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.

An envelope processing apparatus for enclosing an enclosure into an envelope conveyed to an enclosing position includes a conveyance roller that conveys the envelope to the enclosing position. A first envelope length calculator calculates a first envelope length of the envelope in an envelope conveyance direction in which the envelope is conveyed in a close state in which a flap of the envelope closes. A flap opener opens the flap while the conveyance roller conveys the envelope. A second envelope length calculator calculates a second envelope length of the envelope in the envelope conveyance direction in an open state in which the flap opens. A controller calculates a flap length of the flap in the envelope conveyance direction based on the first envelope length and the second envelope length. The controller controls enclosing of the enclosure into the envelope based on the flap length.

An enclosing device includes an envelope conveyance path, an envelope loader, an envelope-position restrictor, and an envelope-position adjuster. The envelope conveyance path conveys an envelope to an enclosing position at which an enclosure is enclosed into the envelope. The envelope loader loads the envelope to be supplied to the envelope conveyance path. The envelope-position restrictor restricts a loaded position of the envelope in the envelope loader. The envelope-position adjuster adjusts a position of the envelope with respect to a conveyance direction of the envelope while maintaining a state in which the envelope-position restrictor restricts the loaded position of the envelope.

An envelope processing apparatus that inserts an enclosure into an envelope includes an envelope conveyor, a flap opener, an enclosure pusher, and circuitry. The envelope conveyor extends in a vertical direction and conveys the envelope to an enclosing position via an envelope conveyance passage as a passage in which the envelope is conveyed. The flap opener opens a flap of the envelope. The enclosure pusher pushes the enclosure toward an opening of a body of the envelope conveyed to the enclosing position with the flap open. The circuitry changes a pushing amount of the enclosure into the envelope and adjusts the pushing amount based on the opening of the body of the envelope within a specified range from an inside to an outside of the body of the envelope.

An envelope processing apparatus for enclosing an enclosure in an envelope includes an envelope conveyance path, an enclosure supplier, an envelope supplier, a flap opener, and an envelope stacker. The envelope conveyance path extends in a substantially vertical direction to convey the envelope. The enclosure supplier supplies the enclosure to the envelope via the envelope conveyance path. The envelope supplier supplies the envelope to the envelope conveyance path, The flap opener opens a flap portion of the envelope between the envelope supplier and the envelope conveyance path. The envelope stacker stacks the envelope ejected from the envelope conveyance path.

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 object of the present invention is to ensure rigid formation of the folds of the protrusions of the paper sheet and smooth conveyance of the folding-processed paper sheet to the downstream side of the folding position in the paper conveyance direction without causing the problems such as jamming. A folding unit includes a lower guide plate arranged at a position facing a folding plate at the folding position, and an arrangement position of a turning shaft of the folding plate is vertically movable with respect to the lower guide plate.

A conveyor system is provided including a conveyor and a plurality of functional trays that are removably attachable to the conveyor. Each tray includes a plate having first and second dimensions that are orthogonal to each other, and the plate includes a coupler configured to be removably attached to the conveyor with the second dimension of the plate being in parallel with a moving direction of the conveyor. The plurality of functional trays include one or more of an envelope-opening mechanism, an item-pushing mechanism, an envelope-closing mechanism, an item-wrapping mechanism, and a tray-height-adjustment mechanism. For example, the item-pushing mechanism includes a pusher slidably coupled to the plate, and a linear actuator configured to move the pusher relative to the plate along the first dimension so as to push an item off the functional tray.