An envelope sealing and flipping system can be incorporated into a mail inserter system to seal an envelope with a complete unbroken glue line and simultaneously flip the envelope face-up for downstream processing. The system includes a flip cage that receives an envelope and a moveable wetting brush that contacts the flap. The flip cage rotates, causing the flap to drag underneath the wetting brush, and realigning the envelope with a sealer nip which seals the envelope. The flip cage rotates continuously to receive, flip, and seal many envelopes.

An envelope sealing and flipping system can be incorporated into a mail inserter system to seal an envelope with a complete unbroken glue line and simultaneously flip the envelope face-up for downstream processing. The system includes a flip cage that receives an envelope and a moveable wetting brush that contacts the flap. The flip cage rotates, causing the flap to drag underneath the wetting brush, and realigning the envelope with a sealer nip which seals the envelope. The flip cage rotates continuously to receive, flip, and seal many envelopes.

A system (300) for closing mailers includes a forming funnel (320) and a fusing device (310). The forming funnel includes funneling surfaces that receive an opening of a mailer in an insertion direction (302) and constrain the opening of the mailer after the opening of the mailer is inserted. The funneling surfaces are arranged to continue constraining the opening of the mailer as the mailer moves in a sliding direction (304). The fusing device includes a slot that receives the constrained opening of the mailer from the forming funnel. The fusing device applies pressure and heat to the opening of the mailer as the opening of the mailer moves through the slot. The pressure and the heat applied by the fusing device cause portions of the opening to fuse together to close the mailer.

A system (300) for closing mailers includes a forming funnel (320) and a fusing device (310). The forming funnel includes funneling surfaces that receive an opening of a mailer in an insertion direction (302) and constrain the opening of the mailer after the opening of the mailer is inserted. The funneling surfaces are arranged to continue constraining the opening of the mailer as the mailer moves in a sliding direction (304). The fusing device includes a slot that receives the constrained opening of the mailer from the forming funnel. The fusing device applies pressure and heat to the opening of the mailer as the opening of the mailer moves through the slot. The pressure and the heat applied by the fusing device cause portions of the opening to fuse together to close the mailer.

An envelope processing apparatus includes a flap opener, a first envelope detector, a second envelope detector, and circuitry. The flap opener opens a flap of an envelope during conveyance of the envelope in an envelope conveyance passage in which the envelope is conveyed to an enclosing position. The first envelope detector detects the envelope at a position upstream from the flap opener in a conveyance direction of the envelope. The second envelope detector detects the envelope at a position downstream from the flap opener in the conveyance direction. The circuitry causes the flap opener to execute an opening operation of the flap of the envelope conveyed to the enclosing position and causes the flap opener to execute the opening operation of the flap again when an opening-and-closing state of the flap determined based on detection results of the envelope by the first and second envelope detectors is abnormal.

A method and an apparatus for forming advertising media compilations respectively consisting of one envelope and a plurality of inserts. Each advertising medium suitable for use as an envelope for an advertising media compilation to be formed is recorded in a computer-aided machine control. For each recorded advertising medium, an offset value is defined which corresponds to the required projecting length, relative to the associated inserts, wherein this offset value is used for forming the required projecting length in case of a changeover from one advertising media compilation to another advertising media compilation having an envelope that differs from the first envelope. The apparatus is respectively provided for this with a separate drive unit, connected to the computer-aided machine control, for at least one of the separating out and feeding elements and to the conveying element.

A method and an apparatus for forming advertising media compilations respectively consisting of one envelope and a plurality of inserts. Each advertising medium suitable for use as an envelope for an advertising media compilation to be formed is recorded in a computer-aided machine control. For each recorded advertising medium, an offset value is defined which corresponds to the required projecting length, relative to the associated inserts, wherein this offset value is used for forming the required projecting length in case of a changeover from one advertising media compilation to another advertising media compilation having an envelope that differs from the first envelope. The apparatus is respectively provided for this with a separate drive unit, connected to the computer-aided machine control, for at least one of the separating out and feeding elements and to the conveying element.

An envelope processing apparatus conveys an envelope to an enclosing position and encloses an enclosure on which specific information is formed at a formation position. The enclosing device includes: an envelope conveyor to convey the enclosure to the enclosing position to insert the enclosure into the envelope; a sensor to acquire, as an image, a structure of the envelope during conveyance, and acquire transparent-portion information indicating a position of a transparent portion in the envelope; an envelope holder to hold the envelope in a state in which the enclosure is insertable; and control circuitry to output position adjustment information for adjusting a position of the envelope in a width direction of the envelope at the enclosing position or a position of the specific information in a conveyance direction of the envelope, based on relative positions between the formation position of the specific information and the position of the transparent portion.

An enclosing-sealing apparatus includes a flap opener that opens a flap of an envelope while the envelope is conveyed to an enclosing position. A first envelope detector is disposed upstream from the flap opener in an envelope conveyance direction and detects both ends of the envelope in the envelope conveyance direction. A second envelope detector is disposed downstream from the flap opener in the envelope conveyance direction and detects both ends of the envelope in the envelope conveyance direction in an open state in which the flap opens. A controller determines the open state of the flap based on a first detection result sent from the first envelope detector and a second detection result sent from the second envelope detector. The controller performs troubleshooting for enclosing the enclosure into the envelope if the controller determines that the open state of the flap is faulty.

An envelope sealing and flipping system can be incorporated into a mail inserter system to seal an envelope with a complete unbroken glue line and simultaneously flip the envelope face-up for downstream processing. The system includes a flip cage that receives an envelope and a moveable wetting brush that contacts the flap. The flip cage rotates, causing the flap to drag underneath the wetting brush, and realigning the envelope with a sealer nip which seals the envelope. The flip cage rotates continuously to receive, flip, and seal many envelopes.