Patent Publication Number: US-7581723-B2

Title: Personalizing and inserting articles for mass distribution

Description:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to the field of material handling, and in particular to a new and useful apparatus and method of printing personalized information on an article such as a calendar or pen, and stuffing that article into an envelope that is addressed to that person, on a mass production basis. 
   The most pertinent patents to the present invention that were found are: 
   
     
       
         
             
             
           
             
                 
             
             
               U.S. Pat. No. 
               Inventor(s) 
             
             
                 
             
           
          
             
               3,485,208 
               Hemming 
             
             
               3,503,488 
               Stone 
             
             
               3,902,712 
               Dorer 
             
             
               4,079,576 
               Morrison, et al. 
             
             
               4,158,835 
               Miura, et al. 
             
             
               4,582,312 
               Abrams, et al. 
             
             
               4,733,856 
               Gunther, Jr. 
             
             
               4,797,832 
               Axelrod, et al. 
             
             
               4,865,304 
               VanderSyde, et al. 
             
             
               4,955,185 
               Haas, et al. 
             
             
               5,034,985 
               Keough 
             
             
               5,072,922 
               Paulson 
             
             
               5,107,656 
               Katz, et al. 
             
             
               5,125,124 
               Orsinger, et al. 
             
             
               5,157,243 
               Ramsey 
             
             
               5,179,522 
               Scribe 
             
             
               5,317,654 
               Perry, et al. 
             
             
               5,388,388 
               Belec, et al. 
             
             
               5,445,367 
               Long 
             
             
               5,519,624 
               Hidding 
             
             
               5,569,003 
               Goldman, et al. 
             
             
               5,618,375 
               Suzuki, et al. 
             
             
               5,715,653 
               Weinmann, et al. 
             
             
               5,898,153 
               Lagan, et al. 
             
             
               5,954,323 
               Emigh, et al. 
             
             
               6,168,008 
               Sting, et al. 
             
             
               6,725,126 
               Doery 
             
             
               6,974,034 
               Smith, et al. 
             
             
               7,000,364 
               Middelberg, et al. 
             
             
               7,051,496 
               Heilman. 
             
