FIG. 7 suitable mounted in a conventional manner within the mailing machine 10. The microcomputer 200 is of conventional architecture having a microprocessor 202, external keyboard input means 204 (not shown in FIG. 3), programmable read only memory (PROM) 206, random access memory (RAM) 208 and a plurality of input-output (I/O) unit 210 and 212. Internal communication is provided by means of a address and data bus 214 and 216, respectively. A plurality of driver circuits 218 and 220 are in communication with the microcomputer 200 in a conventional manner through respective I/O units 210 and 212. One of the drivers, for example, driver 218, controllably communicated with stepper motor 92. Also, in direct communication with the microprocessor 202 are a plurality of sensors 222, 224 and 226 which preferably are photodetection sensors. As best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the sensors 222 and 224 are mounted to the mailing machine by any suitable means laterally adjacent one another and slightly leftward of rollers 30. The sensor 226 is mounted to the mailing machine longitudinally between rollers 30 and 32. 
     In operation, an envelope is ejected from the inserter to the mailing machine feed deck 26. Prior to the envelope coming under the control of the transport assembly 28, the leading portion of the envelope actuates sensor 222. Upon actuation of the sensor 222 by the leading portion of a traversing envelope, the microcomputer institutes a timing sequence in a conventional manner. When the leading portion of the envelope then encounters and actuates the sensor 224, the microcomputer ends the timing sequence. The microcomputer 200 is now able to calculate the linear velocity of the incoming envelope based upon the fixed distance between sensors 222 and 224. The microcomputer 200 then instructs the driver 218 to drive stepper motor 92 at an angular velocity corresponding to the linear velocity of the incoming envelope. The envelope 16 is then captured between driven lower rollers 30 and upper rollers 78 and 80. 
     The envelope 16 then proceeds to traversely actuate sensor 226. Upon actuation of sensor 226, the microcomputer 200 instructs the driver 218 to either decrease or increase the angular velocity of the stepper motor 92 to a preselected speed. It is here noted that the microcomputer 200 as aforedescribed causes the traversing envelope 16 to be delivered to the printing station 104 at a preselected linear velocity generally matching to the operating peripheral velocity of the postage meter print drum. That is, the preselected velocity is dependent on the operating characteristic of the printing method employed. Noting that the envelope is under the control of preposition roller 124 and roller 146, the rollers 132 and 142 of the transport assembly, subsequent to indicia printing by print drum, the microcomputer causes the transport assembly to resume the recorded incoming speed of the envelope 16. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, one type of conventional postage meter 25, for example, the Pitney Bowes Model Series Model 5300, includes a print drum (not shown) which print drum is drivenly responsive to a gear 242 rotatably mounted in and driven by a stepper motor 230 located with the mailing machine. As an alternative of the present invention, the stepper motor 230 is also responsive to the microcomputer 200 via driver 220. The microcomputer 200 is programmed to calculate the relative time arrival of the envelope to the printing station 104 predicated upon the actuation of sensor 226. Stepper motor 230 is responsive to a postage meter driver 220 in communication with the microprocessor through I/O 212 in a conventional manner. The microcomputer is therefor able to drive the print cycle of the postage meter at a infinite variety of cycle speeds, within a given postage meter operation range, complimentary to the velocity of the envelope which is subject to the transport assembly speed. Therefore, when the incoming envelope velocity is less than the peripheral equivalent of the specified operating velocity of the print drum drive assembly, the stepper motor 230 is instructed by the microcomputer to drive the print drum assembly at a velocity generally equal to the envelope velocity. 
     Should the subsequent envelope 16 have a greater velocity than the previous envelope 15, but less than the specified velocity of the postage meter, the encounter of the subsequent envelope 15 with the sensors 222 and 224 will cause the microcomputer to increase the velocity of the transport system and print drum accordingly, in like manner as aforedescribed. Should the subsequent envelope 15 have a velocity greater than the specified velocity of the postage meter, the transport system and print drum respond to the microcomputer as aforedescribed in the preferred embodiment. 
     It should now be appreciated that the mailing machine transport system permits the mailing machine to marry with a variety of inserters which vary in operation speed. Further, the transport system promotes jam free operation in the mailing machine by compensating for variations in feed velocity and pitch distance of the inserter.