Abstract:
A method for expelling air out of mailpieces includes the steps of creating a stack of the mailpieces; cutting in at least some of the mailpieces; jogging the stack of mailpieces; and subjecting the stack of mailpieces to at least one compression/decompression cycle during the jogging step thereby expelling air out of the at least some of the mailpieces through their corresponding openings. A jogger system incorporates the structure for accomplishing the method.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The instant invention relates to systems for expelling powder materials from mailpieces, and more particularly to a jogger system that compresses mailpieces while performing a jogging function.  
           [0002]    Recent events have led to the realization that unscrupulous individuals may attempt to use the postal delivery system as a vehicle for spreading terrorism. These individuals have, for example, contaminated mailpieces with biological agents (such as anthrax) and distributed such mailpieces to targeted locations via the postal service. While the extent of damage that may occur by using mailpieces as a carrier of biological agents has yet to be determined, the potential for significant health risks is clear. Accordingly, increased efforts have been set forth toward the development of systems and processes that may be effective in detecting contaminated mailpieces within the postal delivery system prior to delivery to their final destination.  
           [0003]    One such proposed system involves snipping the corner off every mailpiece (to create an opening at the corner of the envelope), placing the snipped mailpieces in a jogger system, operating the jogger system for approximately 3 minutes, pulling ambient air through the jogger system, monitoring the pulled air with two systems (one to test particle size and one to capture powder in a filter for subsequent lab testing of the material captured), then banding the mailpieces in a conventional banding machine to squeeze air out of the mailpieces, and finally sampling the air from the banding operation with the above two air-monitoring systems to determine the presence and nature of any powder materials prsent in the airflow. The air pulled through the individual workstations in this process is moved through a HEPA filter and vented outside the work area. Operation of this system is a time consuming process, with manual steps taken between each operation.  
           [0004]    In the proposed system, once the air-monitoring filter has been tested for the presence of a biological agent, the mailpieces are unbanded and moved to a separate area for sorting and final distribution if the results of testing are negative. If a biological agent is detected however, the facility is shut down until decontamination can be performed.  
           [0005]    One of the problems with the proposed system is the time required for the banding/unbanding operation. The value of the banding operation is not in the band that is placed around the mailpieces, but rather in the compression of the mailpieces that occurs during banding. The compression step serves to expel air from the mailpieces. In the event that a biological powder material is present in the mailpieces, it is carried with the expelled air and subsequently detected by the air-monitoring apparatus. Accordingly, if the banding/unbanding operation could be eliminated, the system would have a higher throughput and would benefit from a cost and complexity standpoint. By eliminating the banding/unbanding operation, the banding equipment and the ductwork associated with it can be eliminated. Also, the volume of air that would be required to be pulled through the entire system would be decreased thereby permitting the use of smaller vacuum sources thereby reducing costs.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    A method for expelling air out of mailpieces includes the steps of creating a stack of the mailpieces; cutting an opening in at least some of the mailpieces; jogging the stack of mailpieces; and subjecting the stack of mailpieces to at least one compression/decompression cycle during the jogging step thereby expelling air out of the at least some of the mailpieces through their corresponding openings. A jogger system incorporates the structure for accomplishing the method. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a known warehouse mail processing facility;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the detection system used in the warehouse facility of FIG. 1;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the processing of mailpieces in the warehouse mail processing facility;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an inventive jogger system;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 shows a rear view of the jogger system of FIG. 4;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the jogger system of FIG. 4 as used in an inventive detection system;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the inventive detection system;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the inventive mailpiece opening system;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9 is a view showing the mailpiece transport and cutter wheel drive system of FIG. 8;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 10 is a top plan view of FIG. 9 showing only the cutter wheels and mailpiece orientation during cutting;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 11 is a schematic drawing showing the cutting of a mailpiece using the cutter wheels of FIG. 10; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 12 is a schematic drawing showing the cutting of a mailpiece using a second embodiment of cutter wheels. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 shows a conventional warehouse facility  1  containing three bio-pods  3 ,  5 , and  7  that are used to detect biological agents contained in mailpieces being processed through the warehouse facility  1 . Each of the bio-pods  3 ,  5 , and  7  contain one or more of the biological agents detection system  9  shown in FIG. 2. The detection system  9  includes a conventional jogger system  11 , a corner snipper  13  (such as the “Corner Rounder”, model 50P sold by Lassco Products), a vacuum and HEPA filter system  15 , a banding mechanism  17 , first and second air-monitoring systems  19 ,  21  and associated ductwork  23  that connects each of the work stations  11 ,  13 ,  17 ,  19 , and  21  to the vacuum and HEPA filter system  15 .  
