Abstract:
A system for manual delivery of mail to a series of recipients includes a stack of mail holders each comprising a front flap, a back flap and a central fold. One or more mail pieces are disposed in each holder, such that all of the mail pieces in each holder are to be delivered to the same recipient. The holders are stacked in a predetermined order for a carrier delivery route, and may be banded or otherwise secured together until the time of delivery.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/570,788, filed May 13, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Each day more than 200,000 United States Postal Service (USPS) carriers deliver mail to approximately 100 million individual domestic addresses. Much of this mail is delivered via a park and loop method wherein the mail carrier drives to a location on his or her route, separates mail destined for a particular loop of addresses and walks the loop, delivering mail pieces to addresses on the loop. Other mail is delivered via the curbside method where the carrier drives his route, stopping to deliver mail pieces to individual addresses.  
         [0003]     The mail delivered by the carriers typically comprises letters, flats (including enveloped and non-enveloped magazines) and parcels. As used herein “letter sized” or “letter” generally refers to envelopes, postcards and similar mail pieces having dimensions up to about 6″×11″. “Flats” as used herein generally refers to larger, flat mail pieces having dimensions larger than about 6″×11″ and having a thickness up to about 0.75″, and includes catalogues, magazines, larger envelopes and similar items.  
         [0004]     Currently, the carrier normally assembles one or more stacks of letters, flats and parcels and places the individual mail pieces in delivery order or another appropriate sequence for efficient delivery. At each address the carrier riffles or thumbs the stack or stacks, finding the first and last letter addressed to the address selecting the items for that address. The mail carrier places these mail pieces into the postal patron&#39;s mailbox and repeats the operation for the next address. Sorting or riffling through the stack or stacks of mail is time consuming and inefficient. Consequently, any reduction in the amount of time required to separate the mail for delivery presents an opportunity for increased efficiency.  
         [0005]     In Pippin et al. U.S. Patent Applications 20020031284, published Mar. 14, 2002, and 20040168993, published Sep. 2, 2004, a mail case system facilitates sequence-sorting various types of mail together into individual bags that each represent unique delivery points. The mail case uses multi-bag inserts so that the bags for several stops can be set up quickly for sorting. At the end of the sorting operation, the entire insert may be pulled down from the case as a single unit to maintain the established delivery point sequence. This eliminates the carrier&#39;s need to find separation points or to combine selections from multiple sequenced stacks of mail during the delivery operation.  
         [0006]     Edmonds U.S. Patent Application 20030208298, Nov. 6, 2003 describes a sorting and packaging system comprises an induction and scanning system, a single pass sorting and packaging system for automatically sorting and packaging a plurality of mailpieces based on a single scan by the induction and sorting system, and a control unit connected to and controlling the induction and scanning system and the single pass sorting and packaging system. The single pass sorting and packaging system comprises at least one cell rack, at least one packaging system, and at least one delivery system. The package may comprise a bag removably surrounding the at least one mail piece addressed to a specific address.  
         [0007]     The use of bags for packaging mail for delivery remains problematic in view of the potential cost of such bags, the difficulty of getting the mail into a bag, and the recycling problem presented by the large number of bags that would be required. The present invention addresses these difficulties.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     A mail holder according to one aspect of the invention includes a series of flexible plastic divider sheets each having a handhold opening near an inside edge of the sheet and means for uniting the divider sheets in a stack along the inside edge with the handhold openings substantially in registration with one another. The handhold opening enable a user to turn over a topmost one of the divider sheets with one hand while holding the mail holder or mail contained therein with the other hand positioned in a handhold opening. The uniting means may be an accordion style spine, a single edge spine, rings that hold the divider sheets together in loose leaf fashion, or fasteners such as clamps. In one aspect, the spine is interrupted at the handhold openings, forming spaced, inner and outer spine portions on opposite sides of the handhold opening. In another, an accordion style spine has at least one fold line parallel to the inner edges of the sheets between adjacent pairs of divider sheets, permitting the mail holder to collapse accordion style. In another aspect, the mail holder is provided with top and/or bottom cover sheets that are stiffer than the divider sheets.  