             
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   The most pertinent patent application found is U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2006/0162584 to Iwamoto, et al. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,488 to Stone and U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,208 to Hemming, et al. disclose a rotating fluted drum for transporting rod-like articles for processing. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,576 to Morrison, et al. discloses an insert track which comprises continuously-moving constant speed conveyor chains with spaced sets of pusher pins for carrying inserts to the stuffing station. The envelope stopped at the stuffing station is held open with sucker feet and boxing fingers, and the pusher arms is used to drive the insert into the open envelope. This patent also discloses that the stuffed envelope is processed and deposited on an envelope stacking rack. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,835 to Miura, et al. generally discloses a device for detecting postal information located inside a window area of an envelope. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,312 to Abrams, et al. generally discloses an apparatus adapted to obtain a signal from information bearing marks on a first document, transmit the signal to a printer to print an image such as a bar code on a second document, and insert the first and second documents into an envelope. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,304 to VanderSyde, et al. discloses directing a jet of air under and against the flap of an envelope to deflect the flap to an opened position and placing a flap retaining bar before the envelope insertion station to maintain the flap in the opened position. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,126 to Doery generally discloses an apparatus for matching mailing envelopes and inserts which comprises a document feeder for feeding a document to a scanner, which reads the document to obtain information and transmits the information to a controller, and a printer for printing information obtained from the controller onto the envelope. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,624 to Hidding generally discloses a system which scans the barcode printed on a main document, processes the signal from the scanner, and transmits the appropriate printing instructions to the printer to print the desired enclosure documents. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,654 to Perry, et al. generally discloses an apparatus for reading the name and address of the recipient shown on a primary document and imprinting the envelope with the information obtained from the primary document. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,375 to Suzuki, et al. discloses an envelope hopper assembly which pulls the envelope one by one from the bottom of the stack and deposits the envelope on the gripper of the envelope transport chain. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,922 to Paulson discloses an envelope hopper assembly which comprises a reciprocating rotatable vacuum drum with vacuum outlet openings and configured to remove one envelope at a time from the bottom of the envelope hopper. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for personalizing and inserting articles for mass distribution, comprising: an envelope hopper for holding a plurality of envelopes which each carry a unique machine readable code associated with a unique individual; an article hopper for holding a plurality of articles for the individuals; a code scanner for reading the unique machine readable codes of the envelopes; an envelope feeder for moving one envelope at a time to the scanner for reading each machine readable code; an envelope conveyor for conveying the envelopes from the scanner and in a sequence corresponding to the order in which the codes were scanned, to an inserting station; a printer operatively connected to the scanner for printing personal information on articles, each corresponding the an individual for whom a code has been read by the code scanner; an article feeder for feeding articles from the article hopper to the printer for being printed with the personal information, and for feeding the printed articles in the same sequence to the inserting station; and inserting means at the inserting station for inserting each article that has been printed with personal information, into a corresponding envelope from which the unique code has been read by the scanner. 
   The invention achieves the correlation of uniquely printed articles such as, but not limited to calenders and pens, into correspondingly addressed envelopes, by reading the unique codes in sequence and by observing the same sequence for the envelopes and for the articles, by discharging any envelopes with an unsuccessfully read code, and either not printing a corresponding article or, if the article has already been printed, discharging that article from the article sequence as well. 
   The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a partial perspective view of one embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of an envelope hopper of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  with a stack of envelopes in the hopper; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of an article feeder and inserting station of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of one version of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with an article hopper and printed for use therewith; and 
       FIG. 6  is a side perspective view of another article feeder and printer for use with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar elements,  FIG. 1  shows the invention as an apparatus  10  for personalizing articles, such as writing instruments or journals, for mass distribution by imprinting recipient-specific information directly on a surface of the article, associating each personalized article with a corresponding pre-filled envelope, and inserting each personalized article into the corresponding envelope. The stuffed envelopes are then advanced downstream for further processing, e.g., closing the envelope flap and printing postage. 
   The apparatus  10  includes an envelope feeder assembly  12  which comprises an envelope hopper  14  shown empty and on an enlarged scale in  FIG. 2 , for stacking a plurality of envelopes  16  shown in the hopper in  FIG. 3 . A rotary drum  18  is positioned below the envelope hopper  14  for pulling envelopes  16 , individually from the bottom of the stack on the hopper. The rotary drum  18  also rotates to position the envelope adjacent a scanner shown at  20  in  FIG. 5  which is behind the hopper  14 , and the drum holds the envelope to allow the scanner to scan the machine readable code  22  shown in  FIG. 3 , e.g. a data matrix or other know or to be discovered machine readable code that is printed on or displayed through the window of the envelope  16 . Preferably, the amount of time the envelope  16  is held in front of the scanner  20  is sufficient to permit multiple reads of the machine readable code to minimize reading errors. 
   Scanners capable of reading and/or decoding one or more of the following machine readable codes may also be used: 3-DI, ArrayTag, Aztec Code, Codablock, Code 1, Code 16K, Code 49, CP Code, DataGlyphs, Datastrip Code, Dot Code, A hueCode, INTACTA.CODE, MaxiCode, MiniCode, PDF 417, QR Code, SmartCode, SuperCode, Snowflake Code, and Ultracode. 
   The envelopes  16  are preferable pre-filled with documents which contain some form of addressee information in machine readable code printed on the portion of the document which is displayed through the window of the envelope. Proper orientation of the envelopes  16  in the hopper so that the window of the envelope will face the scanner  20  is within the capability of those skilled in the art. 