         [0021]    The operation of the bio-pods  3 ,  5 , and  7  will now be described in connection with FIGS. 1, 2, and  3 . First, mailpieces are delivered by a truck  25  to the warehouse facility  1  for processing. The mailpieces may have previously been irradiated with an e-beam in an attempt to destroy any biological agents that may have been present ( 301 ). Upon delivery to the warehouse  1 , the mailpieces are first passed through an X-ray machine  27  in an attempt to detect incendiary or explosive devices and to segregate questionable items accordingly ( 303 ). The mailpieces are then moved into one of the bio-pods  3 ,  5 , and  7  ( 305 ). The mailpieces are then placed in the jogger system  11  and jogged (vibrated) in a known manner to register the corners of a batch (typically approximately 1″ thick) of mailpieces ( 307 ). After registration, the batch of mailpieces are placed in the known corner snipper  13  in their registered orientation so that the snipper  13  can snip off one corner of each of the mailpieces in a single cutting motion ( 309 ).  
         [0022]    The small batches of snipped mailpieces are then combined into larger batches of approximately 8-12″ in thickness and reloaded into the jogger system  11  and jogged for approximately 3 minutes ( 311 ). During this jogging period the snipped corners are registered and if any biological agent powder materials are present in the mailpieces it is expected that the powder materials will leave the mailpiece through the opened corners. The jogger system  11  is enclosed and connected to the ducting  23  such that some of the powder material will be pulled from the jogger  11  toward the vacuum system  15  ( 313 ). As the powder material flows toward the vacuum system  15 , portions of it are directed to the first and second air monitoring systems  19 ,  21  ( 315 ). The second monitoring system  21  detects the particle size of any powder material that is present and performs a particle size analysis. Based on the particle size analysis, the potential presence of a biological hazard may be indicated ( 317 ).  
         [0023]    The first monitoring system  19  includes a paper filter that collects portions of any powder material that is present in the airflow being deflected therethrough. The paper filter is removed, for example, once per day and sent to a lab to test for the presence of biological agents ( 319 ). If the results of steps  317  and  319  are both negative ( 320 ) the normal processing of the mailpieces  87  continues.  
         [0024]    After the jogging process is completed, the batch of mailpieces is sent to the known banding system  17  where the batch of mailpieces is compressed during banding ( 321 ). The compressing step forces the air inside the mailpieces to be ejected within the enclosed banding system  17 . The vacuum system  15  draws the ejected air from the banding system  17  through the ductwork  23  such that portions of the ejected air will be sampled at the first and second air-monitoring systems  19 ,  21  as discussed above ( 322 ). If during the above processing of the mailpieces through the bio-pods  3 ,  5 , and  7  no biological agents have been detected, the mail is moved from the bio-pods  3 ,  5 ,  7  to a mail sorting area  29  ( 323 ). The banded batches of mailpieces are unbanded and sorted for delivery by their destination zipcodes ( 325 ). The batches of mailpieces are then placed on trucks  31  to continue being processed through the normal mailpiece distribution system ( 327 ).  
         [0025]    In practice, the results of the lab tests on the paper filter takes about 24 hours. Accordingly, two of the three bio-pods  3 ,  5 , and  7  are used on alternate days for processing mailpieces while the third bio-pod remains unused. If however, a biological agent is detected in one of the bio-pods based on filter testing and particle size analysis, the mailpieces in that bio-pod remains quarantined until authorities complete a forensics investigation and perform any required decontamination of the contaminated bio-pod ( 329 ). In the meantime, the processing of mailpieces continues in the manner described above using the other two bio-pods.  