         [0009]     A method of the invention for manually distributing mail from a mail holder that includes a series of flexible divider sheets each having a handhold opening near an inside edge thereof and one or more mail pieces inserted between each of the divider sheets, wherein the mail pieces are separated into delivery groupings by the divider sheets, includes the steps of: (a) turning over a topmost one of the divider sheets with one hand while holding the mail holder or mail contained therein with the other hand positioned in a handhold opening, (b) removing mail that was beneath the topmost divider sheet; (c) placing the removed mail into a mail receptacle, (d) then repeating steps (a)-(c) for the next divider sheet and mail beneath that divider sheet, wherein the mail receptacle is different for each repetition of steps (a)-(c), until all mail has been removed from the mail holder. In one variation, the method includes the step of loading mail into the holder according to a predetermined delivery scheme. In this regard, the mail may be loaded into the pockets of the holder in delivery point order.  
         [0010]     In another aspect, the invention provides a system for manual delivery of mail to a series of recipients, includes a stack of mail holders in the form of folders each comprising a front flap, a back flap and a central fold with one or more mail pieces disposed in each folder. All of the mail pieces in each folder are to be delivered to the same recipient, and the folders are stacked in a predetermined order for a carrier delivery route. The folders may be provided with areas of releaseable contact adhesive on the inner faces of the front and back flaps to aid in retaining mail pieces therein. Each folder may have also have the address of a recipient of the mail pieces printed on an outside surface of one or both of the front and back flaps to facilitate delivery.  
         [0011]     In yet another variation, the invention provides a method of manually distributing a batch of mail to recipients having addresses on a carrier delivery route, including the steps of: (a) placing mail pieces for delivery to each address along the carrier route in a series of pockets formed by mail holders with mail pieces for delivery to each address being placed in a separate pocket, each of the mail holders having the address of the recipient of those mail pieces printed on an outside surface of the holder; (b) stopping at an address corresponding to an address on a holder; (c) selecting the holder for that address; (d) one of: 
        (i) removing the mail pieces from the holder and placing the mail pieces into a mail receptacle corresponding the address appearing on the holder; and     (ii) placing the holder with the mail pieces into a mail receptacle corresponding to the address appearing on the holder; and then, 
 
 (e) repeating steps (b)-(c) for the next holder, wherein the mail receptacle is different for each repetition of steps (b)-(c), until the batch of mail has been delivered. These and other aspects of the invention are further discussed in the detailed description that follows.
       
 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a mail holder according to the invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the mail holder of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the mail holder of  FIG. 1 , with mail pieces inserted in the holder pockets;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the mail holder of  FIG. 5  with the uppermost pocket of the holder opened and the cover turned over;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the mail holder of  FIG. 3  with a retaining strap installed;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the mail holder of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0020]      FIGS. 7 and 7   a  are top and side representations of a mail carrier holding a mail holder according to the invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a top view illustrating the position of a carrier&#39;s hand in the handhold opening of a mail holder according to the invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a top view of a user opening the cover of a mail holder according to the invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is a top view of a user removing mail pieces from a mail holder according to the invention;  
         [0024]      FIGS. 11 and 12  are bottom and side views of an alternative mail holder according to the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is a side view of a mail holder according to the invention wherein the holder is provided with top and bottom support sheets;  
         [0026]      FIGS. 14 and 15  are bottom and side views of a mail holder according to the invention wherein rings are used to fasten divider sheets together;  
         [0027]      FIGS. 16 and 17  are bottom and side views of another alternative mail holder according to the invention wherein divider sheets are fastened along a single connection point spine;  
         [0028]      FIG. 18  is a bottom view of an alternative mail holder having a continuous spine that extends across the handhold opening;  
