MULTI-STATION DOCUMENT INSERTER WITH AUTOMATIC STARTUP AND SHUTDOWN DOCUMENT COLLATION SEQUENCES

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus is disclosed for automatically providing a complete document collation during start up and shut down of a multi-station document inserter. The steps involved are initiating a Sequence Start Routine during start up of the inserter in which each feeder module is activated sequentially beginning with the docu­ ment feeder module most remote from the envelope feeder module and entering with the feeder module closest to the envelope feeder module, and initiating a Clear Deck Routine during shut down of the document inserter in which each feeder module is deactivated sequentially beginning with the document feeder module most remote from the envelope feeder module and ending with the feeder module closest to the envelope feeder module.

Description: MULTI-STATION DOCUMENT INVERTER WITH AUTOMATIC START UP AND SHUT DOWN DOCUMENT COLLATION SEQUENCES The present invention relates to document inserters, and more particularly to multi-station document inserters. Known multi-station document inserters require substantial training of inserter operators to enable them to locate any documents present on the transport deck of the inserter prior to start up or after shut down and to manipulate the documents and feeder modules to provide a complete document collation when the inserter is activated. That is, prior to start up the operator would often have to remove the documents from the transport deck and reinsert them by hand into the proper feeders or discard them. According to the present invention there is provided a multistation document inserter having a plurality of document feeder modules and an envelope feeder module, the inserter comprising: switch means for initiating Sequence Start and Clear Deck Routines; supervisory control means for transmitting control signals to each of the document feeder modules of the document inserter in sequence beginning with the document feeder station most remote from the envelope feeder module upon activation of said switch means; and distributed processing means associated with each of said document feeder modules, said distributing processing means receiving the control signals from said supervisory control means and activating its associated feeder module to feed a document during the Sequence Start Routine, said distributed processing means receiving control signals from said supervisory control means and deactivating its associated feeder module after feeding a document during the Clear Deck Routine; where by, in use, the inserter can provide a complete document collation during start up and shut down. In this specification, there is disdosed a method and assodated apparatus for automatically providing a complete document collation during start up and shut down of a multi-station document inserter, comprising the steps of initiating a Sequence Start Routine during start up of the inserter in which each feeder is activated sequentially beginning with the document feeder module most remote from the envelope feeder module and ending with the feeder module dosest to the envelope feeder module, and initiating a Clear Deck Routine during shut down of the document inserter in which each feeder module is deactivated sequentially beginning with the document feeder module most remote from the envelope feeder module and ending with the feeder module dosest to the envelope feeder module. The invention will be better understood from the following non-limiting description of an example thereof given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of the arrangement of the feeder modules for a six station document inserter, excluding the enve lope feeder module; and FIGURE 2 is a flow chart of the supervisory program illus trating the Sequence Start and Clear Deck Routines used in a document inserter according to the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, one arrangement for a multi-station document inserter is illustrated as 10. The details of such a multi-station document inserter, including the programs and circuitry therefor, are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 394,388, European Patent Application No. (Ref: E59/13) of which the inventors are Peter N. Piotroski and John M. Gomes, entitled, UNIVERSAL MULTI-STATION DOCUMENT INSERTED the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. As illustrated in Figure 1, the document inserter 10 includes a plurality of feeder modules 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, and 24. Feeder module 12 is an envelope feeder and is positioned at one end of transport deck or path 26. The other document feeder modules, 14-24, may comprise any type feeder modules, such as those disclosed in the aforementioned patent application. Further, the feeder module 24, which is the feeder module most remote from the envelope feeder module 12, is typically a control document feeder. Moreover, it is the first document feeder along the document transport path 26 of the inserter 10 since the documents are fed from left to right in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1. Further, as disclosed in the aforementioned copending patent application, the feeder modules 14-24 typically include scanners for communicating with the supervisory control circuit 28. Further, the supervisory control circuit 28 includes a plurality of PROMS programmed to operate the inserter in accordance with a desired customer configuration. The operator actuates a switch (finger touch) on the central control display 30 to initiate the Sequence Start Routine. Upon activation of the switch for the Sequence Start Routine, the supervisory control circuit 28 initiates a Sequence Start Routine. In carrying out this routine, signals are sequentially transmitted from the supervisory control circuit 28 to each uniquely addressed feeder module and the distributed processor associated therewith over signal bus 32 beginning with the feeder module 24 most remote from the envelope feeder module 12. In response to a signal from the supervisory control circuit 28, the addressed distributed processor activates the appropriate module devices (motor, clutch, and brake) for one cycle to feed a document(s) onto tile transport deck 26. The