         [0026]    The instant inventors have eliminated the need for the banding machine  17  by inventing the jogger system  41  shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The jogger system  41  includes a housing  43  (also referred to herein as a jogger tray) defined by two sidewalls  45 ,  47 , a rear wall  49 , a front wall  51 , and a platform  53 . The platform  53  does not extend to the rear wall  49  such that an opening  55  exists, between the rear wall  49  and the platform  53 , that runs the full length of the platform  53 . The jogger tray  43  also includes a cover  57  that is hinged to back wall  49  for movement between the open position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and a closed position. In the closed position, the cover  57  together with the side walls  45 ,  47  and rear wall  49  define a first enclosed chamber  59 . Further, a second enclosed chamber  60  is defined by the space created between the bottom of the platform  53 , side walls  45 ,  47 , rear wall  49  and front wall  51 . Additionally, front wall  51  has an opening  61  therein which is in operative communication with the ductwork  23  to permit air to be pulled through opening  55  into the second chamber  60  and thereafter pulled out from the second chamber by the vacuum and HEPA filter system  15 .  
         [0027]    In addition to the jogging tray  43 , a paddle  62  is mounted for movement between the side walls  47  and  45 . The paddle  61  is mounted on an arm  63  of a bracket  65 . The arm  63  passes through a slot  67  in the back wall  49 . The bracket  65  is mounted on two guide rods  68 ,  69  and a lead screw  71 . The lead screw  71  has a pulley  73  attached at one end thereof and is operatively connected to a motor  75  via an endless belt  77  that extends around the pulley  73  and a second pulley  79  connected to a shaft of the motor  75 . Accordingly, as the bidirectional motor  75  is energized, the lead screw  71  is forced into rotation causing a corresponding movement in the bracket  65  along the lead screw  71  and the guide rods  67 ,  69 . A controller  81  is operatively connected to the motor  75  to control the supply of power from a power source  82  to the motor  75 . The controller  81  therefore controls the movement of the paddle  62  between the side walls  45 ,  47 . The controller  81  and power source  82  are typically mounted on a table (not shown) upon which the jogging system  41  is placed.  
         [0028]    A hinged plate  83  is connected to side wall  47  and biased away from the side wall  47  by a spring  85 . Mailpieces  87  are positioned between the paddle  62  and plate  83  such that the snipped lower corner of each mailpiece is placed near rear wall  49 . Thus, the opening in the mailpieces at the snipped corners are disposed over the opening  55 . Once the mailpieces are placed between the paddle  62  and the plate  83 , the controller  81  controls the motor  75  to move the paddle  62  toward the plate  83  to compress the mailpieces  87 . A switch  91 , mounted on side wall  47 , is activated when plate  83  is forced by the movement of paddle  62  into the mailpieces  87  to contact the switch  91 . The switch  91 , upon activation, sends a signal to the controller  81 . Upon receipt of the switch signal, the controller  81  stops the movement of the paddle  62  into the mailpieces  87  and retracts the paddle  62  a small distance thereby allowing the mailpieces  87  to decompress.  
         [0029]    When the mailpieces  87  are to be removed, the controller  81  will activate the motor  75  to move the paddle  62  toward side wall  45 . A projection  93  on paddle  62  will contact and activate a second switch  95  on rear wall  45 . Upon activation of the second switch  95 , a signal is sent to the controller  81 . Upon receipt of the signal from the second switch  95 , the controller  81  stops the movement of the paddle  62 .  
         [0030]    The entire jogger tray  43  is mounted to a conventional jogging device shown schematically at  97 . The jogging device  97 , when activated, will vibrate the entire jogging tray  43  such that the mailpieces  87  become registered against the rear wall  49  and the platform  53  as shown. To assist in the registration process, the entire jogging tray  43  is mounted to the jogging device  97  such that platform  53  is angled downward toward both the rear wall  49  and the side wall  47 .  