         [0029]      FIG. 19  is a bottom view of a single divider sheet with a handhold opening;  
         [0030]      FIG. 20  is a side view of a mail holder assembled from a plurality of the divider sheets of  FIG. 19 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 21  is a side view of mail holders of the invention braced in place in a mail tray;  
         [0032]      FIGS. 22-24  are top views of a mail holder employing divider sheets having semi ellipsoid, triangular and quarter circle geometries;  
         [0033]      FIG. 25  is front or outside view of an unfolded single sheet mail holder in accordance with the invention;  
         [0034]     FIGS.  26  is back or inside view of an unfolded single sheet mail holder in accordance with the invention;  
         [0035]      FIG. 27  is a side view of the mail holder of  FIG. 25  loaded with mail;  
         [0036]      FIG. 28  is a front view of the mail holder of  FIG. 25  loaded with mail; and  
         [0037]      FIG. 29  is a side view of a plurality of mail holders of  FIG. 25  each loaded with mail, the mail holders being banded together.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , a mail holder  10  according to the invention includes a stacks of flexible divider sheets  12  each having a handhold opening  14  formed near an inside edge  16  of the sheet such that each handhold openings  14  is substantially aligned or registered with each of the other handhold openings. Preferably divider sheets  12  are formed from a relatively thin flexible plastic such as polyethylene or polypropylene that is resilient and which possess a limited degree of stiffness. Divider sheets  12  should be sufficiently large to hold a variety of mail, including postcards, letters, magazines and catalogues. In one embodiment, divider sheets are approximately 9 inches high (along the inside edge) and 12 inches wide, however the dimensions of sheets  12  may be varied based upon the mix of mail to be placed in the holder.  
         [0039]     As illustrated, divider sheets  12  may each include a tab  18  for labeling the individual sheets with an address or other information. A cover  20 , also formed from a material such as polyethylene or polypropylene supports holder  10  when in use. Cover  20  should be sufficiently rigid so as to prevent holder  10  from buckling when the holder is fully loaded with mail. One or more transparent pockets  24  may be formed on the outside surface of cover  20  for labeling purposes such as identifying a series of address corresponding to a delivery loop.  
         [0040]     As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the inside edges  16  of divider sheets  12  are connected with an accordion style spine  22  to form a series of pockets  26  each configured to receive mail pieces  15  destined for delivery to a single address. Spine  22  includes at least one fold line  23  between adjacent divider sheets  12  formed parallel to inside edges  16 . Fold lines  23  enable spine  22  to collapse accordion style when empty. Preferably, pockets  26  are open along three sides and joined only along inside edges  16 .  
         [0041]     Typically, a carrier will load mail in delivery order in pockets  26 , with the mail for the first address in the upper most pocket. The carrier registers or aligns the end of each mail piece  15  against spine  22  with the lower edges  19  of mail pieces  15  being substantially aligned with the near edge  28  of divider sheets  12 . The near edge  28  of divider sheets  12  is the edge of the sheets closest to the carrier&#39;s body when holder  10  is held as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . In the case of a park and loop carrier, holder  10  will typically have between six and sixteen sheets  12  that form five to fifteen mail pockets  26 , respectively. In some applications however, holder  10  could have as few as one or as many as fifty pockets  26 .  
         [0042]     Referring now to  FIGS. 7-10 , while delivering mail on a loop, a right handed carrier using mail holder  10  will typically position mail holder  10  against his or her left forearm with cover  20  facing up. The carrier holds or carries holder  10  with the fingers of his or her left hand in handhold opening  14  to control mail pieces  15  as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Since each handhold opening  14  is substantially aligned or registered with each of the other handhold openings, the carrier can then turn or flip over cover  20  or the topmost divider sheet  12  with his or her right hand opening the uppermost pocket  26  as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The mail carrier simultaneously controls mail pieces  15  by applying pressure to mail pieces  15  with his or her left hand through handhold opening  14 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the carrier then grasps mail pieces  15  in pocket  26  with his right hand, briefly reducing the amount of pressure applied with his left hand as he removes the mail pieces  15  from the pocket. After delivering mail pieces  15 , the mail carrier moves to the next address, opening the next pocket  26  and extracting the mail for that address.  