   The scanner  20 , such as a Microscan scanner, decodes the machine readable code and sends the data to a printing or engraving device  24  in  FIG. 5 , where imprinting of personalized information on the article is triggered by signals transmitted by the scanner  20 . The type of imprinting machine used depends on the type of article being imprinted. For example, thermal transfer printers or Fleisher printers (foil stamping) are suitable for printing personalized information on the plastic covers of journals stacked, for example in an article hopper  26 . For writing instruments with metallic bodies, laser engraving machines may be used. Dot-matrix and any other suitable printer may also be used with the invention. 
   Any envelope  16  from the stack in envelope hopper  14 , that cannot be scanned for any reason, e.g. a defect in the information  22 , is discarded so that only the next set of information corresponding to the next successfully scanned envelope is used to print the article that is destined for that envelope. 
   After the scanning operation at scanner  20 , the successfully scanned envelope is placed with its front or printed, code bearing side facing down, on an intermittently operating pusher chain or envelope conveyor  28  with evenly spaced chain fingers or projections. The envelope is also indexed to synchronize the movement of the envelope in the direction of arrow A in  FIG. 3 , and the corresponding personalized article  30 , in the direction of arrow B shown in  FIG. 5 , to ensure that the matching mail pieces arriving at an inserting station  32 , together. Air nozzle  34  that injects high velocity air into the open top of the envelope in station  32 , is used to open the envelope. Before the envelope moves into the inserting station  32 , the envelope flap  17  is contacted with a metal edge plate attached to a support beam that runs parallel to the pusher chain  28 . The envelope flap  17  is gradually deflected outwardly and under the edge plate to unfold the flap and open envelope as it approached station  32 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4  which is an enlarged view of the inserting station  32 , the envelope  16  stops at the inserting station  32  with the flap  17  tucked or deflected below one or more parallel flap retaining plates. An article transport belt or feeder  36  with evenly spaced teeth or projections is arranged to run perpendicular to the pusher chain  28  and in the direction of arrow B in  FIG. 5 , and carries the personalized article  30  corresponding to the recipient of the content of the envelope to the inserting station  32 , i.e., in front of the envelope opening. 
   A piston driven suction member  33  comprising a plurality of suction cups at station  32 , move downwardly to engage the suction cups against the back side of the envelope at station  16 , that is the upwardly facing side. The suction cups are then raised to hold the back side of the envelope open. The personalized article  30  is then pushed into the envelope with a pushing arm  38  that is actuated by a lever mechanism at the correct time when the appropriately printed article  30  is on the belt  36  just in front of the open mouth of the corresponding envelope  16 . 
   The thus stuffed envelope is then moved forward again in the direction of arrow A, on chain  28 , and deposited on a mail accumulator assembly  40  configured to stand the envelopes vertically. 
   When the apparatus of the invention is combined with a thermal transfer printer or Fleisher printer  24 , a pull-off device may be used to slide the personalized article from the output tray of the printer and onto the article transport belt  28 . When the article  30  is imprinted by foil stamping, a buffing wheel  42  is positioned on the article transport pathway (e.g. belt  36 ) to remove any foil residue from the surface of the printed article. The printing device may include an article feeder to allow continuous printing of articles. 
   Various printing and engraving machines, now known or hereafter developed, may be operatively associated with the article transport belt. For example, the apparatus of the present invention may be integrated with a pen engraving assembly shown in  FIG. 6  which replaced article hopper and its associated parts. 
   The pen engraving assembly  50  of  FIG. 6 , comprises an article hopper in the form of an inclined pen hopper  52  for carrying a plurality of pens  60 , a first elevating plate  54  for lifting the pens individually to the top edge of a first inclined plate  56 , which causes each individual pen to roll onto one end of a pen transport belt  58 , which is preferably made of an elastic material. A second inclined plate  62  attached to the other end of the pen transport belt  58 , then receives the pen and a second elevating plate  64  located adjacent the bottom edge of the second inclined plate  62 , raises the pen to a rotating pen feeder assembly  66  having tooth structures for engaging one pen at a time. As the rotating pen feeder  66  rotates, the pen moves on to a laser engraving machine  72  where the unique information obtained by reading the code on the envelope into which the pen will eventually be inserted is imprinted on the pen, and then the pen moves on to a third inclined plate  68  with a pivoting portion  70 . The pivoting portion  70  pivots counter clock-wise in  FIG. 6 , to discharge a printed pen from the lower edge of the plate  68 , under the rotating feeder  66  and away from the inserting station, when a corresponding envelope  16  has failed to have its code successfully read by the scanner  20  and has therefore been removed from the sequence of envelopes moving along the chain  28 , in order. 
   Each of pen receiving gaps or notches formed between the adjacent teeth of the pen feeder assembly is configured for picking up and holding one pen. The pen feeder assembly positions and orients the pen for engraving. Preferably, the pen being engraved is held at the 12 o&#39;clock position. 
   The pen engraving assembly  72  also includes a senor for detecting whether the pen has the proper rotational orientation. The sensor provides an indication to the controller (e.g., Automation Direct or Mitsubishi PLC) which determines whether to allow the pen to proceed to the article transport belt or to discard any improperly aligned pen into the rejected pen chute by lifting the pivoting portion of the third incline. 
   Instead of using an article transport belt, the pen engraving assembly may be integrated with an intermittently operating envelope placement assembly that removes one envelope at a time from an envelope hopper, scans the machine readable code printed on the envelope (or on the document displayed through the envelope), instructs the pen engraving assembly to commence the engraving process, and places the envelope with the flap and mouth open below the third incline to receive the personalized pen which has been engraved with the information obtained from the envelope. Illustrations of the invention are shown below. 
   For purposes of the present invention the word envelope is uses to identify any appropriate receptacle for mailing or delivering an article, which is preferably a paper or plastic envelope with a flap that opens and closes an opening of the envelope for receiving the article, but may also be a box of wrapper of other type. The word article is used to identify any small, portable article that can be printed, embossed or otherwise marked with personal information (correctively called printing here), such as the person&#39;s name, unique or associated information like a birth date, address or other single or multiple item(s) of information associated with the intended recipient of the envelope. The concept of a unique individual is also preferably a person, but may be an organization, a company, a geographic area or other unique entity that may have an article printed with personalized information associated with that entity. 
   While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.