         [0031]    The jogging device  97  can be one of many conventional devices that can vibrate objects attached thereto using mechanical or electromagnetic techniques. Examples of known joggers include the “Quiet Jog” sold by the Omation Division of Opex® Corporation and the “LasscoJog”—model LJ-4 sold by Lassco Products. It is contemplated by the inventors that any known jogging device that can be adapted to have the jogging tray  43  mounted thereto can be used.  
         [0032]    Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, an inventive detection system  101  is shown incorporating the inventive jogger system  41 . The detection system  101  has eliminated the need for a banding device  17  because the jogger system  41  includes compression apparatus as described above. In operation, the mailpieces  87  are placed in a conventional jogger system  11  in order to register the corners of the mailpieces  87  over the opening  55  as discussed above ( 601 ). The registered mailpieces  87  are then placed in the corner snipper  13  where their corners are cut open ( 603 ). The mailpieces  87  with the cut corners are placed in the jogger tray  41  of the jogger system  41  ( 605 ). Next a start button  99  is depressed by the operator which signals the controller that compression of the mailpieces is required. The controller  81  energizes the motor  75  to move the paddle  62  from the home position at switch  95  into contact with the mailpieces  87 . The paddle  62  is driven until the switch  91  is activated by movement of the plate  83 . At this point in time the mailpieces  87  are in a compressed state ( 607 ). Upon receipt of the signal from activated switch  91 , the controller  81  causes the motor  75  to retract the paddle  62  a small distance such that the mailpieces  87  decompress by filling with air ( 609 ). At this point in time the jogger device  97  is switched on (in a conventional manner) to vibrate the jogger tray  43  for a predetermined period of time, such as one minute ( 611 ). The controller  81  is designed to move the paddle  62  to perform a compression operation as described above once every 20 seconds. Accordingly, during the vibrating of the jogger tray  43  the mailpieces  87  will be compressed and decompressed at the 20 second and 40 second time intervals during the one minute vibration period ( 613 ). Once the vibrating cycle is finished (jogger device) stopped, the paddle  62  returns to the home position and the mailpieces  87  are removed and set aside until the results of the testing at the first and second air-monitoring systems  19 ,  21  has been completed ( 615 ). The processing of the mailpieces  87  subsequent to obtaining the air-monitoring tests are the same as shown in FIG. 3 ( 617 ). If the testing is negative steps  323 ,  325 , and  327  are performed except that the removal of the band from the mailpieces  87  is not required. If the testing is positive step  329  is performed.  
         [0033]    The compression of the mailpieces  87  during the vibration cycle allows air inside the mailpieces  87  to be expelled through their opened corners. If powdered biological material is present inside the mailpieces  87 , some of the biological powder will be carried with the expelled air. This powder will fall through the opening  55  and into the second chamber  60 . The vacuum and HEPA filter system  15  will draw the powder material through the ductwork  23  such that most of it will be captured by the HEPA filter system  15  while some of it will flow to the air-monitoring systems  19 ,  21 . Once the paddle  62  is retracted such that the mailpieces  87  are allowed to decompress, biological powder can still pass through the corner opening of the mailpieces  87  and through the opening  55  during the vibration of the jogging tray  43 .  
         [0034]    The advantage of performing multiple compression/decompression cycles during the vibrating cycle is that during the compression cycle there is a greater probability that any powder residing in the mailpieces  87  will be expelled out of the mailpieces  87  through their opened corners than during the period where the mailpieces  87  are not compressed. Naturally, while a specific number of compression/decompression cycles have been discussed, the instant invention contemplates that any number of compression/decompression cycles can be used during the jogging period and the frequency and duration of such cycles can be adjusted as well. Additionally, the jogging period can be shorter or longer than 1 minute.  
         [0035]    In FIG. 7, two jogger systems  11  and  41  are used to improve the overall efficiency of the detection system  101 . That is, since the initial registration jogging function (step  601 ) and the snipping operation (step  603 ) are likely to take longer than the jogging and compression operation (steps  611 ,  613 ), the use of a dedicated registration jogger  11  will improve mailpiece throughput. However, the instant invention could be implemented using only the jogger  41  which would be used in a first instance to register the mailpieces  87  prior to the snipping operation and in a second instant be used for the compression/decompression cycling for expelling powder from the mailpieces  87 .  