         [0043]     Since the mail carrier may rely on tactile sensation to distinguish between divider sheets  12  and mail pieces  15  when walking between addresses, sheets  12  preferably have a surface texture that is sufficiently different from the surface texture of mail pieces to enable the mail carrier to distinguish the sheets from mail pieces  15  by means of touch. Sheets  12  may be also colored in such a fashion as to distinguish the sheets from mail piece  15  carried in holder  10 . Sheets  12  may also be transparent or opaque. Since the carrier has already loaded mail for individual addresses in delivery order in pockets  26 , the carrier does not need to visually inspect the mail pieces in order to separate mail for different addresses. The use of opaque divider sheets  12  may also prevent the tendency of the carrier to examine mail pieces  15  carried in holder  10 .  
         [0044]     Referring again to  FIGS. 1-5 , in the case where addresses on a carrier&#39;s route typically receive large mail pieces or a relatively high number of small mail pieces, the configuration of accordion type spine  22  is particularly desirable. Accordion style spine  22  allows divider sheets  12  to be pushed apart as mail pieces are loaded into pockets  26 , increasing the capacity of each pocket and of holder  10 . Depending upon the particular application, the width of accordion style spine  22  may vary from 0.5 to 1.5 inches. The accordion style configuration of spine  22  also allows sheets  12  to fall open as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 9 , as mail is extracted from successive pockets.  
         [0045]     As best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , handhold opening  14  is preferably offset toward the near edge  28  of divider sheets  12 , dividing spine  22  into inner and outer spine portions  25  and  27  respectively. Offsetting handhold opening  14  in this manner enables the carrier to grasp small mail pieces, the bottom edges of which will be substantially aligned with near edge  28  when the mail pieces  15  are placed in pockets  26 . Handhold opening  14  may be rectangular, semicircular or have some other geometry so long as the carrier is able to grasp mail pieces  15  through the opening. In one variation, handhold opening  14  measures approximately 3.5 to 4 inches tall and extends approximately 1.5 to 2.5 inches inwardly from the inside edge  16  of sheets  12  to accommodate a range of hand sizes.  
         [0046]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , in one variation, a strap or band  30  is used to contain mail pieces  15  in holder  10 . Strap  30  is permanently secured to cover  20  and may be fastened to the top divider sheet  12  with a velcro strip  32  or alternatively, a snap, button or other fastener when in use. Preferably, strap  30  is tensioned around holder  10  such that the strap compresses holder  10 , causing a normal force between mail pieces  15  and divider sheets  12 . The normal force tends to control mail pieces  15  as holder  10  is handled, maintaining the mail pieces in position against spine  22 . Alternatively, a removable elastic or non-elastic band or strap may be applied to holder  10  either by hand or with a banding machine to contain mail pieces  15  in holder  10 .  
         [0047]     Turning to  FIGS. 11 and 12  in another variation, a mail piece holder  40  similar to mail piece holder  10  of  FIGS. 1-3  includes a plurality of graduated width flexible divider sheets  42  and a cover  46  joined together with accordion style spine  22  to form a plurality of pockets  44 . As illustrated, the width of divider sheets  42  increases from the bottom most sheet  42  to cover  46 , with the widest sheet  42  immediately adjacent cover  46 . Also, as illustrated in this variation, cover  46  is longer than sheets  42 . Graduating the width of sheets  42  enables the carrier to more readily distinguish sheets  42  from mail pieces by means of touch.  
         [0048]     Referring to  FIG. 13 , in another variation, a mail piece holder  48  substantially identical to mail piece holder  10  of  FIGS. 1-3  is provided with an opposing second cover  20   a,  substantially identical to cover  20 . Second cover  20   a  enables a left handed user to employ mail holder  48  in substantially the same manner as described in connection with  FIGS. 7-10  with the holder inverted. Thus, the left handed user will typically position mail holder  48  against his or her right forearm with the fingers of his or her right hand in handhold opening  14  to control mail pieces  15  and use his left hand to open pockets  26 .  
         [0049]     Referring now to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , a mail piece holder  50  includes a plurality of flexible divider sheets  54  and a cover  52  bound together with rings  56  adjacent inside edges  58  of the sheets. Rings  56  provide an alternative to an accordion style spine  22  of holder  10  that may be desirable for handling some types of mail.  