supervisory control circuit 28 then transmits a signal to the next uniquely addressed feeder module 22 and its associated distributed pro cessor activates the appropriate module devices for one cycle to feed a document(s) onto the transport deck 26. This process is repeated sequentially for the remaining feeder modules 20-12 so that a completely collated stack of documents is transmitted to and inserted into the envelope at the envelope feeder module 12. Thereafter, all of the feeder modules feed documents onto the transport deck 26 every cycle. The operator also actuates a switch (finger touch) on the central control display 30 to initiate the Clear Deck (Sequence Stop) Routine. Thereupon, the supervisory control circuit 28 initiates the Clear Deck Routine. In carrying out the routine, signals are sequentially transmitted from the supervisory control circuit 28 to each uniquely addressed feeder module and the distributed processor associated therewith, beginning with the feeder module 24 most remote from the envelope feeder module 12. The supervisory control circuit 28 sends a signal to the distributed processor to deactivate the feeder module 24. After feeder module 24 is deactivated, the supervisory control circuit 28 sends a signal to the adjacent module 22 to deactivate it. This process is repeated sequentially for the remaining modules 20-12 so that a final completely collated stack of documents is transmitted to and inserted into an envelope at the envelope feeder module 12. That is, no documents will remain on the transport deck 26. As apparent from the flow chart 34 in Figure 2, once the supervisory control circuit 28 initiates the Sequence Start Routine, the inserter 10 is sequenced on for one cycle with the first feeder module 24, (the one most remote from the envelope feeder module 12) feeding a document(s) onto the transport deck 26. The adjacent feeder module 22 is then sequenced on for one cycle to feed a document(s) onto the transport deck 26. This process is continued sequentially with the remaining feeder modules 20-14, to provide a complete collation of documents for insertion into an envelope feeder module 12. Thereafter, the inserter 10 will undergo continuous operation by feeding the proper documents from each feeder module, 24-14, and the envelope from envelope feeder 12, during each cycle, as described in the aforementioned copending patent app lication. Once the supervisory control circuit 28 initiates the Clear Deck Routine, the inserter 10 is sequenced off with the first feeder module 24 (the one most remote from the envelope feeder module 12) being deactivated after it has fed a document(s) onto the transport deck 26. The adjacent feeder module 22 is then sequenced off after it has fed a document(s) onto the transport deck 26. This process is continued sequentially with the remaining feeder modules 20-14 to provide a final completely collated stack of documents for insertion into an envelope at the envelope feeder module 12 without any documents remaining on the transport deck 26. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the disclosed and illustrated embodiment without departing from the present Invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A multi-station document inserter having a plurality of document feeder modules and an envelope feeder module, the inserter comprising: switch means for initiating Sequence Start and Clear Deck Routines; supervisory control means for transmitting control signals to each of the document feeder modules of the document inserter in sequence beginning with the document feeder station most remote from the envelope feeder module upon activation of said switch means; and distributed processing means associated with each of said document feeder modules, said distributing processing means receiving the control signals from said supervisory control means and activating its associated feeder module to feed a document during the Sequence Start Routine, said distributed processing means receiving control signals from said supervisory control means and deactivating its associated feeder module after feeding a document during the Clear Deck Routine; whereby, in use, the inserter can provide a complete document collation during start up and shut down. 2. An inserter according to Claim 1, wherein said supervisory control means is programmed with the Sequence Start and Clear Deck Routines. 3. An inserter according to. Claim 1 or 2, wherein said switch means is included in a central control display. 4. An inserter according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said switch means indudes a first switch for initiating the Sequence Start Routine and a second switch for initiating the Clear Deck Routine. 5. A method for automatically providing a complete document collation during start up and shut down in a multi-station document inserter having a plurality of document feeder modules and an envelope feeder module, comprising the steps of; initiating a Sequence Start Routine during start up of the document inserter in which each feeder module is activated sequentially beginning with the document feeder module most remote from the envelope feeder module and ending with the document feeder module closest to the envelope feeder module; and initiating a Clear Deck Routine during shut down of the document inserter in which each feeder module is deactivated sequentially beginning with the document feeder module most remote from the envelope feeder module and ending with the document feeder module closest to the envelope feeder module. 6. A method according to Claim 3, including the step of actua ting a switch to initiate the Sequence Start Routine. 7. A method according to Claim 5, including the step of actua ting a switch to inititate the Clear Deck Routine. 8. A method according to Claim 6, including the step of trans mitting a signal to the first feeder module in the sequence upon actuation of the switch initiating the Sequence Start Routine. 9. A method according to Claim 7, including the step of trans mitting a signal to the first feeder module in the sequence upon actuation of the switch initiating the Clear Deck Routine.

Inventors: PIOTROSKI, PETER N.
Applicants: PITNEY BOWES, INC.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: B43M3
IPC codes: B43M3, B07C1