         [0036]    By way of reference to FIGS.  8 - 11 , a description of an inventive envelope cutting system that can be used in lieu of the corner snipper  13  shall be described. FIG. 8 shows a Pitney Bowes Inc.® 1250 mail opening system  801  that has been modified to include the inventive cutting system that includes a pair of cutter wheels  803 ,  805 . The mail opening system  801  further includes a housing  807  having an envelope infeed platform  809 . An envelope retainer  811  is located on infeed platform  809  and is spring loaded towards an infeed envelope guide wall  813 .  
         [0037]    An envelope outfeed platform  815  is provided with an envelope retainer  817  in the form of a press plate which is spring loaded towards an outfeed envelope support wall  819  to maintain opened (cut) envelopes  87  in a stacked and generally vertical orientation on outfeed platform  815 . The infeed and outfeed platforms  809 ,  815  are shown connected by a generally narrow envelope travel path  820  along which mailpieces  87  (such as envelopes) are moved by a belt  821  operating in conjunction with a ski  822  biased toward belt  821  by a spring  823 , as shown in FIG. 9.  
         [0038]    Envelopes  87  retained on the infeed platform  809  are advanced by belt  821  past the generally horizontally oriented cutter wheels  803 ,  805  which cut portions of the bottom edges of the envelopes  87  as described in more detail below. As shown in FIG. 9, the cutter wheels  803 ,  805  have respective beveled edges  824 ,  825 . The cutter wheels  803 ,  805  overlap to cut mailpieces  87  that are fed to the cutter wheels  803 ,  805 . As the envelopes  87  are moved along travel path  820  they encounter a deflection wall  826  that deflects the envelopes  87  towards retainer  817  and an envelope stacker  827 . The envelope stacker  827  is formed of a plurality of wheels  828 , rotating in the direction of arrow  829 , and having protrusions (not shown) with which each opened envelope  87  is urged by repetitive impacts against a stacking wall  831 . In this manner opened envelopes  87 , as they arrive, are maintained with their leading edges against wall  831  to stack sequentially until all mailpieces  87  at the infeed platform  809  have been opened. The infeed platform  809  is inclined downwardly towards wall  813  and has a slot  833  to enable a bracket (not shown) to support retainer  811  from below platform  809 . Outfeed platform  815  is inclined downwardly away from wall  819  and provided with a slot  835  through which retainer  817  can be movably supported with a bracket  837 . The spring loading of retainers  811 ,  817  is obtained with suitable springs mounted below platforms  809 ,  815  respectively.  
         [0039]    An envelope jogger  839  is provided to urge the contents of envelopes  87  against one edge or side within the envelopes  87 . The envelopes  87  are placed in a general vertical orientation on a platform  841  which is vibrated in a vertical direction in a conventional manner to bounce envelopes  87  up and down and thus urge their contents to move downwardly towards the bottom edge and to register the bottom edges of the mailpieces  87 .  
         [0040]    After completion of the jogging operation, the jogged and registered envelopes are then are placed on infeed platform  809  with the edges, that are opposite from the edge where the contents were shifted to during jogging, facing down. The mailpieces  87  are fed to the cutter wheels  803 ,  805  where they are cut in a manner discussed in more detail below. As the mailpieces  87  are cut, any biological powder material falling off or out of the mailpieces  87  collects below the cutter wheels  803 ,  805  and in a chamber (not shown) contained within the housing  807  below the structure shown in FIG. 8. The ductwork  23  is connected through an opening  845  in communication with the chamber so that the biological powder material will be extracted through the ductwork  23  for analysis as previously discussed.  