         [0050]     Turning to  FIGS. 16 and 17 , a mail piece holder  60  comprises a plurality of flexible divider sheets  62  joined together along the inside edge  66  of the sheets with a single edge spine  64  to form pockets  26 . Spine  64  may be formed by welding, gluing, binding or otherwise fastening sheets  62  along the inside edge  66  of the sheets. Holder  60  is suitable for handling relatively small mail pieces  15  and/or a small number of mail pieces.  
         [0051]     Turning to  FIG. 18 , in yet another variation, a mail holder  70 , substantially similar to holder  60  of  FIGS. 16 and 17  includes a plurality of divider sheets  72  having inside edges  78 . Holder  70  also includes a spine  76  that extends across handhold opening  74  such that the spine is continuous across the height of mail holder  70 . As will be appreciated, the holders illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 11  and  13  may similarly be provided with a continuous accordion style spine.  
         [0052]     Referring to  FIGS. 19 and 20  in a further variation, a plurality of flexible sheets  82 , each having a handhold opening  14  are fastened together with one or more clamps  84  along the inside edges  86  of sheets  82  to form a mail holder  80 . The configuration of holder  80  provides the flexibility of easily increasing or decreasing the capacity of holder  80  by adding or removing sheets  82 .  
         [0053]     Turning to  FIG. 21 , mail holders according to the invention may be used in connection with curbside routes, where the carrier drives from one mail box to the next. As illustrated, one or more mail holders  40 , each loaded with mail pieces  15 , are loaded in mail tray  90  and held against one end of the tray with a brick  92 . Since the mail pieces have been place in holder  40  in delivery order, the mail carrier merely turns down flexible divider sheets  42  in succession to access the mail for each address receiving mail.  
         [0054]     In some instances it may be preferred or desirable to employ divider sheets having geometries other than rectangular.  FIGS. 22, 23  and  24  illustrate divider sheets  100 ,  102  and  104  having semi ellipsoid, triangular and quarter circular geometries. Other geometries are possible.  
         [0055]     Turning now to  FIGS. 25-29 , in yet another embodiment, a mail holder  110  comprises a folder, i.e., sheet  112  made of a material designed to be folded across the width of the sheet as indicated by a central fold line  114  to form a single pocket  126  having front and back flaps  127 ,  128  configured to receive mail pieces  15 . Folder  110  may be re-useable, in which case the holder is preferably made from a plastic material such as polyethylene or polypropylene, or from heavy paper or cardboard. Alternatively, a single use folder  110  may be formed from ordinary paper. Preferably, each folder  110  has the address  116  of a recipient on a carrier&#39;s route printed vertically and horizontally on the outside of the holder in order to aid the carrier in rapidly identifying the destination of mail pieces  15 . As best illustrated in  FIGS. 26 and 27 , a pair of light tack, releaseable, pressure sensitive adhesive areas or strips  118  (e.g., an adhesive of the type used in 3M Post-It Notes) are positioned on the inside surface of folder  110  to retain the holder in contact with the outside mail pieces  15   a  placed in folder  110 . These adhesive strips  118  are preferably spaced from and parallel to central fold line (spine)  114  at an intermediate position of each of flaps  127 ,  128 . Optionally, folder  110  may have a handhold opening  120  to enable the user to control mail pieces  15  placed in the holder.  
         [0056]     Turning now to  FIG. 29 , a series of folders  110  may be filled, either manually, or in an automated process, and placed together to form a stack or fastened together with a band  122  to form a bundle  124 . Band  122  may be a rubber band, plastic or paper tape, string, or any other material suitable for banding. Folders  110  may also be packaged with shrink-wrap film, paper, or bagged in paper or plastic bags using automated or manual processes. Preferably, folders  110  are arranged in carrier delivery order in bundle  124  to facilitate delivery. Bundles  124  may also be assembled in carrier delivery order by carrier delivery loops such that a carrier may select a bundle  124  for delivery along a carrier loop, remove the band and walk the loop, delivering the pre-sequenced mail to addresses on the loop. A series of folders  110  may also be placed in a tray  90  for curbside delivery as discussed above in connection with  FIG. 21 .  
         [0057]     While the invention has been described in connection with the exemplary embodiments it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown. Thus, it will be appreciated that many modifications, combinations, methods, and subcombinations of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.