         [0041]    Referring specifically to FIGS.  9 - 11 , a first embodiment of the cutter wheels  803 ,  805  shall be discussed. Belt  821  is driven by a motor  843  via a pulley and belt system  844  and a shaft  845  in order to drive individual mailpieces  87  into a nip  846  defined between the cutting edges  847  and  849  of respective cutter wheels  803 ,  805 . As belt  821  is driven, so is the cutting wheel  805  which is also mounted on shaft  845 . The overlap of the beveled edges  847  and  849  also causes a rotation of cutter wheel  803  about a shaft  847 . Accordingly, as the mailpieces  87  are fed along the arrow “A” into nip  846 , the bottom of the mailpieces  87  is cut by the interaction of edges  847 ,  849  to produce the slots  851  shown in FIG. 11. The ability to produce the slots  851  is made by providing the cutter wheel  803  with notches  855  that are located around the perimeter of the cutter wheel  803 . The notches  855  provide areas  857  of discontinuity in the cutting edge  847 . It is the discontinuities  857  that produce corresponding uncut areas  853  in the mailpiece  87  while each section of the cutting edge  847  between two discontinuities  857  produces a single slot  851 . It is to be noted that in prior art systems, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,634 (which is hereby incorporated by reference) two cutting wheels are used that are similar to cutter wheel  805  in that the cutting edges extend around the perimeter in an unbroken manner. Thus, in the prior art the result was that an entire bottom edge of the envelope was completely removed opening the entire bottom of the envelope to permit the extraction of the envelope contents.  
         [0042]    In the instant invention, while the slots  51  provide openings through which powder material can be expelled and tested in the detection system  101 , the solid portions  853  remain intact so that the bottom edge  854  of the mailpiece  87  remains in place. Therefore, the contents inside the mailpiece  87  remain contained therein preserving the privacy of the contents and permitting the mailpiece  87  to be further processed for final delivery through the normal mail processing system if it is not contaminated. The plurality of slots  851  provide a greater amount of open area for the powder material to fall through as compared to the opening created at the corner of the mailpiece  87  by the corner snipper  13 .  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 12 shows a second embodiment where the cutter wheel  803  has been replaced by the cutter wheel  859 . The cutter wheel  859  is similar to the cutter wheel  803  but further includes vertically extending cutting edges  861  at each side of the notches  855 . Further, a circular urethane wheel  862  has been mounted on shaft  845  directly below cutter wheel  805  to rotate therewith. Accordingly, as the mailpieces  87  pass between a nip  863  the bottom of the mailpiece  87  is cut in a castellated appearance whereby a plurality of segments  865  of the lower edge  864  have been removed to produce a plurality of edge openings  867 . The openings  867  allow any powder material to pass therethrough during the jogging and compression/decompression cycles while the uncut edge segments  869  retain the contents within the mailpiece  87 . Once again, the opened area of the mailpieces  87  are significantly increased over a cut corner opening to allow more opportunity for powder material to escape during the jogging and compression/decompression cycles.  
         [0044]    Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices, shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims. For example, the following are representative examples of such modifications:  
         [0045]    1. The functions of the controller  821  and power supply  82  can be integrated in the jogger device  97  so that by pressing a single switch the entire jogging and compression/decompression cycles will automatically be executed. Moreover the jogging cycle can be initiated first with the compression/decompression cycles occurring during the jogging cycle.  
         [0046]    2. The cutter wheel  803  can be modified to have any number of notches  55  and cutting edges  861  in order to vary the number of slots  851  and openings  867  that are made during cutting. Further, different notches can be of a different size to produce slots  851  and openings  867  of different sizes. Additionally, the notch can be sized to produce only a single larger slot  851  or opening  867 .  
         [0047]    3. The urethane wheel  862  can be made of other materials that provide a proper backing for cutting and which does not damage the cutting edges  861 . Further, the urethane wheel can be integrated on the cutting wheel  860 .  
         [0048]    4. The cutter wheels of FIGS. 11 and 12 can be used alone separate from the mail opening device  801  for cutting the envelopes in the inventive manner. However, by using the mail opening system in conjunction therewith the initial jogging and the cutting features are integrated within a single unit.  
         [0049]    5. While two specific air-monitoring tests are shown, only one may be implemented. Further, the invention contemplates any type of testing that can be performed on the expelled air to detect any type of contamination.